Luc. Farewel, Andronicus, my noble father; O, 'would thou wert as thou 'tofore hast been! If Lucius live, he will requite your wrongs; SCENE II.8 [Exit. A Room in Titus's House. A Banquet set out. Enter TITUS, MARCUS, LAVINIA, and young LUCIUS,. a Boy. Tit. So, so; now sit: and look, you eat no more He leaves &c.] Old copies-He loves. Corrected by Mr. Rowe. Malone. 7 8 Saturnine-] Edition 1600-Saturninus. Todd. Scene II.] This scene, which does not contribute any thing to the action, yet seems to have the same author with the rest, is omitted in the quarto of 1611, but found in the folio of 1623. Scene II. is also wanting in edition 1600. Todd. 9 pest: Johnson. Marcus, unknit that sorrow-wreathen knot;] So, in The Tem 1 And cannot passionate &c.] This obsolete verb is likewise found in Spenser: "Great pleasure mix'd with pitiful regard, "That godly king and queen did passionate." Steevents. Is left to tyrannize upon my breast; And when my heart, all mad with misery, Then thus I thump it down.- Thou map of woe, that thus dost talk in signs! [To Lav. Mar. Fy, brother, fy! teach her not thus to lay Tit. How now! has sorrow made thee dote already? Why, Marcus, no man should be mad but I. What violent hands can she lay on her life? Ah, wherefore dost thou urge the name of hands ;— How Troy was burnt, and he made miserable? She says, she drinks no other drink but tears,a 2 And when &c.] Old copies-Who when Mr. Rowe. Malone. 3 O, handle not the theme, to talk of hands;] So, in Troilus and Cressida: "Handlest in thy discourse, O, that her hand." Malone. VI, P. III: she drinks no other drink but tears,] So, in King Henry "Ye see, I drink the water of my eyes." Again, in Venus and Adonis: "Dost thou drink tears, that thou provok'st such weeping?" Malone. thy thought; In thy dumb action will I be as perfect, As begging hermits in their holy prayers: LAT Thou shalt not sigh, nor hold thy stumps to heaven, But I, of these, will wrest an alphabet, And, by still practice, learn to know thy meaning. Tit. Peace, tender sapling; thou art made of tears," [MAR. strikes the Dish with a Knife. What dost thou strike at, Marcus, with thy knife? Mar. At that that I have kill'd, my lord; a fly. Tit. Out on thee, murderer! thou kill'st my heart;8 Mine eyes are cloy'd with view of tyranny: A deed of death, done on the innocent, Becomes not Titus' brother: Get thee gone; I see, thou art not for my company. Mar. Alas, my lord, I have but kill'd a fly. Tit. But how, if that fly had a father and mother? 5 mesh'd upon her cheeks:] A very coarse allusion to brewing. Steevens. 6 by still practice,] By constant or continual practice. 7 Johnson. Peace, tender sapling; thou art made of tears,] So, in Cori olanus: 8 thou boy of tears." Steevens. Out on thee, murderer! thou kill'st my heart;] So, in King Henry V: "The king hath kill'd his heart." Again, in Venus and Adonis: "That they have murder'd this poor heart of mine.” Malone. 9 a father and mother?] Mother perhaps should be omitted, as the following line speaks only in the singular number, and Titus most probably confines his thoughts to the sufferings of a father. Steevens. Mr. Steevens judiciously conjectures that the words-and mother, should be omitted. We might read: But!-How if that fly had a father, brother? How would he hang his slender gilded wings, And buz lamenting doings in the air?1 Poor harmless fly! That with his pretty buzzing melody, Came here to make us merry; and thou hast kill'd him. Then pardon me for reprehending thee, Yet do think we are not brought so low," That comes in likeness of a coal-black Moor. Mar. Alas, poor man! grief has so wrought on him, He takes false shadows for true substances. Tit. Come, take away.-Lavinia, go with me: I'll to thy closet; and go read with thee [Exeunt. The note of exclamation seems necessary after-But, from what Marcus says, in the preceding line: "Alas! my lord I have but kill'd a fly." Ritson. 1 And buz lamenting doings in the air?] Lamenting doing's is a very idle expression, and conveys, no idea. I read-dolings. The alteration which I have made, though it is but the addition of a single letter, is a great increase to the sense; and though, indeed, there is somewhat of tautology in the epithet and substantive annexed to it, yet that 's no new thing with our author. Theobald. There is no need of change. Sad doings for any unfortunate event, is a common though not an elegant expression. Steevens. 2 Yet I do think &c.] Do was inserted by me for the sake of the metre. Steevens. Enter TITUS and MARCUS. Then enter young Lucius, LAVINIA running after him. Boy. Help, grandsire, help! my aunt Lavinia Follows me every where, I know not why:Good uncle Marcus, see how swift she comes! Alas, sweet aunt, I know not what you mean. Mar. Stand by me, Lucius; do not fear thine aunt. Canst thou not guess wherefore she plies thee thus? And would not, but in fury, fright my youth: I will most willingly attend your ladyship. Mar. Lucius, I will. 3 [Lav. turns over the Books which Luc. has let fall. Tully's Orator.] The moderns-oratory. The old copies read-Tully's oratour; meaning, perhaps, Tully De ora tore. Steevens. Tully's Orator.] Tully's Treatise on Eloquence, addressed to Brutus, and entitled Orator. The quantity of Latin words was formerly little attended to. Mr. Rowe and all the subse quent editors read-Tully's oratory. Malone. VOL. XVII. G |