Titus Andronicus (Dover Publications)

by William Shakespeare

  MARC. With voices and applause of every sort,

  Patricians and plebeians, we create

  Lord Saturninus Rome’s great emperor, 240

  And say “Long live our Emperor Saturnine!”

  [A long flourish till they come down.

  SAT. Titus Andronicus, for thy favours done

  To us in our election this day,

  I give thee thanks in part of thy deserts,

  And will with deeds requite thy gentleness:

  And, for an onset, Titus, to advance247

  Thy name and honourable family,

  Lavinia will I make my empress,

  Rome’s royal mistress, mistress of my heart, 250

  And in the sacred Pantheon her espouse:251

  Tell me, Andronicus, doth this motion please thee?252

  TIT. It doth, my worthy lord; and in this match

  I hold me highly honour’d of your grace:

  And here, in sight of Rome, to Saturnine,

  King and commander of our commonweal,

  The wide world’s emperor, do I consecrate

  My sword, my chariot and my prisoners;

  Presents well worthy Rome’s imperious lord:

  Receive them then, the tribute that I owe, 260

  Mine honour’s ensigns humbled at thy feet.

  SAT. Thanks, noble Titus, father of my life!

  How proud I am of thee and of thy gifts,

  Rome shall record; and when I do forget

  The least of these unspeakable deserts,

  Romans, forget your fealty to me.

  TIT. To Tamora] Now, madam, are you prisoner to an emperor;

  To him that, for your honour and your state,

  Will use you nobly and your followers.

  SAT. A goodly lady, trust me; of the hue 270

  That I would choose, were I to choose anew.

  Clear up, fair queen, that cloudy countenance;

  Though chance of war hath wrought this change of cheer,273

  Thou comest not to be made a scorn in Rome:

  Princely shall be thy usage every way.

  Rest on my word, and let not discontent

  Daunt all your hopes: madam, he comforts you

  Can make you greater than the Queen of Goths.

  Lavinia, you are not displeased with this?

  LAV. Not I, my lord; sith true nobility 280

  Warrants these words in princely courtesy.

  SAT. Thanks, sweet Lavinia. Romans, let us go:

  Ransomless here we set our prisoners free:

  Proclaim our honours, lords, with trump and drum.

  [Flourish. Saturninus courts Tamora in dumb show.

  BAS. [Seizing Lavinia] Lord Titus, by your leave, this maid is mine.

  TIT. How, sir! are you in earnest then, my lord?

  BAS. Ay, noble Titus, and resolved withal

  To do myself this reason and this right.

  MARC. “Suum cuique” is our Roman justice:

  This prince in justice seizeth but his own.

  LUC. And that he will, and shall, if Lucius live.

  TIT. Traitors, avaunt! Where is the emperor’s guard?

  Treason, my lord! Lavinia is surprised!

  SAT. Surprised! by whom?

  BAS. By him that justly may

  Bear his betroth’d from all the world away.

  [Exeunt Bassianus and Marcus with Lavinia.

  MUT. Brothers, help to convey her hence away, 300

  And with my sword I’ll keep this door safe.

  [Exeunt Lucius, Quintus, and Martius.

  TIT. Follow, my lord, and I’ll soon bring her back.

  MUT. My lord, you pass not here.

  TIT. What, villain boy!

  Barr’st me my way in Rome? [Stabbing Mutius.

  MUT. Help, Lucius, help! [Dies.

  [During the fray, Saturninus, Tamora, Demetrius, Chiron and Aaron go out, and re-enter above.

  Re-enter LUCIUS

  LUC. My lord, you are unjust; and, more than so, 310

  In wrongful quarrel you have slain your son.

  TIT. Nor thou, nor he, are any sons of mine;

  My sons would never so dishonour me:

  Traitor, restore Lavinia to the emperor.

  LUC. Dead, if you will; but not to be his wife,

  That is another’s lawful promised love. [Exit.316

  SAT. No, Titus, no; the emperor needs her not,

  Nor her, nor thee, nor any of thy stock:

  I’ll trust by leisure him that mocks me once;319

  Thee never, nor thy traitorous haughty sons, 320

  Confederates all thus to dishonour me.

  Was none in Rome to make a stale322

  But Saturnine? Full well, Andronicus,

  Agree these deeds with that proud brag of thine,

  That saidst, I begg’d the empire at thy hands.

  TIT. O monstrous! what reproachful words are these?

  SAT. But go thy ways; go give that changing piece 327

  To him that flourish’d for her with his sword:328

  A valiant son-in-law thou shalt enjoy;

  One fit to bandy with thy lawless sons, 330

  To ruffle in the commonwealth of Rome.331

  TIT. These words are razors to my wounded heart.

  SAT. And therefore, lovely Tamora, Queen of Goths,

  That, like the stately Phœbe ’mongst her nymphs,334

  Dost overshine the gallant’st dames of Rome,

  If thou be pleased with this my sudden choice,

  Behold, I choose thee, Tamora, for my bride,

  And will create thee empress of Rome.

  Speak, Queen of Goths, dost thou applaud my choice?

  And here I swear by all the Roman gods, 340

  Sith priest and holy water are so near,

  And tapers burn so bright, and every thing

  In readiness for Hymenæus stand,343

  I will not re-salute the streets of Rome,

  Or climb my palace, till from forth this place

  I lead espoused my bride along with me.

  TAM. And here, in sight of heaven, to Rome I swear,

  If Saturnine advance the Queen of Goths,

  She will a handmaid be to his desires,

  A loving nurse, a mother to his youth. 350

  SAT. Ascend, fair queen, Pantheon. Lords, accompany

  Your noble emperor and his lovely bride,

  Sent by the heavens for Prince Saturnine,

  Whose wisdom hath her fortune conquered:

  There shall we consummate our spousal rites.

  [Exeunt all but Titus.

  TIT. I am not bid to wait upon this bride.

  Titus, when wert thou wont to walk alone,

  Dishonour’d thus and challenged of wrongs?

  Re-enter MARCUS, LUCIUS, QUINTUS, and MARTIUS

  MARC. O Titus, see, O, see what thou hast done! 360

  In a bad quarrel slain a virtuous son.

  TIT. No, foolish tribune, no; no son of mine,

  Nor thou, nor these, confederates in the deed

  That hath dishonour’d all our family;

  Unworthy brother, and unworthy sons!

  LUC. But let us give him burial, as becomes;

  Give Mutius burial with our brethren.

  TIT. Traitors, away! he rests not in this tomb:

  This monument five hundred years hath stood,

  Which I have sumptuously re-edified: 370

  Here none but soldiers and Rome’s servitors

  Repose in fame; none basely slain in brawls:

  Bury him where you can, he comes not here.

  MARC. My lord, this is impiety in you:

  My nephew Mutius’ deeds do plead for him;

  He must be buried with his brethren.

  QUIN. And shall, or him we will accompany.

  MART. And shall, or him we will accompany.

  TIT. And shall! what villain was it spake that word?

  QUIN. He that would vouch it in an
y place but here. 380

  TIT. What, would you bury him in my despite?

  MARC. No, noble Titus; but entreat of thee

  To pardon Mutius and to bury him.

  TIT. Marcus, even thou hast struck upon my crest,

  And with these boys mine honour thou hast wounded:

  My foes I do repute you every one;

  So trouble me no more, but get you gone.

  MART. He is not with himself; let us withdraw.

  QUIN. Not I, till Mutius’ bones be buried.

  [Marcus and the sons of Titus kneel. 390

  MARC. Brother, for in that name doth nature plead,—

  QUIN. Father, and in that name doth nature speak,—

  TIT. Speak thou no more, if all the rest will speed.

  MARC. Renowned Titus, more than half my soul,—

  LUC. Dear father, soul and substance of us all,—

  MARC. Suffer thy brother Marcus to inter

  His noble nephew here in virtue’s nest,

  That died in honour and Lavinia’s cause.

  Thou art a Roman; be not barbarous:

  The Greeks upon advice did bury Ajax 400

  That slew himself; and wise Laertes’ son

  Did graciously plead for his funerals:

  Let not young Mutius then, that was thy joy,

  Be barr’d his entrance here.

  TIT. Rise, Marcus, rise:

  The dismall’st day is this that e’er I saw,

  To be dishonour’d by my sons in Rome!

  Well, bury him, and bury me the next.

  [Mutius is put into the tomb.

  LUC. There lie thy bones, sweet Mutius, with thy friends, 410

  Till we with trophies do adorn thy tomb.

  ALL. [Kneeling] No man shed tears for noble Mutius;

  He lives in fame that died in virtue’s cause.

  MARC. My lord, to step out of these dreary dumps,

  How comes it that the subtle Queen of Goths

  Is of a sudden thus advanced in Rome?

  TIT. I know not, Marcus; but I know it is,

  Whether by device or no, the heavens can tell:418

  Is she not then beholding to the man

  That brought her for this high good turn so far? 420

  Yes, and will nobly him remunerate.

  Flourish. Re-enter, from one side, SATURNINUS. attended, TAMORA, DEMETRIUS, CHIRON, and AARON, from the other, BASSINUNS, LAVINIA, with others

  SAT. So, Bassianus, you have play’d your prize:422

  God give you joy, sir, of your gallant bride!

  BAS. And you of yours, my lord! I say no more,

  Nor wish no less; and so I take my leave.

  SAT. Traitor, if Rome have law, or we have power,

  Thou and thy faction shall repent this rape.

  BAS. Rape, call you it, my lord, to seize my own,

  My true-betrothed love, and now my wife?

  But let the laws of Rome determine all; 430

  Meanwhile I am possess’d of that is mine.

  SAT. T is good, sir: you are very short with us;

  But, if we live, we’ll be as sharp with you.

  BAS. My lord, what I have done, as best I may,

  Answer I must, and shall do with my life.

  Only thus much I give your grace to know:436

  By all the duties that I owe to Rome,

  This noble gentleman, Lord Titus here,

  Is in opinion and in honour wrong’d;

  That, in the rescue of Lavinia, 440

  With his own hand did slay his youngest son,

  In zeal to you and highly moved to wrath

  To be controll’d in that he frankly gave:443

  Receive him then to favour, Saturnine,

  That hath express’d himself in all his deeds

  A father and a friend to thee and Rome.

  TIT. Prince Bassianus, leave to plead my deeds:447

  ’T is thou and those that have dishonour’d me.

  Rome and the righteous heavens be my judge,

  How I have loved and honour’d Saturnine! 450

  TAM. My worthy lord, if ever Tamora

  Were gracious in those princely eyes of thine,

  Then hear me speak indifferently for all;453

  And at my suit, sweet, pardon what is past.

  SAT. What, madam! be dishonour’d openly,

  And basely put it up without revenge?456

  TAM. Not so, my lord; the gods of Rome forfend

  I should be author to dishonour you!458

  But on mine honour dare I undertake459

  For good Lord Titus’ innocence in all; 460

  Whose fury not dissembled speaks his griefs:

  Then, at my suit, look graciously on him;

  Lose not so noble a friend on vain suppose,463

  Nor with sour looks afflict his gentle heart.

  [Aside to Sat.] My lord, be ruled by me, be won at last;

  Dissemble all your griefs and discontents:

  You are but newly planted in your throne;

  Lest then the people, and patricians too,

  Upon a just survey, take Titus’ part,

  And so supplant you for ingratitude, 470

  Which Rome reputes to be a heinous sin,

  Yield at entreats, and then let me alone:472

  I’ll find a day to massacre them all,

  And raze their faction and their family,

  The cruel father and his traitorous sons,

  To whom I sued for my dear son’s life;

  And make them know what ’t is to let a queen

  Kneel in the streets and beg for grace in vain.—

  Come, come, sweet emperor; come, Andronicus;

  Take up this good old man, and cheer the heart 480

  That dies in tempest of thy angry frown.

  SAT. Rise, Titus, rise; my empress hath prevail’d.

  TIT. I thank your majesty, and her, my lord:

  These words, these looks, infuse new life in me.

  TAM. Titus, I am incorporate in Rome,

  A Roman now adopted happily,

  And must advise the emperor for his good.

  This day all quarrels die, Andronicus.

  And let it be mine honour, good my lord,

  That I have reconciled your friends and you. 490

  For you, Prince Bassianus, I have pass’d

  My word and promise to the emperor,

  That you will be more mild and tractable.

  And fear not, lords, and you, Lavinia;

  By my advice, all humbled on your knees,

  You shall ask pardon of his majesty.

  LUC. We do; and vow to heaven, and to his highness,

  That what we did was mildly as we might,

  Tendering our sister’s honour and our own.499

  MARC. That, on mine honour, here I do protest. 500

  SAT. Away, and talk not; trouble us no more.

  TAM. Nay, nay, sweet emperor, we must all be friends:

  The tribune and his nephews kneel for grace;

  I will not be denied: sweet heart, look back.504

  SAT. Marcus, for thy sake and thy brother’s here,

  And at my lovely Tamora’s entreats,506

  I do remit these young men’s heinous faults:

  Stand up.

  Lavinia, though you left me like a churl,

  I found a friend; and sure as death I swore 510

  I would not part a bachelor from the priest.

  Come, if the emperor’s court can feast two brides,

  You are my guest, Lavinia, and your friends.

  This day shall be a love-day, Tamora.514

  TIT. To-morrow, an it please your majesty

  To hunt the panther and the hart with me,

  With horn and hound we’ll give your grace bonjour.

  SAT. Be it so, Titus, and gramercy too.518

  [Flourish. Exeunt.

  * * *

  4 my successive title] my hereditary right to succeed.


  8 mine age] my seniority in point of age.

  15 continence] self-restraint.

  16 in pure election] in the purity of free election (instead of in right of birth).

  19 empery] empire, a common form.

  21 by common voice] unanimously.

  27 accited] summoned.

  29 That] He who.

  41 in the Capitol … right] in the name of the Capitol and the senate’s authority.

  43 abate your strength] reduce your numbers

  47 affy] trust.

  126 Patient yourself] calm yourself, be patient.

  130 mark’d] destined.

  138 Oppose not … Rome] Do not contrast Scythia with ambitious Rome, which is much more cruel.

  147 quit] requite, avenge.

  174–175 outlive … praise] a poetical exaggeration; a wish that, in order to preserve eternally the example of virtue, Lavinia may live for ever.

  184 That hath … Solon’s happiness] An allusion to Solon’s well-known saying “Call no man happy till he is dead.” The warriors who die in honourable warfare alone realise final happiness.

  188 trust] trustee, the man in whom they put their trust.

  189 palliament] a rare coinage from the medieval Latin “palliamentum,” a robe or cloak.

  194–195 A better head … feebleness] Titus gives himself a character which is quite out of harmony with his conduct throughout the play.

  196 What …?] Why?

  199 And set abroad … all] And put you all again to the trouble of making a new election; augment your public responsibilities.

  208 obtain and ask] obtain by asking.

  247 onset] beginning.

  251 Pantheon] the temple built in the Campus Martius at Rome by Agrippa, $.&. 27.

  252 motion] proposal, proposition.

  273 change of cheer] change of condition (from happiness to sorrow).

  316 That] She (i.e., Lavinia).

  319 I’ll trust by leisure] I’ll trust when I have the leisure (an unlikely condition). The speaker ironically means that he is not likely to trust.

  322 stale] laughing-stock, object of ridicule.

  327 that changing piece] that fickle baggage.

  328 flourish’d] brandished insolently.

  331 ruffle] swagger, behave boisterously.

  334 Phœbe] the name applied by classical authors to Diana, chiefly in her character of goddess of the moon.

  343 Hymenæus] the god of marriage.

  418 by device] by stratagem.

  422 play’d your prize] won your match.

  436 Only thus much … to know] This is sufficient information for me to impart to you.439 opinion] credit.

  443 To be controll’d … gave] To be checked or interfered with when offering a free gift.

  447 leave to plead my deeds] cease making my achievements the ground of your plea.