I hold me highly honoured of your grace,
And here in sight of Rome to Saturnine,
250
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,
255
Mine honour’s ensigns humbled at thy feet.
[Titus’ sword and prisoners are handed over to Saturninus.]
SATURNINUS 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,
260
Romans forget your fealty to me.
TITUS [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.
SATURNINUS A goodly lady, trust me, of the hue
265
That I would choose were I to choose anew.
[to Tamora] Clear up, fair queen, that cloudy
countenance:
Though chance of war hath wrought this change of
cheer,
Thou com’st not to be made a scorn in Rome;
Princely shall be thy usage every way.
270
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?
LAVINIA Not I, my lord, sith true nobility
275
Warrants these words in princely courtesy.
SATURNINUS Thanks, sweet Lavinia. Romans, let us go.
Ransomless here we set our prisoners free;
Proclaim our honours, lords, with trump and drum.
[Sound drums and trumpets.
Tamora, Chiron, Demetrius and Aaron are released.]
BASSIANUS [seizing Lavinia]
Lord Titus, by your leave, this maid is mine.
280
TITUS How, sir? Are you in earnest then, my lord?
BASSIANUS Ay, noble Titus, and resolved withal
To do myself this reason and this right.
MARCUS Suum cuique is our Roman justice:
This prince in justice seizeth but his own.
285
LUCIUS [joining Bassianus]
And that he will, and shall, if Lucius live.
TITUS Traitors, avaunt! Where is the emperor’s guard?
Treason, my lord – Lavinia is surprised.
SATURNINUS Surprised? By whom?
BASSIANUS By him that justly may
Bear his betrothed from all the world away.
290
MUTIUS Brothers, help to convey her hence away,
And with my sword I’ll keep this door safe.
Bassianus, Marcus and Titus’ sons
bear Lavinia out of one door.
TITUS Follow, my lord, and I’ll soon bring her back.
Saturninus does not follow, but exit at the other
door with Tamora, her two sons and Aaron the Moor.
MUTIUS My lord, you pass not here.
TITUS What, villain boy, barr’st me my way in Rome?
295
[He kills him.]
MUTIUS Help, Lucius, help!
LUCIUS [returning]
My lord, you are unjust, and more than so:
In wrongful quarrel you have slain your son.
TITUS Nor thou, nor he, are any sons of mine:
My sons would never so dishonour me.
300
Traitor, restore Lavinia to the emperor.
LUCIUS Dead if you will, but not to be his wife
That is another’s lawful promised love. Exit.
Enter aloft the Emperor with TAMORA and her two sons and AARON the Moor.
SATURNINUS [aloft]
No, Titus, no, the emperor needs her not,
Nor her, nor thee, nor any of thy stock.
305
I’ll trust by leisure him that mocks me once,
Thee never, nor thy traitorous haughty sons,
Confederates all thus to dishonour me.
Was none in Rome to make a stale
But Saturnine? Full well, Andronicus,
310
Agree these deeds with that proud brag of thine
That saidst I begged the empire at thy hands.
TITUS
O monstrous! What reproachful words are these?
SATURNINUS [aloft]
But go thy ways, go give that changing piece
To him that flourished for her with his sword.
315
A valiant son-in-law thou shalt enjoy,
One fit to bandy with thy lawless sons,
To ruffle in the commonwealth of Rome.
TITUS These words are razors to my wounded heart.
SATURNINUS [aloft]
And therefore, lovely Tamora, queen of Goths,
320
That like the stately Phoebe ’mongst her nymphs
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.
325
Speak, queen of Goths, dost thou applaud my
choice?
And here I swear by all the Roman gods,
Sith priest and holy water are so near,
And tapers burn so bright, and everything
In readiness for Hymenaeus stand,
330
I will not resalute the streets of Rome,
Or climb my palace, till from forth this place
I lead espoused my bride along with me.
TAMORA [aloft]
And here in sight of heaven to Rome I swear,
If Saturnine advance the queen of Goths,
335
She will a handmaid be to his desires,
A loving nurse, a mother to his youth.
SATURNINUS [aloft]
Ascend, fair queen, Pantheon. Lords, accompany
Your noble emperor and his lovely bride,
Sent by the heavens for prince Saturnine,
340
Whose wisdom hath her fortune conquered.
There shall we consummate our spousal rites.
Exeunt omnes except Titus.
TITUS I am not bid to wait upon this bride.
Titus, when wert thou wont to walk alone,
Dishonoured thus and challenged of wrongs?
345
Enter MARCUS and Titus’ three remaining Sons.
MARCUS O Titus, see! O see what thou hast done!
In a bad quarrel slain a virtuous son.
TITUS No, foolish tribune, no. No son of mine,
Nor thou, nor these, confederates in the deed
That hath dishonoured all our family –
350
Unworthy brother and unworthy sons.
LUCIUS But let us give him burial as becomes;
Give Mutius burial with our brethren.
TITUS Traitors, away! He rests not in this tomb.
This monument five hundred years hath stood,
355
Which I have sumptuously re-edified.
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.
MARCUS My lord, this is impiety in you;
360
My nephew Mutius’ deeds do plead for him,
He must be buried with his brethren.
2, 3 SONS And shall, or him we will accompany.
TITUS And shall? What villain was it spake that word?
2 SON He that would vo
uch it in any place but here.
365
TITUS What, would you bury him in my despite?
MARCUS No, noble Titus, but entreat of thee
To pardon Mutius and to bury him.
TITUS Marcus, even thou hast struck upon my crest,
And with these boys mine honour thou hast
wounded.
370
My foes I do repute you every one,
So trouble me no more, but get you gone.
3 SON He is not with himself, let us withdraw.
2 SON Not I, till Mutius’ bones be buried.
[The brother and the sons kneel.]
MARCUS
Brother, for in that name doth nature plead –
375
2 SON Father, and in that name doth nature speak –
TITUS Speak thou no more, if all the rest will speed.
MARCUS Renowned Titus, more than half my soul –
LUCIUS Dear father, soul and substance of us all –
MARCUS Suffer thy brother Marcus to inter
380
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
That slew himself, and wise Laertes’ son
385
Did graciously plead for his funerals:
Let not young Mutius then, that was thy joy,
Be barred his entrance here.
TITUS Rise, Marcus, rise. [They rise.]
The dismall’st day is this that e’er I saw:
To be dishonoured by my sons in Rome!
390
Well, bury him, and bury me the next.
[They put him in the tomb.]
LUCIUS
There lie thy bones, sweet Mutius, with thy friends’,
Till we with trophies do adorn thy tomb.
MARCUS& TITUS’ SONS [kneeling]
No man shed tears for noble Mutius:
He lives in fame that died in virtue’s cause.
395
Exeunt all but Marcus and Titus.
MARCUS 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?
TITUS I know not, Marcus, but I know it is –
Whether by device or no, the heavens can tell.
400
Is she not then beholden to the man
That brought her for this high good turn so far?
FMARCUS Yes – and will nobly him remunerateF.
Flourish. Enter the Emperor, TAMORA and her two sons, with the Moor at one door. Enter at the other door BASSIANUS and LAVINIA, with Titus’ three Sons.
SATURNINUS
So, Bassianus, you have played your prize.
God give you joy, sir, of your gallant bride.
405
BASSIANUS And you of yours, my lord. I say no more,
Nor wish no less, and so I take my leave.
SATURNINUS
Traitor, if Rome have law or we have power,
Thou and thy faction shall repent this rape.
BASSIANUS
‘Rape’ call you it, my lord, to seize my own,
410
My true betrothed love, and now my wife?
But let the laws of Rome determine all;
Meanwhile am I possessed of that is mine.
SATURNINUS ’Tis good, sir. You are very short with us.
But if we live we’ll be as sharp with you.
415
BASSIANUS 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:
By all the duties that I owe to Rome,
This noble gentleman, Lord Titus here,
420
Is in opinion and in honour wronged,
That in the rescue of Lavinia
With his own hand did slay his youngest son
In zeal to you, and highly moved to wrath
To be controlled in that he frankly gave.
425
Receive him then to favour, Saturnine,
That hath expressed himself in all his deeds
A father and a friend to thee and Rome.
TITUS Prince Bassianus, leave to plead my deeds;
’Tis thou and those that have dishonoured me.
430
[He kneels.]
Rome and the righteous heavens be my judge
How I have loved and honoured Saturnine!
TAMORA [to Saturninus] My worthy lord, if ever Tamora
Were gracious in those princely eyes of thine,
Then hear me speak indifferently for all,
435
And at my suit, sweet, pardon what is past.
The Arden Shakespeare Complete Works Page 494
