SATURNINUS, Son to the late Emperor of Rome, SEMPRONIUS. and afterwards declared Emperor himself. ALARBUS, BASSIANUS, Brother to Saturninus, in love with CHIRONY
TITUS ANDRONICUS, a noble Roman, General AARON, a Moor, belov'd by Tamora.
MARCUS ANDRONICUS, Tribune of the People, and FEMILIUS, a Messenger.
Captain, from Titus's Camp.
LAVINIA, Daughter to Titus Andronicus.
Young Lucius, a Boy, Son to Lucius.
PUBLIUS, Son to Marcus the Tribune, and Nephew Nurse, with a Black-a-moor Child.
Senators, Judges, Officers, Soldiers, and other Attendants.
SCENE, Rome; and the Country near it.
If ever Baffianus, Cæfar's fon,
Were gracious in the eyes of royal Rome,
Keep then this passage to the Capitol;
And fuffer not dishonour to approach
The imperial feat, to virtue confecrate,
To justice, continence, and nobility;
But let defert in pure election shine;
And, Romans, fight for freedom in your choice.
Enter Marcus Andronicus alift, with the Grown.
Mar. Princes, that strive by factions, and by
friends,
Ambitio fly for rule and empery!
Know, that the people of Rome, for whom we
And, countrymen, my loving followers,
Plead my fucceffive title with your fwords:
I am his firit-born fon, that was the laft
That ware the imperial diadem of Rome;
Then let my father's honours live in me,
Nor wrong mine age with this indignity.
Baf. Romans, friends, followers, favourers of Chofen Andronicus, furnamed Pius
A fpecial party, have, by common voice,
In election for the Roman empery,
For many good and great deferts to Rome;
1 Mr. Theobald says, This is one of those plays which he always thought, with the better judges, ought not to be acknowledged in the lift of Shakspeare's genuine pieces. Dr. Johnfon obterves, That all the editors and critics agree with Mr. Theobald in fuppoling this play spurious, and that he fees "no reafon for differing from them; for the colour of the itile is wholly different from that of the other plays, and there is an attempt at regular verfification, and artificial clofes, not always inelegant, yet feldom pleasing. The barbarity of the spectacles, and the general massacre, which are here exhibited, can scarcely be conceived tolerable to any andience; yet we are told by Jonfon, that they were not only borne, but prailed." Mr. Farmer and Mr. Steevens are alfo of the fame opinion with Dr. Johnfon.
A nobler man, a braver warrior,
Lives not this day within the city walls:
He by the senate is accited home,
From weary wars against the barbarous Goths;
That, with his fons, a terror to our foes,
Hath yok'd a nation strong, train'd up in arms.
Ten years are spent, fince first he undertook
This caufe of Rome, and chaftifed with arms
Our enemies' pride: Five times he hath return'd
Bleeding to Rome, bearing his valiant fons
In coffins from the field;-
And now at last, laden with honour's fpoils,
Returns the good Andronicus to Rome,
Renowned Titus, flourishing in arms.
Let us intreat, -By honour of his name,
Whom, worthily, you would have now fucceed,
And in the Capitol and fenate's right,
Whom you pretend to honour and adore,
That you withdraw you, and abate your strength;
Difmiss your followers, and, as fuitors should,
Plead your deferts in peace and humbleness.
Lo, as the bark, that hath discharg'd her fraught,
Returns with precious lading to the bay,
From whence at first she weigh'd her anchorage,
Cometh Andronicus, bound with laurel boughs,
To re-falute his country with his tears;
Tears of true joy for his return to Rome.--
Thou great defender of this Capitol 1,
Stand gracious to the rites that we intend!-
Romans, of five and twenty valiant fons,
Half of the number that king Priam had,
Behold the poor remains, alive, and dead I
These, that furvive, let Rome reward with love:
These, that I bring unto their latest home,
With burial among their ancestors:
[fword.
Here Goths have given me leave to sheath my
Titus, unkind, and careless of thine own,
Why fuffer'st thou thy fons, unbury'd yet,
To hover on the dreadful shore of Styx -
Make way to lay them by their brethren.
There greet in filence, as the dead were wont,
Sat. How fair the tribune speaks to calm my And fleep in peace, flain in your country's wars!
O facred receptacle of my joys,
Sweet cell of virtue and nobility,
How many fons of mine haft thou in store,
That thou wilt never render to me more?
Luc. Give us the proudest prifoner of the Goths,
Ad manes fratrum facrifice his flesh,
And her, to whom our thoughts are humbled all, That we may hew his limbs, and, on a pile,
Gracious Lavinia, Rome's rich ornament,
That I will here dismiss my loving friends;
And to my fortunes, and the people's favour,
Commit my cause in ballance to be weigh'd.
Sat. Friends, that have been thus forward in
my right,
I thank you all, and here dismiss you all;
And to the love and favour of my country
Commit myself, my perfon, and the caufe;
Rome, be as juft and gracious unto me,
As I am confident and kind to thee.-
Open the gates, and let me in.
Baf. Tribunes! and me, a poor competitor.
[They go up into the Senate-house.
Before this earthly prifon of their bones;
That fo the shadows be not unappeas'd,
Nor we difturb'd with prodigies on earth 2.
Tit. I give him you; the nobleft that furvives,
The eldest fon of this diftreffed queen. [queror,
Tam. Stay, Roman brethren, -Gracious con-
Victorious Titus, rue the tears I shed,
A mother's tears in paflion for her fou :
And, if thy fons were ever dear to thee,
O, think my fon to be as dear to me.
Sufficeth not, that we are brought to Rome,
To beautify thy triumphs, and return,
Captive to thee, and to thy Roman yoke?
But muft my fons be flaughter'd in the streets,
For valiant doings in their country's caufe?
O! if to fight for king and common weal
Were piety in thine, it is in these;
Andronicus, stain not thy tomb with blood;
Wilt thou draw near the nature of the gods?
Draw near them then in being merciful:
Sweet mercy is nobility's true badge;
Thrice-noble Titus, spare my fuft-born fon.
Capt. Romans, make way; The good Patron of virtue, Rome's best champion, Successful in the battles that he fights, With honour and with fortune is return'd, From where he circumscribed with his fword, And brought to yoke, the enemies of Rome. Sound drums and trumpets, and then enter Mutius and Marcus; after them, two men bearing a coffin covered with black; then Quintus and Lucius. After them, Titus Andronicus; and then Tamora, the queen of the Goths, Alarbus, Chivon, and De- Luc. Away with him! and make a fire straight;
metrius, with Aaron the Moor, prisoners; Soldiers, and other attendants. They fet down the coffin, and Titus fpeaks.
Tit. Hail! Rome, victorious in thy mourning weeds
1 Jupiter, to whom the Capitol was facred.
Tit. Patient 3 yourself, madam, and pardon me.
These are their brethren, whom you Goths behold
Alive, and dead; and for their brethren flain,
Religiously they ask a facrifice:
To this your fon is niark'd: and die he muft,
To appease their groaning shadows that are gone.
And with our swords, upon a pile of wood,
Let's hew his limbs, 'till they be clean confun'd.
[Exeunt Mutius, Marcus, Quinta Sing
and Lucius, with Alar buse
2 It was supposed by the ancients, that the ghofts
of unburied people appeared to their friends and relations, to folicit the rites of funeral. verb is ufed by other dramatic writers.
Tam. O cruel, irreligious piety!
Chi. Was ever Scythia half fo barbarous?
Dem. Oppofe not Scythia to ambitious Rome.
Alarbus goes to reft; and we furvive
To tremble under Titus' threatening look.
Then, madam, stand refolv'd; but hope withal,
The felf-fame gods, that arm'd the queen of Troy
With opportunity of sharp revenge
Upon the Thracian tyrant in his tent,
May favour Tamora, the queen of Goths,
(When Goths were Goths, and Tamora was queen)
To quit the bloody wrongs upon her foes.
Enter Mutius, Mareus, Quintus, and Lucius.
Luc. See, lord and father, how we have per-
Our Roman rites: Alarbus' limbs are lopp'd,
And entrails feed the facrificing fire,
Whose smoke, like incenfe, doth perfume the sky.
Remaineth nought, but to inter our brethren,
And with loud 'larums welcome them to Rome.
Tit. Let it be fo; and let Andronicus
Make this his latest farewel to their fouls.
[Then found trumpets, and lay the coffins in the tomb.
In peace and honour reft you here, my fons;
Rome's readiett champions, repose you here,
Secure from worldly chances and mifhaps !
Here lurks no treason, here no envy swells,
Here grow no damned grudges; here no storm,
No noife, but filence and eternal fleep:
In peace and honour reft you here, my fons!
Lav. In peace and honour live lord Titus long;
My noble lord and father, live in fame !
Lo! at this tomb my tributary tears
I render, for my brethren's obsequies;
And at thy feet I kneel, with tears of joy
Shed on the earth, for thy return to Rome:
O, bless me here with thy victorious hand,
Whose fortune Rome's best citizens applaud.
Tit. Kind Rome, that haft thus lovingly referv'd
The cordial of mine age, to glad my heart!-
Lavinia, live; out-live thy father's days,
And fame's eternal date, for virtue's praise!
Mar. Long live lord Titus, my beloved brother,
Gracious triumpher in the eyes of Rome!
Tit. Thanks, gentle tribune, noble brother
Marcus.
[wars,
Mar. And welcome, nephews, from fuccefsful
You that furvive, and you that fleep in fame.
Fait lords, your fortunes are alike in all,
That in your country's fervice drew your swords:
But fafer triumph is this funeral pomp,
That hath aspir'd to Solon's happiness,
And triumphs over chance, in honour's bed.-
Titus Andronicus, the people of Rome,
Whofe friend in justice thou hast ever been,
Send thee by me, their tribune, and their truft,
This palliament of white and spotless hue;
And name thee in election for the empire,
With these our late-deceased emperor's tons :
Be candidatus then, and put it on,
And help to fet a head on headless Rome.
Tit. A better head her glorious body fits,
Than his, that shakes for age and feebleness:
What! should I don this robe, and trouble you?
Be chose with proclamations to-day;
To-morrow yield up rule, refign my life,
And fet abroad new business for you all?
Rome, I have been thy foldier forty years,
And led my country's strength successfully;
And buried one and twenty valiant fons,
Knighted in field, flain manfully in arms,
In right and fervice of their noble country:
Give me a staff of honour for mine age,
But not a fceptre to controll the world:
Upright he held it, lords, that held it laft.
Mar. Titus, thou shalt obtain and ask the em
pery.
[tell?
Sat. Proud and ambitious tribune, can't thou
Tit. Patience, prince Saturninus.-
Sat. Romans, do me right;
Patricians, draw your swords, and sheath them not
'Till Saturninus be Rome's emperor :-
Andronicus, 'would thou were ship'd to hell,
Rather than rob me of the people's hearts.
Luc. Proud Saturninus! interrupter of the good
That noble-minded Titus means to thee!-
Tit. Content thee, prince; I will restore to thee
The people's hearts, and wean them from them-
Baf. Andronicus, I do not flatter thee, [felves.
But honour thee, and will do 'till I die;
My faction if thou strengthen with thy friends,
I will moft thankful be and thanks, to men
Of noble minds, is honourable meed.
Tit. People of Rome, and people's tribunes here,
I ask your voices, and your fuffrages;
Will you bestow them friendly on Andronicus?
Mar. To gratify the good Andronicus,
And gratulate his fafe return to Rome,
The people will accept whom he admits. [make,
Tit. Tribunes, I thank you and this fuit I
That you create your emperor's eldest son,
Lord Saturnine; whose virtues will, I hope,
Reflect on Rome, as Titan's rays on earth,
And ripen juftice in this common-weal:
Then if you will elect by my advice,
Crown him, and fay, -Long live our emperor!
Mar. With voices and applaufe of every fort,
Patricians, and plebeians, we create
Lord Saturninus, Rome's great emperor;
And fay,-Long hve 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 deferts,
And will with deeds requite thy gentleness,
And, for an onfet, Titus, to advance
Thy name, and honourable family,
Lavinia will I make my emperels,
Rome's royal mistress, mistress of my heart,
And in the facred Pantheon her efpoute:
Tell me, Andronicus, doth this motion please thee?
Tit. It doth, my worthy lord; and, in this match,
I hold me highly honour'd of your grace:
I i. e do on this robe, put it on.
Hhh
And here, in fight of Rome, to Saturnine,-
King and commander of our common-weal,
The wide world's emperor, --do I confecrate
My fword, my chariot and my prifoners;
Presents well worthy Rome's imperial lord:
Receive them then, the tribute that I owe,
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 thall record; and, when I do forget
The leaft of these unspeakable deferts,
Romans, forget your fealty to me.
Tit. Now, madam, are you prifoner to an em-
[To Tamora.
To him, that for your honour and your state,
Will ufe you nobly, and your followers.
Sat. A goodly lady, trust me; of the hue
That I would choose, were I to choose anew.-
Clear up, fair queen, that cloudy countenance:
Though chance of war hath wrought this change
Thou com'ft not to be made a fcorn in Rome:
Princely shall be thy usage every way.
Rest on my word, and let not difcontent
Daunt all your hopes: Madam, he comforts you,
Can make you greater than the queen of Goths. -
Lavinia, you are not difpleas'd with this?
Lav. Not I, my lord; fith true nobility
Warrants these words in princely courtesy.
My fons would never fo dishonour me:
Traitor, restore Lavinia to the emperor.
Luc. Dead, if you will; but not to be his
That is another's lawful promis'd love.
Sat. No, Titus, no; the emperor needs her not,
Nor her, nor thee, nor any of thy stock:
I'll truft, by leisure, him that mocks me once;
Thee never, nor thy traiterous haughty fons,
Confederates all thus to dishonour me.
Was there none elfe in Rome to make a stale of,
But Saturnine? Full well, Andronicus,
Agree these deeds with that proud brag of thine,
That faid'it, I begg'd the empire at thy hands.
Tit. O monstrous! what reproachful words are
Sat. But go thy ways; go, give that changing
piece
To him that flourish'd for her with his fword:
A valiant fon-in-law thou shalt enjoy;
One fit to bandy with thy lawleís fons,
To ruffle 2 in the commonwealth of Rome.
Tit. These words are razors to my wounded
[Goths,-
Sat. And therefore, lovely Tamora, queen of
That like the ftately Phoæbe 'mong her nymphs,
Dott over-thine the gallant'st dames of Rome,-
If thou be pleas'd with this my fudden choice,
Behold, I choose thee, Tamora, for my bride,
Sat. Thanks, sweet Lavinia.-Romans, let And will create thee empress of Rome.
Ranfomless here we fet our prifoners free:
Proclaim our honours, lords, with trump and drum.
Baf. Lord Titus, by your leave, this maid is
mine.
[Seizing Lavinia.
Tit. How, fir? Are you in earnest then, my
lord ?
Baf. Ay, noble Titus; and refolv'd withal,
To do myself this reason and this right.
[The Emperor courts Tamora in dumb flow.
Mar. Suum cuique is our Roman juftice:
This prince in justice feizeth but his own.
Luc. And that he will, and shall, if Lucius live.
Tit. Traitors, avaunt! Where is the emperor's
Treafon, my lord; Lavinia is furpriz'd.
Sat. Surpriz'd! By whom?
Baf. By Lim that justly may
Bear his betroth'd from all the world away.
[Exit Baffianus with Lavinia.
Mut. Brothers, help to convey her hence away,
And with my fword I'll keep this door fafe.
Tit. Follow, my lord, and I'll foon bring her
Mut. My lord, you pass not here.
Tit. What! villain boy,
Barrit me my way in Rome? [Titus kills Mutius.
Mat. Help, Lucius, help!
Lac. My lord, you are unjuft, and more than fo;
In wrongful quarrel you have fisin your ton.
TA. Nor thou, nor he, are any fons of mine;
Spoken of Lavinia. Piece was then, as it 2 Aruffier was a kind of cheating bully, and is vagabonds in the 27th year of K. Henry VIII.
In a bad quarrel flain a virtuous fon.
Tit. No, foolish tribune, no; no fon of mine,
is now, ufed perfonally as a word of contempt. so called in a ftatute made for the punishment of Hence, probably, this fenfe of the verb, to raffle.
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