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Titus Andronicus (Quarto 1, 1594)

Author: William Shakespeare
Not Peer Reviewed
The most Lamentable Tragedie
Of high resolued men, bent to the spoile,
2060They hither march amaine, vnder conduct
Of Lucius, sonne to old Andronicus,
VVho threats in course of this reuenge, to doe
As much as euer Coriolanus did.
King. Is warlike Lucius Generall of the Gothes,
2065These tidings nip me, and I hang the head
As flowers with frost, or grasse beat downe with stormes.
I now begins our sorrowes to approch,
Tis he the common people loue so much,
My selfe hath often heard them say,
2070VVhen I haue walked like a priuate man,
That Lucius banishment was wrongfullie,
And they haue wisht that Lucius were their Emperour.
Tamora. why should you feare, is not your Citie strong?
King. I but the Citizens fauour Lucius,
2075And will reuolt from me to succour him.
Tamora. King Be thy thoughts imperious like thy name,
Is the sunne dimde, that Gnats doe flie in it,
The Eagle suffers little birds to sing,
And is not carefull what they meane thereby,
2080Knowing that with the shadow of his winges,
He can at pleasure slint their melodie.
Euen so maiest thou the giddie men of Rome,
Then cheare thy spirit for know thou Emperour,
I will inchaunt the old Andronicus,
2085With words more sweete and yet more dangerous
Then baites to fish, or honniestalkes to sheepe,
When as the one is wounded with the bait,
The other rotted with delicious seede.
King. But he will not intreat his sonne for vs.
2090Tamora. If Tamora intreat him than he will,
For I can smooth and fill his aged eares,
VVith golden promises, that were his hart
Almost impregnable, his old yeares deafe,
Yet