Internet Shakespeare Editions

Toolbox




Jump to line
Through Line Number
Help on texts
About this text
Print this page

About this text

  • Title: Titus Andronicus (Folio, 1623)

    • Copyright Internet Shakespeare Editions. This text may be freely used for educational, non-proift purposes; for all other uses contact the Coordinating Editor.
    Author: William Shakespeare
    Not Peer Reviewed

    Titus Andronicus (Folio, 1623)

    Enter Lucius, Marcus, and the Gothes.
    Luc. Vnckle Marcus, since 'tis my Fathers minde
    That I repair to Rome, I am content.
    Goth. And ours with thine befall, what Fortune will.
    2500Luc. Good Vnckle take you in this barbarous Moore,
    This Rauenous Tiger, this accursed deuill,
    Let him receiue no sustenance, fetter him,
    Till he be brought vnto the Emperous face,
    For testimony of her foule proceedings.
    2505And see the Ambush of our Friends be strong,
    If ere the Emperour meanes no good to vs.
    Aron. Some deuill whisper curses in my eare,
    And prompt me that my tongue may vtter forth,
    The Venemous Mallice of my swelling heart.
    2510Luc. Away Inhumaine Dogge, Vnhallowed Slaue,
    Sirs, helpe our Vnckle, to conuey him in, Flourish.
    The Trumpets shew the Emperour is at hand.
    Sound Trumpets.. Enter Emperour and Empresse, with
    Tribunes and others.
    2515Sat. What, hath the Firemament more Suns then one?
    Luc. What bootes it thee to call thyselfe a Sunne?
    Mar. Romes Emperour & Nephewe breake the parle
    These quarrels must be quietly debated,
    The Feast is ready which the carefull Titus,
    Hath
    The Tragedie of Titus Andronicus. 51
    2520Hath ordained to an Honourable end,
    For Peace, for Loue, for League, and good to Rome:
    Please you therfore draw nie and take your places.
    Satur. Marcus we will. Hoboyes.
    A Table brought in.
    2525Enter Titus like a Cooke, placing the meat on
    the Table, and Lauinia with a vale ouer her face.
    Titus. Welcome my gracious Lord,
    Welcome Dread Queene,
    Welcome ye Warlike Gothes, welcome Lucius,
    2530And welcome all: although the cheere be poore,
    'Twill fill your stomacks, please you eat of it.
    Sat. Why art thou thus attir'd Andronicus?
    Tit. Because I would be sure to haue all well,
    To entertaine your Highnesse, and your Empresse.
    2535Tam. We are beholding to you good Andronicus?
    Tit. And if your Highnesse knew my heart, you were:
    My Lord the Emperour resolue me this,
    Was it well done of rash Virginius,
    To slay his daughter with his owne right hand,
    2540Because she was enfor'st, stain'd, and deflowr'd?
    Satur. It was Andronicus.
    Tit. Your reason, Mighty Lord?
    Sat. Because the Girle, should not suruine her shame,
    And by her presence still renew his sorrowes.
    2545Tit. A reason mighty, strong, and effectuall,
    A patterne, president, and liuely warrant,
    For me (most wretched) to performe the like:
    Die, die, Lauinia, and thy shame with thee,
    And with thy shame, thy Fathers sorrow die.
    2550He kils her.
    Sat. What hast done, vnnaturall and vnkinde?
    Tit. Kil'd her for whom my teares haue made me blind.
    I am as wofull as Virginius was,
    And haue a thousand times more cause then he.
    2555Sat. What was she rauisht? tell who did the deed,
    Tit. Wilt please you eat,
    Wilt please your Hignesse feed?
    Tam. Why hast thou slaine thine onely Daughter?
    Titus. Not I, 'twas Chiron and Demetrius,
    2560They rauisht her, and cut away her tongue,
    And they, 'twas they, that did her all this wrong.
    Satu. Go fetch them hither to vs presently.
    Tit. Why there they are both, baked in that Pie,
    Whereof their Mother dantily hath fed,
    2565Eating the flesh that she herselfe hath bred.
    'Tis true, 'tis true, witnesse my kniues sharpe point.
    He stabs the Empresse.
    Satu. Die franticke wretch, for this accursed deed.
    Luc. Can the Sonnes eye, behold his Father bleed?
    2570There's meede for meede, death for a deadly deed.
    Mar. You sad fac'd men, people and Sonnes of Rome,
    By vprores seuer'd like a flight of Fowle,
    Scattred by windes and high tempestuous gusts:
    Oh let me teach you how, to knit againe
    2575This scattred Corne, into one mutuall sheafe,
    These broken limbs againe into one body.
    Goth. Let Rome herselfe be bane vnto herselfe,
    And shee whom mightie kingdomes cursie too,
    Like a forlorne and desperate castaway,
    2580Doe shamefull execution on herselfe.
    But if my frostie signes and chaps of age,
    Graue witnesses of true experience,
    Cannot induce you to attend my words,
    Speake Romes deere friend, as 'erst our Auncestor,
    2585When with his solemne tongue he did discourse
    To loue-sicke Didoes sad attending eare,
    The story of that balefull burning night,
    When subtil Greekes surpriz'd King Priams Troy:
    Tell vs what Sinon hath bewicht our eares,
    2590Or who hath brought the fatall engine in,
    That giues our Troy, our Rome the ciuill wound.
    My heart is not compact of flint nor steele,
    Nor can I vtter all our bitter griefe,
    But floods of teares will drowne my Oratorie,
    2595And breake my very vttrance, euen in the time
    When it should moue you to attend me most,
    Lending your kind hand Commiseration.
    Heere is a Captaine, let him tell the tale,
    Your hearts will throb and weepe to heare him speake.
    2600Luc. This Noble Auditory, be it knowne to you,
    That cursed Chiron and Demetrius
    Were they that murdred our Emperours Brother,
    And they it were that rauished our Sister,
    For their fell faults our Brothers were beheaded,
    2605Our Fathers teares despis'd, and basely cousen'd,
    Of that true hand that fought Romes quarrell out,
    And sent her enemies vnto the graue.
    Lastly, myselfe vnkindly banished,
    The gates shut on me, and turn'd weeping out,
    2610To beg reliefe among Romes Enemies,
    Who drown'd their enmity in my true teares,
    And op'd their armes to imbrace me as a Friend:
    And I am turned forth, be it knowne to you,
    That haue preseru'd her welfare in my blood,
    2615And from her bosome tooke the Enemies point,
    Sheathing the steele in my aduentrous body.
    Alas you know, I am no Vaunter I,
    My scars can witnesse, dumbe although they are,
    That my report is iust and full of truth:
    2620But soft, me thinkes I do digresse too much,
    Cyting my worthlesse praise: Oh pardon me,
    For when no Friends are by, men praise themselues,
    Marc. Now is my turne to speake: Behold this Child,
    Of this was Tamora deliuered,
    2625The issue of an Irreligious Moore,
    Chiefe Architect and plotter of these woes,
    The Villaine is aliue in Titus house,
    And as he is, to witnesse this is true.
    Now iudge what course had Titus to reuenge
    2630These wrongs, vnspeakeable past patience,
    Or more then any liuing man could beare.
    Now you haue heard the truth, what say you Romaines?
    Haue we done ought amisse? shew vs wherein,
    And from the place where you behold vs now,
    2635The poore remainder of Andronici,
    Will hand in hand all headlong cast vs downe,
    And on the ragged stones beat forth our braines,
    And make a mutuall closure of our house:
    Speake Romaines speake, and if you say we shall,
    2640Loe hand in hand, Lucius and I will fall.
    Emilli. Come come, thou reuerent man of Rome,
    And bring our Emperour gently in thy hand,
    Lucius our Emperour: for well I know,
    The common voyce do cry it shall be so.
    2645Mar. Lucius, all haile Romes Royall Emperour,
    Goe, goe into old Titus sorrowfull house,
    And hither hale that misbelieuing Moore,
    To be adiudg'd some direfull slaughtering death,
    As punishment for his most wicked life.
    2650Lucius all haile to Romes gracious Gouernour.
    ee2 Lucius
    52The Tragedie of Titus Andronicus.
    Luc. Thankes gentle Romanes, may I gouerne so,
    To heale Romes harmes, and wipe away her woe.
    But gentle people, giue me ayme a-while,
    For Nature puts me to a heauy taske:
    2655Stand all aloofe, but Vnckle draw you neere,
    To shed obsequious teares vpon this Trunke:
    Oh take this warme kisse on thy pale cold lips,
    These sorrowfull drops vpon thy bloud-slaine face,
    The last true Duties of thy Noble Sonne.
    2660Mar. Teare for teare, and louing kisse for kisse,
    Thy Brother Marcus tenders on thy Lips:
    O were the summe of these that I should pay
    Countlesse, and infinit, yet would I pay them.
    Luc. Come hither Boy, come, come, and learne of vs
    2665To melt in showres: thy Grandsire lou'd thee well:
    Many a time he danc'd thee on his knee:
    Sung thee asleepe, his Louing Brest, thy Pillow:
    Many a matter hath he told to thee,
    Meete, and agreeing with thine Infancie:
    2670In that respect then, like a louing Childe,
    Shed yet some small drops from thy tender Spring,
    Because kinde Nature doth require it so:
    Friends, should associate Friends, in Greefe and Wo.
    Bid him farwell, commit him to the Graue,
    2675Do him that kindnesse, and take leaue of him.
    Boy. O Grandsire, Grandsire: euen with all my heart
    Would I were Dead, so you did Liue againe.
    O Lord, I cannot speake to him for weeping,
    My teares will choake me, if I ope my mouth.
    2680Romans. You sad Andronici, haue done with woes,
    Giue sentence on this execrable Wretch,
    That hath beene breeder of these dire euents.
    Luc. Set him brest deepe in earth, and famish him:
    There let him stand, and raue, and cry for foode:
    2685If any one releeues, or pitties him,
    For the offence, he dyes. This is our doome:
    Some stay, to see him fast'ned in the earth.
    Aron. O why should wrath be mute, & Fury dumbe?
    I am no Baby I, that with base Prayers
    2690I should repent the Euils I haue done.
    Ten thousand worse, then euer yet I did,
    Would I performe if I might haue my will:
    If one good Deed in all my life I did,
    I do repent it from my very Soule.
    2695Lucius. Some louing Friends conuey the Emp. hence,
    And giue him buriall in his Fathers graue.
    My Father, and Lauinia, shall forthwith
    Be closed in our Housholds Monument:
    As for that heynous Tyger Tamora,
    2700No Funerall Rite, nor man in mournfull Weeds:
    No mournfull Bell shall ring her Buriall:
    But throw her foorth to Beasts and Birds of prey:
    Her life was Beast-like, and deuoid of pitty,
    And being so, shall haue like want of pitty.
    2705See Iustice done on Aaron that damn'd Moore,
    From whom, our heauy happes had their beginning:
    Then afterwards, to Order well the State,
    That like Euents, may ne're it Ruinate. Exeunt omnes.
    FINIS.
    About
    Contact us
    Content quality
    Site guide
    © Internet Shakespeare Editions
    Copyright details
    Privacy policy
    This site is supported by:
    University of Victoria
    Friends of the ISE
    SSHRC