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  • Title: Titus Andronicus (Quarto 1, 1594)

  • 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    Not Peer Reviewed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 (Quarto 1, 1594)

    The most Lamentable Tragedie
    To square for this: would it offend you then
    663.1That both should speede.
    Chiron. Faith not me.
    665Demetrius. Nor me so I were one.
    Aron. For shame be friends, and ioine for that you iar,
    Tis pollicie and stratageme must doo
    That you affect, and so must you resolue,
    That what you cannot as you would atchiue,
    670You must perforce accomplish as you may:
    Take this of mee, Lucrece was not more chast
    Than this Lauinia, Bascianus loue.
    A speedier course this lingring languishment
    Must we pursue, and I haue found the path:
    675My Lords a solemne hunting is in hand,
    There will the louelie Romane Ladies troope:
    The forrest walks are wide and spatious,
    And many vnfrequented plots there are,
    Fitted by kinde for rape and villanie:
    680Single you thither then this daintie Doe,
    And strike her home by force, if not by words,
    This waie or not at all, stand you in hope.
    Come, come, our Empresse with her sacred wit
    +
    To villanie and vengeance consecrate,
    685Will we acquaint withall what we intend,
    And shee shall file our engines with aduise,
    That will not suffer you to square yourselues,
    But to your wishes hight aduaunce you both.
    The Emperours Court is like the house of fame,
    690The Pallace full of tongues, of eies, and eares:
    The woods are ruthles, dreadfull, deafe, and dull:
    There speake, and strike braue boies, and take your turns,
    There serue your lust shadowed from heauens eie,
    And reuell in Lauinias treasurie.
    695Chiron. Thy counsell Lad smels of no cowardize.
    Demetrius. Sit fas aut nefas, till I finde the streame,
    To