Internet Shakespeare Editions

Author: William Shakespeare
Not Peer Reviewed

Titus Andronicus (Quarto 1, 1594)

of Titus Andronicus.
765Moore. Maddam, though Venus gouerne your desires,
Saturne is dominator ouer mine:
What signifies my deadlie standing eie,
My silence, ann my clowdie melancholie,
770My fleece of wollie haire that now vncurles,
Euen as an Adder when shee doth vnrowle,
To doo some fatall execution.
No Maddam, these are no veneriall signes,
Vengeance is in my hart, death in my hand,
775Blood and reuenge are hammering in my head.
Harke Tamora the Empresse of my soule,
Which neuer hopes more heauen than rests in thee,
This is the daie of doome for Bassianus,
His Philomel must loose her tongue to daie,
780hy sonnes make pillage of her chasttitie,
And wash their hands in Bascianus blood.
Seest thou this letter? take it vp I pray thee,
And giue the king this fatall plotted scrowle.
Now question me no more we are espied,
785Here comes a parcell of our hopefull bootie,
Which dreads not yet their liues destruction.

Enter Bascianus, and Lauinia.
Tamora. Ah my sweete Moore, sweeter to me than life.
790Moore. No more great Empresse, Bascianus comes,
Be crosse with him, and Ile goe fetch thy sonnes
To backe thy quarrels whatsoere they bee.
Bascianus. who haue we here? Romes Royall Empresse,
795Vnfurnisht of her well beseeming troope?
Or is it Dian habited like her,
Who hath abandoned her holie groues,
To see the generall hunting in this Forrest?
Tamora. Sawcie controwler of my priuate steps,
800Had I the powre that some say Dian had,
Thy temples should be planted presentlie,
D2 With