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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    Not Peer Reviewed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)

    of Titus Andronicus.
    Which that sweete tongue hath made,
    He would haue dropt his knife and fell asleepe,
    As Cerberus at the Thracian Poets feete.
    1125Come let vs goe, and make thy father blind,
    For such a sight will blind a fathers eie.
    One houres storme will drowne the fragrant meades,
    What wlll whole months of teares thy fathers eies?
    Doe not drawe backe, for we will mourne with thee,
    1130Oh could our mourning ease thy miserie.
    Exeunt.


    Enter the Iudges and Senatours with Titus two sonnes
    bound, passing on the Stage to the place of execution, and Ti-
    tus going before pleading.

    1135Titus. Heare me graue Fathers, Noble Tribunes stay,
    For pittie of mine age, whose youth was spent
    In dangerous warres, whilst you securelie slept.
    For all my blood in Roomes great quarrell shed,
    For all the frostie nights that I haue watcht,
    1140And for these bitter teares which now you see,
    Filling the aged wrincles in my cheeks,
    Be pittifull to my condemned sonnes,
    Whose soules is not corrupted as tis thought.
    For two and twentie sonnes I neuer wept,
    1145Because they died in honours loftie bed,
    Andronicus lieth downe, and the Iudges passe by him.
    For these, Tribunes, in the dust I write
    My harts deepe languor, and my soules sad teares:
    Let my teares staunch the earths drie appetite,
    1150My sonnes sweete blood will make it shame and blush:
    O earth I will befriend thee more with raine,
    That shall distill from these two auntient ruines,
    Than youthfull Aprill shall with all his showres.
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