Internet Shakespeare Editions

Toolbox




Jump to line
Help on texts

About this text

  • 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    Not Peer Reviewed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
    My Lords you know the mightfull Gods,
    How euer these disturbers of our peace
    2000Buz in the peoples eares, there nought hath past
    But euen with law against the wilfull sonnes
    Of old Andronicus. And what and if
    His sorrowes haue so ouerwhelmde his witts?
    Shall we be thus afflicted in his wreakes,
    2005His fits, his frencie, and his bitternes?
    And now he writes to heauen for his redresse,
    See heres to Ioue, and this to Mercurie.
    This to Apollo, this to the God of warre:
    Sweete skrowles to flie about the streets of Rome,
    2010Whats this but libelling against the Senate,
    And blazoning our vniustice eueriewhere,
    A goodly humor is it not my Lords?
    As who would say in Rome no iustice were.
    But if I liue his fained extasies
    2015Shall be no shelter to these outrages,
    But he and his shall know that iustice liues
    In Saturninus health, whome if he sleepe,
    Hele so awake as he in furie shall,
    Cut off the proud'st conspiratour that liues.
    2020Tamora. My gratious Lord, my louely Saturnine,
    Lord of my life, commander of my thoughts,
    Calme thee and beare the faults of Titus age,
    The'ffects of sorrow for his valiant sonnes,
    Whose losse hath pearst him deepe and skard his hart,
    2025And rather comfort his distressed plight,
    Than prosecute the meanest or the best
    For these contempts: why thus it shall become
    Hie witted Tamora to glose with all.
    But Titus I haue touched thee to the quicke,
    2030Thy lifeblood out: if Aron now be wise,
    Then is all safe, the Anchor in the port.
    Enter