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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    Not Peer Reviewed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
    Of high resolued men, bent to the spoile,
    2060They hither march amaine, vnder conduct
    Of Lucius, sonne to old Andronicus,
    Who threats in course of this reuenge, to doe
    As much as euer Coriolanus did.
    King. Is warlike Lucius Generall of the Gothes,
    2065These tidings nip me, and I hang the head
    As flowers with frost, or grasse beat downe with stormes.
    I now begins our sorrowes to approch,
    Tis he the common people loue so much,
    Myselfe hath often heard them say,
    2070When I haue walked like a priuate man,
    That Lucius banishment was wrongfullie,
    And they haue wisht that Lucius were their Emperour.
    Tamora. why should you feare, is not your Citie strong?
    King. I but the Citizens fauour Lucius,
    2075And will reuolt from me to succour him.
    Tamora. King Be thy thoughts imperious like thy name,
    Is the sunne dimde, that Gnats doe flie in it,
    The Eagle suffers little birds to sing,
    And is not carefull what they meane thereby,
    2080Knowing that with the shadow of his winges,
    He can at pleasure slint their mrlodie.
    Euen so maiest thou the giddie men of Rome,
    Then cheare thy spirit for know thou Emperour,
    I will inchaunt the old Andronicus,
    2085With words more sweete and yet more dangerous
    Then baites to fish, or honniestalkes to sheepe,
    When as the one is wounded with the bait,
    The other rotted with delicious seede.
    King. But he will not intreat his sonne for vs.
    2090Tamora. If Tamora intreat him than he will,
    For I can smooth and fill his aged eares,
    With golden promises, that were his hart
    Almost impregnable, his old yeares deafe,
    Yet