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being good。 First hang the child； that he may see it sprawl… A sight to vex
the father's soul withal。 Get me a ladder。 ＇A ladder brought； which
AARON is made to climb＇ AARON。 Lucius； save the child； And bear it
from me to the Emperess。 If thou do this； I'll show thee wondrous things
That highly may advantage thee to hear； If thou wilt not； befall what may
befall； I'll speak no more but 'Vengeance rot you all！' LUCIUS。 Say on； an
if it please me which thou speak'st； Thy child shall live； and I will see it
nourish'd。 AARON。 An if it please thee！ Why； assure thee； Lucius； 'Twill
vex thy soul to hear what I shall speak； For I must talk of murders； rapes；
and massacres； Acts of black night； abominable deeds； Complots of
mischief； treason； villainies； Ruthful to hear； yet piteously perform'd； And
this shall all be buried in my death； Unless thou swear to me my child
shall live。 LUCIUS。 Tell on thy mind； I say thy child shall live。 AARON。
Swear that he shall； and then I will begin。 LUCIUS。 Who should I swear
by？ Thou believest no god； That granted； how canst thou believe an oath？
AARON。 What if I do not？ as indeed I do not； Yet； for I know thou art
religious And hast a thing within thee called conscience； With twenty
popish tricks and ceremonies Which I have seen thee careful to observe；
Therefore I urge thy oath。 For that I know An idiot holds his bauble for a
god； And keeps the oath which by that god he swears； To that I'll urge him。
Therefore thou shalt vow By that same god… what god soe'er it be That
thou adorest and hast in reverence… To save my boy； to nourish and bring
him up； Or else I will discover nought to thee。 LUCIUS。 Even by my god I
swear to thee I will。 AARON。 First know thou； I begot him on the
Empress。 LUCIUS。 O most insatiate and luxurious woman！ AARON。 Tut；
Lucius； this was but a deed of charity To that which thou shalt hear of me
anon。 'Twas her two sons that murdered Bassianus； They cut thy sister's
tongue； and ravish'd her； And cut her hands； and trimm'd her as thou
sawest。 LUCIUS。 O detestable villain！ Call'st thou that trimming？
AARON。 Why； she was wash'd； and cut； and trimm'd； and 'twas Trim sport
for them which had the doing of it。 LUCIUS。 O barbarous beastly villains
like thyself！ AARON。 Indeed； I was their tutor to instruct them。 That
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codding spirit had they from their mother； As sure a card as ever won the
set； That bloody mind； I think； they learn'd of me； As true a dog as ever
fought at head。 Well； let my deeds be witness of my worth。 I train'd thy
brethren to that guileful hole Where the dead corpse of Bassianus lay； I
wrote the letter that thy father found； And hid the gold within that letter
mention'd； Confederate with the Queen and her two sons； And what not
done； that thou hast cause to rue； Wherein I had no stroke of mischief in it？
I play'd the cheater for thy father's hand； And； when I had it； drew myself
apart And almost broke my heart with extreme laughter。 I pried me
through the crevice of a wall； When； for his hand； he had his two sons'
heads； Beheld his tears； and laugh'd so heartily That both mine eyes were
rainy like to his； And when I told the Empress of this sport； She swooned
almost at my pleasing tale； And for my tidings gave me twenty kisses。
GOTH。 What； canst thou say all this and never blush？ AARON。 Ay； like a
black dog； as the saying is。 LUCIUS。 Art thou not sorry for these heinous
deeds？ AARON。 Ay； that I had not done a thousand more。 Even now I
curse the day… and yet； I think； Few come within the compass of my curse…
Wherein I did not some notorious ill； As kill a man； or else devise his
death； Ravish a maid； or plot the way to do it； Accuse some innocent； and
forswear myself； Set deadly enmity between two friends； Make poor
men's cattle break their necks； Set fire on barns and hay…stacks in the night；
And bid the owners quench them with their tears。 Oft have I digg'd up
dead men from their graves； And set them upright at their dear friends'
door Even when their sorrows almost was forgot； And on their skins； as on
the bark of trees； Have with my knife carved in Roman letters 'Let not
your sorrow die； though I am dead。' Tut； I have done a thousand dreadful
things As willingly as one would kill a fly； And nothing grieves me
heartily indeed But that I cannot do ten thousand more。 LUCIUS。 Bring
down the devil； for he must not die So sweet a death as hanging presently。
AARON。 If there be devils； would I were a devil； To live and burn in
everlasting fire； So I might have your company in hell But to torment you
with my bitter tongue！ LUCIUS。 Sirs； stop his mouth； and let him speak
no more。
Enter AEMILIUS
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GOTH。 My lord； there is a messenger from Rome Desires to be
admitted to your presence。 LUCIUS。 Let him come near。 Welcome；
Aemilius。 What's the news from Rome？ AEMILIUS。 Lord Lucius； and
you Princes of the Goths； The Roman Emperor greets you all by me； And；
for he understands you are in arms； He craves a parley at your father's
house； Willing you to demand your hostages； And they shall be
immediately deliver'd。 FIRST GOTH。 What says our general？ LUCIUS。
Aemilius； let the Emperor give his pledges Unto my father and my uncle
Marcus。 And we will come。 March away。 Exeunt
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SCENE II。 Rome。 Before TITUS' house
Enter TAMORA； and her two sons； DEMETRIUS and CHIRON；
disguised
TAMORA。 Thus； in this strange and sad habiliment； I will encounter
with Andronicus； And say I am Revenge； sent from below To join with
him and right his heinous wrongs。 Knock at his study； where they say he
keeps To ruminate strange plots of dire revenge； Tell him Revenge is come
to join with him； And work confusion on his enemies。
They knock and TITUS opens his study door； above
TITUS。 Who doth molest my contemplation？ Is it your trick to make
me ope the door； That so my sad decrees may fly away And all my study
be to no effect？ You are deceiv'd； for what I mean to do See here in bloody
lines I have set down； And what is written shall be executed。 TAMORA。
Titus； I am come to talk with thee。 TITUS。 No； not a word。 How can I
grace my talk； Wanting a hand to give it that accord？ Thou hast the odds of
me； therefore no more。 TAMORA。 If thou didst know me； thou wouldst
talk with me。 TITUS。 I am not mad； I know thee well enough： Witness this
wretched stump； witness these crimson lines； Witness these trenches made
by grief and care； Witness the tiring day and heavy night； Witness all
sorrow that I know thee well For our proud Empress； mighty Tamora。 Is
not thy coming for my other hand？ TAMORA。 Know thou； sad man； I am
not Tamora： She is thy enemy and I thy friend。 I am Revenge； sent from th'
infernal kingdom To ease the gnawing vulture of thy mind By working
wreakful vengeance on thy foes。 Come down and welcome me to this
world's light； Confer with me of murder and of death； There's not a hollow
cave or lurking…place； No vast obscurity or misty vale； Where bloody
murder or detested rape Can couch for fear but I will find them out； And in
their ears tell them my dreadful name… Revenge； which makes the foul
offender quake。 TITUS。 Art thou Revenge？ and art thou sent to me To be a
torment to mine enemies？ TAMORA。 I am； therefore come down and
welcome me。 TITUS。 Do me some service ere I come to thee。 Lo； by thy
side where Rape and Murder stands； Now give some surance that thou art
Revenge… Stab them； or tear them on thy chariot wheels； And then I'll
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come and be thy waggon