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TITUS ANDRONICUS
SCENE III。 The court of TITUS' house
Enter Lucius； MARCUS； and the GOTHS； with AARON prisoner； and
his CHILD in the arms of an attendant
LUCIUS。 Uncle Marcus； since 'tis my father's mind That I repair to
Rome； I am content。 FIRST GOTH。 And ours with thine； befall what
fortune will。 LUCIUS。 Good uncle； take you in this barbarous Moor； This
ravenous tiger； this accursed devil； Let him receive no sust'nance； fetter
him； Till he be brought unto the Empress' face For testimony of her foul
proceedings。 And see the ambush of our friends be strong； I fear the
Emperor means no good to us。 AARON。 Some devil whisper curses in my
ear； And prompt me that my tongue may utter forth The venomous malice
of my swelling heart！ LUCIUS。 Away； inhuman dog； unhallowed slave！
Sirs； help our uncle to convey him in。 Exeunt GOTHS with AARON。
Flourish within The trumpets show the Emperor is at hand。
Sound trumpets。 Enter SATURNINUS and TAMORA； with
AEMILIUS； TRIBUNES； SENATORS； and others
SATURNINUS。 What； hath the firmament more suns than one？
LUCIUS。 What boots it thee to can thyself a sun？ MARCUS。 Rome's
Emperor； and nephew； break the parle； These quarrels must be quietly
debated。 The feast is ready which the careful Titus Hath ordain'd to an
honourable end； For peace； for love； for league； and good to Rome。 Please
you； therefore； draw nigh and take your places。 SATURNINUS。 Marcus；
we will。 ＇A table brought in。 The company sit down＇
Trumpets sounding； enter TITUS like a cook； placing the dishes； and
LAVINIA with a veil over her face； also YOUNG LUCIUS； and others
TITUS。 Welcome； my lord； welcome； dread Queen； Welcome； ye
warlike Goths； welcome； Lucius； And welcome all。 Although the cheer be
poor； 'Twill fill your stomachs； please you eat of it。 SATURNINUS。 Why
art thou thus attir'd； Andronicus？ TITUS。 Because I would be sure to have
all well To entertain your Highness and your Empress。 TAMORA。 We are
beholding to you； good Andronicus。 TITUS。 An if your Highness knew my
heart； you were。 My lord the Emperor； resolve me this： Was it well done of
rash Virginius To slay his daughter with his own right hand； Because she
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was enforc'd； stain'd； and deflower'd？ SATURNINUS。 It was； Andronicus。
TITUS。 Your reason； mighty lord。 SATURNINUS。 Because the girl should
not survive her shame； And by her presence still renew his sorrows。
TITUS。 A reason mighty； strong； and effectual； A pattern； precedent； and
lively warrant For me； most wretched； to perform the like。 Die； die；
Lavinia； and thy shame with thee； ＇He kills her＇ And with thy shame thy
father's sorrow die！ SATURNINUS。 What hast thou done； unnatural and
unkind？ TITUS。 Kill'd her for whom my tears have made me blind。 I am
as woeful as Virginius was； And have a thousand times more cause than he
To do this outrage； and it now is done。 SATURNINUS。 What； was she
ravish'd？ Tell who did the deed。 TITUS。 Will't please you eat？ Will't please
your Highness feed？ TAMORA。 Why hast thou slain thine only daughter
thus？ TITUS。 Not I； 'twas Chiron and Demetrius。 They ravish'd her； and
cut away her tongue； And they； 'twas they； that did her all this wrong。
SATURNINUS。 Go； fetch them hither to us presently。 TITUS。 Why； there
they are； both baked in this pie； Whereof their mother daintily hath fed；
Eating the flesh that she herself hath bred。 'Tis true； 'tis true： witness my
knife's sharp point。 ＇He stabs the EMPRESS＇ SATURNINUS。 Die； frantic
wretch； for this accursed deed！ ＇He stabs TITUS＇ LUCIUS。 Can the son's
eye behold his father bleed？ There's meed for meed； death for a deadly
deed。 ＇He stabs SATURNINUS。 A great tumult。 LUCIUS； MARCUS； and
their friends go up into the balcony＇ MARCUS。 You sad…fac'd men； people
and sons of Rome； By uproars sever'd； as a flight of fowl Scatter'd by
winds and high tempestuous gusts？ O； let me teach you how to knit again
This scattered corn into one mutual sheaf； These broken limbs again into
one body； Lest Rome herself be bane unto herself； And she whom mighty
kingdoms curtsy to； Like a forlorn and desperate castaway； Do shameful
execution on herself。 But if my frosty signs and chaps of age； Grave
witnesses of true experience； Cannot induce you to attend my words； ＇To
Lucius＇ Speak； Rome's dear friend； as erst our ancestor；
When with his solemn tongue he did discourse To love…sick Dido's
sad attending ear The story of that baleful burning night； When subtle
Greeks surpris'd King Priam's Troy。 Tell us what Sinon hath bewitch'd our
ears； Or who hath brought the fatal engine in That gives our Troy； our
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Rome； the civil wound。 My heart is not compact of flint nor steel； Nor can
I utter all our bitter grief； But floods of tears will drown my oratory And
break my utt'rance； even in the time When it should move ye to attend me
most； And force you to commiseration。 Here's Rome's young Captain； let
him tell the tale； While I stand by and weep to hear him speak。 LUCIUS。
Then； gracious auditory； be it known to you That Chiron and the damn'd
Demetrius Were they that murd'red our Emperor's brother； And they it
were that ravished our sister。 For their fell faults our brothers were
beheaded； Our father's tears despis'd； and basely cozen'd Of that true hand
that fought Rome's quarrel out And sent her enemies unto the grave。 Lastly；
myself unkindly banished； The gates shut on me； and turn'd weeping out；
To beg relief among Rome's enemies； Who drown'd their enmity in my
true tears； And op'd their arms to embrace me as a friend。 I am the turned
forth； be it known to you； That have preserv'd her welfare in my blood
And from her bosom took the enemy's point； Sheathing the steel in my
advent'rous body。 Alas！ you know I am no vaunter； I； My scars can witness；
dumb although they are； That my report is just and full of truth。 But； soft！
methinks I do digress too much； Citing my worthless praise。 O； pardon me！
For when no friends are by； men praise themselves。 MARCUS。 Now is my
turn to speak。 Behold the child。 ＇Pointing to the CHILD in an attendant's
arms＇ Of this was Tamora delivered； The issue of an irreligious Moor；
Chief architect and plotter of these woes。 The villain is alive in Titus'
house； Damn'd as he is； to witness this is true。 Now judge what cause had
Titus to revenge These wrongs unspeakable； past patience； Or more than
any living man could bear。 Now have you heard the truth： what say you；
Romans？ Have we done aught amiss； show us wherein； And； from the
place where you behold us pleading； The poor remainder of Andronici
Will； hand in hand； all headlong hurl ourselves； And on the ragged stones
beat forth our souls； And make a mutual closure of our house。 Speak；
Romans； speak； and if you say we shall； Lo； hand in hand； Lucius and I
will fall。 AEMILIUS。 Come； come； thou reverend man of Rome； And
bring our Emperor gently in thy hand； Lucius our Emperor； for well I
know The common voice do cry it shall be so。 ALL。 Lucius； all hail；
Rome's royal Emperor！ MARCUS。 Go； go into old Titus' sorrowful house；
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And hither hale that misbelieving Moor To be adjudg'd some direful
slaught'ring death； As punishment for his most wicked life。 Exeunt some
attendants。 LUCIUS； MARCUS； and the others descend ALL。 Lucius； all
hail； Rome's gracious governor！ LUCIUS。 Thanks； gentle Romans！ May I
govern so To heal Rome's harms and wipe away her woe！ But； gentle
people； give me aim awhile； For nature puts me to a heavy task。 Stand all
aloof； but； uncle； draw you near To shed obsequious tears upon this trunk。
O； take this warm kiss on thy pale cold lips。 ＇Kisses TITUS＇