From weary wars against the barbarous Goths; And now at last, laden with honour's spoils, Whom you pretend to honour and adore, That you withdraw you, and abate your strength; Plead your deserts in peace and humbleness. Sat. How fair the tribune speaks to calm my thoughts! Bas. Marcus Andronicus, so I do affy In thy uprightness and integrity, And so I love and honour thee and thine, And her, to whom my thoughts are humbled all, [Exeunt the Followers of BASSIANUS. [Exeunt the Followers of SATURNINUS. Rome, be as just and gracious unto me, Open the gates, and let me in. Bas. Tribunes! and me, a poor competitor. [SAT. and BAs. go into the Capitol, and exeunt with SCENE II. Senators,MAR.&C. The same. Enter a Captain, and others. Cap. Romans, make way; The good Andronicus, Patron of virtue, Rome's best champion, Successful in the battles that he fights, With honour and with fortune is return'd, Flourish of trumpets, c. Enter MUTIUS and MARTIUS: after These, that survive, let Rome reward with love; With burial amongst their ancestors : Here Goths have given me leave to sheathe my sword. [The tomb is opened. There greet in silence, as the dead are wont, Sweet cell of virtue and nobility, How many sons of mine hast thou in store, That thou wilt never render to me more? Luc. Give us the proudest prisoner of the Goths, That we may hew his limbs, and, on a pile, Ad manes fratrum sacrifice his flesh, [2] Jupiter, to whom the Capitol was sacred. JOHNS. [3] It was supposed by the ancients, that the ghosts of unburied people ap. peared to their friends, to solicit the rites of funeral. STEEV. Tit. I give him you; the noblest that survives, The eldest son of this distressed queen. Tam. Stay, Roman brethren ;-Gracious conqueror, Victorious Titus, rue the tears I shed, A mother's tears in passion for her son: Andronicus, stain not thy tomb with blood: Thrice-noble Titus, spare my first-born son. Tit. Patient yourself, madam, and pardon me. To this your son is mark'd; and die he must, And with our swords, upon a pile of wood, Let's hew his limbs, till they be clean consum❜d. [Exe. Luc. QUIN. MART. and MUT. with ALARBUS. Tam. O cruel, irreligious piety! Chi. Was ever Scythia half so barbarous ? Alarbus goes to rest; and we survive To tremble under Titus' threatening look. Then, madam, stand resolv'd; but hope withal, The self-same gods, that arm'd the queen of Troy With opportunity of sharp revenge Upon the Thracian tyrant in his tent, May favour Tamora, the queen of Goths, (When Goths were Goths, and Tamora was queen,) To quit the bloody wrongs upon her foes. Re-enter LUCIUS, QUINTUS, MARTIUS, and MuTIUS, with their swords bloody. Luc. See, lord and father, how we have perform'd Our Roman rites: Alarbus' limbs are lopp'd, And entrails feed the sacrificing fire, Whose smoke, like incense, doth perfume the sky. Make this his latest farewell to their souls. [Trumpets sounded, and the coffins laid in the tomb. In peace and honour rest you here, my sons; Rome's readiest champions, repose you here, Secure from worldly chances and mishaps ! Here lurks no treason, here no envy swells, Here grow no damned grudges; here, are no storms, No noise, but silence and eternal sleep : Enter LAVINIA. In peace and honour rest you here, my sons! Enter MARCUS ANDRONICUS, SATURNINUS, BASSI- Mar. Long live lord Titus, my beloved brother, Gracious triumpher in the eyes of Rome! Tit. Thanks, gentle tribune, noble brother Marcus. Mar. And welcome, nephews, from successful wars, You that survive, and you that sleep in fame. Fair lords, your fortunes are alike in all, That in your country's service drew your swords : That hath aspir'd to Solon's happiness, 5 And triumphs over chance, in honour's bed.-, Whose friend in justice thou hast ever been, [4] To outlive an eternal date, is, though not philosophical, yet poetical sense. He wishes that her life may be longer than his, and her praise longer than fame. JOHNS. [5] The maxim of Solon is, that no man can be pronounced happy befere his death. 9 MALONE. VOL. VII. Send thee, by me, their tribune, and their trust, And help to set a head on headless Rome. Mar. Titus, thou shalt obtain and ask the empery. Sat. Proud and ambitious tribune, canst thou tell?Tit. Patience, prince Saturnine. Sat. Romans, do me right ; Patricians, draw your swords, and sheath them not Till Saturninus be Rome's emperor : Andronicus, 'would thou wert shipp'd to hell, Luc. Proud Saturnine, interrupter of the good The noble-minded Titus means to thee ! Tit. Content thee, prince; I will restore to thee The people's hearts, and wean them from themselves. Bas. Andronicus, I do not flatter thee, But honour thee, and will do till I die ; My faction if thou strengthen with thy friends, I will most thankful be: and thanks, to men Of noble minds, is honourable meed. Tit. People of Rome, and people's tribunes here, I ask your voices, and your suffrages; Will you bestow them friendly on Andronicus? And gratulate his safe return to Rome, The people will accept whom he admits. Tit. Tribunes, I thank you and this suit I make, That you create your emperor's eldest son, [6] i. e. Do on this robe, put it on. STEEV. |