Luc. Away with him! and make a fire straight; And with our swords, upon a pile of wood, Let's hew his limbs, till they be clean consum'd. [Exeunt LUCIUS, QUINTUS, MARTIUS, and MUTIUS, with ALARBUS. Tam. O cruel, irreligious piety! Chi. Was ever Scythia half so barbarous ? Dem. Oppose not Scythia to ambitious Rome. Alarbus goes to rest; and we survive To tremble under Titus' threatening look. (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, Whose smoke, like incense, doth perfume the sky. In [Trumpets sounded, and the Coffins laid in the Tomb. 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 inward 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, Bas-. Marc. Long live lord Titus, my beloved brother, Gracious triumpher in the eyes of Rome! Tit. Thanks, gentle tribune, noble brother Mar cus. Marc. And welcome, nephews, from successful wars, You that survive, and you that sleep in fame. 6 The maxim alluded to is, that no man can be pronounced happy before his death. 7 A robe. Be candidatus then, and put it on, 8 And help to set a head on headless Rome. Marc. Titus, thou shalt obtain and ask the em pery. 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 That 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; Of noble minds, is honourable meed. Tit. People of Rome, and people's tribunes here, I ask your voices, and your suffrages; bestow them friendly on Andronicus? Tit. Tribunes, I thank you: and this suit I make, Crown him, and say,Long live our emperor ! Marc. With voices and applause of every sort, Patricians, and plebeians, we create Lord Saturninus, Rome's great emperor; I give thee thanks in part of thy deserts, Rome's royal mistress, mistress of my heart, Tell me, Andronicus, doth this motion please thee? VOL. IX. 9 The sun. N How proud I am of thee, and of thy gifts, Tit. Now, madam, are you prisoner to an empe ror; [TO TAMORA. To him, that for your honour and your state, Will use you nobly, and your followers. Sat. A goodly lady, trust me; of the hue Thou com'st not to be made a scorn in Rome: Lav. Not I, my lord; sith' true nobility Sat. Thanks, sweet Lavinia.-Romans, let us go: Ransomeless here we set our prisoners free: Proclaim our honours, lords, with trump and drum. Bas. Lord Titus, by your leave, this maid is mine. [Seizing LAVINIA. Tit. How, sir? Are you in earnest then, my lord? Bas. Ay, noble Titus; and resolv'd withal, To do myself this reason and this right. [The Emperor courts TAMORA in dumb show. Marc. Suum cuique is our Roman justice: This prince in justice seizeth but his own. Luc. And that he will, and shall, if Lucius live. Tit. Traitors, avaunt! Where is the emperor's guard? Treason, my lord; Lavinia is surpriz'd. I Since. |