Enter EMILIUS. Welcome, Æmilius, what's the news from Rome? The Roman emperor greets you all by me: Luc. Æmilius, let the emperor give his pledges Unto my father and my uncle Marcus, And we will come. - March away. [Exeunt. SCENE II.. Rome. Before Titus's House.. Enter TAMORA, CHIRON, and DEMETRIUS,. Tam. Thus, in this strange and sad habiliment, I will encounter with Andronicus; And say, I am Revenge, sent from below, Enter TITUS, above. Tit. Who doth molest my contemplation? You are deceiv'd: for what I mean to do, See here, in bloody lines I have set down; Tam. Titus, I am come to talk with thee. Tit. No; not a word: How can I grace my talk, Wanting a hand to give it action? Thou hast the odds of me, therefore no more. Tam. If thou didst know me, thou would'st talk with me. Tit. I am not mad; I know thee well enough: Witness this wretched stump, 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? Tam. Know thou, sad man, I am not Tamora; She is thy enemy, and I thy friend : I am Revenge; sent from the infernal kingdom, No vast obscurity, or misty vale, Where bloody murder, or detested rape, Can couch for fear, but I will find them out; To be a torment to mine enemies? Tam. I am; therefore come down, and welcome me. Tit. 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 come, and be thy waggoner, And whirl along with thee about the globes. Provide thee proper palfries, black as jet, And day by day I'll do this heavy task, Tam. These are my ministers, and come with me. Tit. Are they thy ministers? what are they call'd? Tam. Rapine, and Murder; therefore called so, 'Cause they take vengeance of such kind of men. Tit. Good heaven, how like the empress' sons they are! And you, the empress! But we worldly men O sweet Revenge, now do I come to thee: And, if one arm's embracement will content thee, I will embrace thee in it by and by. [Exit Tirus, from above. Tam. This closing with him fits his lunacy: Whate'er I forge, to feed his brain-sick fits, Do you uphold and maintain in your speeches. For now he firmly takes me for Revenge; And, being credulous in this mad thought, I'll make him send for Lucius, his son; And, whilst I at a banquet hold him sure, I'll find some cunning practice out of hand, To scatter and disperse the giddy Goths, Or, at the least, make them his enemies. See, here he comes, and I must ply my theme. Enter TITUS. Tit. Long have I been forlorn, and all for thee: Welcome, dread fury, to my woful house; Rapine, and Murder, you are welcome too: How like the empress and her sons you are! Well are you fitted, had you but a Moor: Could not all hell afford you such a devil?. For, well I wot, the empress never wags, But in her company there is a Moor; And, would you represent our queen aright, It were convenient you had such a devil: But welcome, as you are. What shall we do? Tam. What would'st thou have us do, Andronicus? Dem. Show me a murderer, I'll deal with him. Chi. Show me a villain, that hath done a rape, And I am sent to be reveng'd on him. Tam, Show me a thousand, that have done thee wrong, And I will be revenged on them all. Tit. Look round about the wicked streets of Rome; And when thou find'st a man that's like thyself, I pray thee, do on them some violent death, They have been violent to me and mine. Tam. Well hast thou lesson'd us; this shall we do. But would it please thee, good Andronicus, To send for Lucius, thy thrice valiant son, Who leads towards Rome a band of warlike Goths, And bid him come and banquet at thy house: Tit. Marcus, my brother!-'tis sad Titus calls. Enter MARCUS. Go, gentle Marcus, to thy nephew Lucius; Marc. This will I do, and soon return again. Tam. Now will I hence about thy business, And take my ministers along with me. [Exit. Tit. Nay, nay, let Rape and Murder stay with me; Or else I'll call my brother back again, Tam. [To her Sons. What say you, boys? will you abide with him, Whiles I go tell my lord the emperor, How I have govern'd our determin'd jest? And tarry with him, till I come again. Tit. I know them all, though they suppose me mad; And will o'er-reach them in their own devices. [Aside. |