Friendly together: so through Lud's town march;
And in the temple of great Jupiter

Our peace we'll ratify; seal it with feasts.-
Set on there!-Never was a war did cease,
Ere bloody hands were wash'd, with such a peace.

[Exeunt.

TITUS ANDRONICUS.

PERSONS REPRESENTED.

SATURNINUS, son to the late Emperor of Rome, afterwards Emperor.

BASSIANUS, brother to Saturninus; in love with Lavinia. TITUS ANDRONICUS, a noble Roman, General against the Goths.

MARCUS ANDRONICUS, Tribune of the People, and brother to Titus.

LUCIUS,

QUINTUS,

sons to Titus Andronicus.

MARTIUS,

MUTIUS,

Young LUCIUS, a boy, son to Lucius.
PUBLIUS, son to Marcus the Tribune.

TAMORA, Queen of the Goths.

LAVINIA, daughter to Titus Andronicus.

A Nurse.

Senators, Tribunes, Officers, Soldiers, and Attendants.

SCENE,-ROME, and the country near it.

TITUS ANDRONICUS.

ACT I.

SCENE I.-Rome. Before the Capitol.

Flourish. Enter the Tribunes and Senators, aloft; and then enter SATURNINUS and his Followers at one door, and BASSIANUS and his Followers at the other, with drum and colours.

Saturninus.

OBLE patricians, patrons of my right,
Defend the justice of my cause with

arms;

And, countrymen, my loving fol-
lowers,

Plead my successive title with your swords :
I am his first-born son, that was the last
That wore the imperial diadem of Rome :
Then let my father's honours live in me,
Nor wrong mine age with this indignity.
Bass. Romans, friends, followers, favourers of
my right,

If ever Bassianus, Cæsar's son,

Were gracious in the eyes of royal Rome,
Keep then this passage to the Capitol ;
And suffer not dishonour to approach
The imperial seat; to virtue consecrate,
To justice, continence, and nobility:

But let desert in pure election shine;
And, Romans, fight for freedom in your choice.

Enter MARCUS ANDRONICUS, aloft, with the crown. Marc. Princes, that strive by factions and by friends

Ambitiously for rule and empery,—

Know that the people of Rome, for whom we stand

A special party, have by common voice,
In election for the Roman empery,
Chosen Andronicus, surnamèd Pius,

For many good and great deserts to Rome:
A nobler man, a braver warrior,

Lives not this day within the city walls.
He by the senate is accited home,

From weary wars against the barbarous Goths,
That with his sons, a terror to our foes,

Hath yoked a nation strong, train'd up in

arms.

Ten years are spent, since first he undertook
This cause of Rome, and chastisèd with arms
Our enemies' pride: five times he hath re-
turn'd

Bleeding to Rome, bearing his valiant sons
In coffins from the field;

And now at last, laden with honour's spoils,
Returns the good Andronicus to Rome,
Renowned Titus, flourishing in arms.
Let us entreat,-by honour of his name,
Whom worthily you would have now succeed,
And in the Capitol and senate's right,
Whom you pretend to honour and adore,-
That
you
withdraw you, and abate your strength;
Dismiss your followers, and, as suitors should,
Plead your deserts in peace and humbleness.