To this your son is mark'd; and die he must, Tam. O cruel, irreligious piety! Chi. Was ever Scythia half so barbarous ? To tremble under Titus' threatening look. Upon the Thracian tyrant in his tent, Re-enter LUCIUS, QUINTUS, MARTIUS, and MUTIUS, with their Swords bloody. Luc. See, lord and father, how we have perform'd Whose smoke, like incense, doth perfume the sky. [Trumpets sounded, and the Coffin laid in the Tomb. In peace and honour rest you here my sons; 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, BAS- 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: But safer triumph is this funeral pomp, That hath aspir'd to Solon's happiness,? 6 And fame's eternal date, for virtue's praise!] 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. JOHNSON. 7 That hath aspir'd to Solon's happiness,] The maxim of Solon here alluded to is, that no man can be pronounced to be happy before his death, And triumphs over chance, in honour's bed. And help to set a head on headless Rome. Than his, that shakes for age and feebleness: Mar. Titus, thou shalt obtain and ask the em Patricians, draw your swords, and sheath them not Andronicus, 'would thou wert shipp'd to hell, Luc. Proud Saturnine, interrupter of the good That noble-minded Titus means to thee! don this robe,] i. e. do on this robe, put it on. Titus, thou shalt obtain and ask the empery,] Here is rather too much of the ὕστερον πρότερον. 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, And gratulate his safe return to Rome, Tit. Tribunes, I thank you: and this suit I make, Crown him, and say,-Long live our emperor! Lord Saturninus, Rome's great emperor; Sat. Titus Andronicus, for thy favours done To us in our election this day, 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? I hold me highly honour'd of your grace: And here, in sight of Rome, to Saturnine, Sat. Thanks, noble Titus, father of my Tit. Now, madam, are you prisoner to an em peror; [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 That I would choose, were I to choose anew.— Clear up, fair queen, that cloudy countenance; Though chance of war hath wrought this change of cheer, Thou com'st not to be made a scorn in Rome: Rest on my word, and let not discontent Daunt all your hopes; Madam, he comforts you, Can make you greater then the queen of Goths.Lavinia, you are not displeas'd with this? Lav. Not I, my lord;' sith true nobility Warrants these words in princely courtesy. Lav. Not I, my lord;] It was pity to part a couple who seem to have corresponded in disposition so exactly as Saturninus and Lavinia. Saturninus, who has just promised to espouse her, already wishes he were to choose again; and she who was engaged to Bassianus (whom she afterwards marries) expresses no reluctance when her father gives her to Saturninus. Her subsequent raillery to Tamora is of so coarse a nature, that if her tongue had been all she was condemned to lose, perhaps the author (whoever he was) might have escaped censure on the score of poetick justice. STEEvens. |