Aar. Madam, though Venus govern your desires, Saturn is dominator over mine: What signifies my deadly-standing eye, No, madam, these are no venereal signs; my head. Hark, Tamora,—the empress of my soul, Which never hopes more heaven than rests in thee,— Aar. No more, great empress, Bassianus comes : Enter BASSIANUS and LAVINIA. [Exit. Bas. Who have we here? Rome's royal emperess, Unfurnish'd of her well-beseeming troop? Or is it Dian, habited like her; And verbs to loll and lollop evident spring from the same root. by meant house; go to by is to go to house or cradle. The common compliment at parting, good by is good house, may your house prosper; and Selby, the Archbishop of York's palace, is great house. So that lullaby implies literally sleep in house, i. e. the cradle.. HOLT WHITE. Who hath abandoned her holy groves, Lav. Under your patience, gentle emperess, Jove shield your husband from his hounds to-day! "Tis pity they should take him for a stag. Bas. Believe me, queen, your swarth Cimmerian Why are you sequester'd from all your train? Bas. The king, my brother, shall have note of this. Lav. Ay, for these slips have made him noted long: Good king! to be so mightily abus'd! Tam. Why have I patience to endure all this? * Should drive-] i. e. fly with impetuosity at him. swarth Cimmerian-] Swarth is black. The Moor is called Cimmerian, from the affinity of blackness to darkness. 10 Enter CHIRON and DEMETRIUS. Dem. How now, dear sovereign, and our gracious mother, Why doth your highness look so pale and wan? The trees, though summer, yet forlorn and lean, Here never shines the sun; here nothing breeds, Should straight fall mad, or else die suddenly.' But straight they told me, they would bind me here And leave me to this miserable death. And then they call'd me, foul adulteress, 9urchins,] i. e. hedgehogs. Should straight fall mad, or else die suddenly.] This is said in fabulous physiology, of those that hear the grean of the mandrake torn up. Chi. And this for me, struck home to show strength. my [Stabbing him likewise. Lav. Ay come, Semiramis,-nay, barbarous Ta mora! For no name fits thy nature but thy own! Tam. Give me thy poniard; you shall know, my boys, ; Your mother's hand shall right your mother's wrong. And with that painted hope braves your mightiness:2 Chi. An if she do, I would I were an eunuch. Drag hence her husband to some secret hole, And make his dead trunk pillow to our lust. Tam. But when you have the honey you desire, Let not this wasp outlive, us both to sting. Chi. I warrant you, madam; we will make that Come, mistress, now perforce we will enjoy Lav. O Tamora! thou bear'st a woman's face,- Lav. When did the tiger's young ones teach the O, do not learn her wrath; she taught it thee: 2 And with that painted hope braves your mightiness :] Painted hope is only specious hope, or ground of confidence more plausible than solid. JOHNSON. Yet every mother breeds not sons alike; [TO CHIRON. Chi. What! would'st thou have me prove myself a bastard? Lav. "Tis true; the raven doth not hatch a lark : Yet I have heard, (O could I find it now!) The lion mov'd with pity, did endure To have his princely paws par'd all away. Some say that ravens foster forlorn children, The whilst their own birds famish in their nests: O, be to me, though thy hard heart say no, Nothing so kind, but something pitiful! Tam. I know not what it means; away with her. Lav. O, let me teach thee: for my father's sake, That gave thee life, when well he might have slain thee, Be not obdurate, open thy deaf ears. Tam. Had thou in person ne'er offended me, Remember, boys, I pour'd forth tears in vain, Lav. O Tamora, be call'd a gentle queen, Tam. What begg'st thou then; fond woman, let me go. Lav. "Tis present death I beg; and one thing more, That womanhood denies my tongue to tell : O, keep me from their worse than killing lust, And tumble me into some loathsome pit; Where never man's eye may behold my body: Do this, and be a charitable murderer. |