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Whom heavens, in justice, (both on her and hers,)

Have laid most heavy hand.

Sooth. The fingers of the powers above do

tune

The harmony of this peace. The vision
Which I made known to Lucius, ere the stroke
Of this yet scarce-cold battle, at this instant
Is full accomplish'd: For the Roman eagle,
From south to west on wing soaring aloft,
Lessen'd herself, and in the beams o'the sun
So vanish'd: which foreshow'd our princely
eagle,

The imperial Cesar, should again unite
His favour with the radiant Cymbeline,
Which shines here in the west.

Cym. Laud we the gods;

And let our crooked smokes climb to their nostrils

From our bless'd altars! Publish we this peace
To all our subjects. Set we forward: Let
A Roman and a British ensign wave
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.

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[Exeunt.

A SONG,

Sung by Guiderius and Arviragus over Fidele, supposed to be dead.

BY WILLIAM COLLINS.

To fair Fidele's grassy tomb,

Soft maids and village hinds shall bring
Each opening sweet, of earliest bloom,
And rifle all the breathing spring.
No wailing ghost shall dare appear
To vex with shrieks his quiet grove;
But shepherd lads assemble here,
And melting virgins own their love.
No wither'd witch shall here be seen,
No goblins lead their nightly crew:
The female fays shall haunt the green,
And dress thy grave with pearly dew.
The red-breast oft at evening hours
Shall kindly lend his little aid,
With hoary moss, and gather'd flowers,
To deck the ground where thou art land.
When howling winds and beating rain,
In tempests shake the sylvan cell;
Or midst the chase on every plain,
The tender thought on thee shall dwell,
Each lonely scene shall thee restore;
For thee the tear be duly shed:
Belov'd, till life could charm no more;

And mourn'd, till pity's self be devi.

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ACT I.

SCENE I-Rome.-Before the Capitol. The tomb of the ANDRONICI appearing; the TRIBUNES and SENATORS aloft, as in the Senate. Enter, below, SATURNINUS and his Followers, on one side; and BASSIANUS and his Followers on the other; with Drum and Col

ours.

Sat. Noble patricians, patrons of my right, Defend the justice of my cause with arms; And, countrymen, my loving followers, 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. Bas. Romans,-friends, followers, favourers of my right,

If ever Bassianus, Cesar'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.

A special party, have, by their common voice,
In election for the Roman empery,
Chosen Andronicus, surnamed 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 yok'd a nation strong, train'd up in arms.
Ten years are spent, since first he undertook
This cause of Rome, and chastised with arms
Our enemies' pride: Five times he hath re
turn'd

Bleeding to Rome, bearing his valiant sous
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.
Sat. How fair the tribune speaks to calm my
thoughts!

Bas. Marcus Andronicus, so I do affy In thy uprightness and integrity,

Mar. Princes that strive by factions, and And so I love and honour thee and thine, by friends,

Ambitiously for rule and empery,

[all,

Thy nobler brother Titus, and his sons,
And her, to whom my thoughts are humbled

Know, that the people of Rome, for whom we Gracious Lavinia, Rome's rich ornament. stand

I. e. My title to the succession.

That I will here dismiss my loving friends

Summoned.

And to my fortunes, and the people's favour, Commit my cause in balance to be weigh'd.

[Exeunt the Followers of BASSIANUS. Sat. Friends, that have been thus forward in my right,

I thank you all, and here dismiss you all;
And to the love and favour of my country
Commit myself, my person, and the cause.
[Exeunt the Followers of SATURNINUS.
Rome, be as just and gracious unto me,
As I am confident and kind to thee.-
Open the gates, and let me in.

Tit. give him you; the noblest that surThe eldest son of this distressed queen. [vives, Tam. Stay, Roman brethren; Gracious conqueror,

Victorious Titus, rue the tears I shed, A mother's tears in passion for her son: And, if thy sons were ever dear to thee, O, think my son to be as dear to me. Sufficeth not, that we are brought to Rome, To beautify thy triumphs, and return, Captive to thee, and to thy Roman yoke; But must my sons be slaughter'd in the streets, For valiant doings in their country's cause? O! if to fight for king and common weal Were piety in thine, it is in these. Andronicus, stain not thy tomb with blood: Wilt thou draw near the nature of the gods? Draw near them then in being merciful; Sweet mercy is nobility's true badge; Andro-Thrice-noble Titus, spare my first-born son. Tit. Patient yourself, madam, and pardon

Bas. Tribunes! and me, a poor competitor. SAT. and BAS. go into the Capitol, and exeunt with SENATORS, MARCUS, &c.

SCENE II.-The same.
Enter a CAPTAIN, and Others.
Cap. Romans, make way; The good
nicus,

Patron of virtue, Rome's best champion,
Successful in the battles that he fights,
With honour and with fortune is return'd,
From where he circumscribed with his sword,
And brought to yoke, the enemies of Rome.
Flourish of Trumpets, &c. Enter MUTIUS and
MARTIUS: after them, two Men bearing a Coffin
covered with black; then QUINTUS and LUCIUS.
After them, TITUS ANDRONICUS; and then
TAMORA, with ALARBUS, CHIRON, DEME-
TRIUS, AARON, and other Goths, prisoners;
Soldiers and People following. The Bearers
set down the Coffin, and TITUS speaks.

Tit. Hail, Rome, victorious in thy mourning weeds! [fraught, Lo, as the bark that hath discharged her Returns with precious lading to the bay, From whence at first she weigh'd her anchor

age,

Cometh Andronicus, bound with laurel boughs,
To re-salute his country with his tears;
Tears of true joy for his return to Rome.-
Thou great defender of this Capitol,t
Stand gracious to the rights that we intend!
Romans, of five and twenty valiant sons,
Half of the number that king Priam had,
Behold the poor remains, alive, and dead!
These, that survive, let Rome reward with
love;

These, that I bring unto their latest home,
With burial amongst their ancestors:
Here Goths have given me leave to sheath
my sword.

Titus, unkind, and careless of thine own,
Why suffer'st thou thy sons, unburied yet,
To hover on the dreadful shore of Styx?-
Make way to lay them by their brethren.

[The Tomb is opened.
There greet in silence, as the dead are wont,
And sleep in peace, slain in your country's
O sacred receptacle of my joys, [wars!
Sweet cell of virtue and nobility,
How many sons of mine hast thou in store,
That thou wilt never render to me more?
Luc. Give us the proudest prisoner of the
Goths,

That we may hew his limbs, and, on a pile,
Ad manes fratrum sacrifice his flesh,
Before this earthly prison of their bones;
That so the shadows be not unappeas'd,
Nor we disturb'd with prodigies on earth.‡

⚫ Freight. + Jupiter, to whom the Capitol was sacred. It was supposed that the ghosts of unburied people appeared to soucit the rites of funeral,

me.

[beheld These are their brethren, whom you Goths Alive, and dead; and for their brethren slain, Religiously they ask a sacrifice:

To this your son is mark'd; and die he must, To appease their groaning shadows that are gone.

Luc. Away with him! and make a fire

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[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. [al, Then, madam, stand resolv'd; but hope withWith opportunity of sharp revenge The salf-same gods, that arm'd the queen of Upon the Thracian tyrant in his tent, May favour Tamora, the queen of Goths, (When Goths were Goths, and Tamora was queen,)

[Troy

To quit the bloody wrongs upon her foes.
Re-enter LUCIUS, QUINTUS, MARTIUS, and MU-
TIUS, with their Swords bloody.

Luc. See, lord and father, how we have perform'd

Our Roman rites: Alarbus' limbs are lopp'd,
And entrails feed the sacrificing fire, [sky.
Whose smoke, like incense, doth perfume the
Remaineth nought, but to inter our brethren,
And with loud larums welcome them to Rome.
Tit. Let it be so, and let Andronicus
Make this his latest farewell to their souls.

[Trumpets sounded, and the Coffins luid in the Tomb. In 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 damned grudges; here, are nc storms,

No noise, but silence and eternal sleep:

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My noble lord and father, live in fame
Lo! at this temb my tributary tears
I render, for my brethren's obsequies;
And at thy feet I kneel with tears of joy
Shed on the earth, for thy return to Rome:
O, bless me here with thy victorious hand,
Whose fortunes Rome's best citizens applaud.
Tit. Kind Rome, that hast thus lovingly re-
serv'd

The cordial of mine age to glad my heart!-
Lavinia, live; outlive thy father's days,
And fame's eternal date, for virtue's praise !*
Enter MARCUS ANDRONICUS, SATURNINUS,
BASSIANUS, and others.

Mar. Long live lord Titus, my beloved brother,

Gracious triumpher in the eyes of Rome!
Tit. Thanks, gentle tribune, noble brother

Marcus.

Mur. 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,t
And triumphs over chance in honour's bed.-
Titus Andronicus, the people of Rome,
Whose friend in justice thou hast ever been,
Send thee by me, their tribune, and their trust,
This palliament; of white and spotless hue;
And name thee in election for the empire,
With these our late-deceased emperor's sons:
Be candidatus then, and put it on,
And help to set a head on headless Rome.

Tit. A better head her glorious body fits,
Than his, that shakes for age and feebleness:
What! should I dong this robe, and trouble
Be chosen with proclamations to-day; [you?
To-morrow, yield up rule, resign my life,
And set abroad new business for you all?
Rome, I have been thy soldier forty years,
And buried one and twenty valiant sons,
Knighted in field, slain manfully in arms,
In right and service of their noble country:
Give me a staff of honour for mine age,
But not a sceptre to control the world:
Upright he held it, lords, that held it last.
Mar. Titus, thou shalt obtain and ask the

empery.

Sut. 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,
Rather than rob me of the people's hearts.
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.

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I will most thankful be: and thanks, to when Of noble minds, is honourable meed.

Tit. People of Rome, and people's tribune I ask your voices, and your suffrages; hers, Will you bestow them friendly on Andronicus Trib. To gratify the good Åndronicus, And gratulate his safe return to Rome, The people will accept whom he admits.

Tit. Tribunes, I thank you: and this suit I make,

That you create your emperor's eldest son,
Lord Saturnine; whose virtues will, I hope,
Reflect on Rome, as Titan's rays on earth,
And ripen justice in this commca-weal:
Then if you will elect by my advice,
Crown him, and say,-Long live our emperor!

Mar. With voices and applause of every sort,
Patricians, and plebeians, we create
And say,-Long live our emperor Saturnine!
Lord Saturninus, Rome's great emperor;

[A long Flourish. Sut. Titus Andronicus, for thy favours done To us in our election this day,

I give thee thanks in part of thy deserts,
And, for an onset, Titus, to advance
And will with deeds requite thy gentleness:
Thy name, and honourable family,
Lavinia will I make my emperess,
Rome's royal mistress, mistress of my heart,
And in the sacred Pantheon her espouse
Tell me, Andronicus, doth this motion please
thee?

Tit. It doth, my worthy lord; and, in this match,

I hold me highly honour'd of your grace: And here, in sight of Rome, to Saturnine,King and commander of our common-weal, The wide world's emperor,-do I consecrate My sword, my chariot, and my prisoners; Receive them then, the tribute that I owe, Presents well worthy Rome's imperial lord: Mine honour's ensigns humbled at thy feet.

Sut. Thanks, noble Titus, father of my life! How proud I am of thee, and of thy gifts, Rome shall record; and, when I do forget The least of these unspeakable deserts, Romans, forget your fealty to me.

Tit. Now, madam, are you prisoner to an emperor; [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 Clear up, fair queen, that cloudy countenance; That I would choose, were I to choose anew.Though chance of war hath wrought this change

of cheer,

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Lav. Not I, my lord; sitht true nobility Warrants these words in princely courtesy.. Sat. Thanks, sweet Lavinia.-Romans, let Ransomless here we set our prisoners free: Proclaim our honours, lords, with trump and drum.

us go:

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To do myself this reason and this right.

[The Emperor courts TAMORA in dumb

show.

Mar. 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 emper-
or's guard?

Treason, my lord; Lavinia is surpris'd.
Sat. Surpris'd! by whom?
Bus. By him that justly may
Bear his betroth'd from all the world away.
[Exeunt MARCUS and BASSIANUS, with
LAVINIA.

Mut. Brothers, help to convey her hence
away,

And with my sword I'll keep this door safe.
[Exeunt LUCIUS, QUINTUS, and MAR-

TIUS.

Tit. Follow my lord, and I'll soon bring her
back.

Mut. My lord, you pass not here.
Tit. What, villain boy!
Barr'st me my way in Rome ?

Tam. And here, in sight of heaven, to Rome
I swear,

If Saturnine advance the queen of Goths,
She will a handmaid be to his desires,
A loving nurse, a mother to his youth.
Sat. Ascend, fair queen, Pantheon:-Lords,

accompany

Your noble emperor, and his lovely bride,
Sent by the heavens for prince Saturnine,
Whose wisdom hath her fortune conquered:
There shall we cónsummate our spousal rites.
[Exeunt SATURNINUS, and his Follow-

ers; TAMORA, und her Sons; AARON,
and Goths.

Tit. I am not bid to wait upon this bride;Titus, when wert thou wont to talk alone, Dishonour'd thus, and challenged of wrongs? Re-enter MARCUS, LUCIUS, QUINTUS, and MARTIUS.

Mar. O, Titus, see, O, see, what thou hast In a bad quarrel slain a virtuous son. [done! Tit. No, foolish tribune, no; no son of mine,

Nor thon, nor these, confederates in the deed [TITUS kills MUTIUS. That hath dishonour'd all our family; Unworthy brother, and unworthy sons!

Mut. Help, Lucius, help.

Re-enter LUCIUS.

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Sat. But go thy ways; go, give that changing
piece

To him that flourish'd for her with his sword:
A valiant son-in-law thou shalt enjoy;
One fit to bandy with thy lawless sons,
To rufflet in the commonwealth of Rome.
Tit. These words are razors to my wounded
heart.

Sat. And therefore, lovely Tamora, queen
of Goths,-
[nymphs,
That like the stately Phoebe 'mongst her
Dost overshine the gallant'st dames of Rome,-
If thou be pleas'd with this my sudden choice,
Behold, I choose thee, Tamora, for my bride,
And will create thee emperess of Rome.
Speak, queen of Goths, dost thou applaud my
choice?

And here I swear by all the Roman gods,—
Sith priest and holy water are so near,
And tapers burn so bright, and every thing
In readiness for Hymeneus stand.-

I will not re-salute the streets of Rome,
Or climb my palace, till from forth this place
I lead espous'd my bride along with me.

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Luc. But let us give him burial as becomes; Give Mutius burial with our brethren.

Tit. Traitors, away! he rests not in this

tomb.

This monument five hundred years hath stood,
Which I have sumptuously re-edified:
Here none but soldiers, and Rome's servitors,
Repose in fame; none basely slain in brawls:-
Bury him where you can, he comes not here.

Mur. My lord, this is impiety in you:
My nephew Mutius' deeds do plead for him;
He must be buried with his brethren.

Quin. Mart. And shall, or him we will ac

company.

Tit. And shall? What villain was it spoke that word?

Quin. He that would vouch't in any place but here.

Tit. What, would you bury him in my despite ?

Mar. No, noble Titus; but entreat of thee To pardon Mutius, and to bury him.

Tit. Marcus, even thou hast struck upon my crest,

And, with these boys, mine honour thou hast
wounded:

My foes I do repute you every one;
So trouble me no more, but get you gone.
Mart. He is not with himself; let us with-

draw.

Quin. Not I, till Mutius' bones be buried.
[MARCUS and the Sons of TITUS kneel.
Mar. Brother, for in that name doth nature
plead.

Quin. Father, and in that name doth nature
speak.

Tit. Speak thou no more, if all the rest will speed.

Mar. Renowned Titus, more than half my soul,

Luc. Dear father, soul and substance of ua

all,

Mar. Suffer thy brother Marcus to inter
His noble nephew here in virtue's nest,
That died in honour and Livinia's cause.
Thou art a Roman, be not barbarous.
The Greeks upon advice, did bury Ajax
That slew himself; and wise Laertes' son

* Invited

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