DRAMATIS PERSONÆ1

SATURNINUS, son to the late Emperor of Rome, afterwards emperor. BASSIANUS, brother to Saturninus.

TITUS ANDRONICUS, a noble Roman.

MARCUS ANDRONICUS, tribune of the people, and brother to Titus. LUCIUS,

AARON, a Moor, beloved by Tamora.

A Captain, Tribune, Messenger, and Clown; Romans and Goths.

TAMORA, Queen of the Goths.

LAVINIA, daughter to Titus Andronicus.

A Nurse, and a black Child.

Kinsmen of Titus, Senators, Tribunes, Officers, Soldiers, and Attendants.

SCENE: Rome, and the country near it

1 This piece was first published in 1594 in a Quarto volume which was reissued with slight change in 1600 and 1611. All copies of the 1594 Quarto have disappeared since the 17th century, save one which came to light in 1904. For its collation see Jahrbuch der Deutschen Shakespeare-Gesellschaft, 1905, pp. 211-215. The First Folio text appears to follow the Second Quarto with small variation. The Quartos have no subdivisions into Acts or Scenes; the Folios indicate the Acts only. The list of "dramatis persona" was first supplied by Rowe in 1709.

BEFORE THE CAPITOL - THE TOMB OF THE ANDRONICI APPEARING

Flourish. Enter the Tribunes and Senators aloft. And then enter below, SATURNINUS and his Followers from one side, and BASSIANUS and his Followers from the other side, with drum and colours SATURNINUS

OBLE 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 ware the imperial diadem of Rome;

Then let my father's honours live in me,

with this indignity.

BAS. 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, surnamed Pius

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

Lives not this day within the city walls:

(stage direction) Enter the Tribunes... aloft] Thus the Folios. By "aloft" is meant the upper gallery or balcony at the back of the stage of the Elizabethan theatre. The balcony here represents the Capitol. (Cf. stage directions following lines 17, infra; V, ii, 8, 69 and 80, and V, iii, 66 and 145.)

4 my successive title] my hereditary right to succeed.

6 ware] Thus the Quartos. The Folios give the modern form wore.

8 mine age] my seniority in point of age.

15 continence] self-restraint.

16 in pure election] in the purity of free election (instead of in right of birth). 19 empery] empire, a common form.

21 by common voice] unanimously.

10

20

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 chastised with arms
Our enemies' pride: five times he hath return'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 withdraw you
you

and abate your strength,

Dismiss your followers and, as suitors should,

Plead your deserts in peace and humbleness.

27 accited] summoned; only found elsewhere in Shakespeare in 2 Hen. IV, II, ii, 56, and V, ii, 141.

29 That] He who.

35 In coffins from the field] Thus the Second Quarto and all later editions. The First Quarto (1594) fills up the line with the words and at this day, and then inserts these three lines which are omitted from all later editions:

80

40

SAT. How fair the tribune speaks to calm my thoughts! BAS. Marcus Andronicus, so I do affy

In thy uprightness and integrity,

And so I love and honour thee and thine,
Thy noble brother Titus and his sons,

And her to whom my thoughts are humbled all,
Gracious Lavinia, Rome's rich ornament,
That I will here dismiss my loving friends,
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.

BAS. Tribunes, and me, a poor competitor.

[Flourish. Saturninus and Bassianus go up into the Capitol.

Enter a Captain

CAP. Romans, make way: the good Andronicus, Patron of virtue, Rome's best champion,

47 affy] trust.

64 CAP. Romans, make way] Pope makes a new scene begin here. But this division, which is followed by many editors, is not justified by the early editions.

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60