ACT IV. SCENE I. TITUS's HOUSE. Enter young Lucius, and Lavinia running after him; and the boy flies from her, with his books under his arm. Enter Titus, and Marcus. BOY. H Follows me every where, I know not why. ELP, grandfire, help; my Aunt Lavinia Good uncle Marcus, fee, how swift fhe comes: Read to her fons, than fhe hath read to thee, Canft thou not guess wherefore fhe plies thee thus ? Ran mad through forrow; that made me to fear; I will moft willingly attend your ladyfhip. Mar. Mar. Lucius. I will. Tit. How now, Lavinia? Marcus, what means this? Some book there is that fhe defires to fee. Which is it, girl, of thefe? open them, boy. But thou art deeper read, and better skill'd: Come and make choice of all my library, And fo beguile thy forrow, 'till the heav'ns Reveal the damn'd contriver of this deed: Why lifts the up her arms in fequence thus ? Mar. I think, she means, that there was more than one Confederate in the fact. Ay, more there was: Mar. For love of her that's gone, Tit. Soft! fee, how bufily fhe turns the leaves ! Help her what would fhe find? Lavinia, fhall I read! This is the tragic Tale of Philomel, And treats of Tereus' treafon and his rape ; And rape, I fear, was root of thine annoy. Mar. See, brother, fee; note, how the quotes the leaves. Tit. Lavinia, wert thou thus furpriz'd, sweet girl, Ravish'd and wrong'd as Philomela was, Forc'd in the ruthless, vaft, and gloomy woods? Ay, fuch a place there is, where we did hunt, Mar. O, why fhould Nature build so foul a den, Unless the Gods delight in tragedies! Tit. Give figns, fweet Girl, for here are none but friends, What What Roman lord it was durft do the deed; Mar. Sit down, fweet niece; brother, fit down by me. Apollo, Pallas, Jove, or Mercury, Infpire me, that I may this treason find. [He writes his name with his staff, and guides it This fandy Plot is plain; guide, if thou canft, Curft be that heart that forc'd us to this fhift! Heav'n guide thy pen, to print thy forrows plain, That we may know the traitors, and the truth! [She takes the ftaff in her mouth, and guides it with her ftumps, and writes. Tit. Oh, do you read, my lord, what she hath writ? Stuprum, Chiron, Demetrius." Mar. What, what!-the luftful fons of Tamora Performers of this hateful bloody deed? Tit. Magne Regnator Poli, Tam lentus audis fcelera! tam lentus vides! Mar. Oh, calm thee, gentle lord; although, I know, There is enough written upon this earth, M That That we will profecute (by good advice) Come, come, thou'lt do my meffage, wilt thou not? Boy. Ay, with my dagger in their bofom, grandfire. Tit. No, boy, not fo; I'll teach thee another course. Lavinia, come; Marcus, look to my House: Lucius and I'll go brave it at the Court, Ay, marry, will we, Sir; and we'll be waited on. [Exeunt. Mar. O heavens, can you hear a good man groan, And not relent, or not compaffion him? Marcus, attend him in his ecstasy, That hath more scars of forrow in his heart, Than Than foe-men's marks upon his batter'd shield; [Exit. Enter Aaron, Chiron, and Demetrius at one door: and at another door young Lucius and another, with a bundle of weapons and verfes writ upon them. Chi. DEMETRIUS, here's the Son of Lucius; He hath fome meffage to deliver us. Aar. Ay, fome mad message from his mad grandfather. Boy. My lords, with all the humbleness I may, I greet your Honours from Andronicus; And pray the Roman Gods, confound you Both. For villains mark'd with rape. May it please you, And fo I leave you, both, like bloody villains. [Exit. Dem. What's here, a feroll, and written round about? Let's fee. Integer vitæ, fcelerifque purus, Non eget Mauri jaculis nec arcu. Chi. O, 'tis a verse in Horace, I know it well: I read it in the Grammar long ago. M -2 Aar. |