Chi. And this for me, struck home to show my [Stabbing him likewise. Lav. Ay come, Semiramis,—nay, barbarous Ta strength. 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. Dem. Stay, madam, here is more belongs to her; First, thrash the corn, then after burn the straw: This minion stood upon her chastity, Upon her nuptial vow, her loyalty, And with that painted hope braves your mightiness: And shall she carry this unto her grave? 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 sure. 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:] Printed 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. Tam. So should I rob my sweet sons of their fee: No, let them satisfy their lust on thee. Dem. Away, for thou hast staid us here too long. Lav. No grace? no womanhood? Ah, beastly creature! The blot and enemy to our general name! Chi. Nay, then I'll stop your mouth :-Bring thou her husband; [Dragging off LAVINIA. This is the hole where Aaron bid us hide him. [Exeunt. Tam. Farewell, my sons: see, that you make her sure: Ne'er let my heart know merry cheer indeed, Now will I hence to seek my lovely Moor, And let my spleenful sons this trull deflour. [Exit. SCENE IV. The same. Enter AARON, with QUINTUS and MARTIUS. Aar. Come on, my lords; the better foot before: Straight will I bring you to the loathsome pit, Where I espy'd the panther fast asleep. Quin. My sight is very dull, whate❜er it bodes. Mart. And mine, I promise you; wer't not for shame, Well could I leave our sport to sleep awhile. [MARTIUS falls into the Pit. Quin. What art thou fallen? What subtle hole is this, Whose mouth is cover'd with rude-growing briars; Upon whose leaves are drops of new-shed blood, As fresh as morning's dew distill'd on flowers? Speak, brother, hast thou hurt thee with the fall? That he thereby may give a likely guess, out From this unhallow'd and blood-stained hole? Quin. Aaron is gone; and my compassionate heart Mart. Lord Bassianus lies embrewed here, All on a heap, like to a slaughter'd lamb, In this detested, dark, blood-drinking pit. Quin. If it be dark, how dost thou know 'tis he? Mart. Upon his bloody finger he doth wear A precious ring, that lightens all the hole, Which, like a taper in some monument, Doth shine upon the dead man's earthy cheeks, And shows the ragged entrails of this pit: So pale did shine the moon on Pyramus, 3 A precious ring,] There is supposed to be a gem called a carbuncle, which emits not reflected but native light. Mr. Boyle believes the reality of its existence. JOHNSON. When he by night lay bath'd in maiden blood. As hateful as Cocytus' misty mouth. I Quin. Reach me thy hand, that I may help thee Or, wanting strength to do thee so much good, I have no strength to pluck thee to the brink. help. Quin. Thy hand once more; I will not loose again, Till thou art here aloft, or I below: Thou canst not come to me, I come to thee. [Falls in. Enter SATURNINUS and AARON. Sat. Along with me:-I'll see what hole is here, And what he is, that now is leap'd into it. Say, who art thou, that lately didst descend Into this gaping hollow of the earth? Mart. The unhappy son of old Andronicus; Sat. My brother dead? I know, thou dost but jest: He and his lady both are at the lodge, Upon the north side of this pleasant chase; 'Tis not an hour since I left him there. Mart. We know not where you left him all alive, But, out alas! here have we found him dead. |