| ACT IV SCENE IV | The same. Before the palace. | |
| [
Enter SATURNINUS, TAMORA, DEMETRIUS, CHIRON,
Lords, and others; SATURNINUS with the arrows in
his hand that TITUS shot
] |
| SATURNINUS | Why, lords, what wrongs are these! was ever seen |
| An emperor in Rome thus overborne, |
| Troubled, confronted thus; and, for the extent |
| Of egal justice, used in such contempt? |
| My lords, you know, as know the mightful gods, | 5 |
| However these disturbers of our peace |
| Buz in the people's ears, there nought hath pass'd, |
| But even with law, against the willful sons |
| Of old Andronicus. And what an if |
| His sorrows have so overwhelm'd his wits, | 10 |
| Shall we be thus afflicted in his wreaks, |
| His fits, his frenzy, and his bitterness? |
| And now he writes to heaven for his redress: |
| See, here's to Jove, and this to Mercury; |
| This to Apollo; this to the god of war; | 15 |
| Sweet scrolls to fly about the streets of Rome! |
| What's this but libelling against the senate, |
| And blazoning our injustice every where? |
| A goodly humour, is it not, my lords? |
| As who would say, in Rome no justice were. | 20 |
| But if I live, his feigned ecstasies |
| Shall be no shelter to these outrages: |
| But he and his shall know that justice lives |
| In Saturninus' health, whom, if she sleep, |
| He'll so awake as she in fury shall | 25 |
| Cut off the proud'st conspirator that lives. |
| TAMORA | My gracious lord, my lovely Saturnine, |
| Lord of my life, commander of my thoughts, |
| Calm thee, and bear the faults of Titus' age, |
| The effects of sorrow for his valiant sons, | 30 |
| Whose loss hath pierced him deep and scarr'd his heart; |
| And rather comfort his distressed plight |
| Than prosecute the meanest or the best |
| For these contempts. |
[Aside] |
| Why, thus it shall become | 35 |
| High-witted Tamora to gloze with all: |
| But, Titus, I have touched thee to the quick, |
| Thy life-blood out: if Aaron now be wise, |
| Then is all safe, the anchor's in the port. |
[Enter Clown] |
| How now, good fellow! wouldst thou speak with us? | 40 |
| Clown | Yea, forsooth, an your mistership be emperial. |
| TAMORA | Empress I am, but yonder sits the emperor. |
| Clown | 'Tis he. God and Saint Stephen give you good den: |
| I have brought you a letter and a couple of pigeons here. |
| [SATURNINUS reads the letter] |
| SATURNINUS | Go, take him away, and hang him presently. | 45 |
| Clown | How much money must I have? |
| TAMORA | Come, sirrah, you must be hanged. |
| Clown | Hanged! by'r lady, then I have brought up a neck to |
| a fair end. |
| [Exit, guarded] |
| SATURNINUS | Despiteful and intolerable wrongs! | 50 |
| Shall I endure this monstrous villany? |
| I know from whence this same device proceeds: |
| May this be borne?--as if his traitorous sons, |
| That died by law for murder of our brother, |
| Have by my means been butcher'd wrongfully! | 55 |
| Go, drag the villain hither by the hair; |
| Nor age nor honour shall shape privilege: |
| For this proud mock I'll be thy slaughterman; |
| Sly frantic wretch, that holp'st to make me great, |
| In hope thyself should govern Rome and me. | 60 |
[Enter AEMILIUS] |
| What news with thee, AEmilius? |
| AEMILIUS | Arm, arm, my lord;--Rome never had more cause. |
| The Goths have gather'd head; and with a power |
| high-resolved men, bent to the spoil, |
| They hither march amain, under conduct | 65 |
| Of Lucius, son to old Andronicus; |
| Who threats, in course of this revenge, to do |
| As much as ever Coriolanus did. |
| SATURNINUS | Is warlike Lucius general of the Goths? |
| These tidings nip me, and I hang the head | 70 |
| As flowers with frost or grass beat down with storms: |
| Ay, now begin our sorrows to approach: |
| 'Tis he the common people love so much; |
| Myself hath often over-heard them say, |
| When I have walked like a private man, | 75 |
| That Lucius' banishment was wrongfully, |
| And they have wish'd that Lucius were their emperor. |
| TAMORA | Why should you fear? is not your city strong? |
| SATURNINUS | Ay, but the citizens favor Lucius, |
| And will revolt from me to succor him. | 80 |
| TAMORA | King, be thy thoughts imperious, like thy name. |
| Is the sun dimm'd, that gnats do fly in it? |
| The eagle suffers little birds to sing, |
| And is not careful what they mean thereby, |
| Knowing that with the shadow of his wings | 85 |
| He can at pleasure stint their melody: |
| Even so mayst thou the giddy men of Rome. |
| Then cheer thy spirit : for know, thou emperor, |
| I will enchant the old Andronicus |
| With words more sweet, and yet more dangerous, | 90 |
| Than baits to fish, or honey-stalks to sheep, |
| When as the one is wounded with the bait, |
| The other rotted with delicious feed. |
| SATURNINUS | But he will not entreat his son for us. |
| TAMORA | If Tamora entreat him, then he will: | 95 |
| For I can smooth and fill his aged ear |
| With golden promises; that, were his heart |
| Almost impregnable, his old ears deaf, |
| Yet should both ear and heart obey my tongue. |
[To AEmilius] |
| Go thou before, be our ambassador: | 100 |
| Say that the emperor requests a parley |
| Of warlike Lucius, and appoint the meeting |
| Even at his father's house, the old Andronicus. |
| SATURNINUS | AEmilius, do this message honourably: |
| And if he stand on hostage for his safety, | 105 |
| Bid him demand what pledge will please him best. |
| AEMILIUS | Your bidding shall I do effectually. |
| [Exit] |
| TAMORA | Now will I to that old Andronicus; |
| And temper him with all the art I have, |
| To pluck proud Lucius from the warlike Goths. | 110 |
| And now, sweet emperor, be blithe again, |
| And bury all thy fear in my devices. |
| SATURNINUS | Then go successantly, and plead to him. |
| [Exeunt] |