I may be pluck'd into the swallowing womb I have no strength to pluck thee to the brink. Mart. Nor I no strength to climb without thy 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, Say, who art thou, that lately didst descend Mart. The unhappy son of old Andronicus; To find thy brother Bassianus dead. 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. Enter TAMORA, with Attendants; TITUS ANDRONICUS, and LUCIUS. Tam. Where is my lord, the king? Sat. Here, Tamora; though griev'd with killing grief. Tam. Where is thy brother Bassianus? Sat. Now to the bottom dost thou search my wound; Poor Bassianus here lies murdered. Tam. Then all too late I bring this fatal writ, The complot of this timeless tragedy; [Giving a Letter. And wonder greatly, that man's face can fold ♦ timeless —] i. e. untimely. Sat. [reads.] An if we miss to meet him handsomely,Sweet huntsman, Bassianus 'tis, we mean, Do thou so much as dig the grave for him; Thou know'st our meaning: Look for thy reward Which overshades the mouth of that same pit, Do this, and purchase us thy lasting friends. Aar. My gracious lord, here is the bag of gold. [Showing it. Sat. Two of thy whelps, [to TIT.] fell curs of bloody kind, Have here bereft my brother of his life: Sirs, drag them from the pit unto the prison; Tam. What, are they in this pit? O wond'rous thing! How easily murder is discover'd! Tit. High emperor, upon my feeble knee Sat. If it be prov'd! you see, it is apparent. Sat. Thou shalt not bail them; see, thou follow me. Tam. Andronicus, I will entreat the king; Fear not thy sons, they shall do well enough. Tit. Come, Lucius, come; stay not to talk with them. [Exeunt severally. SCENE V. The same. Enter DEMETRIUS and CHIRON, with LAVINIA, ravished; her Hands cut off, and her Tongue cut out. Dem. So, now go tell, an if thy tongue can speak, Who 'twas that cut thy tongue, and ravish'd thee. Chi. Write down thy mind, bewray thy meaning so; And, if thy stumps will let thee, play the scribe. Dem. See, how with signs and tokens she can scowl.† Chi. Go home, call for sweet water, wash thy hands. Dem. She hath no tongue to call, nor hands to wash; And so let's leave her to her silent walks. Chi. An 'twere my case, I should go hang myself. Dem. If thou hadst hands to help thee knit the cord. [Exeunt DEMETRIUS and CHIRON. Mar. Who's this, Enter MARCUS. my niece, that flies away so fast? Cousin, a word; Where is your husband? — If I do dream, 'would all my wealth would wake me !5 If I do wake, some planet strike me down, That I may slumber in eternal sleep ! — Speak, gentle niece, what stern ungentle hands Have lopp'd, and hew'd, and made thy body bare +"scrowl.". MALONE. If I do dream, 'would all my wealth would wake me!] If this be a dream, I would give all my possessions to be delivered from it by waking. JOHNSON. Whose circling shadows kings have sought to sleep in ; And might not gain so great a happiness, - As half thy love? Why dost not speak to me?- Like to a bubbling fountain stirr'd with wind, And make the silken strings delight to kiss them; 6 He would have dropp'd his knife, and fell asleep. One hour's storm will drown the fragrant meads; [Exeunt. Enter Senators, Tribunes, and Officers of justice, with [Throwing himself on the ground. My heart's deep languor, and my soul's sad tears. Let my tears stanch the earth's dry appetite; My sons' sweet blood will make it shame and blush. [Exeunt Senators, Tribunes, &c. with the Prisoners. O earth, I will befriend thee more with rain, + "good tribunes,” MALONE. |