Come down, and welcome me to this world's light; There's not a hollow cave, nor lurking place, Where bloody murder or detefted rape Can couch for fear, but I will find them out; Tit. Art thou Revenge? and art thou sent to me, To be a torment to mine enemies? Tam. I am; therefore come down, and welcome me Tit. Do me fome service, ere I come to thee: Lo, by thy fide where Rape and Murder ftand; Now give some furance that thou art Revenge, Stab them, or tear them on thy chariot-wheels; And then I'll come and be thy waggoner, And whirl along with thee about the globes; Provide two proper palfries black as jet, To hale thy vengeful waggon fwift away, And find out murders in their guilty caves. And when thy car is loaden with their heads I will difmount, and by thy waggon. wheel Trot like a fervile foot-man all day long; Even from Hyperion's rifing in the eaft, Until his very downfal in the fea. And day by day I'll do this heavy task, So thou destroy Rapine and Murder there. Tam. Thefe are my minifters, and come with me. Tit. Are they thy minifters ? what are they call'd ? Tam. Rapine and Murder; therefore called fo, 'Cause they take vengeance on fuch kind of men. Tit. Good Lord, how like the Emprefs' fons they are, And you the Emprefs! but we worldly men. Have miferable mad mistaking eyes : O fweet Revenge, now do I come to thee, And if one arm's embracement will content thee, I will embrace thee in it by and by. [Exit Titus from above. M 4 For For now he firmly takes me for Revenge; See, here he comes, and I must ply my theme. (26) Tit. Long have I been forlorn, and all for thee: Tam. What wouldst thou have us do, Andronicus. Tam. Shew me a thousand, that have done thee wrong And I will be revenged on them all. Tit. Look round about the wicked ftreets of Rome, And when thou find'ft a man that's like thyself, Good Murder, stab him; he's a murderer. (26) See, bere he comes, and I must play my theme.] Tho' this reading has obtain'd as far back as the first edition in folio—to play a theme, I think, is no juftifiable expreffion, nor one that our author would have chofe to ufe. The reading, I have given, has the authority of the oldeft quarto's, Well Well may't thou know her by thy own proportion, I pray thee, do on them fome violent death; Tam. Well haft thou leffon'd us; this fhall we do!. Who leads tow'rds Rome a band of warlike Goths,, Tit. Marcus, my brother!-'tis fad Titus calls: Go, gentle Marcus, to thy nephew Lucius; As he regards his aged father's life. Mar. This will I do, and foon return again. [Exite Tam. Now will I hence about my business, And take my minifters along with me. Tit. Nay, nay, let Rape and Murder stay with me; Or elfe I'll call my brother back again, And cleave to no revenge but Lucius. Tam. What fay you, boys, will you abide with him, Whiles I go tell my Lord the Emperor, How I have govern'd our determin'd jeft? And Tit. I know them all, tho' they fuppofe me mad; ; And will o'er-reach them in their own devices : A pair of curfed hell-hounds and their dam. [Afide. Enter Publius and Servants. Pub. What is your will? Tit. Know ye these two? Pub. The Emprefs' fons, I take them, Chiron, and Demetrius. Tit. Fy, Publius, fy! thou art too much deceiv'd, The one is Murder, Rape is th' other's name; And therefore bind them, gentle Publius ; Caius and Valentine, lay hands on them; Oft have you heard me wish for fuch an hour, And now I find it, therefore bind them fure. [Exit Titus. Enter Titus Andronicus with a knife, and Lavinia with a bafon. Tit. Come, come, Lavinia; look, thy foes are bound; Sirs, top their mouths, let them not speak to me, But let them hear what fearful words I utter.. Oh, villains Chiron and Demetrius ! Here ftands the fpring whom you have stain'd with mud, Both her fweet hands, her tongue, and that more dear 3 Villains! Villains!—for fhame you could not beg for grace. You know, your mother means to feast with me, And make two pafties of your shameful heads; To make this banquet, which I with might prove [He cuts their throats. So, now bring them in, for I'll play the cook, And fee them ready 'gainst the mother comes. [Exeunt. Enter Lucius, Marcus, and Goths with Aaron Prisoner. Luc. Uncle Marcus, fince 'tis my father's mind' That I repair to Rome, I am content. Goth. And ours with thine, befall what fortune will. Luc. Good uncle, take yoù in this barbarous Moor, This ravenous tyger, this accurfed devil; Let him receive no fuftenance, fetter him, Aar. |