Clow. Alas, Sir, I know not Jupiter, I never drank with him in all my life.

Tit. Why, villain, art not thou the carrier? Clow. Ay, of my pigeons, Sir, nothing else. Tit. Why, didft thou not come from heav'n ? Clow. From heav'n? alas, Sir, I never came there. God forbid, I fhould be fo bold to prefs into heav'n in my young days. Why, I am going with my pigeons to the tribunal plebs, to take up a matter of brawl betwixt my uncle and one of the Emperial's men.

Mar. Why, Sir, that is as fit as can be to ferve for your oration, and let him deliver the pigeons to the Emperor from you.

Tit. Tell me, can you deliver an oration to the Emperor with a grace?

Clow. Nay, truly Sir, I could never fay grace in all my life.

Tit. Sirrah, come hither, make no more ado,

But give your pigeons to the Emperor.

By me thou shalt have juftice at his hands.

Hold, hold-mean while here's money for thy charges.
Give me a pen and ink.

Sirrah, can you with a grace deliver a fupplication?
Clow. Ay, Sir.

Tit. Then here is a fupplication for you: and when you come to him, at the first approach you must kneel, then kifs his foot, then deliver up your pigeons, and then look for your reward. I'll be at hand, Sir; see, you do it bravely.

Clow. I warrant you, Sir, let me alone.

Tit. Sirrah, haft thou a knife? come let me fee it, Here, Marcus, fold it in the oration,

For thou haft made it like an humble fuppliant;
And when thou haft given it the Emperor,
Knock at my door, and tell me what he says.
Clow. God be with you, Sir, I will.

Tit. Come, Marcus, let us go. Publius, follow me.

[Exeunt.

SCENE, the Palace.

Enter Emperor and Empress, and her two fons; the Emperor brings the arrows in his hand, that Titus fhot.

Sat.

WH

WHY,Lords, what wrongs are these? was ever seen
An emperor of Rome thus over-born,
Troubled, confronted thus, and, for th' extent
Of equal juftice, us'd in fuch contempt?
My Lords, you know, as do the mightful gods,
(However the disturbers of our peace

Buz in the people's ears) there nought hath past,
But even with law against the wilful fons
Of old Andronicus. And what an if
His forrows have fo over-whelm'd his wits,
Shall we be thus afflicted in his wreaks,
His fits, his frenfy, and his bitterness ?
And now he writes to heav'n for his redrefs.
See, here's to Jove, and this to Mercury,
This to Apollo, this to the god of war:
Sweet fcrolls to fly about the streets of Rome!
What's this but libelling against the Senate,
And blazoning our injuftice ev'ry where?
A goodly humour, is it not, my Lords?
As who would fay, in Rome no justice were.
But if I live, his feigned ecftafies
Shall be no fhelter to these outrages:
But he and his fhall know, that justice lives
In Saturninus' health; whom, if the fleep,
He'll fo awake, as fhe in fury fhall
Cut off the proud'ft confpirator that lives.

Tam. My gracious Lord, my lovely Saturnine,
Lord of my life, commander of my thought,
Calm thee, and bear the faults of Titus' age,

Th' effects of forrow for his valiant fons,

Whose lofs hath pierc'd him deep, and scarr'd his heart;
And rather comfort his diftreffed plight,
Than profecute the meaneft, or the beft,

For these contempts---Why, thus it shall become
High-witted Tamora to glofe with all :

But,

But, Titus, I have touch'd thee to the quick,
Thy life-blood out: if Aaron now be wife,
Then is all fafe, the anchor's in the port.

Enter Clown.

[Afide.

How now, good fellow, would't thou speak with us? Clow. Yea, forfooth, an your mifterfhip be emperial. Tam. Emprefs I am, but yonder fits the Emperor. Clow. 'Tis he: God and St. Stephen give you good-even: I have brought you a letter, and a couple of pigeons here. [He reads the letter. Sat. Go, take him away, and hang him presently. Clow. How much money must I have?

Tam. Come, firrah, thou must be hang'd.

Cloru. Hang'd! by'r Lady, then I have brought up a neck to a fair end.

Sat. Despiteful and intolerable wrongs,
Shall I endure this monftrous villany?

I know, from whence this fame device proceeds:
May this be borne? as if his traiterous fons
That dy'd by law for murder of our brother,
Have by my means been butcher'd wrongfully?
Go, drag the villain hither by the hair,

Nor

[Exit.

age nor honour fhall fhape privilege.
For this proud mock I'll be thy flaughter-man;
Sly frantick wretch, that holp'ft to make me great;
In hope thyfelf fhould govern Rome and me.

Enter Æmilius. (24)

(24) Enter Nuntius Æmilius.] Thus the old books have defcrib'd this character: and I believe, I can account for the formality from the ignorance of the editors. In the author's manufcript, I prefume, 'twas writ, Enter Nuntius; and they obferving, that he is immediately call'd Æmilius, thought proper to give him his whole title, and fo clapp'd in Enter Nuntius Æmilius.-Mr. Pope has very critically followed them; and ought, methinks, to have given his newadopted citizen Nuntius a place in the Dramatis Perfone. If this gentleman has difcovered any Roman family, that had the Prænomen of Nuntius; it is a fecret, dare fay, more than Carifius, Diomedes Grammaticus, or the Fafti Capitolini, were ever acquainted withal. ShakeSpeare meant no more than, Enter Emilius as a Messenger. This fort of character is always diftinguished in the Greek and Roman plays by the fingle title of ayyehog, and Nuntius.

Sat.

Sat. What news with thee, Æmilius?

Emil. Arm, my Lords; Rome never had more caufe;
The Goths have gather'd head, and with a power
Of high-refolved men, bent to the spoil,

They hither march amain, under the conduct
Of Lucius, fon to old Andronicus:

Who threats in courfe of his revenge to do

As much as ever Coriolanus did.

Sat. Is warlike Lucius General of the Goths?
Thefe tidings nip me, and I hang the head
As flowers with froft, or grafs beat down with ftorms.
Ay, now begin our forrows to approach:
'Tis he, the common people love fo much:
Myfelf hath often over-heard them fay,
(When I have walked like a private man)
That Lucius' banishment was wrongfully,

And they have with'd, that Lucius were their Emperor.
Tam. Why fhould you fear? is not our city strong?
Sat. Ay, but the citizens favour Lucius,
And will revolt from me, to fuccour him.

Tam. King, be thy thoughts imperious like thy name.
Is the fun dim'd, that gnats do fly in it?
The eagle fuffers little birds to fing,

And is not careful what they mean thereby,
Knowing, that with the fhadow of his wings
He can at pleafure ftint their melody;

Even fo may'st thou the giddy men of Rome.
Then cheer thy fpirit, for know, thou Emperor,
I will enchant the old Andronicus

With words more fweet, and yet more dangerous,
Than baits to fish, or honey-ftalks to fheep:
When as the one is wounded by the bait,

The other rotted with delicious food.

Sat. But he will not intreat his fon for us.
Tam. If Tamora intreat him, then he will:
For I can fmooth, and fill his aged ear
With golden promises; that were his heart
Almoft impregnable, his old ears deaf,
Yet thould both ear and heart obey my tongue.
Go thou before as our embassador;

(To Æmilius.

Say,

Say, that the Emperor requests a parley
Of warlike Lucius, and appoint the meeting.
Sat. Emilius, do this meffage honourably;
And if he ftand on hoftage for his fafety,

Bid him demand what pledge will pleafe him beft.
Emil. Your bidding fhall I do effectually.
Tam. Now will I to that old Andronicus,
And temper him with all the art I have,
To pluck proud Lucius from the warlike Goths.
And now, fweet Emperor, be blith again,

And bury all thy fear in my devices.

[Exit.

Sat. Then go fuccefsfully, and plead to him. [Exit.

SCENE, A Camp, at a fmall diftance from Rome.

Enter Lucius with Goths, with drum and foldiers.

LUCIUS.

Approved warriors, and my faithful friends,

have received letters from great Rome,

Which fignify, what hate they bear their Emp'ror,
And how defirous of our fight they are.
Therefore, great Lords, be, as your titles witness,
Imperious and impatient of your wrongs;
And wherein Rome hath done you any fcathe,

Let him make treble fatisfaction.

Goth. Brave flip, fprung from the great Andronicus,
(Whose name was once our terror, now our comfort,)
Whose high exploits and honourable deeds
Ingrateful Rome requites with foul contempt,
Be bold in us; we'll follow, where thou lead'ft:
Like ftinging bees in hotteft fummer's day,
Led by their mafter to the flower'd fields,
And be aveng'd on curfed Tamora.

Omn. And, as he faith, so say we all with him.
VOL. VI.

M

Luc.