Doth shine upon the dead man's earthy cheeks, 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 out; Or, wanting strength to do thee so much good, may be pluck'd into the swallowing womb Of this deep pit, poor Bassianus' grave. 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 agair. Till thou art here aloft, or I below: Thou canst not come to me, I come to thee. Enter Saturninus and Aaron. [Falls in. Sat. Along with me :-I'll see what hole 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? here, Mart. The unhappy son of old Andronicus; Brought thither in a most unlucky hour, 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 cead. Enter Tamora, with Attendants; Titus Androni cus, 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. T'am. Then all too late I bring this fatal writ, [Giving a letter. The complot of this timeless tragedy; And wonder greatly, that man's face can fold In pleasing smiles such murderous tyranny. Sat. [Reads.] An if we miss to meet him handsomely, Sweet huntsman, Bassianus 'tis, we mean,- 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:- How easily murder is discovered! Tit. High emperor, upon my feeble knee I beg this boon, with tears not lightly shed, That this fell fault of my accursed sons, (1) Untimely. Accursed, if the fault be prov'd in them,- 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 [Exeunt severally. them. 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 mean ing 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. Enter Marcus. Mar. Who's this,-my niece, that flies away sa fast? Cousin, a word; Where is your husband?— If I do wake, some planet strike me down, And might not gain so great a happiness, Like to a bubbling fountain stirr'd with wind, And make the silken strings delight to kiss them; Which that sweet tongue hath made, He would have dropp'd his knife, and fell asleep, ACT III. Enter Senators, SCENE I-Rome. A street. Tribunes, and Officers of Justice, with Martius and Quintus, bound, passing on to the place of execution: Titus going before, pleading. Tit. Hear me, grave fathers! noble tribunes, stay! Whose souls are not corrupted as 'tis thought! [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, (1) Orpheus |