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And is not careful what they mean thereby, |
Knowing that with the shadow of his wings |
He can at pleasure stint their melody; |
Even so mayest 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, |
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; |
For I can smooth and fill his aged ears |
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 to be our ambassador; |
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, |
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. |
And now, sweet Emperor, be blithe again, |
And bury all thy fear in my devices. |
SATURNINUS. Then go successantly, and plead to him. |
Exeunt |
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ACT V. SCENE I. |
Plains near Rome |
Enter LUCIUS with an army of GOTHS with drums and colours |
LUCIUS. Approved warriors and my faithful friends, |
I have received letters from great Rome |
Which signifies what hate they bear their Emperor |
And how desirous of our sight they are. |
Therefore, great lords, be, as your titles witness, |
Imperious and impatient of your wrongs; |
And wherein Rome hath done you any scath, |
Let him make treble satisfaction. |
FIRST GOTH. Brave slip, sprung 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'st, |
Like stinging bees in hottest summer's day, |
Led by their master to the flow'red fields, |
And be aveng'd on cursed Tamora. |
ALL THE GOTHS. And as he saith, so say we all with him. |
LUCIUS. I humbly thank him, and I thank you all. |
But who comes here, led by a lusty Goth? |
Enter a GOTH, leading AARON with his CHILD in his arms |
SECOND GOTH. Renowned Lucius, from our troops I stray'd |
To gaze upon a ruinous monastery; |
And as I earnestly did fix mine eye |
Upon the wasted building, suddenly |
I heard a child cry underneath a wall. |
I made unto the noise, when soon I heard |
The crying babe controll'd with this discourse: |
'Peace, tawny slave, half me and half thy dam! |
Did not thy hue bewray whose brat thou art, |
Had nature lent thee but thy mother's look, |
Villain, thou mightst have been an emperor; |
But where the bull and cow are both milk-white, |
They never do beget a coal-black calf. |
Peace, villain, peace!'- even thus he rates the babe- |
'For I must bear thee to a trusty Goth, |
Who, when he knows thou art the Empress' babe, |
Will hold thee dearly for thy mother's sake.' |
With this, my weapon drawn, I rush'd upon him, |
Surpris'd him suddenly, and brought him hither |
To use as you think needful of the man. |
LUCIUS. O worthy Goth, this is the incarnate devil |
That robb'd Andronicus of his good hand; |
This is the pearl that pleas'd your Empress' eye; |
And here's the base fruit of her burning lust. |
Say, wall-ey'd slave, whither wouldst thou convey |
This growing image of thy fiend-like face? |
Why dost not speak? What, deaf? Not a word? |
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