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| <title>SCENE II. The same. A room in the palace. | |
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| <tr><td class="play" align="center">Titus Andronicus | |
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| | <A href="/Shakespeare/titus/">Titus Andronicus</A> | |
| | Act 4, Scene 2 | |
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| <H3>SCENE II. The same. A room in the palace.</h3> | |
| <p><blockquote> | |
| <i>Enter, from one side, AARON, DEMETRIUS, and CHIRON; from the other side, Young LUCIUS, and an Attendant, with a bundle of weapons, and verses writ upon them</i> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech1><b>CHIRON</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=1>Demetrius, here's the son of Lucius;</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=2>He hath some message to deliver us.</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech2><b>AARON</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=3>Ay, some mad message from his mad grandfather.</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech3><b>Young LUCIUS</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=4>My lords, with all the humbleness I may,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=5>I greet your honours from Andronicus.</A><br> | |
| <p><i>Aside</i></p> | |
| <A NAME=6>And pray the Roman gods confound you both!</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech4><b>DEMETRIUS</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=7>Gramercy, lovely Lucius: what's the news?</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech5><b>Young LUCIUS</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=8>[Aside] That you are both decipher'd, that's the news,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=9>For villains mark'd with rape.--May it please you,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=10>My grandsire, well advised, hath sent by me</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=11>The goodliest weapons of his armoury</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=12>To gratify your honourable youth,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=13>The hope of Rome; for so he bade me say;</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=14>And so I do, and with his gifts present</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=15>Your lordships, that, whenever you have need,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=16>You may be armed and appointed well:</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=17>And so I leave you both:</A><br> | |
| <p><i>Aside</i></p> | |
| <A NAME=18>like bloody villains.</A><br> | |
| <p><i>Exeunt Young LUCIUS, and Attendant</i></p> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech6><b>DEMETRIUS</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=19>What's here? A scroll; and written round about?</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=20>Let's see;</A><br> | |
| <p><i>Reads</i></p> | |
| <A NAME=21>'Integer vitae, scelerisque purus,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=22>Non eget Mauri jaculis, nec arcu.'</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech7><b>CHIRON</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=23>O, 'tis a verse in Horace; I know it well:</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=24>I read it in the grammar long ago.</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech8><b>AARON</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=25>Ay, just; a verse in Horace; right, you have it.</A><br> | |
| <p><i>Aside</i></p> | |
| <A NAME=26>Now, what a thing it is to be an ass!</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=27>Here's no sound jest! the old man hath found their guilt;</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=28>And sends them weapons wrapped about with lines,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=29>That wound, beyond their feeling, to the quick.</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=30>But were our witty empress well afoot,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=31>She would applaud Andronicus' conceit:</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=32>But let her rest in her unrest awhile.</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=33>And now, young lords, was't not a happy star</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=34>Led us to Rome, strangers, and more than so,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=35>Captives, to be advanced to this height?</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=36>It did me good, before the palace gate</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=37>To brave the tribune in his brother's hearing.</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech9><b>DEMETRIUS</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=38>But me more good, to see so great a lord</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=39>Basely insinuate and send us gifts.</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech10><b>AARON</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=40>Had he not reason, Lord Demetrius?</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=41>Did you not use his daughter very friendly?</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech11><b>DEMETRIUS</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=42>I would we had a thousand Roman dames</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=43>At such a bay, by turn to serve our lust.</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech12><b>CHIRON</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=44>A charitable wish and full of love.</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech13><b>AARON</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=45>Here lacks but your mother for to say amen.</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech14><b>CHIRON</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=46>And that would she for twenty thousand more.</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech15><b>DEMETRIUS</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=47>Come, let us go; and pray to all the gods</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=48>For our beloved mother in her pains.</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech16><b>AARON</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=49>[Aside] Pray to the devils; the gods have given us over.</A><br> | |
| <p><i>Trumpets sound within</i></p> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech17><b>DEMETRIUS</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=50>Why do the emperor's trumpets flourish thus?</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech18><b>CHIRON</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=51>Belike, for joy the emperor hath a son.</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech19><b>DEMETRIUS</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=52>Soft! who comes here?</A><br> | |
| <p><i>Enter a Nurse, with a blackamoor Child in her arms</i></p> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech20><b>Nurse</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=53>Good morr ow, lords:</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=54>O, tell me, did you see Aaron the Moor?</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech21><b>AARON</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=55>Well, more or less, or ne'er a whit at all,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=56>Here Aaron is; and what with Aaron now?</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech22><b>Nurse</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=57>O gentle Aaron, we are all undone!</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=58>Now help, or woe betide thee evermore!</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech23><b>AARON</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=59>Why, what a caterwauling dost thou keep!</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=60>What dost thou wrap and fumble in thine arms?</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech24><b>Nurse</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=61>O, that which I would hide from heaven's eye,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=62>Our empress' shame, and stately Rome's disgrace!</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=63>She is deliver'd, lords; she is deliver'd.</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech25><b>AARON</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=64>To whom?</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech26><b>Nurse</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=65> I mean, she is brought a-bed.</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech27><b>AARON</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=66>Well, God give her good rest! What hath he sent her?</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech28><b>Nurse</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=67>A devil.</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech29><b>AARON</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=68>Why, then she is the devil's dam; a joyful issue.</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech30><b>Nurse</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=69>A joyless, dismal, black, and sorrowful issue:</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=70>Here is the babe, as loathsome as a toad</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=71>Amongst the fairest breeders of our clime:</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=72>The empress sends it thee, thy stamp, thy seal,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=73>And bids thee christen it with thy dagger's point.</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech31><b>AARON</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=74>'Zounds, ye whore! is black so base a hue?</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=75>Sweet blowse, you are a beauteous blossom, sure.</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech32><b>DEMETRIUS</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=76>Villain, what hast thou done?</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech33><b>AARON</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=77>That which thou canst not undo.</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech34><b>CHIRON</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=78>Thou hast undone our mother.</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech35><b>AARON</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=79>Villain, I have done thy mother.</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech36><b>DEMETRIUS</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=80>And therein, hellish dog, thou hast undone.</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=81>Woe to her chance, and damn'd her loathed choice!</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=82>Accursed the offspring of so foul a fiend!</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech37><b>CHIRON</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=83>It shall not live.</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech38><b>AARON</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=84>It shall not die.</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech39><b>Nurse</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=85>Aaron, it must; the mother wills it so.</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech40><b>AARON</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=86>What, must it, nurse? then let no man but I</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=87>Do execution on my flesh and blood.</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech41><b>DEMETRIUS</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=88>I'll broach the tadpole on my rapier's point:</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=89>Nurse, give it me; my sword shall soon dispatch it.</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech42><b>AARON</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=90>Sooner this sword shall plough thy bowels up.</A><br> | |
| <p><i>Takes the Child from the Nurse, and draws</i></p> | |
| <A NAME=91>Stay, murderous villains! will you kill your brother?</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=92>Now, by the burning tapers of the sky,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=93>That shone so brightly when this boy was got,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=94>He dies upon my scimitar's sharp point</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=95>That touches this my first-born son and heir!</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=96>I tell you, younglings, not Enceladus,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=97>With all his threatening band of Typhon's brood,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=98>Nor great Alcides, nor the god of war,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=99>Shall seize this prey out of his father's hands.</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=100>What, what, ye sanguine, shallow-hearted boys!</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=101>Ye white-limed walls! ye alehouse painted signs!</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=102>Coal-black is better than another hue,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=103>In that it scorns to bear another hue;</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=104>For all the water in the ocean</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=105>Can never turn the swan's black legs to white,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=106>Although she lave them hourly in the flood.</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=107>Tell the empress from me, I am of age</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=108>To keep mine own, excuse it how she can.</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech43><b>DEMETRIUS</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=109>Wilt thou betray thy noble mistress thus?</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech44><b>AARON</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=110>My mistress is my mistress; this myself,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=111>The vigour and the picture of my youth:</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=112>This before all the world do I prefer;</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=113>This maugre all the world will I keep safe,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=114>Or some of you shall smoke for it in Rome.</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech45><b>DEMETRIUS</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=115>By this our mother is forever shamed.</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech46><b>CHIRON</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=116>Rome will despise her for this foul escape.</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech47><b>Nurse</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=117>The emperor, in his rage, will doom her death.</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech48><b>CHIRON</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=118>I blush to think upon this ignomy.</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech49><b>AARON</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=119>Why, there's the privilege your beauty bears:</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=120>Fie, treacherous hue, that will betray with blushing</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=121>The close enacts and counsels of the heart!</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=122>Here's a young lad framed of another leer:</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=123>Look, how the black slave smiles upon the father,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=124>As who should say 'Old lad, I am thine own.'</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=125>He is your brother, lords, sensibly fed</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=126>Of that self-blood that first gave life to you,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=127>And from that womb where you imprison'd were</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=128>He is enfranchised and come to light:</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=129>Nay, he is your brother by the surer side,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=130>Although my seal be stamped in his face.</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech50><b>Nurse</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=131>Aaron, what shall I say unto the empress?</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech51><b>DEMETRIUS</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=132>Advise thee, Aaron, what is to be done,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=133>And we will all subscribe to thy advice:</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=134>Save thou the child, so we may all be safe.</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech52><b>AARON</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=135>Then sit we down, and let us all consult.</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=136>My son and I will have the wind of you:</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=137>Keep there: now talk at pleasure of your safety.</A><br> | |
| <p><i>They sit</i></p> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech53><b>DEMETRIUS</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=138>How many women saw this child of his?</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech54><b>AARON</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=139>Why, so, brave lords! when we join in league,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=140>I am a lamb: but if you brave the Moor,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=141>The chafed boar, the mountain lioness,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=142>The ocean swells not so as Aaron storms.</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=143>But say, again; how many saw the child?</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech55><b>Nurse</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=144>Cornelia the midwife and myself;</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=145>And no one else but the deliver'd empress.</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech56><b>AARON</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=146>The empress, the midwife, and yourself:</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=147>Two may keep counsel when the third's away:</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=148>Go to the empress, tell her this I said.</A><br> | |
| <p><i>He kills the nurse</i></p> | |
| <A NAME=149>Weke, weke! so cries a pig prepared to the spit.</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech57><b>DEMETRIUS</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=150>What mean'st thou, Aaron? wherefore didst thou this?</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech58><b>AARON</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=151>O Lord, sir, 'tis a deed of policy:</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=152>Shall she live to betray this guilt of ours,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=153>A long-tongued babbling gossip? no, lords, no:</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=154>And now be it known to you my full intent.</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=155>Not far, one Muli lives, my countryman;</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=156>His wife but yesternight was brought to bed;</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=157>His child is like to her, fair as you are:</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=158>Go pack with him, and give the mother gold,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=159>And tell them both the circumstance of all;</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=160>And how by this their child shall be advanced,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=161>And be received for the emperor's heir,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=162>And substituted in the place of mine,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=163>To calm this tempest whirling in the court;</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=164>And let the emperor dandle him for his own.</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=165>Hark ye, lords; ye see I have given her physic,</A><br> | |
| <p><i>Pointing to the nurse</i></p> | |
| <A NAME=166>And you must needs bestow her funeral;</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=167>The fields are near, and you are gallant grooms:</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=168>This done, see that you take no longer days,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=169>But send the midwife presently to me.</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=170>The midwife and the nurse well made away,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=171>Then let the ladies tattle what they please.</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech59><b>CHIRON</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=172>Aaron, I see thou wilt not trust the air</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=173>With secrets.</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech60><b>DEMETRIUS</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=174> For this care of Tamora,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=175>Herself and hers are highly bound to thee.</A><br> | |
| <p><i>Exeunt DEMETRIUS and CHIRON bearing off the Nurse's body</i></p> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech61><b>AARON</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=176>Now to the Goths, as swift as swallow flies;</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=177>There to dispose this treasure in mine arms,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=178>And secretly to greet the empress' friends.</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=179>Come on, you thick lipp'd slave, I'll bear you hence;</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=180>For it is you that puts us to our shifts:</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=181>I'll make you feed on berries and on roots,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=182>And feed on curds and whey, and suck the goat,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=183>And cabin in a cave, and bring you up</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=184>To be a warrior, and command a camp.</A><br> | |
| <p><i>Exit</i></p> | |
| </blockquote> | |
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