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I Guard.

O Cæsar,

This Charmian liv'd but now; she stood, and spake :
I found her trimming up the diadem

On her dead mistress; tremblingly she stood,
And on the sudden dropp'd.

O noble weakness !

Cæs.
If they had swallow'd poison 't would appear
By external swelling: but she looks like sleep,
As she would catch another Antony

In her strong toil of grace.

Dol.

Here, on her breast,

There is a vent of blood, and something blown : The like is on her arm.

1 Guard. This is an aspic's trail: and these fig-leaves Have slime upon them, such as the aspic leaves Upon the caves of Nile.

Cæs.

Most probable

That so she died; for her physician tells me

She hath pursued conclusions infinite

Of easy ways to die.-Take up her bed;

And bear her women from the monument :

She shall be buried by her Antony:

No grave upon the earth shall clip in it

A pair so famous. High events as these

Strike those that make them; and their story is

No less in pity than his glory, which

Brought them to be lamented. Our army shall,
In solemn show, attend this funeral:

And then to Rome. -Come, Dolabella, see
High order in this great solemnity.

[Exeunt.

[graphic]

TITUS ANDRONICUS.

H

TITUS ANDRONICUS.

PERSONS REPRESENTED.

SATURNINUS, son to the late Emperor of Rome.
BASSIANUS, brother to SATURNINUS.

TITUS ANDRONICUS, a noble Roman.

MARCUS ANDRONICUS, brother to TITUS.

LUCIUS,

QUINTUS,

sons to TITUS ANDRONICUS.

MARTIUS,

MUTIUS,

Young LUCIUS, a boy, son to LUCIUS.

PUBLIUS, son to MARCUS, the tribune.
EMILIUS, a noble Roman.

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A Captain, Tribune, Messenger, and Clown.
Goths and Romans.

TAMORA, Queen of the Goths.

LAVINIA, daughter to TITUS ANDRONICUS.

A Nurse, and a black Child.

Kinsmen of Tirus, Senators, Tribunes, Officers, Sol

diers, and Attendants.

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ACT I.

SCENE I.-Rome.

Flourish. Enter the Tribunes and Senators, aloft, and then enter SATURNINUS and his Followers at one door, and BASSIANUS and his Followers at the other, with drum and colours.

Sat. Noble patricians, patrons of my right,
Defend the justice of my cause with arms;
And, countrymen, my loving followers,
Plead my successive title with your swords :
I am his first-born son, that was the last
That wore the imperial diadem of Rome :
Then let my father's honours live in me,
Nor wrong mine age with this indignity.

Bass. Romans, friends, followers, favourers of my right,

If ever Bassianus, Cæsar's son,

Were gracious in the eyes of royal Rome,
Keep then this passage to the Capitol;

And suffer not dishonour to approach
Th' imperial seat; to virtue consecrate,
To justice, continence, and nobility:
But let desert in pure election shine;

And, Romans, fight for freedom in your choice.

Enter MARCUS ANDRONICUS, aloft, with the

crown.

Marc. Princes, that strive by factions and by friends,

Ambitiously for rule and empery,

Know that the people of Rome, for whom we stand, A special party, have by common voice,

In election for the Roman empery,

Chosen Andronicus, surnamed Pius,

For many good and great deserts to Rome :

A nobler man, a braver warrior,

Lives not this day within the city walls.
He by the senate is accited home,

From weary wars against the barbarous Goths,
That with his sons, a terror to our foes,
Hath yok'd a nation strong, train'd up in arms.
Ten years are spent, since first he undertook
This cause of Rome, and chastised with arms
Our enemies' pride: five times he hath return'd
Bleeding to Rome, bearing his valiant sons
In coffins from the field;

And now at last, laden with honour's spoils,
Returns the good Andronicus to Rome,
Renowned Titus, flourishing in arms.

Let us entreat,-by honour of his name,
Whom worthily you would have now succeed,
And in the Capitol and senate's right,

Whom you pretend to honour and adore,-
That you withdraw you, and abate your strength;
Dismiss your followers, and, as suitors should,
Plead your deserts in peace and humbleness.

Sat. How fair the tribune speaks to calm my thoughts.

Bass. Marcus Andronicus, so I do affy

In thy uprightness and integrity,

And so I love and honour thee and thine,
Thy noble brother Titus and his sons,

And her to whom my thoughts are humbled all,
Gracious Lavinia, Rome's rich ornament,
That I will here dismiss my loving friends;
And to my fortunes and the people's favour
Commit my cause in balance to be weigh'd.

[Exeunt Followers of BASSIANUS.

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