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Luc. Away with him! and make a fire straight;
And with our swords, upon a pile of wood,
Let's hew his limbs till they be clean consumed.
[Exeunt the sons of Andronicus with Alarbus.
Tam. O cruel, irreligious piety!

Chi. Was ever Scythia half so barbarous?
Dem. Oppose not Scythia to ambitious Rome.
Alarbus goes to rest, and we survive

130

To tremble under Titus' threatening look.
Then, madam, stand resolved; but hope withal,
The self-same gods that arm'd the Queen of
Troy

With opportunity of sharp revenge

Upon the Thracian tyrant in his tent,
May favor Tamora, the queen of Goths,
When Goths were Goths and Tamora was

queen,

To quit the bloody wrongs upon her foes.

140

Re-enter the sons of Andronicus, with their swords

bloody.

Luc. See, lord and father, how we have perform'd Our Roman rites: Alarbus' limbs are lopp'd, And entrails feed the sacrificing fire,

Whose smoke, like incense, doth perfume the
sky.

Remaineth nought but to inter our brethren,
And with loud 'larums welcome them to Rome.

Tit. Let it be so; and let Andronicus

138. "his tent"; Theobald reads "her tent" (alluding to Hecuba beguiling Polymnestor into the tent where she and the other Trojan captives were).-I. G.

Make this his latest farewell to their souls.
[Trumpets sounded, and the coffin laid in
the tomb.
In peace and honor rest you here, my sons; 150
Rome's readiest champions, repose you here in
rest,

Secure from worldly chances and mishaps!
Here lurks no treason, here no envy swells,
Here grow no damned drugs; here are no
storms,

No noise, but silence and eternal sleep:

In peace and honor rest you here, my sons!

Enter Lavinia.

160

Lav. In peace and honor live Lord Titus long;
My noble lord and father, live in fame!
Lo, at this tomb my tributary tears
I render, for my brethren's obsequies;
And at thy feet I kneel, with tears of joy
Shed on the earth, for thy return to Rome:
O, bless me here with thy victorious hand,
Whose fortunes Rome's best citizens applaud!
Tit. Kind Rome, that hast thus lovingly reserved
The cordial of mine age to glad my heart!
Lavinia, live; outlive thy father's days,
And fame's eternal date, for virtue's praise!

154. "drugs"; Q. 1, "drugges"; Q. 2, "grudgges"; Ff., "grudges." -I. G.

167. To "outlive an eternal date" is, though not philosophical, yet poetical sense. He wishes that her life may be longer than his, and her praise longer than fame.-H. N. H.

Enter, below, Marcus Andronicus and Tribunes: re-enter Saturninus and Bassianus, attended.

Marc. Long live Lord Titus, my beloved brother, Gracious triumpher in the eyes of Rome! 170 Tit. Thanks, gentle tribune, noble brother Marcus. Marc. And welcome, nephews, from successful

wars,

You that survive, and you that sleep in fame!
Fair lords, your fortunes are alike in all,
That in your country's service drew your
swords:

But safer triumph is this funeral pomp,
That hath aspired to Solon's happiness,
And triumphs over chance in honor's bed.
Titus Andronicus, the people of Rome,
Whose friend in justice thou hast ever been, 180
Send thee by me, their tribune and their trust,
This palliament of white and spotless hue;
And name thee in election for the empire,
With these our late-deceased emperor's sons:
Be candidatus then, and put it on,

And help to set a head on headless Rome.
Tit. A better head her glorious body fits

Than his that shakes for age and feebleness:
What should I don this robe, and trouble you
Be chosen with proclamations to-day,
To-morrow yield up rule, resign my life,
And set abroad new business for you all?
Rome, I have been thy soldier forty years,

189. To "don" is to do on, that is, put on.-H. N. H.

190

And led my country's strength successfully,
And buried one and twenty valiant sons,
Knighted in field, slain manfully in arms,
In right and service of their noble country:
Give me a staff of honor for mine age,
But not a scepter to control the world:

Upright he held it, lords, that held it last. 200 Marc. Titus, thou shalt obtain and ask the empery. Sat. Proud and ambitious tribune, canst thou tell? Tit. Patience, Prince Saturninus.

Sat.

Romans, do me right; Patricians, draw your swords, and sheathe them

not

Till Saturninus be Rome's emperor.

Andronicus, would thou wert shipp'd to hell, Rather than rob me of the people's hearts! Luc. Proud Saturnine, interrupter of the good That noble-minded Titus means to thee!

Tit. Content thee, prince; I will restore to thee 210 The people's hearts, and wean them from themselves.

Bas. Andronicus, I do not flatter thee,

But honor thee, and will do till I die:

My faction if thou strengthen with thy friends,
I will most thankful be; and thanks to men
Of noble minds is honorable meed.

Tit. People of Rome, and people's tribunes here,
I ask your voices and your suffrages:

Will you bestow them friendly on Andronicus? Tribunes. To gratify the good Andronicus,

And gratulate his safe return to Rome,

201. "obtain and ask"; obtain merely by asking.-C. H. H.

220

The people will accept whom he admits. Tit. Tribunes, I thank you: and this suit I make, That you create your emperor's eldest son, Lord Saturnine; whose virtues will, I hope, Reflect on Rome as Titan's rays on earth, And ripen justice in this commonweal: Then, if you will elect by my advice,

Crown him, and say 'Long live our emperor!'
Marc. With voices and applause of every sort, 230
Patricians and plebeians, we create
Lord Saturninus Rome's great emperor,
And say 'Long live our Emperor Saturnine!'
[A long flourish till they come down.
Sat. Titus Andronicus, for thy favors done
To us in our election this day,

I give thee thanks in part of thy deserts,
And will with deeds requite thy gentleness:
And, for an onset, Titus, to advance
Thy name and honorable family,
Lavinia will I make my empress,

240

Rome's royal mistress, mistress of my heart,
And in the sacred Pantheon her espouse:
Tell me, Andronicus, doth this motion please
thee?

Tit. It doth, my worthy lord; and in this match
I hold me highly honor'd of your grace:
And here, in sight of Rome, to Saturnine,
King and commander of our commonweal,
The wide world's emperor, do I consecrate

224. "create"; elect.-C. H. H.

230. "sort"; class (of citizens).-C. H. H.
243. "motion"; proposal.-C. H. H.

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