ACT SECOND SCENE I Rome. Before the palace. Enter Aaron. Aar. Now climbeth Tamora Olympus' top, 10 Upon her wit doth earthly honor wait, To mount aloft with thy imperial mistress, Hast prisoner held, fetter'd in amorous chains, Away with slavish weeds and servile thoughts! To wait upon this new-made empress. 20 Enter Demetrius and Chiron, braving... Dem. Chiron, thy years want wit, thy wit wants edge, And manners, to intrude where I am graced, And may, for aught thou know'st, affected be. Chi. Demetrius, thou dost over-ween in all, And so in this, to bear me down with braves. 30 Makes me less gracious, or thee more fortunate: To serve, and to deserve my mistress' grace; Dem. Why, boy, although our mother, unadvised, Gave you a dancing-rapier by your side, Are you so desperate grown, to threat your friends? 40 Go to; have your lath glued within your sheath Till you know better how to handle it. Chi. Meanwhile, sir, with the little skill I have, Full well shalt thou perceive how much I dare. Dem. Aye, boy, grow ye so brave? [They draw. Aar. [Coming forward] Why, how now, lords! So near the emperor's palace dare you draw, Full well I wot the ground of all this grudge: The cause were known to them it most concerns; For shame, put up. Dem. Not I, till I have sheathed Thrust those reproachful. speeches down his That he hath breathed in my dishonor here. Chi. For that I am prepared and full resolved. Foul-spoken coward! that thunder'st with thy tongue, And with thy weapon nothing darest perform. Aar. Away, I say! Now, by the gods that warlike Goths adore, Why, lords, and think you not how dangerous What, is Lavinia then become so loose, 60 That for her love such quarrels may be broach'd This discord's ground, the music would not Chi. I care not, I, knew she and all the world: 70 Dem. Youngling, learn thou to make some meaner choice: Lavinia is thine elder brother's hope. Aar. Why, are ye mad? or know ye not, in Rome How furious and impatient they be, Chi. And cannot brook competitors in love? I tell you, lords, you do but plot your deaths Aaron, a thousand deaths Would I propose to achieve her whom I love. 80 Aar. To achieve her! how? Dem. Why makest thou it so strange? She is a woman, therefore may be woo'd; She is a woman, therefore may be won; She is Lavinia, therefore must be loved. What, man! more water glideth by the mill Than wots the miller of; and easy it is Of a cut loaf to steal a shive, we know: Though Bassianus be the emperor's brother, Better than he have worn Vulcan's badge. Aar. [Aside] Aye, and as good as Saturninus may. 90 Dem. Then why should he despair that knows to court it 79. "a thousand deaths"; Chiron appears to mean, that, had he a thousand lives, such was his love for Lavinia, he would propose to venture them all to achieve her.-H. N. H. 82, 83; cf. 1 Henry VI, V. iii. 78, 79; Richard III, I. ii. 228, 229. -I. G. 85, 87. "more water glideth by the mill"; there is a Scottish proverb, "Mickle water goes by the miller when he sleeps." This line is also a northern proverb, "It is safe taking a shive of a cut loaf."-H. N. H. 89. "Vulcan's badge"; as the deluded husband of Venus.-C. H. H. With words, fair looks, and liberality? And borne her cleanly by the keeper's nose? Aar. Why, then, it seems, some certain snatch or so Would serve your turns. Aye, so the turn were served. Chi. Would you had hit it too! Then should not we be tired with this ado. Chi. Faith, not me. Dem. Nor me, so I were one. 101 Aar. For shame, be friends, and join for that you jar: 'Tis policy and stratagem must do That you affect; and so must you resolve, |