Perfons Represented.

Saturninus, Son to the late Emperor of Rome, and afterwards declared Emperor himself.

Baffianus, Brother to Saturninus; in love with Lavinia. Titus Andronicus, a noble Roman, General against the Goths.

Marcus Andronicus, Tribune of the People, and Brother ta Titus.

Lucius,

Aaron, a Moor, beloved by Tamora.

A Captain, Tribune, Meffenger, and Clown; Romans
Goths, and Romans

Tamora, Queen of the Goths.

Lavinia, Daughter to Titus Andronicus.

A Nurje, and a black Child.

Kinfmen of Titus, Senators, Tribunes, Officers, Soldiers,

and Attendants.

SCENE, Rome; and the Country near it.

TITUS ANDRONICUS.

ACTI SCENE I

Rome. Before the Capitol

The tomb of the Andronici appearing; the Tribunes and Senators aloft, as in the fenate. Enter, below, SATURNINUS and his followers, on one fide; and BASSIAN US and his followers, on the other; with drum and colours.

Sat.

YOBLE patricians, patrons of my right,

N Defend the juftice of my caufe with arms;

And, countrymen, my loving followers,
Plead my fucceffive title with your swords:
I am his firft-born fon, that was the laft
That ware the imperial diadem of Rome;
Then let my father's honours live in me,
Nor wrong mine age with this indignity.

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

If ever Baffianus, Cæfar's fon,

Were gracious in the eyes of royal Rome,
Keep then this page to the Capitol;
And fuffer not dishonour.to approach
The imperial feat, to virtue confecrate,
To juftice, continence, and nobility:
But let defert in pure election fhine;
And, Romans, fight for freedom in your choice.

Enter MARCUS ANDRONICUS aloft, with the crown. Mar. Princes, that ftrive by factions, and by friends, Ambitiously for rule and empery,

Know,

Know, that the people of Rome, for whom we ftand
A fpecial party, have, by common voice,
In election for the Roman empery,
Chofen Andronicus, furnamed Pius
For many good and great deferts to Rome;
A nobler man, a braver warrior,

Lives not this day within the city walls:
He by the fenate is accited home,

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

And now at laft, 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 fucceed,
And in the Capitol and fenate's right,
Whom you pretend to honour and adore,

That you withdraw you, and abate your strength;
Difmifs your followers, and, as fuitors fhould,

Plead your deferts in peace and humbleness.

Sat. How fair the tribune fpeaks to calm my thoughts! Baf. Marcus Andronicus, fo I do affy

In thy uprightness and integrity,

And fo I love and honour thee, and thing,

Thy noble brother Titus, and his fons,"

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

[Exeunt the followers of Baffianus. Sat. Friends, that have been thus forward in my right,

I thank

all;

I thank you all, and here difmifs you
And to the love and favour of my country
Commit myself, my person, and the cause.

[Exeunt the followers of Saturninus.

Rome, be as juft and gracious unto me,
As I am confident and kind to thee.-

Open the gates, and let me in.

Baf. Tribunes! and me, a poor competitor.

[Sat. and Baf. go into the Capitol, and exeunt with Senators, Marcus, &c.

Enter a Captain, and Others.

Cap. Romans, make way; The good Andronicus,"
Patron of virtue, Rome's beft champion,
Successful in the battles that he fights,

With honour and with fortune is return'd,
From where he circumfcribed with his sword,
And brought to yoke, the enemies of Rome.

Flourish of trumpets, &c. Enter MUTIUS and MARTIUS: after them, two men bearing a coffin cover'd with black; then QUINTUS and LUCIUS. After them, TITUS ANDRONICUS; and then TAMORA, with ALARBUS, CHIRON, DEMETRIUS, AARON, and other Goths, prifoners; foldiers and people, following. The bearers Jet down the coffin, and TITUS Speaks.

Tit. Hail, Rome, vi torious in thy mourning weeds'! Lo, as the bark, that hath difcharg'd her fraught, Returns with precious lacing to the bay,

From whence at firft the weigh'd her anchorage,
Cometh Andronicus, bound with laurel boughs,

To

Thy is as well as my. We may fuppofe the Romans in a grateful ceremony, meeting the dead fons of Andronicus with mourning habits. JOHNSON.

Or that they were in mourning for their emperor who was just dead.
STEEVENS.

To re-falute his country with his tears;
Tears of true joy for his return to Rome.-
Thou great defender of this Capitol",
Stand gracious to the rites that we intend !-
Romans, of five and twenty valiant fons,
Half of the number that king Priam had,
Behold the poor remains, alive, and dead!
Thefe, that furvive, let Rome reward with love;
Thefe, that I bring unto their latest home,
With burial amongst their ancestors:
Here Goths have given me leave to sheath
Titus, unkind, and carelefs of thine own,
Why fuffer'ft thou thy fons, unburied yet,
To hover on the dreadful fhore of Styx?-
Make way to lay them by their brethren.

my fword.

{The tomb is opened. There greet in filence, as the dead are wont, And fleep in peace, flain in your country's wars! O facred receptacle of my joys,

Sweet cell of virtue and nobility,

How many fons of mine haft thou in ftore,
That thou wilt never render to me more?

Luc. Give us the proudeft prifoner of the Goths,
That we may hew his limbs, and, on a pile,
Ad manes fratrum facrifice his flesh,
Before this earthly prifon of their bones;
That fo the shadows be not unappeas'd,
Nor we difturb'd with prodigies on earth.

Tit. I give him you; the nobleft that furvives,
The eldelt fon of this distressed queen.

Tam. Stay, Roman brethren ;-Gracious conqueror,
Victorious Titus, rue the tears I fhed,

A mother's tears in paffion for her son:
And, if thy fons were ever dear to thee,"
O, think my fon to be as dear to me.
Sufficeth not, that we are brought to Rome,
To beautify thy triumphs, and return,
Captive to thee, and to thy Roman yoke;
But muft my fons be flaughter'd in the streets,

For