The Tragedy Of Titus Andronicus

1 AARON.
2 Now climbeth Tamora Olympus’ top,
3 Safe out of Fortune’s shot, and sits aloft,
4 Secure of thunder’s crack or lightning’s flash,
5 Advanced above pale envy’s threat’ning reach.
6 As when the golden sun salutes the morn,
7 And, having gilt the ocean with his beams,
8 Gallops the zodiac in his glistening coach,
9 And overlooks the highest-peering hills;
10 So Tamora.
11 Upon her wit doth earthly honour wait,
12 And virtue stoops and trembles at her frown.
13 Then, Aaron, arm thy heart and fit thy thoughts
14 To mount aloft with thy imperial mistress,
15 And mount her pitch, whom thou in triumph long
16 Hast prisoner held, fett’red in amorous chains,
17 And faster bound to Aaron’s charming eyes
18 Than is Prometheus tied to Caucasus.
19 Away with slavish weeds and servile thoughts!
20 I will be bright, and shine in pearl and gold,
21 To wait upon this new-made empress.
22 To wait, said I? To wanton with this queen,
23 This goddess, this Semiramis, this nymph,
24 This siren, that will charm Rome’s Saturnine,
25 And see his shipwrack and his commonweal’s.
26 Holla! What storm is this?
27 Enter Chiron and Demetrius braving.
28 DEMETRIUS.
29 Chiron, thy years wants wit, thy wit wants edge
30 And manners, to intrude where I am graced,
31 And may, for aught thou knowest, affected be.
32 CHIRON.
33 Demetrius, thou dost overween in all,
34 And so in this, to bear me down with braves.
35 ’Tis not the difference of a year or two
36 Makes me less gracious or thee more fortunate.
37 I am as able and as fit as thou
38 To serve and to deserve my mistress’ grace;
39 And that my sword upon thee shall approve,
40 And plead my passions for Lavinia’s love.
41 AARON.
42 [_Aside_.] Clubs, clubs! These lovers will not keep the peace.
43 DEMETRIUS.
44 Why, boy, although our mother, unadvised,
45 Gave you a dancing-rapier by your side,
46 Are you so desperate grown to threat your friends?
47 Go to; have your lath glued within your sheath
48 Till you know better how to handle it.
49 CHIRON.
50 Meanwhile, sir, with the little skill I have,
51 Full well shalt thou perceive how much I dare.
52 DEMETRIUS.
53 Ay, boy, grow ye so brave?
54 [_They draw._]
55 AARON.
56 Why, how now, lords!
57 So near the emperor’s palace dare ye draw,
58 And maintain such a quarrel openly?
59 Full well I wot the ground of all this grudge.
60 I would not for a million of gold
61 The cause were known to them it most concerns;
62 Nor would your noble mother for much more
63 Be so dishonoured in the court of Rome.
64 For shame, put up.
65 DEMETRIUS.
66 Not I, till I have sheathed
67 My rapier in his bosom, and withal
68 Thrust those reproachful speeches down his throat
69 That he hath breathed in my dishonour here.
70 CHIRON.
71 For that I am prepared and full resolved,
72 Foul-spoken coward, that thund’rest with thy tongue,
73 And with thy weapon nothing dar’st perform.
74 AARON.
75 Away, I say!
76 Now, by the gods that warlike Goths adore,
77 This pretty brabble will undo us all.
78 Why, lords, and think you not how dangerous
79 It is to jet upon a prince’s right?
80 What, is Lavinia then become so loose,
81 Or Bassianus so degenerate,
82 That for her love such quarrels may be broached
83 Without controlment, justice, or revenge?
84 Young lords, beware! And should the empress know
85 This discord’s ground, the music would not please.
86 CHIRON.
87 I care not, I, knew she and all the world.
88 I love Lavinia more than all the world.
89 DEMETRIUS.
90 Youngling, learn thou to make some meaner choice.
91 Lavina is thine elder brother’s hope.
92 AARON.
93 Why, are ye mad? Or know ye not in Rome
94 How furious and impatient they be,
95 And cannot brook competitors in love?
96 I tell you, lords, you do but plot your deaths
97 By this device.
98 CHIRON.
99 Aaron, a thousand deaths
100 Would I propose to achieve her whom I love.
101 AARON.
102 To achieve her! How?
103 DEMETRIUS.
104 Why makes thou it so strange?
105 She is a woman, therefore may be wooed;
106 She is a woman, therefore may be won;
107 She is Lavinia, therefore must be loved.
108 What, man, more water glideth by the mill
109 Than wots the miller of; and easy it is
110 Of a cut loaf to steal a shive, we know.
111 Though Bassianus be the emperor’s brother,
112 Better than he have worn Vulcan’s badge.
113 AARON.
114 [_Aside_.] Ay, and as good as Saturninus may.
115 DEMETRIUS.
116 Then why should he despair that knows to court it
117 With words, fair looks, and liberality?
118 What, hast not thou full often struck a doe,
119 And borne her cleanly by the keeper’s nose?
120 AARON.
121 Why, then, it seems some certain snatch or so
122 Would serve your turns.
123 CHIRON.
124 Ay, so the turn were served.
125 DEMETRIUS.
126 Aaron, thou hast hit it.
127 AARON.
128 Would you had hit it too!
129 Then should not we be tired with this ado.
130 Why, hark ye, hark ye, and are you such fools
131 To square for this? Would it offend you then
132 That both should speed?
133 CHIRON.
134 Faith, not me.
135 DEMETRIUS.
136 Nor me, so I were one.
137 AARON.
138 For shame, be friends, and join for that you jar.
139 ’Tis policy and stratagem must do
140 That you affect; and so must you resolve
141 That what you cannot as you would achieve,
142 You must perforce accomplish as you may.
143 Take this of me: Lucrece was not more chaste
144 Than this Lavinia, Bassianus’ love.
145 A speedier course than ling’ring languishment
146 Must we pursue, and I have found the path.
147 My lords, a solemn hunting is in hand;
148 There will the lovely Roman ladies troop.
149 The forest walks are wide and spacious,
150 And many unfrequented plots there are
151 Fitted by kind for rape and villainy.
152 Single you thither, then, this dainty doe,
153 And strike her home by force, if not by words.
154 This way, or not at all, stand you in hope.
155 Come, come, our empress, with her sacred wit
156 To villainy and vengeance consecrate,
157 Will we acquaint with all what we intend;
158 And she shall file our engines with advice
159 That will not suffer you to square yourselves,
160 But to your wishes’ height advance you both.
161 The emperor’s court is like the house of Fame,
162 The palace full of tongues, of eyes and ears;
163 The woods are ruthless, dreadful, deaf, and dull.
164 There speak and strike, brave boys, and take your turns;
165 There serve your lust, shadowed from heaven’s eye,
166 And revel in Lavinia’s treasury.
167 CHIRON.
168 Thy counsel, lad, smells of no cowardice.
169 DEMETRIUS.
170 _Sit fas aut nefas_, till I find the stream
171 To cool this heat, a charm to calm these fits,
172 _Per Stygia, per manes vehor._
173 [_Exeunt._]