Ah, wherefore dost thou urge the name of hands;- How Troy was burnt, and he made miserable? If Marcus did not name the word of hauds!- She says, she drinks no other drink but tears, Brew'd with her sorrows, mesh'd upon her cheeks:Speechless complainer, I will learn thy thoughts; In thy dumb action will I be as perfect, As begging hermits in their holy prayers: Thou shalt not sigh, nor hold thy stumps to heaven, And, by still † practice, learn to know thy meaning. ments: Make my aunt merry with some pleasing tale. Mar. Alas, the tender boy, in passion mov'd, Doth weep to see his grandsire's heaviness. Tit. Peace, tender sapling; thou art made of tears, And tears will quickly melt thy life away. [Marcus strikes the dish with a knife. What dost thou strike at, Marcus, with thy knife? Mar. At that that I have kill'd, my lord; a fly. Tit. Out on thee, murderer! thou kill'st my heart; Mine eyes are cloy'd with view of tyranny: Mar. Alas, my lord, I have but kill'd a fly. An allusion to brewing. + Constant or continual practice. Tit. But how, if that fly had a father and mother? How would he hang his slender gilded wings, And buz lamenting doings in the air? Poor harmless fly! That with his pretty buzzing melody, Came here to make us merry; and thou hast kill'd him. Mar. Pardon me, sir; 'twas a black ill-favour'd fly, Like to the empress' Moor; therefore I kill'd him. Tit. 0, 0, 0, Then pardon me for reprehending thee, For thou hast done a charitable deed. Yet I do think we are not brought so low, That comes in likeness of a coal-black Moor. He takes false shadows for true substances. Tit. Come, take away.-Lavinia, go with me: I'll to thy closet; and go read with thee Sad stories, chanced in the times of old.Come, boy, and go with me; thy sight is young, And thou shalt read, when mine begins to dazzle. [Exeunt, This was formerly not a disrespectful expression. ACT IV. SCENE I. The same. Before Titus's house. Enter Titus and Marcus. Then enter Young Lucius, Lavinia running after him. Boy. Help, grandsire, help! my aunt Lavinia Follows me every where, I know not why:Good uncle Marcus, see how swift she comes! Alas, sweet aunt, I know not what you mean. Mar. Stand by me, Lucius; do not fear thine aunt. Tit. She loves thee, boy, too well to do thee harm. Boy. Ay, when my father was in Rome, she did. Mar. What means my niece Lavinia by these signs? Tit. Fear her not, Lucius :- Somewhat doth she mean: See, Lucius, see, how much she makes of thee: Canst thou not guess wherefore she plies thee thus ? Ran mad through sorrow: That made me to fear; * Tully's Treatise on Eloquence, entitled Orator.. Which made me down to throw my books, and fly; I will most willingly attend your ladyship. [Lavinia turns over the books which Lucius Tit. How now, Lavinia?-Marcus, what means this? Some book there is that she desires to see :- than one Confederate in the fact:-Ay, more there was:— Mar. For love of her that's gone, Perhaps she cull'd it from among the rest. Tit. Soft see, how busily she turns the leaves ! Help her: What would she find?-Lavinia, shall I read ? This is the tragick tale of Philomel, And treats of Tereus' treason, and his rape; And rape, I fear, was root of thine annoy. Mar. See, brother, see; note, how she quotes t the leaves. Tit. Lavinia, wert thou thus surpris'd, sweet girl, Ravish'd and wrong'd, as Philomela was, Fore'd in the ruthless, vast, and gloomy woods?See, see! Succession. To quote is to observe. Ay, such a place there is, where we did hunt, Mar. O, why should nature build so foul a den, Unless the gods delight in tragedies! Tit. Give signs, sweet girl,-for here are none but friends, What Roman lord it was durst do the deed: That left the camp to sin in Lucrece' bed? Mar. Sit down, sweet niece ;-brother, sit down by me. Apollo, Pallas, Jove, or Mercury, Inspire me, that I may this treason find!- [He writes his name with his staff, and guides Curs'd be that heart, that fore'd us to this shift!Write thou, good niece; and here display, at last, What God will have discover'd for revenge: Heaven guide thy pen to print thy sorrows plain, That we may know the traitors, and the truth! [She takes the staff in her mouth, and guides it with her stumps, and writes. Tit. O, do you read, my lord, what she hath writ: Stuprum-Chiron-Demetrius. Mar. What, what!-the lustful sons of Tamora Performers of this heinous, bloody deed? Tit. Magne Dominator poli, Tam lentus audis scelera? tam lentus vides? To stir a mutiny in the mildest thoughts, My lord, kneel down with me; Lavinia, kneel; |