275

ARGUMENT.

Titus Andronicus, a Roman general, in a successful campaign against the Goths, takes captive their queen Tamora with her three sons, and conveys them to Rome in triumph, where one of the youths is inhumanly sacrificed by the conqueror at the tomb of his children who had been slain in battle. Eager for revenge, the artful Tamora makes a favorable impression on the heart of the emperor Saturninus, and becomes the partner of his throne. By the contrivance of her two sons, and a Moorish paramour named Aaron, she procures the assassination of Bassianus, the emperor's brother; while his wife Lavinia, the daughter of Titus, is deprived of her tongue and hands by the Gothic princes, in order to prevent a discovery of the ill usage which she had previously sustained. Two sons of Titus shortly after suffer death for their supposed participation in the murder of Bassianus: the real perpetrators are at length discovered; and the enraged father, having decoyed the young men to his house, puts a period to their existence, and serves up their mangled relics to their mother in a banquet. The unfortunate Lavinia falls by the hand of her father, who afterwards sacrifices the empress to his fury, for which he is slain by Saturninus, who in his turn loses his crown and life by the sword of Lucius, the only surviving son of Titus, who procures a repeal of his banishment by means of a Gothic army, and is proclaimed emperor by the senate and people.

276

PERSONS REPRESENTED.

SATURNINUS, Son to the late emperor of Rome, and afterwards declared emperor himself.

BASSIANUS, brother to Saturninus; in love with Lavinia. TITUS ANDRONICUS, a noble Roman, general against the Goths. MARCUS ANDRONICUS, tribune of the people; and brother to Titus.

DEMETRIUS,

sons to Tamora.

AARON, a Moor, beloved by Tamora.

CAPTAIN, TRIBune, MessengER, and CLOWN;

Goths and Romans.

TAMORA, queen of the Goths.

LAVINIA, daughter to Titus Andronicus.

NURSE, and a black Child.

Romans.

Kinsmen of Titus, Senators, Tribunes, Officers, Soldiers,

and Attendants.

SCENE, Rome, and the country near it.

TITUS ANDRONICUS.

ACT I.

SCENE I.

Rome. Before the Capitol.

The tomb of the Andronici appearing; the Tribunes and Senators aloft, as in the senate. Enter, below, SATURNINUS and his followers on one side, and BASSIANUS and his followers on the other, with drum and colors.

Sat. Noble patricians, patrons of my right, Defend the justice of my cause with arms; And, countrymen, my loving followers, Plead my successive title 1 with your swords. I am his first-born son, that was the last That ware the imperial diadem of Rome; Then let my father's honors live in me, Nor wrong mine age 2 2 with this indignity. Bas. Romans,-friends, followers, favorers of my right,

1 My title to the succession.

i. e. my seniority in point of age.

If ever Bassianus, Cæsar's son,

Were gracious in the eyes of royal Rome,
Keep then this passage to the Capitol;
"And suffer not dishonor to approach
"The imperial seat, to virtue consecrate,
"To justice, continence, and nobility :
"But let desert in pure election shine;

'And, Romans, fight for freedom in your

choice.

Enter MARCUS ANDRONICUS aloft, with the crown.

Mar. Princes, that strive by factions and by friends

Ambitiously for rule and empery,

Know, that the people of Rome, for whom we stand
A special party, have, by common voice,
In election for the Roman empery,

Chosen Andronicus, surnamed Pius
For many good and great deserts to Rome.
A nobler man, a braver warrior,

Lives not this day within the city walls:
He by the senate is accited1 home

From weary wars against the barbarous Goths;
That, with his sons, a terror to our foes,
Hath yoked a nation strong, train'd up in arms.
Ten years are spent, since first he undertook
This cause of Rome, and chastised with his arms
Our enemies' pride. Five times he hath return'd
Bleeding to Rome, bearing his valiant sons

1 Summoned.

In coffins from the field;

And now at last, laden with honor's spoils,
Returns the good Andronicus to Rome,
Renowned Titus, florishing in arms.

Let us entreat,—by honor of his name,
Whom worthily you would have now succeed,
And in the Capitol and senate's right,

Whom you pretend to honor and adore ;—
That you withdraw you, and abate your strength;
Dismiss your followers, and, as suitors should,
Plead your deserts in peace and humbleness.
Sat. How fair the tribune speaks to calm my
thoughts!

Bas. Marcus Andronicus, so I do affy 1

In thy uprightness and integrity,

And so I love and honor thee and thine,

Thy nobler brother Titus, and his sons,
And her, to whom my thoughts are humbled all,
Gracious Lavinia, Rome's rich ornament;—
That I will here dismiss my loving friends;
And to my fortunes, and the people's favor,
Commit my cause in balance to be weigh'd.

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

right,

I thank you all, and here dismiss you all;
And to the love and favor of my country

1 Confide.