And, with thy shame, thy father's sorrow die! Sat. What hast thou done, unnatural and unkind? Tit. Kill'd her, for whom my tears have made me blind. I am as woful as Virginius was, And have a thousand times more cause than he To do this outrage; and it is now done. Sat. What, was she ravish'd? tell, who did the deed. Tit. Will 't please you eat? will 't please your highness feed? Tam. Why hast thou slain thine only daughter thus? Tit. Not I; 'twas Chiron and Demetrius : They ravish'd her, and cut away her tongue; And they, 'twas they, that did her all this wrong. Sat. Go, fetch them hither to us presently. Tit. Why, there they are both, baked in that pie; Whereof their mother daintily hath fed, Eating the flesh that she herself hath bred. 'Tis true, 'tis true; witness my knife's sharp point. [killing Tamora. Sat. Die, frantic wretch, for this accursed deed. [killing Titus. Lucius. Can the son's eye behold his father bleed? There's meed for meed, death for a deadly deed. [kills Saturninus. A great tumult. The people in confusion disperse. Marcus, Lucius, and their partisans ascend the steps before Titus's house. Mar. You sad-faced men, people and sons of By uproar sever'd, like a flight of fowl Se. Lest Rome herself be bane unto herself, Do shameful execution on herself. But if my frosty signs and chaps of age, Cannot induce you to attend my words, Speak, Rome's dear friend; [to Lucius.] as erst our ancestor, When with his solemn tongue he did discourse, The story of that baleful, burning night, When subtle Greeks surprised king Priam's Troy; That gives our Troy, our Rome, the civil wound. Nor can I utter all our bitter grief, And break my very utterance, even i' the time Lending your kind commiseration. Here is a captain; let him tell the tale : Your hearts will throb and weep to hear him speak. Lucius. Then, noble auditory, be it known to you, That cursed Chiron and Demetrius Were they that murdered our emperor's brother; For their fell faults our brothers were beheaded; And sent her enemies unto the grave: The gates shut on me, and turn'd weeping out, 1 i. e. and he basely cozened. For when no friends are by, men praise them selves. Mar. Now is my turn to speak. Behold this child: [pointing to the Child in the arms of an Attendant. Of this was Tamora delivered; The issue of an irreligious Moor, Chief architect and plotter of these woes. Now you have heard the truth, what say you, Ro mans? Have we done aught amiss? Show us wherein ; The poor remainder of Andronici Will, hand in hand, all headlong cast us down, Em. Come, come, thou reverend man of Rome, Ro. [several speak.] Lucius, all hail, Rome's royal emperor ! Lucius, &c. descend. Mar. Go, go into old Titus' sorrowful house, [to an Attendant. And hither hale that misbelieving Moor, To be adjudged some direful slaughtering death, Ro. [several speak.] Lucius, all hail, Rome's gracious governor! Lucius. Thanks, gentle Romans. May I govern So, To heal Rome's harms, and wipe away her woe! For Nature puts me to a heavy task. [kisses Titus. These sorrowful drops upon thy blood-stain'd face, The last true duties of thy noble son! Mar. Tear for tear, and loving kiss for kiss, Thy brother Marcus tenders on thy lips. O, were the sum of these that I should pay Countless and infinite, yet would I pay them! Lucius. Come hither, boy; come, come, and learn of us To melt in showers. Thy grandsire loved thee well: Many a time he danced thee on his knee, Sung thee asleep, his loving breast thy pillow; Many a matter hath he told to thee, |