Enter CESAR, GALLUS, PROCULEIUS, MECENAS, Ces. Which is the queen Of Egypt ! With one that I have bred? The gods! It smiteş me Beneath the fall I have. Pr'ythee, go hence; [TO SELEUCUS. Or I shall show the cinders of my spirits [CLEOPATRA kneels. Through the ashes of my chance :-Wert thou a Del. Tis the emperor, madam. Ces. Arise: You shall not kneel : I pray you, rise: rise, Egypt. Will have it thus; my master and my lord Ces. Take to you no hard thoughts: Cleo. Sole Sir o'the world, I cannot project⚫ mine own cause so well Ces. Cleopatra, know, We will extenuate rather than enforce : If you apply yourself to our intents, man, Thon would'st have mercy on me. [Exit SELEUCUS. Cleo. Be it known, that we, the greatest, are misthought For things that others do; and, when we fall, Ces. Cleopatra, Not what you have reserv'd, nor what acknow- Put we i'the roll of conquest: still be it yours, Make not your thoughts your prisons: no, dear (Which towards you are most gentle,) you shall For we intend so to dispose you, as find A benefit in this change: but if you seek Cleo. And may, through all the world: 'tis shall Your 'scutcheous, and your signs of conquest, [lord. Hang in what place you please. Here, my good Ces. You shall advise me in all for Cleopatra. Cleo. This is the brief of money, plate, and jewels, I am possess'd of: 'tis exactly valued ; Not petty things admitted.-Where's Seleucus ? Cice. This is my treasurer: let him speak, my Upon his peril, that I have reserv'd To myself nothing. Speak the truth, Seleucus. I had rather seel my lips, than, to my peril, Cles. What have I kept back? Sch. Enough to purchase what you have made The ingratitude of this Seleucus does Eves make me wild :-O slave, of no more trust Go back, I warrant thee; but I'll catch thine eyes, dog! © rarely; base! Crs. Good queen, let us entreat you. Yourself shall give us counsel. Feed, and sleep: Exeunt CESAR, and his Train. Be noble to myself: but hark thee, Charmian. Which my love makes religion to obey, tell you this: Cesar through Syria Cleo. Dolabella, I shall remain your debtor. Dol. I your servant. Adieu, good queen; I must attend on Cesar. [Exit DOL. Now, Iras, what think'st thou ? Cien. O Cesar, what a wounding shame is And forc'd to drink their vapour. That then, vouchsafing here to visit me, To se so meek, that mine own servant should As we greet modern friends withal; and say, Iras. I'll never for it; for, I am sure, my fImmortal longings in me: Now no more The juice of Egypt's grape shall moist this lip : nails Are stronger than mine eyes. Cleo. Why that's the way Yare, yare, good Iras; quick.—Methinks, I To fool their preparation, and to conquer Enter CHARMIAN. Show me, my women, like a queen ;-Go fetch To play till doomsday.-Bring our crown and all. [Exit IRAS. A Noise within. Enter one of the GUARD. Guard. Here is a rural fellow, To praise my noble act; I hear him mock That will not be denied your highness' pre- If thus thou vanishest, thou tell'st the world sence : He brings you figs. Cleo. Let him come in. How poor an instru- (Exit GUARD. Re-enter GUARD, with a CLOWN bringing a Guard. This is the man. [Exit GUARD. Hast thou the pretty worm of Nilus there, That kills and pains not? Clown. Truly I have him: but I would not be the party that should desire you to touch him, for his biting is immortal: those that do die of it, do seldom or never recover. Cleo. Remembers't thou any that have died on't f Clown. Very many, men and women too. I heard of one of them no longer than yesterday— a very honest woman, but something given to lie as a woman should not do, but in the way of honesty-how she died of the biting of it, what pain she felt,-Truly, she makes a very good report o'the worm: But he that will believe all that they say, shall never be saved by half that they do: But this is most fallible, the worm's an odd worm. Cleo. Get thee hence; farewell. Clown. I wish you all joy of the worm. [CLOWN sets down the Basket. Clown. You must think this, look you, that the worm will do his kind. t It is not worth leave-taking. Char. Dissolve, thick cloud and rain; that I may say The gods themselves do weep! Cleo. This proves me base: If she first meet the curled Antony, He'll make demand of her; and spend that kiss, Which is my heaven to have. Come, mortal wretch, [To the Asp, which she applies to her With thy sharp teeth this knot intrinsicate speak! Char. O eastern star! Cleo. Peace, peace! Dost thou not see my baby at my breast, Char. O break! O break! Cleo. As sweet as balm, is soft as air, as O Antony !-Nay, I will take thee too :- [Falls on a Bed and Dies. Enter the GUARD, rushing in. [Applies the Asp. 2 Guard. There's Dolabella sent from Cesar-call him. 1 Guard. What work is here?-Charmian, is this well done? Dol. Cesar, thy thoughts Touch their effects in this: Thyself art coming Within. A way there, way for Cesar! Enter CESAR, and Attendants. Del. O Sir, you are too sure an augurer; That you did fear, is done. Ces. Bravest at the last : She levell'd at our purposes, and, being royal, I do not see them bleed. Del. Who was last with them? Ces. Most probable, That so she died; for her physician tells me, Of easy ways to die.-Take up her bed; 1 Guard. A simple countryman, that brought She shall be buried by her Antony: her figs : This was his basket. Ces. Poison'd then. 1 Guard. O Cesar, No grave upon the earth shall clip in it This Charmian lived but now; she stood, and Brought them to be lamented. Our army shall, spake : I found her trimming up the diadem On her dead mistress; tremblingly she stood, Ces. O noble weakness !— If they had swallow'd poison, 'twould appear In solemn show, attend the funeral ; TITUS ANDRONICUS. LITERARY AND HISTORICAL NOTICE. AS it is intended, in the present collection of Shakspeare's Dramatic Works, to present in regular succession all such as have the scenery, characters, or manners, drawn from the same country, the sanguinary and disgusting Tragedy of Titus Andronicus is placed in immediate sequence to those that are essentially of Roman origin. The events, however, are not of historical occurrence, but were probably borrowed from an old ballad entered on the books of the Stationers' Company in the year 1593, about which period it may also have been written. Its identity, however, as one of Shakspeare's productions, rests on a very doubtful foundation. Dr. Percy supposes it only to have been corrected and re-touched by aim; but, says Dr. Johnson, “I do not find his touches very discernible." It is devoid of any striking sentiment--- it has none of the philosophic stateliness which generally distinguishes his plays---the anachronisms are gross---the language throughout is as tumid and laboured as the plot is horrid and unnatural ¡---and the only approach to energy discernible in the play, occurs in the scene between Aaron, the nurse, and Demetrius. Indeed, there is internal evidence enough (in the versification, the character of the composition, the total difference of conduct, language, and sentiment, and also in its resemblance to several dramas of much more ancient date) to prove, with irresistible force, that it has been erroneously ascribed to Shakspeare. Dr. Johnson says, “All the editors and critics agree with Mr. Theobald in supposing this play spurious. I see no reason for differing from them; for the colour of the style is wholly different from that of the other play, and there is an attempt at regular versification and artificial closes, not always inelegant, yet seldom pleasing. The barbarity of the spectacle, and the general massacre which are here exhibited, can scarcely be conceived tolerable to any audience; yet we are told by Jonson, that they were not only borne but applauded. That Shakspeare wrote any part, though Theobald declares it incontestible, I see no reason for believing." DRAMATIS PERSONE. SATURNINUS, Son to the late Emperor of Rome, | EMILIUS, a noble Roman. and afterwards declared Emperor ALARBUS, BASSI, decruits-up himself. CHIRON, Sons to Tamora. AARON, a Moor, beloved by Tamora. A CAPTAIN,TRIBUNE, MESSENGER, and CLOWN; Goths and Romans. TAMORA, Queen of the Goths. LAVINIA, Daughter to Titus Andronicus. Kinsmen of Titus, Senators, Tribunes, Qfi- SCENE: Rome, and the Country near it. 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 Colours. Sat. Noble patricians, patrons of my right, Keep then this passage to the Capitol : Mar. Princes, that strive by factions and by Ambitiously for rule and empery, Know, that the people of Rome, for whom we stand A special party, have, by their common voice, Chosen Andronicus, surnamed Pius For many good and great deserts to Rome; Bas. Romans,-friends, followers, favourers of A nobler man, a braver warrior, of my right, If ever Bassianus, Cesar's son, Were gracious in the eyes of royal Rome, • My title to the succession. Lives not this day within the city walls: From weary wars against the barbarous Goths, • Summoned. That, with his sons, a terror to our foes, And now, at last, laden with honour's spoils, Bas. Marcus Audronicus, so I do affy • And so I love and honour thee and thine, To hover on the dreadful shore of Styx ?— There greet in silence, as the dead are wont, How many sons of mine hast thou in store, Luc. Give us the proudest prisoner of the That we may hew his limbs, and, on a pile Victorious Titus, rue the tears I shed, And her, to whom my thoughts are humbled all, Oh! think my son to be as dear to me. I thank you all, and here dismiss you all; Kas. Tribunes! and me, a poor competitor. SCENE II.-The same. Pære of virtue, Rome's best champion, Le to the bark that hath discharged her fraught, † Five whence at first she weigh'd her anchorage, ded gracious to the rights that we intend !, of five and twenty valiant sons, Hafod the number that king Priam had, lemind the poor remains, alive, and dead! that survive, let Romne reward with love: Tarw, that I bring unto their latest home, *. burial amongst their ancestors: Sufficeth not, that we are brought to Rome held Alive and dead; and, for their brethren slain, To this your son is mark'd; and die he must, straight: And with your swords, upon a pile of wood, Tam. O cruel, irreligious piety! Chi. Was ever Scythia half so barbarous ? queen,) To quit the bloody wrongs upon her foes. Our Roman rites: Alarbus' limbs are lopp'd [Trumpets sounded, and the Coffins laid In peace and honour rest you here, my sons. Bar Golüs bave given me leave to sheath my Secure from worldly chances and mishaps! Here lurks no treason, here no envy swells, storms. It was supposed that the ghosts of unburied people appeared to solicit the rights of funeral. M |