The Tragedy of Titus Andronicus
by
William Shakespeare [Collins edition]
Part 3 out of 3
Have we done aught amiss,--show us wherein,
And, from the place where you behold us now,
The poor remainder of Andronici
Will, hand in hand, all headlong cast us down,
And on the ragged stones beat forth our brains,
And make a mutual closure of our house.
Speak, Romans, speak; and if you say we shall,
Lo, hand in hand, Lucius and I will fall.
AEMILIUS.
Come, come, thou reverend man of Rome,
And bring our emperor gently in thy hand,
Lucius our emperor; for well I know
The common voice do cry it shall be so.
ROMANS.
[Several speak.] Lucius, all hail, Rome's royal emperor!
MARCUS.
Go, go into old Titus' sorrowful house,
[To attendants, who go into the house.]
And hither hale that misbelieving Moor
To be adjudg'd some direful slaughtering death,
As punishment for his most wicked life.
[LUCIUS, MARCUS, &c. descend.]
ROMANS.
[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!
But, gentle people, give me aim awhile,--
For nature puts me to a heavy task:--
Stand all aloof;--but, uncle, draw you near,
To shed obsequious tears upon this trunk.--
O, take this warm kiss on thy pale cold lips.
[Kisses TITUS.]
These sorrowful drops upon thy blood-stain'd face,
The last true duties of thy noble son!
MARCUS.
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 lov'd thee well:
Many a time he danc'd thee on his knee,
Sung thee asleep, his loving breast thy pillow;
Many a matter hath he told to thee,
Meet and agreeing with thine infancy;
In that respect, then, like a loving child,
Shed yet some small drops from thy tender spring,
Because kind nature doth require it so:
Friends should associate friends in grief and woe:
Bid him farewell; commit him to the grave;
Do him that kindness, and take leave of him.
YOUNG LUCIUS.
O grandsire, grandsire! even with all my heart
Would I were dead, so you did live again!--
O Lord, I cannot speak to him for weeping;
My tears will choke me, if I ope my mouth.
[Re-enter attendants with AARON.]
AEMILIUS.
You sad Andronici, have done with woes:
Give sentence on the execrable wretch,
That hath been breeder of these dire events.
LUCIUS.
Set him breast-deep in earth, and famish him;
There let him stand and rave and cry for food:
If any one relieves or pities him,
For the offence he dies. This is our doom:
Some stay to see him fasten'd in the earth.
AARON.
Ah, why should wrath be mute and fury dumb?
I am no baby, I, that with base prayers
I should repent the evils I have done:
Ten thousand worse than ever yet I did
Would I perform, if I might have my will:
If one good deed in all my life I did,
I do repent it from my very soul.
LUCIUS.
Some loving friends convey the emperor hence,
And give him burial in his father's grave:
My father and Lavinia shall forthwith
Be closed in our household's monument.
As for that ravenous tiger, Tamora,
No funeral rite, nor man in mournful weeds,
No mournful bell shall ring her burial;
But throw her forth to beasts and birds of prey:
Her life was beast-like and devoid of pity;
And, being so, shall have like want of pity.
See justice done on Aaron, that damn'd Moor,
By whom our heavy haps had their beginning:
Then, afterwards, to order well the state,
That like events may ne'er it ruinate.
[Exeunt.]
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