SCENE II. Rome. Before Titus's House. Enter TAMORA, CHIRON, and DEMETRIUS, disguised. Tam. Thus, in this strange and sad habiliment, I will encounter with Andronicus; And say, I am Revenge, sent from below, Enter TITUS, above. [They knock. Tit. Who doth molest my contemplation? You are deceiv'd: for what I mean to do, Tam. Titus, I come to talk with thee. Tit. No; not a word: How can I grace my talk, Wanting a hand to give it action? Thou hast the odds of me, therefore no more. Tam. If thou didst know me, thou would'st talk with me. Tit. I am not mad; I know thee well enough: Witness this wretched stump, witness these crimson lines; Witness these trenches, made by grief and care; Tam. Know thou, sad man, I am not Tamora; She is thy enemy, and I thy friend: I am Revenge; sent from the infernal kingdom, Come down, and welcome me to this world's light; Where bloody murder, or detested rape, Tam. I am; therefore come down, and wel come me. Tit. Do me some service, ere I come to thee. And day by day I'll do this heavy task, Tam. These are my ministers, and come with me. Tit. Are them2 thy ministers? what are they call'd? Rape and rapine appear to have been sometimes used anciently. as synonymous terms. Gower De Confessione Amantis, lib. v. ver. 116, uses ravyne in the same sense: For if thou be of suche covine 2 Similar violations of syntax, according to modern notions, are not unfrequent in our elder writers. Thus Hobbes in his History of the Civil Wars If the king give us leave, you or I may as awfully preach as them that do." Tam. Rapine, and Murder; therefore call'd so, 'Cause they take vengeance of such kind of men. Tit. Good lord, how like the empress' sons they are! And you the empress! But we worldly men O sweet Revenge, now do I come to thee: [Exit TITUS, from above. Enter TITUS. Tit. Long have I been forlorn, and all for thee: Welcome, dread fury, to my woful house; Rapine, and Murder, you are welcome too:How like the empress and her sons you are! Well are you fitted, had you but a Moor: Could not all hell afford you such a devil?— For, well I wot, the empress never wags, But in her company there is a Moor; And, would you represent our queen aright, It were convenient you had such a devil: But welcome, as you are. What shall we do? Tam. What would'st thou have us do, Andronicus? Dem. Show me a murderer, I'll deal with him. Chi. Show me a villain, that hath done a rape, And I am sent to be reveng'd on him. Tam. Show me a thousand, that hath done thee wrong, And I will be revenged on them all. Tit. Look round about the wicked streets of Rome; And when thou find'st a man that's like thyself, Good Murder, stab him; he's a murderer.Go thou with him; and when it is thy hap, To find another that is like to thee, Good Rapine, stab him; he is a ravisher.Go thou with them; and in the emperor's court There is a queen, attended by a Moor: Well may'st thou know her by thy own proportion, I pray thee, do on them some violent death, Tam. Well hast thou lesson'd us; this shall we do. Who leads towards Rome a band of warlike Goths, Tit. Marcus, my brother!-'tis sad Titus calls. Enter MARCUS. Go, gentle Marcus, to thy nephew Lucius; Mar. This will I do, and soon return again. Tam. Now will I hence about thy business, And take my ministers along with me. [Exit. Tit. Nay, nay, let Rape and Murder stay with me; Or else I'll call my brother back again, Tam. What say you, boys? will you abide with him, Whiles I go tell my lord the emperor, How I have govern'd our determin'd jest? Yield to his humour, smooth and speak him fair, [Aside. And tarry with him, till I come again. Tit. I know them all, though they suppose me mad; And will o'er-reach them in their own devices, A pair of cursed hell-hounds, and their dam. [Aside. Dem. Madam, depart at pleasure, leave us here. Tam. Farewell, Andronicus: Revenge now goes To lay a complot to betray thy foes. [Exit TAMORA. Tit. I know, thou dost; and, sweet Revenge farewell. Chi. Tell us, old man, how shall we be employ'd? Tit. Tut, I have work enough for you to do.Publius, come hither, Caius, and Valentine! Enter PUBLIUS, and Others. Pub. What's your will? Tit. Pub. Know you these two? Th' empress' sons, I take them, Chiron and Demetrius. Tit. Fye, Publius, fye! thou art too much deceiv'd; The one is Murder, Rape is the other's name: And therefore bind them, gentle Publius; Caius, and Valentine, lay hands on them: Oft have you heard me wish for such an hour, And now I find it; therefore bind them sure; And stop their mouths, if they begin to cry. [Exit TITUS.-PUBLIUS, &c. lay hold on CHIRON and DEMETRIUS. Chi. Villains, forbear: we are the empress' sons. Pub. And therefore do we what we are com manded. |