Titus Andronicus by William Shakespeare

Act 2 - Scene 3

A lonely part of the forest.

Aaron : He that had wit would think that I had none, [p]To bury so much gold
under a tree, [p]And never after to inherit it. [p]Let him that thinks
of me so abjectly [p]Know that this gold must coin a
stratagem, [p]Which, cunningly effected, will beget [p]A very
excellent piece of villany: [p]And so repose, sweet gold, for their
unrest [p][Hides the gold] [p]That have their alms out of the empress'
chest.

Tamora : My lovely Aaron, wherefore look'st thou sad, [p]When every thing doth
make a gleeful boast? [p]The birds chant melody on every bush, [p]The
snake lies rolled in the cheerful sun, [p]The green leaves quiver with
the cooling wind [p]And make a chequer'd shadow on the
ground: [p]Under their sweet shade, Aaron, let us sit, [p]And, whilst
the babbling echo mocks the hounds, [p]Replying shrilly to the
well-tuned horns, [p]As if a double hunt were heard at once, [p]Let us
sit down and mark their yelping noise; [p]And, after conflict such as
was supposed [p]The wandering prince and Dido once enjoy'd, [p]When
with a happy storm they were surprised [p]And curtain'd with a
counsel-keeping cave, [p]We may, each wreathed in the other's
arms, [p]Our pastimes done, possess a golden slumber; [p]Whiles hounds
and horns and sweet melodious birds [p]Be unto us as is a nurse's
song [p]Of lullaby to bring her babe asleep.

Aaron : Madam, though Venus govern your desires, [p]Saturn is dominator over
mine: [p]What signifies my deadly-standing eye, [p]My silence and my
cloudy melancholy, [p]My fleece of woolly hair that now
uncurls [p]Even as an adder when she doth unroll [p]To do some fatal
execution? [p]No, madam, these are no venereal signs: [p]Vengeance is
in my heart, death in my hand, [p]Blood and revenge are hammering in
my head. [p]Hark Tamora, the empress of my soul, [p]Which never hopes
more heaven than rests in thee, [p]This is the day of doom for
Bassianus: [p]His Philomel must lose her tongue to-day, [p]Thy sons
make pillage of her chastity [p]And wash their hands in Bassianus'
blood. [p]Seest thou this letter? take it up, I pray thee, [p]And give
the king this fatal plotted scroll. [p]Now question me no more; we are
espied; [p]Here comes a parcel of our hopeful booty, [p]Which dreads
not yet their lives' destruction.

Tamora : Ah, my sweet Moor, sweeter to me than life!

Aaron : No more, great empress; Bassianus comes: [p]Be cross with him; and
I'll go fetch thy sons [p]To back thy quarrels, whatsoe'er they be.

Bassianus : Who have we here? Rome's royal empress, [p]Unfurnish'd of her
well-beseeming troop? [p]Or is it Dian, habited like her, [p]Who hath
abandoned her holy groves [p]To see the general hunting in this
forest?

Tamora : Saucy controller of our private steps! [p]Had I the power that some
say Dian had, [p]Thy temples should be planted presently [p]With
horns, as was Actaeon's; and the hounds [p]Should drive upon thy
new-transformed limbs, [p]Unmannerly intruder as thou art!

Lavinia : Under your patience, gentle empress, [p]'Tis thought you have a goodly
gift in horning; [p]And to be doubted that your Moor and you [p]Are
singled forth to try experiments: [p]Jove shield your husband from his
hounds to-day! [p]'Tis pity they should take him for a stag.

Bassianus : Believe me, queen, your swarth Cimmerian [p]Doth make your honour of
his body's hue, [p]Spotted, detested, and abominable. [p]Why are you
sequester'd from all your train, [p]Dismounted from your snow-white
goodly steed. [p]And wander'd hither to an obscure
plot, [p]Accompanied but with a barbarous Moor, [p]If foul desire had
not conducted you?

Lavinia : And, being intercepted in your sport, [p]Great reason that my noble
lord be rated [p]For sauciness. I pray you, let us hence, [p]And let
her joy her raven-colour'd love; [p]This valley fits the purpose
passing well.

Bassianus : The king my brother shall have note of this.

Lavinia : Ay, for these slips have made him noted long: [p]Good king, to be so
mightily abused!

Tamora : Why have I patience to endure all this?

Demetrius : How now, dear sovereign, and our gracious mother! [p]Why doth your
highness look so pale and wan?

Tamora : Have I not reason, think you, to look pale? [p]These two have 'ticed
me hither to this place: [p]A barren detested vale, you see it
is; [p]The trees, though summer, yet forlorn and lean, [p]O'ercome
with moss and baleful mistletoe: [p]Here never shines the sun; here
nothing breeds, [p]Unless the nightly owl or fatal raven: [p]And when
they show'd me this abhorred pit, [p]They told me, here, at dead time
of the night, [p]A thousand fiends, a thousand hissing snakes, [p]Ten
thousand swelling toads, as many urchins, [p]Would make such fearful
and confused cries [p]As any mortal body hearing it [p]Should straight
fall mad, or else die suddenly. [p]No sooner had they told this
hellish tale, [p]But straight they told me they would bind me
here [p]Unto the body of a dismal yew, [p]And leave me to this
miserable death: [p]And then they call'd me foul
adulteress, [p]Lascivious Goth, and all the bitterest terms [p]That
ever ear did hear to such effect: [p]And, had you not by wondrous
fortune come, [p]This vengeance on me had they executed. [p]Revenge
it, as you love your mother's life, [p]Or be ye not henceforth call'd
my children.

Demetrius : This is a witness that I am thy son.

Chiron : And this for me, struck home to show my strength.

Lavinia : Ay, come, Semiramis, nay, barbarous Tamora, [p]For no name fits thy
nature but thy own!

Tamora : Give me thy poniard; you shall know, my boys [p]Your mother's hand
shall right your mother's wrong.

Demetrius : Stay, madam; here is more belongs to her; [p]First thrash the corn,
then after burn the straw: [p]This minion stood upon her
chastity, [p]Upon her nuptial vow, her loyalty, [p]And with that
painted hope braves your mightiness: [p]And shall she carry this unto
her grave?

Chiron : An if she do, I would I were an eunuch. [p]Drag hence her husband to
some secret hole, [p]And make his dead trunk pillow to our lust.

Tamora : But when ye have the honey ye desire, [p]Let not this wasp outlive, us
both to sting.

Chiron : I warrant you, madam, we will make that sure. [p]Come, mistress, now
perforce we will enjoy [p]That nice-preserved honesty of yours.

Lavinia : O Tamora! thou bear'st a woman's face,--

Tamora : I will not hear her speak; away with her!

Lavinia : Sweet lords, entreat her hear me but a word.

Demetrius : Listen, fair madam: let it be your glory [p]To see her tears; but be
your heart to them [p]As unrelenting flint to drops of rain.

Lavinia : When did the tiger's young ones teach the dam? [p]O, do not learn her
wrath; she taught it thee; [p]The milk thou suck'dst from her did turn
to marble; [p]Even at thy teat thou hadst thy tyranny. [p]Yet every
mother breeds not sons alike: [p][To CHIRON] [p]Do thou entreat her
show a woman pity.

Chiron : What, wouldst thou have me prove myself a bastard?

Lavinia : 'Tis true; the raven doth not hatch a lark: [p]Yet have I heard,--O,
could I find it now!-- [p]The lion moved with pity did endure [p]To
have his princely paws pared all away: [p]Some say that ravens foster
forlorn children, [p]The whilst their own birds famish in their
nests: [p]O, be to me, though thy hard heart say no, [p]Nothing so
kind, but something pitiful!

Tamora : I know not what it means; away with her!

Lavinia : O, let me teach thee! for my father's sake, [p]That gave thee life,
when well he might have [p]slain thee, [p]Be not obdurate, open thy
deaf ears.

Tamora : Hadst thou in person ne'er offended me, [p]Even for his sake am I
pitiless. [p]Remember, boys, I pour'd forth tears in vain, [p]To save
your brother from the sacrifice; [p]But fierce Andronicus would not
relent; [p]Therefore, away with her, and use her as you will, [p]The
worse to her, the better loved of me.

Lavinia : O Tamora, be call'd a gentle queen, [p]And with thine own hands kill
me in this place! [p]For 'tis not life that I have begg'd so
long; [p]Poor I was slain when Bassianus died.

Tamora : What begg'st thou, then? fond woman, let me go.

Lavinia : 'Tis present death I beg; and one thing more [p]That womanhood denies
my tongue to tell: [p]O, keep me from their worse than killing
lust, [p]And tumble me into some loathsome pit, [p]Where never man's
eye may behold my body: [p]Do this, and be a charitable murderer.

Tamora : So should I rob my sweet sons of their fee: [p]No, let them satisfy
their lust on thee.

Demetrius : Away! for thou hast stay'd us here too long.

Lavinia : No grace? no womanhood? Ah, beastly creature! [p]The blot and enemy to
our general name! [p]Confusion fall--

Chiron : Nay, then I'll stop your mouth. Bring thou her husband: [p]This is the
hole where Aaron bid us hide him. [p][DEMETRIUS throws the body of
BASSIANUS into the] [p]pit; then exeunt DEMETRIUS and CHIRON,
dragging [p]off LAVINIA]

Tamora : Farewell, my sons: see that you make her sure. [p]Ne'er let my heart
know merry cheer indeed, [p]Till all the Andronici be made
away. [p]Now will I hence to seek my lovely Moor, [p]And let my
spleenful sons this trull deflow'r.

Aaron : Come on, my lords, the better foot before: [p]Straight will I bring
you to the loathsome pit [p]Where I espied the panther fast asleep.

Quintus : My sight is very dull, whate'er it bodes.

Martius : And mine, I promise you; were't not for shame, [p]Well could I leave
our sport to sleep awhile.

Quintus : What art thou fall'n? What subtle hole is this, [p]Whose mouth is
cover'd with rude-growing briers, [p]Upon whose leaves are drops of
new-shed blood [p]As fresh as morning dew distill'd on flowers? [p]A
very fatal place it seems to me. [p]Speak, brother, hast thou hurt
thee with the fall?

Martius : O brother, with the dismall'st object hurt [p]That ever eye with sight
made heart lament!

Aaron : [Aside] Now will I fetch the king to find them here, [p]That he
thereby may give a likely guess [p]How these were they that made away
his brother.

Martius : Why dost not comfort me, and help me out [p]From this unhallowed and
blood-stained hole?

Quintus : I am surprised with an uncouth fear; [p]A chilling sweat o'er-runs my
trembling joints: [p]My heart suspects more than mine eye can see.

Martius : To prove thou hast a true-divining heart, [p]Aaron and thou look down
into this den, [p]And see a fearful sight of blood and death.

Quintus : Aaron is gone; and my compassionate heart [p]Will not permit mine eyes
once to behold [p]The thing whereat it trembles by surmise; [p]O, tell
me how it is; for ne'er till now [p]Was I a child to fear I know not
what.

Martius : Lord Bassianus lies embrewed here, [p]All on a heap, like to a
slaughter'd lamb, [p]In this detested, dark, blood-drinking pit.

Quintus : If it be dark, how dost thou know 'tis he?

Martius : Upon his bloody finger he doth wear [p]A precious ring, that lightens
all the hole, [p]Which, like a taper in some monument, [p]Doth shine
upon the dead man's earthy cheeks, [p]And shows the ragged entrails of
the pit: [p]So pale did shine the moon on Pyramus [p]When he by night
lay bathed in maiden blood. [p]O brother, help me with thy fainting
hand-- [p]If fear hath made thee faint, as me it hath-- [p]Out of this
fell devouring receptacle, [p]As hateful as Cocytus' misty mouth.

Quintus : Reach me thy hand, that I may help thee out; [p]Or, wanting strength
to do thee so much good, [p]I may be pluck'd into the swallowing
womb [p]Of this deep pit, poor Bassianus' grave. [p]I have no strength
to pluck thee to the brink.

Martius : Nor I no strength to climb without thy help.

Quintus : Thy hand once more; I will not loose again, [p]Till thou art here
aloft, or I below: [p]Thou canst not come to me: I come to thee.

Saturninus : Along with me: I'll see what hole is here, [p]And what he is that now
is leap'd into it. [p]Say who art thou that lately didst
descend [p]Into this gaping hollow of the earth?

Martius : The unhappy son of old Andronicus: [p]Brought hither in a most unlucky
hour, [p]To find thy brother Bassianus dead.

Saturninus : My brother dead! I know thou dost but jest: [p]He and his lady both
are at the lodge [p]Upon the north side of this pleasant
chase; [p]'Tis not an hour since I left him there.

Martius : We know not where you left him all alive; [p]But, out, alas! here have
we found him dead. [p][Re-enter TAMORA, with Attendants;
TITUS] [p]ANDRONICUS, and Lucius]

Tamora : Where is my lord the king?

Saturninus : Here, Tamora, though grieved with killing grief.

Tamora : Where is thy brother Bassianus?

Saturninus : Now to the bottom dost thou search my wound: [p]Poor Bassianus here
lies murdered.

Tamora : Then all too late I bring this fatal writ, [p]The complot of this
timeless tragedy; [p]And wonder greatly that man's face can fold [p]In
pleasing smiles such murderous tyranny.

Saturninus : [Reads] 'An if we miss to meet him handsomely-- [p]Sweet huntsman,
Bassianus 'tis we mean-- [p]Do thou so much as dig the grave for
him: [p]Thou know'st our meaning. Look for thy reward [p]Among the
nettles at the elder-tree [p]Which overshades the mouth of that same
pit [p]Where we decreed to bury Bassianus. [p]Do this, and purchase us
thy lasting friends.' [p]O Tamora! was ever heard the like? [p]This is
the pit, and this the elder-tree. [p]Look, sirs, if you can find the
huntsman out [p]That should have murdered Bassianus here.

Aaron : My gracious lord, here is the bag of gold.

Saturninus : [To TITUS] Two of thy whelps, fell curs of [p]bloody kind, [p]Have
here bereft my brother of his life. [p]Sirs, drag them from the pit
unto the prison: [p]There let them bide until we have devised [p]Some
never-heard-of torturing pain for them.

Tamora : What, are they in this pit? O wondrous thing! [p]How easily murder is
discovered!

Titus Andronicus : High emperor, upon my feeble knee [p]I beg this boon, with tears not
lightly shed, [p]That this fell fault of my accursed sons, [p]Accursed
if the fault be proved in them,--

Saturninus : If it be proved! you see it is apparent. [p]Who found this letter?
Tamora, was it you?

Tamora : Andronicus himself did take it up.

Titus Andronicus : I did, my lord: yet let me be their bail; [p]For, by my father's
reverend tomb, I vow [p]They shall be ready at your highness'
will [p]To answer their suspicion with their lives.

Saturninus : Thou shalt not bail them: see thou follow me. [p]Some bring the
murder'd body, some the murderers: [p]Let them not speak a word; the
guilt is plain; [p]For, by my soul, were there worse end than
death, [p]That end upon them should be executed.

Tamora : Andronicus, I will entreat the king; [p]Fear not thy sons; they shall
do well enough.

Titus Andronicus : Come, Lucius, come; stay not to talk with them.

Previous: Act 2 - Scene 2

Next: Act 2 - Scene 4

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