Read Online Complete Plays, The by William Shakespeare - Free Book Online

justice, used in such contempt?My lords, you know, as know the mightful gods,However these disturbers of our peaceBuz in the people’s ears, there nought hath pass’d,But even with law, against the willful sonsOf old Andronicus. And what an ifHis sorrows have so overwhelm’d his wits,Shall we be thus afflicted in his wreaks,His fits, his frenzy, and his bitterness?And now he writes to heaven for his redress:See, here’s to Jove, and this to Mercury;This to Apollo; this to the god of war;Sweet scrolls to fly about the streets of Rome!What’s this but libelling against the senate,And blazoning our injustice every where?A goodly humour, is it not, my lords?As who would say, in Rome no justice were.But if I live, his feigned ecstasiesShall be no shelter to these outrages:But he and his shall know that justice livesIn Saturninus’ health, whom, if she sleep,He’ll so awake as she in fury shallCut off the proud’st conspirator that lives.
    Tamora
    My gracious lord, my lovely Saturnine,Lord of my life, commander of my thoughts,Calm thee, and bear the faults of Titus’ age,The effects of sorrow for his valiant sons,Whose loss hath pierced him deep and scarr’d his heart;And rather comfort his distressed plightThan prosecute the meanest or the bestFor these contempts.
    Aside
    Why, thus it shall becomeHigh-witted Tamora to gloze with all:But, Titus, I have touched thee to the quick,Thy life-blood out: if Aaron now be wise,Then is all safe, the anchor’s in the port.
    Enter Clown
    How now, good fellow! wouldst thou speak with us?
    Clown
    Yea, forsooth, an your mistership be emperial.
    Tamora
    Empress I am, but yonder sits the emperor.
    Clown
    ’Tis he. God and Saint Stephen give you good den:I have brought you a letter and a couple of pigeons here.
    Saturninus reads the letter
    Saturninus
    Go, take him away, and hang him presently.
    Clown
    How much money must I have?
    Tamora
    Come, sirrah, you must be hanged.
    Clown
    Hanged! by’r lady, then I have brought up a neck to a fair end.
    Exit, guarded
    Saturninus
    Despiteful and intolerable wrongs!Shall I endure this monstrous villany?I know from whence this same device proceeds:May this be borne?— as if his traitorous sons,That died by law for murder of our brother,Have by my means been butcher’d wrongfully!Go, drag the villain hither by the hair;Nor age nor honour shall shape privilege:For this proud mock I’ll be thy slaughterman;Sly frantic wretch, that holp’st to make me great,In hope thyself should govern Rome and me.
    Enter Aemilius
    What news with thee, Aemilius?
    Aemilius
    Arm, arm, my lord;— Rome never had more cause.The Goths have gather’d head; and with a powerHigh-resolved men, bent to the spoil,They hither march amain, under conductOf Lucius, son to old Andronicus;Who threats, in course of this revenge, to doAs much as ever Coriolanus did.
    Saturninus
    Is warlike Lucius general of the Goths?These tidings nip me, and I hang the headAs flowers with frost or grass beat down with storms:Ay, now begin our sorrows to approach:’Tis he the common people love so much;Myself hath often over-heard them say,When I have walked like a private man,That Lucius’ banishment was wrongfully,And they have wish’d that Lucius were their emperor.
    Tamora
    Why should you fear? is not your city strong?
    Saturninus
    Ay, but the citizens favor Lucius,And will revolt from me to succor him.
    Tamora
    King, be thy thoughts imperious, like thy name.Is the sun dimm’d, that gnats do fly in it?The eagle suffers little birds to sing,And is not careful what they mean thereby,Knowing that with the shadow of his wingsHe can at pleasure stint their melody:Even so mayst thou the giddy men of Rome.Then cheer thy spirit : for know, thou emperor,I will enchant the old AndronicusWith words more sweet, and yet more dangerous,Than baits to fish, or honey-stalks to sheep,When as the one is wounded with the bait,The other rotted with delicious feed.
    Saturninus
    But he will not entreat his son for