Read Online Titus Andronicus & Timon of Athens by William Shakespeare - Free Book Online
Authors: William Shakespeare
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faults of Titus’ age,
Th’effects of sorrow for his valiant sons
Whose loss hath pierced him deep and scarred his heart;
And rather comfort his distressèd plight
Than prosecute the meanest 33 or the best
Aside
For these contempts.— Why, thus it shall become
High-witted Tamora to gloze withal. 35
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 40 , an your mistership be emperial.
TAMORA Empress I am, but yonder sits the emperor.
CLOWN ’Tis he. God and Saint Stephen give you good e’en 42 . 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 45 have?
TAMORA Come, sirrah, you must be hanged.
CLOWN Hanged? By’r lady , then I have brought up a neck 47 to
a fair end. 48
Exit
[
guarded
]
SATURNINUS Despiteful and intolerable wrongs!
Shall I endure this monstrous villainy?
I know from whence this same device 51 proceeds.
May this be borne as if his traitorous sons,
That died by law for murder of our brother,
Have by my means been butchered wrongfully?
Go, drag the villain hither by the hair:
Nor age nor honour shall shape privilege. 56
For this proud mock I’ll be thy slaughterman, 57
Sly frantic wretch that holp’st 58 to make me great
In hope thyself should govern Rome and me.
Enter a Messenger, Emillius
What news with thee, Emillius?
EMILLIUS Arm, my lords! Rome never had more cause:
The Goths have gathered head , and with a power 62
Of high-resolvèd men bent to the spoil 63
They hither march amain , under conduct 64
Of Lucius, son to old Andronicus,
Who threats in course of this revenge to do
As much as ever Coriolanus 67 did.
SATURNINUS Is warlike Lucius general of the Goths?
These tidings nip me 69 and I hang the head
As flowers with frost or grass beat down with storms.
Ay, now begins our sorrows to approach:
’Tis he the common people love so much.
Myself hath often heard them say,
When I have walkèd like a private man, 74
That Lucius’ banishment was wrongfully, 75
And they have wished that Lucius were their emperor.
TAMORA Why should you fear? Is not our city strong?
SATURNINUS Ay, but the citizens favour Lucius,
And will revolt from me to succour him.
TAMORA King, be thy thoughts imperious, like thy name. 80
Is the sun dimmed, that gnats do fly in it?
The eagle suffers 82 little birds to sing,
And is not careful 83 what they mean thereby,
Knowing that with the shadow of his wings
He can at pleasure stint 85 their melody:
Even so mayst thou the giddy 86 men of Rome.
Then cheer thy spirit, for know thou, emperor,
I will enchant the old Andronicus
With words more sweet and yet more dangerous
Than baits to fish or honey-stalks 90 to sheep,
When as the one is wounded with the bait,
The other rotted 92 with delicious food.
SATURNINUS But he will not entreat his son for us.
TAMORA If Tamora entreat him, then he will,
For I can smooth 95 and fill his agèd ear
With golden promises that, were his heart
Almost impregnable, his old ears deaf,
Yet should both ear and heart obey my tongue.
To Emillius
Go thou before to be our ambassador:
Say that the emperor requests a parley 100
Of warlike Lucius, and appoint 101 the meeting
Even at his father’s house, the old Andronicus.
SATURNINUS Emillius, do this message honourably:
And if he stand in 104 hostage for his safety,
Bid him demand what pledge will please him best.
EMILLIUS Your bidding shall I do effectually. 106
Exit
TAMORA Now will I to that old Andronicus,
And temper 108 him with all the
Th’effects of sorrow for his valiant sons
Whose loss hath pierced him deep and scarred his heart;
And rather comfort his distressèd plight
Than prosecute the meanest 33 or the best
Aside
For these contempts.— Why, thus it shall become
High-witted Tamora to gloze withal. 35
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 40 , an your mistership be emperial.
TAMORA Empress I am, but yonder sits the emperor.
CLOWN ’Tis he. God and Saint Stephen give you good e’en 42 . 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 45 have?
TAMORA Come, sirrah, you must be hanged.
CLOWN Hanged? By’r lady , then I have brought up a neck 47 to
a fair end. 48
Exit
[
guarded
]
SATURNINUS Despiteful and intolerable wrongs!
Shall I endure this monstrous villainy?
I know from whence this same device 51 proceeds.
May this be borne as if his traitorous sons,
That died by law for murder of our brother,
Have by my means been butchered wrongfully?
Go, drag the villain hither by the hair:
Nor age nor honour shall shape privilege. 56
For this proud mock I’ll be thy slaughterman, 57
Sly frantic wretch that holp’st 58 to make me great
In hope thyself should govern Rome and me.
Enter a Messenger, Emillius
What news with thee, Emillius?
EMILLIUS Arm, my lords! Rome never had more cause:
The Goths have gathered head , and with a power 62
Of high-resolvèd men bent to the spoil 63
They hither march amain , under conduct 64
Of Lucius, son to old Andronicus,
Who threats in course of this revenge to do
As much as ever Coriolanus 67 did.
SATURNINUS Is warlike Lucius general of the Goths?
These tidings nip me 69 and I hang the head
As flowers with frost or grass beat down with storms.
Ay, now begins our sorrows to approach:
’Tis he the common people love so much.
Myself hath often heard them say,
When I have walkèd like a private man, 74
That Lucius’ banishment was wrongfully, 75
And they have wished that Lucius were their emperor.
TAMORA Why should you fear? Is not our city strong?
SATURNINUS Ay, but the citizens favour Lucius,
And will revolt from me to succour him.
TAMORA King, be thy thoughts imperious, like thy name. 80
Is the sun dimmed, that gnats do fly in it?
The eagle suffers 82 little birds to sing,
And is not careful 83 what they mean thereby,
Knowing that with the shadow of his wings
He can at pleasure stint 85 their melody:
Even so mayst thou the giddy 86 men of Rome.
Then cheer thy spirit, for know thou, emperor,
I will enchant the old Andronicus
With words more sweet and yet more dangerous
Than baits to fish or honey-stalks 90 to sheep,
When as the one is wounded with the bait,
The other rotted 92 with delicious food.
SATURNINUS But he will not entreat his son for us.
TAMORA If Tamora entreat him, then he will,
For I can smooth 95 and fill his agèd ear
With golden promises that, were his heart
Almost impregnable, his old ears deaf,
Yet should both ear and heart obey my tongue.
To Emillius
Go thou before to be our ambassador:
Say that the emperor requests a parley 100
Of warlike Lucius, and appoint 101 the meeting
Even at his father’s house, the old Andronicus.
SATURNINUS Emillius, do this message honourably:
And if he stand in 104 hostage for his safety,
Bid him demand what pledge will please him best.
EMILLIUS Your bidding shall I do effectually. 106
Exit
TAMORA Now will I to that old Andronicus,
And temper 108 him with all the
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