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Titus Andronicus
William Shakespeare
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Titus Andronicus
William Shakespeare
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About This Book
In 4th Century Rome, Titus returns to the city after a period of bloody conflicts with the Goths. Upon his triumphant return with his prisoners—the Goth queen Tamora and her three sons—the opposing parties begin a cycle of revenge that ultimate destroys them all. Long assumed to be one of Shakespeare's earliest tragedies, Titus Andronicus was one of the most popular of his plays to be performed during his lifetime.
Known as "The Bard of Avon, " William Shakespeare is arguably the greatest English-language writer known. Enormously popular during his life, Shakespeare's works continue to resonate more than three centuries after his death, as has his influence on theatre and literature. Shakespeare's innovative use of character, language, and experimentation with romance as tragedy served as a foundation for later playwrights and dramatists, and some of his most famous lines of dialogue have become part of everyday speech.
HarperPerennial Classics brings great works of literature to life in digital format, upholding the highest standards in ebook production and celebrating reading in all its forms. Look for more titles in the HarperPerennial Classics collection to build your digital library.
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Topic
LiteraturaSubtopic
Arte dramáticoACT FIVE
SCENE I. Plains near Rome.
Enter LUCIUS with an army of Goths with drums and colours.
LUCIUS Approved warriors and my faithful friends,
I have received letters from great Rome
Which signifies what hate they bear their
Emperor
And how desirous of our sight they are.
[5]
Therefore, great lords, be, as your titles witness,
Imperious and impatient of your wrongs;
And wherein Rome hath done you any scath,
Let him make treble satisfaction.
1 GOTH Brave slip, sprung from the great Andronicus,
Whose name was once our terror, now our
[10]
comfort,
Whose high exploits and honourable deeds
Ingrateful Rome requites with foul contempt,
Be bold in us: we’ll follow where thou lead’st,
Like stinging bees in hottest summer’s day,
[15]
Led by their master to the flow’red fields,
And be aveng’d on cursed Tamora.
ALL THE GOTHS And as he saith, so say we all with him.
LUCIUS I humbly thank him, and I thank you all.
But who comes here, led by a lusty Goth?
Enter a Goth, leading AARON with his Child in his arms
2 GOTH Renowned Lucius, from our troops I
[20]
stray’d
To gaze upon a ruinous monastery;
And as I earnestly did fix mine eye
Upon the wasted building, suddenly
I heard a child cry underneath a wall.
[25]
I made unto the noise, when soon I heard
The crying babe controll’d with this discourse:
‘Peace, tawny slave, half me and half thy dam!
Did not thy hue bewray whose brat thou art,
Had nature lent thee but thy mother’s look,
[30]
Villain, thou mightst have been an emperor;
But where the bull and cow are both milk-white,
They never do beget a coal-black calf.
Peace, villain, peace!’ – even thus he rates the babe –
‘For I must bear thee to a trusty Goth,
[35]
Who, when he knows thou art the Empress’ babe,
Will hold thee dearly for thy mother’s sake’.
With this, my weapon drawn, I rush’d upon him,
Surpris’d him suddenly, and brought him hither
To use as you think needful of the man.
[40]
LUCIUS O worthy Goth, this is the incarnate devil
That robb’d Andronicus of his good hand;
This is the pearl that pleas’d your Empress’ eye;
And here’s the base fruit of her burning lust.
Say, wall-ey’d slave, whither wouldst thou convey
[45]
This growing image of thy fiend-like face?
Why dost not speak? What, deaf? Not a word?
A halter, soldiers! Hang him on this tree,
And by his side his fruit of bastardy.
AARON Touch not the boy, he is of royal blood.
[50]
LUCIUS Too like the sire for ever being good.
First hang the child, that he may see it sprawl –
A sight to vex the father’s soul withal.
Get me a ladder. [A ladder brought, which Aaron is made to climb.
AARON Lucius, save the child,
And bear it from me to the Empress.
[55]
If thou do this, I’ll show thee wondrous things
That highly may advantage thee to hear;
If thou wilt not, befall what may befall,
I’ll speak no more but ‘Vengeance rot you all!’
LUCIUS Say on; an if it please me which thou speak’st,
[60]
Thy child shall live, and I will see it nourish’d.
AARON An if it please thee! Why, assure thee, Lucius,
’Twill vex thy soul to hear what I shall speak;
For I must talk of murders, rapes, and massacres,
Acts of black night, abominable deeds,
[65]
Complots of mischief, treason, villainies,
Ruthful to hear! yet piteously perform’d;
And this shall all be buried in my death,
Unless thou swear to me my child shall live.
LUCIUS Tell on thy mind; I say thy child shall live.
[70]
AARON Swear that he shall, and then I will begin.
LUCIUS Who should I swear by? Thou believest no god;
That granted, how canst thou believe an oath?
AARON What if I do not? – as indeed I do not;
Yet, for I know thou art religious
[75]
And hast a thing within thee called conscience,
With twenty popish tricks and ceremonies
Which I have seen thee careful to observe,
Therefore I urge thy oath. For that I know
An idiot holds his bauble for a god,
[80]
And keeps the oath which by that god he swears,
To that I’ll urge him. Therefore thou shalt vow
By that same god – what god soe’er it be
That thou adorest and hast in reverence –
To save my boy, to nourish and bring him up;
[85]
Or else I will discover nought to thee.
LUCIUS Even by my god I swear to thee I will.
AARON First know thou, I begot him on the Empress.
LUCIUS O most insatiate and luxu’rious woman!
AARON Tut, Lucius, this was but a deed of charity
[90]
To that which thou shalt hear of me anon.
’Twas her two sons that murdered Bassianus;
They cut thy sister’s tongue, and ravish’d her,
And cut her hands, and trimm’d her as thou sawest.
LUCIUS O detestable villain! Call’st thou that trimming?
AARON Why, she was wash’d, and cut, and
[95]
trimm’d, and ’twas
Trim sport for them which had the doing of it.
LUCIUS O barbarous beastly villains like thyself!
AARON Indeed, I was their tutor to instruct them.
That codding spirit had they from their mother,
[100]
As sure a card as ever won the set;
That bloody mind, I think, they learn’d of me,
As true a dog as ever fought at head.
Well, let my deeds be witness of my worth.
I train’d thy brethren to that gui...