Rome. Before the Capitol.
 Flourish.
 Enter the TRIBUNES and SENATORS aloft.
 And then enter SATURNINUS and his FOLLOWERS at one door,
 and BASSIANUS and his FOLLOWERS at the other,
 with DRUM and COLOURS.

Saturninus	Noble patricians, patrons of my right,
	Defend the justice of my cause with arms;
	And, countrymen, my loving followers,
	Plead my successive title with your swords.
	I am his first-born son that was the last
	That wore the imperial diadem of Rome.
	Then let my father's honours live in me,
	Nor wrong mine age with this indignity.

Bassianus	Romans, friends, followers, favourers of my right,
	If ever Bassianus, Caesar's son,
	Were gracious in the eyes of royal Rome,
	Keep then this passage to the Capitol,
	And suffer not dishonour to approach
	The imperial seat, to virtue consecrate,
	To justice, continence, and nobility;
	But let desert in pure election shine,
	And, Romans, fight for freedom in your choice.

              Enter MARCUS ANDRONICUS aloft with the crown.

Marcus	Princes that strive by factions and by friends
	Ambitiously for rule and empery,
	Know that the people of Rome, for whom we stand
	A special party, have by common voice
	In election for the Roman empery,
	Chosen Andronicus, surnamd Pius
	For many good and great deserts to Rome.
	A nobler man, a braver warrior,
	Lives not this day within the city walls.
	He by the senate is accited home
	From weary wars against the barbarous Goths,
	That with his sons, a terror to our foes,
	Hath yoked a nation strong, trained up in arms.
	Ten years are spent since first he undertook
	This cause of Rome, and chastisd with arms
	Our enemies' pride. Five times he hath returned
	Bleeding to Rome, bearing his valiant sons
	In coffins from the field;
	And now at last, laden with honour's spoils,
	Returns the good Andronicus to Rome,
	Renownd Titus, flourishing in arms.
	Let us entreat, by honour of his name,
	Whom worthily you would have now succeed,
	And in the Capitol and senate's right,
	Whom you pretend to honour and adore,
	That you withdraw you and abate your strength,
	Dismiss your followers, and, as suitors should,
	Plead your deserts in peace and humbleness.

Saturninus	How fair the tribune speaks to calm my thoughts!

Bassianus	Marcus Andronicus, so I do affy
	In thy uprightness and integrity,
	And so I love and honour thee and thine,
	Thy noble brother Titus and his sons,
	And her to whom my thoughts are humbled all,
	Gracious Lavinia, Rome's rich ornament,
	That I will here dismiss my loving friends,
	And to my fortune's and the people's favour
	Commit my cause in balance to be weighed.
							   [Exeunt the FOLLOWERS OF BASSIANUS.

Saturninus	Friends, that have been thus forward in my right,
	I thank you all and here dismiss you all;
	And to the love and favour of my country
	Commit myself, my person, and the cause.
							  [Exeunt the FOLLOWERS OF SATURNINUS.
	Rome, be as just and gracious unto me
	As I am confident and kind to thee.
	Open the gates and let me in.

Bassianus	Tribunes, and me, a poor competitor.
					  [Flourish. They go up into the Senate-house.

                             Enter a CAPTAIN.

Captain	Romans, make way! The good Andronicus,
	Patron of virtue, Rome's best champion,
	Successful in the battles that he fights,
	With honour and with fortune is returned
	From where he circumscribd with his sword,
	And brought to yoke, the enemies of Rome.

                        Sound drums and trumpets.
                    And then enter MARTIUS and MUTIUS;
         after them two MEN bearing a coffin covered with black;
                         then LUCIUS and QUINTUS;
                       after them TITUS ANDRONICUS;
                 and then TAMORA, the Queen of the Goths,
    and her sons ALARBUS, CHIRON, and DEMETRIUS, with AARON the Moor,
                      and OTHERS as many as can be.
               They set down the coffin, and TITUS speaks.

Titus	Hail, Rome, victorious in thy mourning weeds!
	Lo, as the bark that hath discharged her fraught
	Returns with precious lading to the bay
	From whence at first she weighed her anchorage,
	Cometh Andronicus, bound with laurel boughs,
	To re-salute his country with his tears,
	Tears of true joy for his return to Rome.
	Thou great defender of this Capitol,
	Stand gracious to the rites that we intend.
	Romans, of five-and-twenty valiant sons,
	Half of the number that King Priam had,
	Behold the poor remains, alive and dead.
	These that survive, let Rome reward with love;
	These that I bring unto their latest home,
	With burial amongst their ancestors.
	Here Goths have given me leave to sheathe my sword.
	Titus, unkind, and careless of thine own,
	Why suffer'st thou thy sons, unburied yet,
	To hover on the dreadful shore of Styx?
	Make way to lay them by their brethren.
													[They open the tomb.
	There greet in silence, as the dead are wont,
	And sleep in peace, slain in your country's wars.
	O sacred receptacle of my joys,
	Sweet cell of virtue and nobility,
	How many sons hast thou of mine in store,
	That thou wilt never render to me more!

Lucius	Give us the proudest prisoner of the Goths,
	That we may hew his limbs, and on a pile
	Ad manes fratrum sacrifice his flesh
	Before this earthy prison of their bones,
	That so the shadows be not unappeased,
	Nor we disturbed with prodigies on earth.

Titus	I give him you, the noblest that survives,
	The eldest son of this distressd queen.

Tamora	Stay, Roman brethren! Gracious conqueror,
	Victorious Titus, rue the tears I shed,
	A mother's tears in passion for her son;
	And if thy sons were ever dear to thee,
	O, think my son to be as dear to me.
	Sufficeth not that we are brought to Rome,
	To beautify thy triumphs, and return
	Captive to thee and to thy Roman yoke;
	But must my sons be slaughtered in the streets
	For valiant doings in their country's cause?
	O, if to fight for king and commonweal
	Were piety in thine, it is in these.
	Andronicus, stain not thy tomb with blood;
	Wilt thou draw near the nature of the gods?
	Draw near them then in being merciful;
	Sweet mercy is nobility's true badge.
	Thrice-noble Titus, spare my first-born son.

Titus	Patient yourself, madam, and pardon me.
	These are their brethren, whom your Goths beheld
	Alive and dead, and for their brethren slain
	Religiously they ask a sacrifice.
	To this your son is marked, and die he must,
	T'appease their groaning shadows that are gone.

Lucius	Away with him! And make a fire straight,
	And with our swords, upon a pile of wood,
	Let's hew his limbs till they be clean consumed.
								 [Exeunt LUCIUS, QUINTUS, MARTIUS,
											and MUTIUS, with ALARBUS.

Tamora	O cruel, irreligious piety!

Chiron	Was never Scythia half so barbarous!

Demetrius	Oppose not Scythia to ambitious Rome.
	Alarbus goes to rest, and we survive
	To tremble under Titus' threat'ning look.
	Then, madam, stand resolved, but hope withal
	The selfsame gods that armed the Queen of Troy
	With opportunity of sharp revenge
	Upon the Thracian tyrant in his tent
	May favour Tamora, the Queen of Goths-
	When Goths were Goths, and Tamora was queen-
	To quit the bloody wrongs upon her foes.

 Re-enter LUCIUS, QUINTUS, MARTIUS, and MUTIUS, with their swords bloody.

Lucius	See, lord and father, how we have performed
	Our Roman rites. Alarbus' limbs are lopped,
	And entrails feed the sacrificing fire,
	Whose smoke like incense doth perfume the sky.
	Remaineth nought but to inter our brethren,
	And with loud 'larums welcome them to Rome.

Titus	Let it be so; and let Andronicus
	Make this his latest farewell to their souls.
				[Sound trumpets, and lay the coffin in the tomb.

	In peace and honour rest you here, my sons;
	Rome's readiest champions, repose you here in rest,
	Secure from worldly chances and mishaps.
	Here lurks no treason, here no envy swells,
	Here grow no damnd drugs, here are no storms,
	No noise, but silence and eternal sleep.
	In peace and honour rest you here, my sons!

                              Enter LAVINIA.

Lavinia	In peace and honour live Lord Titus long,
	My noble lord and father, live in fame!
	Lo, at this tomb my tributary tears
	I render for my brethren's obsequies;
	And at thy feet I kneel, with tears of joy
	Shed on this earth for thy return to Rome.
	O, bless me here with thy victorious hand,
	Whose fortunes Rome's best citizens applaud.

Titus	Kind Rome, that hast thus lovingly reserved
	The cordial of mine age to glad my heart.
	Lavinia, live - outlive thy father's days,
	And fame's eternal date, for virtue's praise!

             Re-enter MARCUS ANDRONICUS and TRIBUNES, aloft;
              and SATURNINUS, BASSIANUS, and OTHERS, below.

Marcus	Long live Lord Titus, my belovd brother,
	Gracious triumpher in the eyes of Rome!

Titus	Thanks, gentle tribune, noble brother Marcus.

Marcus	And welcome, nephews, from successful wars,
	You that survive, and you that sleep in fame!
	Fair lords, your fortunes are alike in all,
	That in your country's service drew your swords;
	But safer triumph is this funeral pomp
	That hath aspired to Solon's happiness
	And triumphs over chance in honour's bed.
	Titus Andronicus, the people of Rome,
	Whose friend in justice thou hast ever been,
	Send thee by me, their tribune and their trust,
	This palliament of white and spotless hue,
	And name thee in election for the empire,
	With these our late-deceasd emperor's sons.
	Be candidatus then, and put it on,
	And help to set a head on headless Rome.

Titus	A better head her glorious body fits
	Than his that shakes for age and feebleness.
	What, should I don this robe, and trouble you?
	Be chosen with proclamations today,
	Tomorrow yield up rule, resign my life,
	And set abroad new business for you all?
	Rome, I have been thy soldier forty years,
	And led my country's strength successfully,
	And buried one-and-twenty valiant sons,
	Knighted in field, slain manfully in arms,
	In right and service of their noble country.
	Give me a staff of honour for mine age,
	But not a sceptre to control the world.
	Upright he held it, lords, that held it last.

Marcus	Titus, thou shalt obtain and ask the empery.

Saturninus	Proud and ambitious tribune, canst thou tell?

Titus	Patience, Prince Saturninus.

Saturninus									Romans, do me right!
	Patricians, draw your swords, and sheathe them not
	Till Saturninus be Rome's emperor.
	Andronicus, would thou wert shipped to hell,
	Rather than rob me of the people's hearts!

Lucius	Proud Saturnine, interrupter of the good
	That noble-minded Titus means to thee!

Titus	Content thee, prince; I will restore to thee
	The people's hearts, and wean them from themselves.

Bassianus	Andronicus, I do not flatter thee,
	But honour thee, and will do till I die.
	My faction if thou strengthen with thy friends,
	I will most thankful be; and thanks to men
	Of noble minds is honourable meed.

Titus	People of Rome, and people's tribunes here,
	I ask your voices and your suffrages.
	Will you bestow them friendly on Andronicus?

Tribunes	To gratify the good Andronicus,
	And gratulate his safe return to Rome,
	The people will accept whom he admits.

Titus	Tribunes, I thank you; and this suit I make:
	Give me a staff of honour for mine age,
	That you create your emperor's eldest son,
	Lord Saturnine; whose virtues will, I hope,
	Reflect on Rome as Titan's rays on earth,
	And ripen justice in this commonweal.
	Then, if you will elect by my advice,
	Crown him, and say 'Long live our emperor!'

Marcus	With voices and applause of every sort,
	Patricians and plebeians, we create
	Lord Saturninus Rome's great emperor,
	And say 'Long live our emperor Saturnine!'
							 [A long flourish till they come down.

Saturninus	Titus Andronicus, for thy favours done
	To us in our election this day,
	I give thee thanks in part of thy deserts,
	And will with deeds requite thy gentleness;
	And, for an onset, Titus, to advance
	Thy name and honourable family,
	Lavinia will I make my empress,
	Rome's royal mistress, mistress of my heart,
	And in the sacred Pantheon her espouse.
	Tell me, Andronicus, doth this motion please thee?

Titus	It doth, my worthy lord, and in this match
	I hold me highly honoured of your grace;
	And here, in sight of Rome, to Saturnine,
	King and commander of our commonweal,
	The wide world's emperor, do I consecrate
	My sword, my chariot, and my prisoners;
	Presents well worthy Rome's imperious lord.
	Receive them then, the tribute that I owe,
	Mine honour's ensigns humbled at thy feet.

Saturninus	Thanks, noble Titus, father of my life.
	How proud I am of thee and of thy gifts
	Rome shall record, and when I do forget
	The least of these unspeakable deserts,
	Romans, forget your fealty to me.

Titus	[To TAMORA.] Now, madam, are you prisoner to an emperor,
	To him that, for your honour and your state,
	Will use you nobly, and your followers.

Saturninus	A goodly lady, trust me, of the hue
	That I would choose, were I to choose anew.
	Clear up, fair queen, that cloudy countenance;
	Though chance of war hath wrought this change of cheer,
	Thou com'st not to be made a scorn in Rome.
	Princely shall be thy usage every way.
	Rest on my word, and let not discontent
	Daunt all your hopes. Madam, he comforts you
	Can make you greater than the Queen of Goths.
	Lavinia, you are not displeased with this?

Lavinia	Not I, my lord, sith true nobility
	Warrants these words in princely courtesy.

Saturninus	Thanks, sweet Lavinia. Romans, let us go;
	Ransomless here we set our prisoners free.
	Proclaim our honours, lords, with trump and drum.
									[Exeunt SATURNINUS and TAMORA.

Bassianus	Lord Titus, by your leave, this maid is mine.

Titus	How, sir! Are you in earnest then, my lord?

Bassianus	Ay, noble Titus, and resolved withal
	To do myself this reason and this right.

Marcus	Suum cuique is our Roman justice;
	This prince in justice seizeth but his own.

Lucius	And that he will, and shall, if Lucius live.

Titus	Traitors, avaunt! Where is the emperor's guard?

                           Re-enter SATURNINUS.

	Treason, my lord! Lavinia is surprised.

Saturninus	Surprised! By whom?

Bassianus							By him that justly may
	Bear his betrothed from all the world away.
						[Exeunt MARCUS and BASSIANUS with LAVINIA.

Mutius	Brothers, help to convey her hence away,
	And with my sword I'll keep this door safe.
							 [Exeunt LUCIUS, QUINTUS, and MARTIUS.

Titus	[To SATURNINUS.]
	Follow, my lord, and I'll soon bring her back.

Mutius	My lord, you pass not here.

Titus									What, villain boy!
	Bar'st me my way in Rome?

Mutius							Help, Lucius, help!
							  [TITUS kills him. Exeunt SATURNINUS,
									 DEMETRIUS, CHIRON, and AARON.

                             Re-enter LUCIUS.

Lucius	My lord, you are unjust, and more than so,
	In wrongful quarrel you have slain your son.

Titus	Nor thou nor he are any sons of mine:
	My sons would never so dishonour me.
	Traitor, restore Lavinia to the emperor.

Lucius	Dead, if you will; but not to be his wife
	That is another's lawful promised love.
													[Exit.

       Re-enter aloft SATURNINUS with TAMORA and DEMETRIUS, CHIRON,
                           and AARON the Moor.

Saturninus	No, Titus, no! The emperor needs her not,
	Nor her, nor thee, nor any of thy stock.
	I'll trust by leisure him that mocks me once,
	Thee never, nor thy traitorous haughty sons,
	Confederates all thus to dishonour me.
	Was none in Rome to make a stale
	But Saturnine? Full well, Andronicus,
	Agree these deeds with that proud brag of thine
	That said'st I begged the empire at thy hands.

Titus	O monstrous! What reproachful words are these?

Saturninus	But go thy ways; go, give that changing piece
	To him that flourished for her with his sword.
	A valiant son-in-law thou shalt enjoy;
	One fit to bandy with thy lawless sons,
	To ruffle in the commonwealth of Rome.

Titus	These words are razors to my wounded heart.

Saturninus	And therefore, lovely Tamora, Queen of Goths,
	That, like the stately Phoebe 'mongst her nymphs,
	Dost overshine the gallan'st dames of Rome,
	If thou be pleased with this my sudden choice,
	Behold, I choose thee, Tamora, for my bride,
	And will create thee Empress of Rome.
	Speak, Queen of Goths, dost thou applaud my choice?
	And here I swear by all the Roman gods,
	Sith priest and holy water are so near,
	And tapers burn so bright, and everything
	In readiness for Hymenaeus stand,
	I will not re-salute the streets of Rome,
	Or climb my palace, till from forth this place
	I lead espoused my bride along with me.

Tamora	And here, in sight of heaven, to Rome I swear,
	If Saturnine advance the Queen of Goths,
	She will a handmaid be to his desires,
	A loving nurse, a mother to his youth.

Saturninus	Ascend, fair queen, Pantheon. Lords, accompany
	Your noble emperor, and his lovely bride,
	Sent by the heavens for Prince Saturnine,
	Whose wisdom hath her fortune conquerd.
	There shall we consummate our spousal rites.
													[Exeunt all but TITUS.

Titus	I am not bid to wait upon this bride.
	Titus, when wert thou wont to walk alone,
	Dishonoured thus, and challengd of wrongs?

              Re-enter MARCUS, LUCIUS, QUINTUS, and MARTIUS.

Marcus	O Titus, see, O see what thou hast done;
	In a bad quarrel slain a virtuous son.

Titus	No, foolish tribune, no; no son of mine,
	Nor thou, nor these, confederates in the deed
	That hath dishonoured all our family.
	Unworthy brother, and unworthy sons!

Lucius	But let us give him burial as becomes;
	Give Mutius burial with our brethren.

Titus	Traitors, away! He rests not in this tomb.
	This monument five hundreth years hath stood,
	Which I have sumptuously re-edified:
	Here none but soldiers and Rome's servitors
	Repose in fame; none basely slain in brawls.
	Bury him where you can; he comes not here.

Marcus	My lord, this is impiety in you.
	My nephew Mutius' deeds do plead for him;
	He must be buried with his brethren.

Martius &
Quintus	And shall, or him we will accompany.

Titus	And shall! What villain was it spake that word?

Martius	He that would vouch it in any place but here.

Titus	What, would you bury him in my despite?

Marcus	No, noble Titus, but entreat of thee
	To pardon Mutius, and to bury him.

Titus	Marcus, even thou hast struck upon my crest,
	And with these boys mine honour thou hast wounded.
	My foes I do repute you every one;
	So, trouble me no more, but get you gone.

Martius	He is not with himself; let us withdraw.

Quintus	Not I, till Mutius' bones be burid.
					   [MARCUS, LUCIUS, MARTIUS and QUINTUS kneel.

Marcus	Brother, for in that name doth nature plead-

Quintus	Father, and in that name doth nature speak-

Titus	Speak thou no more, if all the rest will speed.

Marcus	Renownd Titus, more than half my soul-

Lucius	Dear father, soul and substance of us all-

Marcus	Suffer thy brother Marcus to inter
	His noble nephew here in virtue's nest,
	That died in honour and Lavinia's cause.
	Thou art a Roman; be not barbarous.
	The Greeks upon advice did bury Ajax
	That slew himself; and wise Laertes' son
	Did graciously plead for his funerals.
	Let not young Mutius then, that was thy joy,
	Be barred his entrance here.

Titus									Rise, Marcus, rise.
	The dismall'st day is this that e'er I saw,
	To be dishonoured by my sons in Rome!
	Well, bury him, and bury me the next.
										[They put him in the tomb.

Lucius	There lie thy bones, sweet Mutius, with thy friends,
	Till we with trophies do adorn thy tomb.
													[They all kneel.

Marcus, Martius
Quintus & Lucius		No man shed tears for noble Mutius;
			He lives in fame that died in virtue's cause.

Marcus	My lord, to step out of these dreary dumps,
	How comes it that the subtle Queen of Goths
	Is of a sudden thus advanced in Rome?

Titus	I know not, Marcus, but I know it is;
	Whether by device or no, the heavens can tell.
	Is she not, then, beholding to the man
	That brought her for this high good turn so far?

Marcus	Yes, and will nobly him remunerate.

                                Flourish.
    Enter SATURNINUS, TAMORA, and her two sons, CHIRON and DEMETRIUS,
                    with AARON the Moor, at one door.
        Enter at the other door BASSIANUS and LAVINIA with OTHERS.

Saturninus	So, Bassianus, you have played your prize;
	God give you joy, sir, of your gallant bride.

Bassianus	And you of yours, my lord. I say no more,
	Nor wish no less; and so I take my leave.

Saturninus	Traitor, if Rome have law or we have power,
	Thou and thy faction shall repent this rape.

Bassianus	Rape call you it, my lord, to seize my own,
	My true-betrothd love, and now my wife?
	But let the laws of Rome determine all;
	Meanwhile am I possessed of that is mine.

Saturninus	'Tis good, sir, you are very short with us;
	But, if we live, we'll be as sharp with you.

Bassianus	My lord, what I have done, as best I may,
	Answer I must, and shall do with my life.
	Only thus much I give your grace to know:
	By all the duties that I owe to Rome,
	This noble gentleman, Lord Titus here,
	Is in opinion and in honour wronged,
	That, in the rescue of Lavinia,
	With his own hand did slay his youngest son,
	In zeal to you, and highly moved to wrath
	To be controlled in that he frankly gave.
	Receive him then to favour, Saturnine,
	That hath expressed himself in all his deeds
	A father and a friend to thee and Rome.

Titus	Prince Bassianus, leave to plead my deeds.
	'Tis thou, and those, that have dishonoured me.
	Rome and the righteous heavens be my judge
	How I have loved and honoured Saturnine.

Tamora	My worthy lord, if ever Tamora
	Were gracious in those princely eyes of thine,
	Then hear me speak indifferently for all;
	And at my suit, sweet, pardon what is past.

Saturninus	What, madam, be dishonoured openly,
	And basely put it up without revenge?

Tamora	Not so, my lord; the gods of Rome forfend
	I should be author to dishonour you!
	But on mine honour dare I undertake
	For good Lord Titus' innocence in all,
	Whose fury not dissembled speaks his griefs.
	Then, at my suit, look graciously on him;
	Lose not so noble a friend on vain suppose,
	Nor with sour looks afflict his gentle heart.
	[Aside to SATURNINUS.]
	My lord, be ruled by me, be won at last;
	Dissemble all your griefs and discontents.
	You are but newly planted in your throne;
	Lest then the people, and patricians too,
	Upon a just survey take Titus' part,
	And so supplant you for ingratitude,
	Which Rome reputes to be a heinous sin,
	Yield at entreats, and then let me alone:
	I'll find a day to massacre them all,
	And raze their faction and their family,
	The cruel father, and his traitorous sons,
	To whom I sud for my dear son's life;
	And make them know what 'tis to let a queen
	Kneel in the streets and beg for grace in vain.
	[Aloud.] Come, come, sweet emperor; come, Andronicus;
	Take up this good old man, and cheer the heart
	That dies in tempest of thy angry frown.

Saturninus	Rise, Titus, rise; my empress hath prevailed.

Titus	I thank your majesty, and her, my lord.
	These words, these looks, infuse new life in me.

Tamora	Titus, I am incorporate in Rome,
	A Roman now adopted happily,
	And must advise the emperor for his good.
	This day all quarrels die, Andronicus;
	And let it be mine honour, good my lord,
	That I have reconciled your friends and you.
	For you, Prince Bassianus, I have passed
	My word and promise to the emperor
	That you will be more mild and tractable.
	And fear not, lords, and you, Lavinia,
	By my advice, all humbled on your knees,
	You shall ask pardon of his majesty.
									  [BASSIANUS, MARCUS, MARTIUS,
									  QUINTUS, and LUCILUS, kneel.

Lucius	We do, and vow to heaven and to his highness
	That what we did was mildly as we might,
	Tend'ring our sister's honour and our own.

Marcus	That on mine honour here do I protest.

Saturninus	Away, and talk not; trouble us no more.

Tamora	Nay, nay, sweet emperor, we must all be friends.
	The tribune and his nephews kneel for grace;
	I will not be denied. Sweetheart, look back.

Saturninus	Marcus, for thy sake and thy brother's here,
	And at my lovely Tamora's entreats,
	I do remit these young men's heinous faults.
	Stand up.
	Lavinia, though you left me like a churl,
	I found a friend, and sure as death I swore
	I would not part a bachelor from the priest.
	Come, if the emperor's court can feast two brides,
	You are my guest, Lavinia, and your friends.
	This day shall be a love-day, Tamora.

Titus	Tomorrow, an it please your majesty
	To hunt the panther and the hart with me,
	With horn and hound we'll give your grace bonjour.

Saturninus	Be it so, Titus, and gramercy too.
													[Flourish. Exeunt.
