Enter Aaron, alone, ⌜carrying a bag of gold.⌝AARON He that had wit would think that I had none, To bury so much gold under a tree And never after to inherit it. Let him that thinks of me so abjectly5 Know that this gold must coin a stratagem Which, cunningly effected, will beget A very excellent piece of villainy.⌜He hides the bag.⌝ And so repose, sweet gold, for their unrest That have their alms out of the Empress’ chest.Enter Tamora alone to ⌜Aaron⌝ the Moor.TAMORA 10 My lovely Aaron, wherefore look’st thou sad, When everything doth make a gleeful boast? The birds chant melody on every bush, The snakes lies rollèd in the cheerful sun, The green leaves quiver with the cooling wind15 And make a checkered shadow on the ground. Under their sweet shade, Aaron, let us sit, And whilst the babbling echo mocks the hounds,
63
Titus Andronicus
ACT 2. SC. 3
Replying shrilly to the well-tuned horns, As if a double hunt were heard at once,20 Let us sit down and mark their yellowing noise. And after conflict such as was supposed The wand’ring prince and Dido once enjoyed When with a happy storm they were surprised, And curtained with a counsel-keeping cave,25 We may, each wreathèd in the other’s arms, Our pastimes done, possess a golden slumber, Whiles hounds and horns and sweet melodious birds Be unto us as is a nurse’s song Of lullaby to bring her babe asleep.AARON 30 Madam, though Venus govern your desires, Saturn is dominator over mine. What signifies my deadly standing eye, My silence, and my cloudy melancholy, My fleece of woolly hair that now uncurls35 Even as an adder when she doth unroll To do some fatal execution? No, madam, these are no venereal signs. Vengeance is in my heart, death in my hand, Blood and revenge are hammering in my head.40 Hark, Tamora, the empress of my soul, Which never hopes more heaven than rests in thee, This is the day of doom for Bassianus. His Philomel must lose her tongue today, Thy sons make pillage of her chastity45 And wash their hands in Bassianus’ blood.⌜He takes out a paper.⌝ Seest thou this letter? Take it up, I pray thee, And give the King this fatal-plotted scroll.⌜He hands her the paper.⌝ Now, question me no more. We are espied. Here comes a parcel of our hopeful booty,50 Which dreads not yet their lives’ destruction.
65
Titus Andronicus
ACT 2. SC. 3
Enter Bassianus and Lavinia.TAMORA Ah, my sweet Moor, sweeter to me than life!AARON No more, great empress. Bassianus comes. Be cross with him, and I’ll go fetch thy sons To back thy quarrels, whatsoe’er they be.⌜He exits.⌝BASSIANUS 55 Who have we here? Rome’s royal empress, Unfurnished of her well-beseeming troop? Or is it Dian, habited like her, Who hath abandonèd her holy groves To see the general hunting in this forest?TAMORA 60 Saucy controller of my private steps, Had I the power that some say Dian had, Thy temples should be planted presently With horns, as was Acteon’s, and the hounds Should drive upon thy new-transformèd limbs,65 Unmannerly intruder as thou art.LAVINIA Under your patience, gentle empress, ’Tis thought you have a goodly gift in horning, And to be doubted that your Moor and you Are singled forth to try experiments.70 Jove shield your husband from his hounds today! ’Tis pity they should take him for a stag.BASSIANUS Believe me, queen, your swarthy Cimmerian Doth make your honor of his body’s hue, Spotted, detested, and abominable.75 Why are you sequestered from all your train, Dismounted from your snow-white goodly steed, And wandered hither to an obscure plot,
67
Titus Andronicus
ACT 2. SC. 3
Accompanied but with a barbarous Moor, If foul desire had not conducted you?LAVINIA 80 And being intercepted in your sport, Great reason that my noble lord be rated For sauciness.—I pray you, let us hence, And let her joy her raven-colored love. This valley fits the purpose passing well.BASSIANUS 85 The King my brother shall have notice of this.LAVINIA Ay, for these slips have made him noted long. Good king to be so mightily abused!TAMORA Why, I have patience to endure all this.Enter Chiron and Demetrius.DEMETRIUS How now, dear sovereign and our gracious mother,90 Why doth your Highness look so pale and wan?TAMORA Have I not reason, think you, to look pale? These two have ticed me hither to this place, A barren, detested vale you see it is; The trees, though summer, yet forlorn and lean,95 Overcome with moss and baleful mistletoe. Here never shines the sun, here nothing breeds, Unless the nightly owl or fatal raven. And when they showed me this abhorrèd pit, They told me, here at dead time of the night100 A thousand fiends, a thousand hissing snakes, Ten thousand swelling toads, as many urchins, Would make such fearful and confusèd cries As any mortal body hearing it Should straight fall mad, or else die suddenly.105 No sooner had they told this hellish tale
69
Titus Andronicus
ACT 2. SC. 3
But straight they told me they would bind me here Unto the body of a dismal yew And leave me to this miserable death. And then they called me foul adulteress,110 Lascivious Goth, and all the bitterest terms That ever ear did hear to such effect. And had you not by wondrous fortune come, This vengeance on me had they executed. Revenge it as you love your mother’s life,115 Or be you not henceforth called my children.DEMETRIUS, ⌜drawing his dagger⌝ This is a witness that I am thy son.CHIRON, ⌜drawing his dagger⌝ And this for me, struck home to show my strength.⌜They⌝ stab ⌜Bassianus.⌝LAVINIA Ay, come, Semiramis, nay, barbarous Tamora, For no name fits thy nature but thy own!TAMORA 120 Give me the poniard! You shall know, my boys, Your mother’s hand shall right your mother’s wrong.DEMETRIUS Stay, madam, here is more belongs to her. First thrash the corn, then after burn the straw. This minion stood upon her chastity,125 Upon her nuptial vow, her loyalty, And with that painted hope braves your mightiness; And shall she carry this unto her grave?CHIRON And if she do, I would I were an eunuch! Drag hence her husband to some secret hole,130 And make his dead trunk pillow to our lust.TAMORA But when you have the honey ⌜you⌝ desire, Let not this wasp outlive, us both to sting.CHIRON I warrant you, madam, we will make that sure.—
71
Titus Andronicus
ACT 2. SC. 3
Come, mistress, now perforce we will enjoy135 That nice-preservèd honesty of yours.LAVINIA O Tamora, thou bearest 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, ⌜to Tamora⌝ Listen, fair madam. Let it be your glory140 To see her tears, but be your heart to them As unrelenting flint to drops of rain.LAVINIA When did the tiger’s young ones teach the dam? O, do not learn her wrath; she taught it thee. The milk thou suck’st from her did turn to marble.145 Even at thy teat thou hadst thy tyranny. Yet every mother breeds not sons alike. ⌜To Chiron.⌝ Do thou entreat her show a woman’s pity.CHIRON What, wouldst thou have me prove myself a bastard?LAVINIA ’Tis true; the raven doth not hatch a lark.150 Yet have I heard—O, could I find it now!— The lion, moved with pity, did endure To have his princely paws pared all away. Some say that ravens foster forlorn children, The whilst their own birds famish in their nests.155 O, be to me, though thy hard heart say no, 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, That gave thee life when well he might have slain thee,160 Be not obdurate; open thy deaf ⌜ears.⌝
73
Titus Andronicus
ACT 2. SC. 3
TAMORA Hadst thou in person ne’er offended me, Even for his sake am I pitiless.— Remember, boys, I poured forth tears in vain To save your brother from the sacrifice,165 But fierce Andronicus would not relent. Therefore away with her, and use her as you will; The worse to her, the better loved of me.LAVINIA O Tamora, be called a gentle queen, And with thine own hands kill me in this place!170 For ’tis not life that I have begged so long; 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 That womanhood denies my tongue to tell.175 O, keep me from their worse-than-killing lust, And tumble me into some loathsome pit Where never man’s eye may behold my body. Do this, and be a charitable murderer.TAMORA So should I rob my sweet sons of their fee.180 No, let them satisfy their lust on thee.DEMETRIUS, ⌜to Lavinia⌝ Away, for thou hast stayed us here too long!LAVINIA, ⌜to Tamora⌝ No grace, no womanhood? Ah, beastly creature, The blot and enemy to our general name, Confusion fall—CHIRON 185 Nay, then, I’ll stop your mouth.—Bring thou her husband. This is the hole where Aaron bid us hide him.⌜They put Bassianus’ body in the pit and
exit, carrying off Lavinia.⌝
75
Titus Andronicus
ACT 2. SC. 3
TAMORA Farewell, my sons. See that you make her sure. Ne’er let my heart know merry cheer indeed190 Till all the Andronici be made away. Now will I hence to seek my lovely Moor, And let my spleenful sons this trull deflower.⟨She exits.⟩Enter Aaron with two of Titus’ sons,
⌜Quintus and Martius.⌝⟨AARON⟩ Come on, my lords, the better foot before. Straight will I bring you to the loathsome pit195 Where I espied the panther fast asleep.QUINTUS My sight is very dull, whate’er it bodes.MARTIUS And mine, I promise you. Were it not for shame, Well could I leave our sport to sleep awhile.⌜He falls into the pit.⌝QUINTUS What, art thou fallen? What subtle hole is this,200 Whose mouth is covered with rude-growing briers Upon whose leaves are drops of new-shed blood As fresh as morning dew distilled on flowers? A very fatal place it seems to me. Speak, brother! Hast thou hurt thee with the fall?MARTIUS 205 O, brother, with the dismal’st object hurt That ever eye with sight made heart lament!AARON, ⌜aside⌝ Now will I fetch the King to find them here, That he thereby may have a likely guess How these were they that made away his brother.He exits.
77
Titus Andronicus
ACT 2. SC. 3
MARTIUS 210 Why dost not comfort me and help me out From this ⌜unhallowed⌝ and bloodstainèd hole?QUINTUS I am surprisèd with an uncouth fear. A chilling sweat o’erruns my trembling joints. My heart suspects more than mine eye can see.MARTIUS 215 To prove thou hast a true-divining heart, Aaron and thou look down into this den And see a fearful sight of blood and death.QUINTUS Aaron is gone, and my compassionate heart Will not permit mine eyes once to behold220 The thing whereat it trembles by surmise. O, tell me who it is, for ne’er till now Was I a child to fear I know not what.MARTIUS Lord Bassianus lies ⌜berayed⌝ in blood, All on a heap, like to a slaughtered lamb,225 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 A precious ring that lightens all this hole, Which like a taper in some monument230 Doth shine upon the dead man’s earthy cheeks And shows the ragged entrails of this pit. So pale did shine the moon on Pyramus When he by night lay bathed in maiden blood. O, brother, help me with thy fainting hand—235 If fear hath made thee faint as me it hath— Out of this fell devouring receptacle, As hateful as ⌜Cocytus’⌝ misty mouth.
79
Titus Andronicus
ACT 2. SC. 3
QUINTUS, ⌜reaching into the pit⌝ Reach me thy hand, that I may help thee out, Or, wanting strength to do thee so much good,240 I may be plucked into the swallowing womb Of this deep pit, poor Bassianus’ grave.⌜He pulls Martius’ hand.⌝ 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 again245 Till thou art here aloft or I below. Thou canst not come to me. I come to thee.⌜He falls in.⌝Enter the Emperor ⌜Saturninus, with Attendants,⌝
and Aaron the Moor.SATURNINUS Along with me! I’ll see what hole is here And what he is that now is leapt into it.— Say, who art thou that lately didst descend250 Into this gaping hollow of the earth?MARTIUS The unhappy sons of old Andronicus, Brought hither in a most unlucky hour To find thy brother Bassianus dead.SATURNINUS My brother dead! I know thou dost but jest.255 He and his lady both are at the lodge Upon the north side of this pleasant chase. ’Tis not an hour since I left them there.MARTIUS We know not where you left them all alive, But, out alas, here have we found him dead.Enter Tamora, ⌜Titus⌝ Andronicus, and Lucius.
81
Titus Andronicus
ACT 2. SC. 3
TAMORA 260Where 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. Poor Bassianus here lies murderèd.TAMORA 265 Then all too late I bring this fatal writ, The complot of this timeless tragedy, And wonder greatly that man’s face can fold In pleasing smiles such murderous tyranny.She giveth Saturnine a letter.SATURNINUS (reads the letter): An if we miss to meet him handsomely,
270 Sweet huntsman—Bassianus ’tis we mean—
Do thou so much as dig the grave for him;
Thou know’st our meaning. Look for thy reward
Among the nettles at the elder tree
Which overshades the mouth of that same pit
275 Where we decreed to bury Bassianus.
Do this, and purchase us thy lasting friends. O Tamora, was ever heard the like? This is the pit, and this the elder tree.— Look, sirs, if you can find the huntsman out280 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 bloody kind, Have here bereft my brother of his life.— Sirs, drag them from the pit unto the prison.285 There let them bide until we have devised Some never-heard-of torturing pain for them.
83
Titus Andronicus
ACT 2. SC. 3
TAMORA What, are they in this pit? O wondrous thing! How easily murder is discoverèd.⌜Attendants pull Quintus, Martius, and
the body of Bassianus from the pit.⌝TITUS, ⌜kneeling⌝ High Emperor, upon my feeble knee290 I beg this boon with tears not lightly shed, That this fell fault of my accursèd sons— Accursèd if the faults be proved in them—SATURNINUS If it be proved! You see it is apparent. Who found this letter? Tamora, was it you?TAMORA 295 Andronicus himself did take it up.TITUS I did, my lord, yet let me be their bail, For by my father’s reverend tomb I vow They shall be ready at your Highness’ will To answer their suspicion with their lives.SATURNINUS 300 Thou shalt not bail them. See thou follow me.— Some bring the murdered body, some the murderers. Let them not speak a word. The guilt is plain. For, by my soul, were there worse end than death, That end upon them should be executed.TAMORA 305 Andronicus, I will entreat the King. Fear not thy sons; they shall do well enough.TITUS, ⌜rising⌝ Come, Lucius, come. Stay not to talk with them.⟨They exit,⟩ ⌜with Attendants leading Martius and
Quintus and bearing the body of Bassianus.⌝
Titus Andronicus: 
