Complete Plays, The by William Shakespeare Read Free Book Online Page A

e’er my mother did,And would not, but in fury, fright my youth:Which made me down to throw my books, and fly —Causeless, perhaps. But pardon me, sweet aunt:And, madam, if my uncle Marcus go,I will most willingly attend your ladyship.
    Marcus Andronicus
    Lucius, I will.
    Lavinia turns over with her stumps the books which Lucius has let fall
    Titus Andronicus
    How now, Lavinia! Marcus, what means this?Some book there is that she desires to see.Which is it, girl, of these? Open them, boy.But thou art deeper read, and better skill’dCome, and take choice of all my library,And so beguile thy sorrow, till the heavensReveal the damn’d contriver of this deed.Why lifts she up her arms in sequence thus?
    Marcus Andronicus
    I think she means that there was more than oneConfederate in the fact: ay, more there was;Or else to heaven she heaves them for revenge.
    Titus Andronicus
    Lucius, what book is that she tosseth so?
    Young Lucius
    Grandsire, ’tis Ovid’s Metamorphoses;My mother gave it me.
    Marcus Andronicus
    For love of her that’s gone,Perhaps she cull’d it from among the rest.
    Titus Andronicus
    Soft! see how busily she turns the leaves!
    Helping her
    What would she find? Lavinia, shall I read?This is the tragic tale of Philomel,And treats of Tereus’ treason and his rape:And rape, I fear, was root of thine annoy.
    Marcus Andronicus
    See, brother, see; note how she quotes the leaves.
    Titus Andronicus
    Lavinia, wert thou thus surprised, sweet girl,Ravish’d and wrong’d, as Philomela was,Forced in the ruthless, vast, and gloomy woods? See, see!Ay, such a place there is, where we did hunt —O, had we never, never hunted there!—Pattern’d by that the poet here describes,By nature made for murders and for rapes.
    Marcus Andronicus
    O, why should nature build so foul a den,Unless the gods delight in tragedies?
    Titus Andronicus
    Give signs, sweet girl, for here are none but friends,What Roman lord it was durst do the deed:Or slunk not Saturnine, as Tarquin erst,That left the camp to sin in Lucrece’ bed?
    Marcus Andronicus
    Sit down, sweet niece: brother, sit down by me.Apollo, Pallas, Jove, or Mercury,Inspire me, that I may this treason find!My lord, look here: look here, Lavinia:This sandy plot is plain; guide, if thou canstThis after me, when I have writ my nameWithout the help of any hand at all.
    He writes his name with his staff, and guides it with feet and mouth
    Cursed be that heart that forced us to this shift!Write thou good niece; and here display, at last,What God will have discover’d for revenge;Heaven guide thy pen to print thy sorrows plain,That we may know the traitors and the truth!
    She takes the staff in her mouth, and guides it with her stumps, and writes
    Titus Andronicus
    O, do ye read, my lord, what she hath writ?‘stuprum. Chiron. Demetrius.’
    Marcus Andronicus
    What, what! the lustful sons of TamoraPerformers of this heinous, bloody deed?
    Titus Andronicus
    Magni Dominator poli,Tam lentus audis scelera? tam lentus vides?
    Marcus Andronicus
    O, calm thee, gentle lord; although I knowThere is enough written upon this earthTo stir a mutiny in the mildest thoughtsAnd arm the minds of infants to exclaims.My lord, kneel down with me; Lavinia, kneel;And kneel, sweet boy, the Roman Hector’s hope;And swear with me, as, with the woful fereAnd father of that chaste dishonour’d dame,Lord Junius Brutus sware for Lucrece’ rape,That we will prosecute by good adviceMortal revenge upon these traitorous Goths,And see their blood, or die with this reproach.
    Titus Andronicus
    ’Tis sure enough, an you knew how.But if you hunt these bear-whelps, then beware:The dam will wake; and, if she wind you once,She’s with the lion deeply still in league,And lulls him whilst she playeth on her back,And when he sleeps will she do what she list.You are a young huntsman, Marcus; let it alone;And, come, I will go get a leaf of brass,And with a gad of steel will write these words,And lay it by: the angry northern