Like to the earth, swallow her.own increase.
is is the feast that I have bid her to,
And this the banquet she shall surfeit on;
For worse than Philomel you used my daughter,
And worse than Progne I will be revenged:
And now prepare your throats,-Lavinia, come,
[He cuts their Throats.
Receive the blood: and, when that they are dead,
Let me go grind their bones to powder small,
And with this hateful liquor temper it;
And in that paste let their vile heads be bak'd.
Come, come, be every one officious

To make this banquet; which I wish may prove
More stern and bloody than the Centaurs' feast.
So, now bring them in, for I will play the cook,
And see them ready 'gainst their mother comes.
[Exeunt, bearing the dead Bodies.

SCENE III-A Pavilion, with Tables, &c. Enter LUCIUS, MARCUS, and Goths, with AARON, Prisoner.

Luc. Uncle Marcus, since 'tis my father's mind, That I repair to Rome, I am content.

1 Goth. And ours, with thine, befall what fortune will.

Luc. Good uncle, take you in this barbarous
Moor,

This ravenous tiger, this accursed devil;
Let him receive no sustenance, fetter him,
Till he be brought unto the empress' face,
For testimony of her foul proceedings:
And see the ambush of our friends be strong:
I fear, the emperor means no good to us.

Aar. Some dev.I whisper curses in mine ear, And prompt me, that my tongue may utter forth The venomous malice of my swelling heart!

Luc. Away, inhuman dog, unhallow'd slave! Sirs, help our uncle to convey him in.

[Exeunt Goths with AARON. Flourish. The trumpets show the emperor is at hand. Enter SATURNINUS and TAMORA, with Tribunes, Senators, and others.

Sat. What, hath the firmament more suns than one ?

Luc. What boots it' thee, to call thyself a sun? Marc. Rome's emperor, and nephew, break the parle ;

These quarrels must be quietly debated.
The feast is ready which the careful Titus,
Hath ordain'd to an honorable end,

For peace, for love, for league, and good to Rome: Please you, therefore, draw nigh, and take your places.

Tam. We are beholden to you, good Andronicus Tit. An if your highness knew my heart, you

were.

My lord the emperor, resolve me this;
Was it well done of rash Virginius.

To slay his daughter with his own right hand,
Because she was enforced, stain'd, and deflour's?
Sat. It was, Andronicus.

Tit. Your reason, mighty lord?

Sat. Because the girl should not survive hei shame,

And by her presence still renew his sorrows.

Tit. A reason mighty, strong, and effectual;
A pattern, precedent, and lively warrant,
For me, most wretched, to perform the like:-
Die, die, Lavinia, and thy shame with thee;
[He kills LAVINIL
And, with thy shame, thy father's sorrow die!
Sat. What hast thou done, unnatural, and unkind!
Tit. Kill'd her, for whom my tears have made
me blind.

I am as woeful as Virginius was.
And have a thousand times more cause than he
To do this outrage;—and it is now done.

Sat. What, was she ravish'd? tell, who did the

deed.

Tit. Will't please you eat? will't please your highness feed?

Tam. Why hast thou slain thine only daughte

thus?

Tit. Not I; 'twas Chiron and Demetrius: They ravish'd her, and cut away her tongue, And they, 'twas they, that did her all this wrong.

Sat. Go, fetch them hither to us presently. Tit. Why, there they are both, baked in that pie; Whereof their mother daintily hath fed, Eating the flesh that she herself hath bred: 'Tis true, 'tis true: witness my knife's sharp point. [Killing TAMORA Sat. Die, frantic wretch, for this accursed deed

[Killing TITUS Luc. Can the son's eye behold his father bleed? There's meed for meed, death for a deadly deed. [Kills SATURNINUS. A great Tumult. The

People in confusion disperse. MARCUS,
LUCIUS, and their Partisans, ascend the
Steps before Titus's House.
Marc. You sad-faced men, people and sons of
Rome,

By uproar sever'd, like a flight of fowl
Scatter'd by winds and high tempestuous gusts,
O, let me teach you how to knit again
These broken limbs again into one body.
This scatter'd corn into one mutual sheaf,

Sen. Lest Rome herself be bane unto herself,

And she, whom mighty kingdoms court'sy to,
Like a forlorn and desperate cast-away,
Do shameful execution on herself.

But if my frosty signs and chaps of age
Grave witnesses of true experience,
Cannot induce you to attend my words,-
Speak, Rome's dear friend; [To Lucius.] as em

our ancestor,

When with his solemn tongue he did discourse,
To love-sick Dido's sad attending ear,
The story of that baleful burning night,
When subtle Greeks surpris'd king Priam's Troy
Tell us what Sinon hath bewitch'd our ears,
Or who hath brought the fatal engine in,
That gives our Troy, our Rome, the civil wound

My heart is not compact of flint, nor steel;
Nor can I utter all our bitter grief,
But floods of tears will drown my oratory,
And break my very utterance; even i' the time
When it should move you to attend me most,
Lending your kind commiseration:
Here is a captain, let him tell the tale;
Your hearts will throb and weep to hear him speak.
Luc. Then, noble auditory, be it known to you,
That cursed Chiron and Demetrius
Were they that murdered our emperor's brother;
And they it were that ravished our sister:
For their fell faults our brothers were beheaded;
Our father's tears despised; and basely cozen'd
Of that true hand, that fought Rome's quarrel out,
And sent her enemies unto the grave.
Lastly, myself unkindly banished,

The gates shut on me, and turn'd weeping out,
To beg relief among Rome's enemies;
Who drown'd their enmity in my true tears,
And op'd their arms to embrace me as a friend;
And I am the turn'd-forth, be it known to you,
That have preserv'd her welfare in my blood;
And from her bosom took the enemy's point,
Sheathing the steel in my advent'rous body.
Alas! you know, I am no vaunter, I;
My scars can witness, dumb although they are,
That my report is just, and full of truth.
But, soft; methinks, I do digress too much,
Citing my worthless praise: O, pardon me;
For when no friends are by, men praise themselves.
Marc. Now is my turn to speak; behold this child.
[Pointing to the Child in the arms of an Attendant.
Of this was Tamora delivered;

The issue of an irreligious Moor,
Chief architect and plotter of these woes:
The villain is alive in Titus' house,
Damn'd as he is, to witness this is true.
Now judge, what cause had Titus to revenge
These wrongs, unspeakable, past patience,
Or more than any living man could bear.
Now you have heard the truth, what say you, Ro-

mans?

Have we done aught amiss? Show us wherein,
And, from the place where you behold us now,
The poor remainder of Andronici

Will, hand in hand, all headlong cast us down,
And on the ragged stones beat forth our brains,
And make a mutual closure of our house.
Speak, Romins, speak; and, if you say, we shall,
Le, hand in hand, Lucius and I will fall.
Emu. Come, come, thou reverend man of Rome,
And bring our emperor gently in thy hand,
Lucius our emperor; for well I know,
The common voice do cry, it shall be so.
Rom. [Several speak.] Lucius, all hail; Rome's
royal emperor !

LUCIUS, &c. descend.
Marc. Go, go into old Titus' sorrowful house;
[To an Attendant.
And hither hale that misbelieving Moor,
To be adjudg'd some direful slaughtering death,
A punishment for his most wicked life.
Rem. [Several speak.] Lucius, all hail; Rome's
gracious governor'

Luc. Thanks, gentle Romans, may I govern so To heal Rome's harms, and wipe away her woe' But, gentle people, give me aim awhile,—— For nature puts me to a heavy task;Stand all aloof:-but, uncle, draw you near, To shed obsequious tears upon this trunk: O take this warm kiss on thy pale cold lips, [Kisses TITUL These sorrowful drops upon thy blood-stain'd face The last true duties of thy noble son!

Marc. Tear for tear, and loving kiss for kiss.
Thy brother Marcus tenders on thy lips:
O, were the sum of these that I should pay
Countless and infinite, yet would I pay them.
Luc. Come hither, boy; come, come, and learn
of us

To melt in showers: Thy grandsire lov'd thee well
Many a time he danced thee on his knee,
Sung thee asleep, his loving breast thy pillow;
Many a matter hath he told to thee,
Meet, and agreeing with thine infancy;
In that respect then, like a loving child,
Shed yet some small drops from thy tender spring,
Because kind nature doth require it so:
Friends should associate friends in grief and woe:
Bid him farewell; commit him to the grave;
Do him that kindness, and take leave of him.

Boy. O grandsire, grandsire! even with all my
Leart

Would I were dead so you did live again!-
O lord, I cannot speak to him for weeping;
My tears will choke me, if I ope my mouth.

Enter Attendants, with AARON.

1 Rom. You sad Andronici, have done with woes Give sentence on this execrable wretch, That hath been breeder of these dire events. Luc. Set him breast-deep in earth, and famish him.

There let him stand, and rave and cry for food;
If any one relieves or pities him,

For the offence he dies. This is our doom:
Some stay, to see him fasten'd in the earth.

Aar. O, why should wrath be mute, and fury
dumb?

I am no baby, I, that, with base prayers,
I should repent the evils I have done;
Ten thousand, worse than ever yet I did,
Would I perform, if I might have my will;
If one good deed in all my life I did,
I do repent it from my very soul.

Luc. Some loving friends convey the emper
hence,

And give him burial in his father's grave:
My father, and Lavinia, shall forthwith
Be closed in our household's monument.
As for that heinous tiger, Tamora,

No funeral rite, nor man in mournful weeds,
No mournful bel! shall ring her burial;
But throw her forth to beasts, and birds of prey
Her life was beast-like, and devoid of pity;
And, being so, shall have like want of pity.
See justice done to Aaron, that damn'd Moor,
By whom our heavy haps had their beginning:
Then, afterwards, to order well the state;
That like events may ne'er it ruinate.

Enter Gower.

Before the Palace of Antioch.

To sing a song of old was sung,
From ashes ancient Gower is come;
Assuming man's infirmities,

To giad your ear, and please your eyes.
It hath been sung at festivals,
On ember-eyes, and holy ales;"
And lords and ladies of their lives
Have read it for restoratives:
'Purpose to make men glorious;
Et quo antiquius, eo melius.
If you, born in these latter times,

When wit's more ripe, accept my rhymes;
And that to hear an old man sing,
May to your wishes pleasure bring,
I life would wish, and that I might
Waste it for you, like taper-light.—
This city then, Antioch the great
Built up for his chiefest seat;
The fairest in all Syria;
(I tell you what mine authors s
This king unto him took a pheere,
Who died air left a female heir,
So buxom, blithe, and full of face,

As heaven had lent her all his grace;
With whorn the father liking took,
And her to incest did provoke:

Chorus, in the character of Gower, an ancient English poet, who has related the story of this play in his Confessio

Amantis.

si. e. That of old.

Whitsun-ales, &c.

Wife the word signifies a mate or companion.

Bad father! to entice his own
To evil, should be done by none.
By custom, what they did begin,
War, with long use, account no sin.
The beauty of this sinful dame
Made many princes thither frame,
To seek her as a bed-fellow,
In marriage-pleasures play-fellow :
Which to prevent, he made a low,
(To keep her still, and men in awe)
That whoso ask'd her for his wife,
His riddle told not, lost his life:
So for her many a wight did die,
As yon grim looks do testify.

[Exit.

What now ensues, to the judgment of your eye I give, my cause who best can justify. SCENE I-Antioch. A Room in the Palace Enter ANTIOCHUS, PERICLES, and Atten ants. Ant. Young prince of Tyre, you have at large The danger of the task you undertake. [receiv'd Per. I have, Antiochus, and with a soul Embolden'd with the glory of her praise, Think death no hazard, in this enterprise. [Music Ant. Bring in our daughter, clothed like a brida, For the embracements even of Jove himself; At whose conception, (till Lucina reign'd,) Nature this dowry gave, co glad her presence, The senate-house of planets all did sit, To knit in her their best perfections.

Enter the Daughter of Antiochus.

Per. See, where she comes, apparell'd like the spring,

Graces her subjects, and her thoughts the king
Of every virtue gives renown to men!
Her face, the book of praises, where is read
Nothing but curious pleasures, as from thence
Sorrow were ever ras'd, and testy wrath
Could never be her mild companion.

Ye gods that made me man, and sway in love,
That have inflam'd desire in my breast,
To taste the fruit of yon celestial tree,
Or die in the adventure, be my helps,
As I am son and servant to your will,
To compass such a boundless happiness!
Ant. Prince Pericles,-

Per. That would be son to great Antiochus.
Ant. Before thee stands this fair Hesperides,
With golden fruit, but dangerous to be touch'd;
For death-like dragons here affright thee hard:
Her face, like heaven, enticeth thee to view
A countless glory, which desert must gain:
And which, without desert, because thine eye
Presumes to reach, all thy whole heap must die.
Yon sometime famous princes, like thyself,
Drawn by report, advent'rous by desire, [pale,
Tell thee with speechless tongues, and semblance
That, without covering, save yon field of stars,
They here stand martyrs, slain in Cupid's wars;
And with dead cheeks advise thee to desist,
For going on death's net, whom none resist.
Per. Autiochus, I thank thee, who hath taught
My frail mortality to know itself,
And by those fearful objects to prepare
This body, like to them, to what I must:
For death remember'd, should be like a mirror,
Who tells us, life's but breath; to trust it, error.
fli make my will then; and as sick men do,
Who know the world, see heaven, but feeling wo,
Gripe not at earthly joys, as erst they did;
So I bequeath a happy peace to you,
And all good men, as every prince should do;
My riches to the earth, from whence they came;
But my unspotted fire of love to you.

[To the Daughter of Antiochus. Thus ready for the way of life or death, I wait the sharpest blow, Antiochus, Scorning advice.

Ant.

Read the conclusion then; Which read and not expounded, 'tis decreed, As these before thee thou thyself shalt bleed. Daugh. In all, save that, may'st thou prove prosIn all, save that, I wish thee happiness! [perous! Per. Like a bold champion, I assume the lists Nor ask advice of any other thought But faithfulness, and courage.

He reads the Riddle.]

I ara no viper, yet I feed

On mother's flesh, which did me breed: I sought a husband, in which labor, I found that kindness in a father. He's father, son, and husband mild, I mother, wife, and yet his child. How they may be, and yet in two, As you will live, resolve it you. Sharp physic is the last but O you powers! That give heaven countless eyes to view men's acts, Why cloud they not their sights perpetually, If this be true, which makes me pale to read it?

Fair glass of light, I lov'd you, and could still,

[Takes hold of the Hand of the Prince »
Were not this glorious casket stor'd with ill:
But I must tell you,-now, my thoughts revolt;
For he's no man on whom perfections wait.
That knowing sin within, will touch the gate.
You're a fair viol, and your sense the strings:
Who, finger'd to make man his lawful music,
Would draw heaven down, and all the gods to
hearken;

But, being play'd upon before your time
Hell only danceth at so harsh a chime:
Good sooth, I care not for you.

Ant. Prince Pericles, touch not, upon thy lifa For that's an article within our law,

As dangerous as the rest. Your time's expir'd: Either expound now, or receive your sentence.

Per. Great king,

Few love to hear the sins they love to act;
"Twould 'braid yourself too near for me to tell it.
Who has a book of all that monarchs do,
He's more secure to keep it shut, than shown
For vice repeated, is like the wand'ring wind,
Blows dust in others' eyes, to spread itself;
And yet the end of all is bought thus dear,
The breath is gone, and the sore eyes see clear
To stop the air would hurt them. The blind mole

casts

Cop'd' hills towards heaven, to tell, the earth is wrong'd [for't By man's oppression; and the poor worm doth die Kings are earth's gods: in vice their law's their will; And if Jove stray, who dares say, Jove doth ill? It is enough you know; and it is fit,

What being more known grows worse, to smother i All love the womb that their first beings bred. Then give my tongue like leave to love my head. Ant. Heaven, that I had thy head! he has found

the meaning;

But I will gloze with him. [Aside.] Young prince o
Though by the tenor of our strict edict, [Tyre
Your exposition misinterpreting,
We might proceed to cancel of your days;"
Yet hope, succeeding from so fair a tree
As your fair self, doth tune us otherwise
Forty days longer do we respite you;
If by which time our secret be undone,
This mercy shows, we'll joy in such a sin.
And until then, your entertain shall be.
As doth befit our honor, and your worth.

[Exeunt ANTIOCHUS, his Daughter, and
Attendants.

Per. How courtesy would seem to cover sto!
When what is done is like a hypocrite,
The which is good in nothing bat in sight
If it be true that I interpret false,

Then were it certain, vou were not so bad,
As with foul incest to abuse your soul;
Where' now you're both a father and a son,
By your untimely claspings with your child,
(Which pleasure fits a husband, not a father ;)
And she an eater of her mother's flesh,
By the defiling of her parent's bed;
And both like serpents are, who though they feed
On sweetest flowers, yet they poison breed.
Antioch, farewell! for wisdom sees, those men
Blush not in actions blacker than the night,
Will shun no course to keep them from the light
1 Rising to a top or head.
Flatter, insinuata
* Whereas

To the destruction of your life.