For that which I did then: Beaten for loyalty Сут. A pair of worthier sons. Bel. Be pleas'd a while.This gentleman, whom I call Polydore, Most worthy prince, as yours, is true Guiderius; This gentleman, my Cadwal, Arvirágus, Your younger princely son; he, sir, was lapp'd In a most curious mantle, wrought Ly the hand Of his queen mother, which, for more probation, I can with ease produce. Guiderius had Cym. Upon his neck a mole, a sanguine star; It was a mark of wonder. Bel. This is he; Hath to it circumstantial branches, which Distinction should be rich in.-Where? how liv'd you? And when came you to serve our Roman captive? How parted with your brothers? how first met them? Why fled you from the court? and whither? These, And she, like harmless lightning, throws her eye The power that I have on you, is to spare you; The malice towards you, to forgive you: Live, And deal with others better. Cym. Nobly doom'd: We'll learn our freeness of a son-in-law; Pardon's the word to all. Arv. You holp us, sir, As you did mean indeed to be our brother: Post. Your servant, princes.-Good my lord of Call forth your soothsayer: As I slept, methought, Great Jupiter, upon his eagle back, Appear'd to me, with other spritely shows Of mine own kindred: when I wak'd, I found Luc. Sooth. Here, my good lord. Philarmonus, Luc. Read, and declare the meaning. Sooth. [Reads.] When as a lion's whelp shall, te himself unknown, without seeking, find, and be embraced by a piece of tender air: and when from a stately cedar shall be lopped branches, which, being dead many years, shall after revive, be jointed to the old stock, and freshly grow; then shall Posthumus end his miseries, Britain be fortunate, and flourish in peace and plenty. Thou, Leonatus, art the lion's whelp; The fit and apt construction of thy name, Being Leo-natus, doth import so much : The piece of tender air, thy virtuous daughter, [To Cymbeline. Which we call mollis aer; and mollis aer Cym. This hath some seeming Sooth. The lofty cedar, royal Cymbeline, Personates thee: and thy lopp'd branches point Thy two sons forth: who, by Belarius stolen, For many years thought dead, are now reviv'd, To the majestic cedar join'd; whose issue Promises Britain peace and plenty. (3) Ghostly appearances. (4) Embrace. Cym. Well, My peace we will begin :-And, Caius Lucius, Although the victor, we submit to Cæsar, And to the Roman empire; promising To pay our wonted tribute, from the which We were dissuaded by our wicked queen; Whom heavens, in justice (both on her and hers,) Have laid most heavy hand. Sooth. The fingers of the powers above do tune The harmony of this peace. The vision Which I made known to Lucius, ere the stroke Of this yet scarce-cold battle, at this instant Is full accomplish'd: For the Roman eagle, From south to west on wing soaring aloft, Lessen'd herself, and in the beams o'the sun So vanish'd: which foreshow'd our princely eagle, The imperial Cæsar, should again unite His favour with the radiant Cymbeline, Which shines here in the west. Cym. Laud we the gods And let our crooked smokes climb to their nostrils; From our blessed altars! Publish we this peace To all our subjects. Set we forward: Let A Roman and a British ensign wave Friendly together: So through Lud's town march: Our peace we'll ratify; seal it with feasts.- This play has many just sentiments, some natural dialogues, and some pleasing scenes, but they are obtained at the expense of much incongruity. To remark the folly of the fiction, the absurdity of the conduct, the confusion of the names and manners of different times, and the impossibility of the events in any system of life, were to waste criticism upon unresisting imbecility, upon faults too evident for detection, and too gross for aggravation. JOHNSON. SONG, SUNG BY GUIDERIUS AND ARVIRAGUS OVER FIDELE, SUPPOSED TO BE dead. BY MR. WILLIAM COLLINS. To fair Fidele's grassy tomb, Soft maids and village hinds shall bring Each opening sweet, of earliest bloom, And rifle all the breathing spring. No wailing ghost shall dare appear And melting virgins own their love. No wither'd witch shall here be seen, No goblins lead their nightly crew: The female fays shall haunt the green, And dress thy grave with pearly dew. The red-breast oft at evening hours, To deck the ground where thou art laid. When howling winds, and beating rain, Each lonely scene shall thee restore; For thee the tear be duly shed: Belov'd, till life could charm no more; And mourn'd till pity's self be dead. Aaron, a Moor, beloved by Tamora. Titus Andronicus, a noble Roman, general against A Captain, Tribune, Messenger, and Clown ; the Goths. Romans. Marcus Andronicus, tribune of the people; and Goths, and Romans. brother to Titus. Tamora, Queen of the Goths. Lavinia, daughter to Titus Andronicus. Kinsmen of Titus, Senators, Tribunes, Officers, Scene, Rome; and the country near it. ACT I. SCENE I.-Rome. Before the Capitol. The tomb of the Andronici appearing; the Tribunes and Senators aloft, as in the senate. Enter, below, Saturninus and his Followers, on one side; and Bassianus and his Followers, on the other; with drum and colours. Saturninus. NOBLE patricians, patrons of my right, If ever Bassianus, Cæsar's son, Lives not this day within the city walls: And now at last, laden with honour's spoils, Mar. Princes that strive by factions, and by friends, Ambitiously for rule and empery, Bas. Marcus Andronicus, so I do affy I thank you all, and here dismiss you all; Know, that the people of Rome, for whom we And to the love and favour of my country stand A special party, have, by their comon voice, For many good and great deserts to Rome; (1) i. e. Title to the succession. (2) Summoned. Commit myself, my person, and the cause. [Exeunt the Followers of Saturninus. Rome, be as just and gracious unto me, SCENE II.-The same. Enter a Captain, and Draw near them then in being merciful: others. Cap. 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 return'd, From where he circumscribed with his sword, And brought to yoke, the enemies of Rome. Flourish of trumpets, &c. Enter Mutius and Martius: after them, two men bearing a coffin, covered with black; then Quintus and Lucius. After them, Titus Andronicus; and then Tamora, with Alarbus, Chiron, Demetrius, Aaron, and other Goths, prisoners; Soldiers and People, following. The bearers set down the coffin, and Titus speaks. Tit. Hail, Rome, victorious in thy mourning Lo, as the bark that hath discharg'd her fraught,' Sweet merey is nobility's true badge; To this your son is mark'd; and die he must, Tam. O cruel, irreligious piety! Cht. Was ever Scythia half so barbarous? To tremble under Titus' threatening look. Luc. See, lord and father, how we have perform'd Whose smoke, like incense, doth perfume the sky. Here Goths have given me leave to sheathe my Remaineth nought, but to inter our brethren, sword. Titus, unkind, and careless of thine own, [The tomb is opened. How many sons of mine hast thou in store, Luc. Give us the proudest prisoner of the Goths, queror, Victorious Titus, rue the tears I shed, (1) Freight. And with loud 'larums welcome them to Rome. the tomb. [Trumpets sounded, and the coffins laid in Enter Lavinia. In peace and honour rest you here, my sons! I render, for my brethren's obsequies; (2) Jupiter, to whom the Capitol was sacred. (3) It was supposed that the ghosts of unburied people appeared to solicit the rites of funeral. Tit. Kind Rome, that hast thus lovingly reserv'd Mar. Long live lord Titus, my beloved brother, Mar. And welcome, nephews, from successful wars, You that survive, and you that sleep in fame. Fair lords, your fortunes are alike in all, Tit. A better head her glorious body fits, Luc. Proud Saturnine, interrupter of the good That noble-minded Titus means to thee! Tit. Content thee, prince; I will restore to thee The people's hearts, and wean them from themselves. Bas. Andronicus, I do not flatter thee, Of noble minds, is honourable meed. Tit. People of Rome, and people's tribunes here, I ask your voices, and your suffrages; Will you bestow them friendly on Andronicus? Tit. Tribunes, I thank you: and this suit I make, Lord Saturninus, Rome's great emperor; Tell me, Andronicus, doth this motion please thee? Tit. Now, madam, are you prisoner to an em peror; [To Tamora. To him that, for your honour and your state, Will use you nobly, and your followers. Sat. A goodly lady, trust me; of the hue Thou com'st not to be made a scorn in Rome : › Lav. Not I, my lord; sith true nobility Set. Thanks, sweet Lavinia.-Romans, let us go: Ransomless here we set our prisoners free: Proclaim our honours, lords, with trump and drum. Bas. Lord Titus, by your leave, this maid is mine. [Seizing Lavinia. Tit. How, sir? Are you in earnest then, my lord? Bas. Ay, noble Titus; and resolv'd withal, To do myself this reason and this right. [The emperor courts Tamora in dumb show. Mar. Suum cuique is our Roman justice: This prince in justice seizeth but his own. Luc. And that he will, and shall, if Lucius live. Tit. Traitors, avaunt! Where is the emperor's guard? Treason, my lord; Lavinia is surpris❜d. Sat. Surpris'd! By whom? Bas. By him that justly may Bear his betroth'd from all the world away. [Exeunt Marcus and Bassianus, with Lavinia. Mut. Brothers, help to convey her hence away, And with my sword I'll keep this door safe. [Exeunt Lucius, Quintus, and Martius. Tit. Follow, my lord, and I'll soon bring her back. Mut. My lord, you pass not here. Tit. Barr'st me my way in Rome ? Mut. [A long flourish. Sat. 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: Rome's royal mistress, mistress of my heart, (1) The maxim alluded to is, that no man can be pronounced happy before his death. What, villain boy! Re-enter Lucius. Luc. My lord, you are unjust: and, more than so, In wrongful quarrel you have slain your son. Tit. Nor thou, nor he, are any sons of mine: My sons would never so dishonour me: Traitor, restore Lavinia to the emperor. Luc. Dead, if you will; but not to be his wife, That is another's lawful promis'd love. [Exit. Sat. No, Titus, no; the emperor needs her not, (3) i. e. Do on, put it on. (5) Since. (2) A robe. (4) The sun's. |