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Titus Andronicus

Act II, Scene 3

A lonely part of the forest.
 
AARON
       ,             ,            ,          ,         ,
      He that | had wit,| would think | that I | had none,
          ,     ,          ,     ,          ,
      To bu|ry so | much^gold | under | a tree,
           ,      ,      ,      ,      ,
      And nev|er aft|er to | inher|it it.
           ,            ,         ,       ,   ,
      Let^him | that thinks | of me | so ab|jectly,
        ,                ,      T    T  .   T     ,
      Know that | this gold | must coin a stra|tagem,
        ,    ,             ,         ,       ,
      Which cun/ningly^|effec|ted, will | beget
         ,     ,    2      ,         ,     ,
      A ve|ry ex|cellent piece | of vil|lany:
           ,       ,             ,          ,         ,
      And so | repose | sweet* gold | for their | unrest,
             ,            ,     ,            ,          ,
      That have | their alms | out of | the emp|ress' chest.
 
TAMORA
           ,      ,        ,           ,            ,
      My love|ly Aar|on, where|fore lookst | thou* sad,
            ,      ,            ,        ,        ,
      When eve|rything | doth^make | a glee|ful boast?
       .    T     T    T    ,       ,       ,
      The birds chant mel|ody | on eve|ry bush,
       .    T     T   T       ,         ,        ,
      The snake lies rol|led in | the cheer|ful sun,
       .    T      T    T        ,          ,        ,
      The green leaves qui|ver with | the cool|ing wind,
            ,        ,          ,      ,          ,
      And make | a check|ered shad|ow on | the ground:
       ,   2          T     T     T      ,        ,
      Under their | sweet shade, Aar|on let | us sit,
             ,          ,         ,      ,            ,
      And whilst | the bab|bling ech|o mocks | the hounds,
         ,        ,                   ,    ,     ,
      Reply|ing shril|ly to the // well-tuned horns,
          ,       ,       ,           ,          ,
      As if | a doub|le hunt | were heard | at once,
       ,             ,          ,            ,        ,
      Let us | sit^down | and mark | their yelp|ing noise:
           ,       ,          ,        ,         ,
      And aft|er conf|lict, such | as was | supposed,
            ,           ,          ,      ,        ,
      The wande|ring prince | and Di|do once | enjoyed,
        ,            ,       ,            ,          ,
      When with | a hap|py storm | they were | surprised,
            ,          ,        ,        ,        ,
      And curt|ained with | a couns|el-keep|ing cave,
          ,            ,       ,        ,         ,
      We may | each^wreath|ed in | the oth|er's arms,
             ,    T     T    .   T         x       ,
      (Our* pas|times done) possess | a golden | slumber,
         T      T    .    T           ,        ,   2     ,
      Whiles hounds and horns,| and sweet | melo|dious birds
          ,     ,       ,       ,        ,
      Be un|to us,| as is | a nurse|'s song
          ,     ,        ,           ,       ,
      Of lul|laby,| to bring | her babe | asleep.
 
AARON
       ,               ,      ,        ,        ,
      Madam,| though* Ven|us gov|ern your | desires,
       ,           ,    ,      ,      ,
      Saturn | is dom|ina|tor ov|er mine:
            ,      ,         ,       ,        ,
      What sig|nifies | my dead|ly-stand|ing eye,
       ,  ,          2       ,       ,     ,
      My sil/ence and my | cloudy | melan|choly,
            ,          ,       ,          ,        ,
      My fleece | of wool|ly hair,| that now | uncurls,
       ,       2    ,       ,          ,        ,
      Even | as an ad|der when | she doth | unroll
          ,         ,      ,   ,    ,
      To do | some fat|al ex|ecu|tion?
       ,  ,                  ,      ,  2     ,
      No ma/dam, these^|are no | vene|real signs,
        T   T    .  T        ,       ,             ,
      Vengeance is in | my heart,| death in | my hand,
        ,              ,          ,    2     ,        ,
      Blood, and | revenge,| are ham|mering in | my head.
        ,   ,              ,        ,        ,
      Hark Tam/ora*,| the emp|ress of | my soul,
              x       T     T    Tx            ,          ,
      Which never | hopes more heaven,| than rests | in thee,
        ,    2       ,         ,         ,     ,
      This is the | day of | doom for | Bassi|anus;
           ,     ,           ,           ,        ,
      His Phi|lomel | must lose | her tongue | today,
            ,      ,   ,                  ,     ,
      Thy sons | make pil/lage of | her chast|ity,
            ,            ,         ,    ,        ,
      And wash | their hands | in Bas|sia|nus' blood.
              ,          ,           x              ,    ,
      Seest^thou | this let|ter, take it | up I / pray thee,
            ,          ,          ,       ,         ,
      And give | the king | this fat|al plot|ted scroll,
            ,        ,        ,     ,          ,
      Now ques|tion me | no more,| we are | espied,
        T    T   .  T     2    ,      ,        ,
      Here comes a par|cel of our | hopeful | booty,
        T      T    T     ,            ,          ,
      Which dreads not | yet their | lives' de|struction.
 
TAMORA
       ,               ,      ,           ,          ,
      Ah my | sweet* Moor:| sweeter | to me | than life.
 
AARON
       T   T    T      ,            x        ,
      No more great | empress,|*Bassia|nus comes,
           ,           ,     .    T   T   T           ,
      Be cross | with him,| and I'll go fetch | thy sons
           ,          ,        ,     ,          ,
      To back | thy quar|rel what|soere | they be.
 
[Exit. Enter BASSIANUS and LAVINIA]
 
BASSIANUS
        ,      2       T      T     Tx     ,
      Whom have we | here? Rome's royal | empress,
          ,         ,         ,       ,        ,
      Unfurn|ished of | her well-|beseem|ing troop?
          ,       ,  ,  ,          ,
      Or is | it Di|an hab/ited | like her,
            ,      ,     ,         ,       ,
      Who hath | aban|doned | her ho|ly groves,
          ,          ,       ,      2     ,     ,
      To see | the gene|ral hunt|ing in this | forest?
 
TAMORA
       ,           ,       ,         ,        ,
      Saucy | control|ler of | our priv|ate steps:
          ,         x            ,              ,  ,
      Had I | the power,| that some | say* Di^/an had,
            ,         ,          ,       ,       ,
      Thy temp|les should | be plant|ed pres|ently.
             ,         ,       ,         ,           ,
      With horns,| as was | Actae|on's; and | the hounds
               ,       ,         ,          ,       ,
      Should^drive | upon | thy new-|transform|ed limbs,
       , ,             ,       ,         ,
      Unman/nerly | intru|der as | thou art.
 
LAVINIA
       ,            ,     ,     ,        ,
      Under | your pa|tience | gentle | empress,
              ,       ,      2      ,        ,         ,
      'Tis thought | you have a | goodly | gift in | horning,
       ,            ,         ,           ,         ,
      And to | be doubt|ed, that | your Moor | and you
            ,        ,         ,       ,     ,
      Are sing|led forth | to try | exper|iments:
        T     T     T     ,            2       ,        ,
      Jove shield your | husband | from his hounds | today,
            ,      ,             ,     ,            ,
      'Tis pi|ty they | should take | him for | a stag.
 
BASSIANUS
          ,          ,             ,         ,    ,
      Believe | me queen,| your swarth | Cimmer|ian,
             ,          ,      ,        ,       ,
      Doth^make | your hon|or of | his bod|y's hue,
        ,          ,        ,      ,    2 ,
      Spotted,| detes|ted, and | abom|inable.
       ,         ,       ,               ,           ,
      Why are | you se|questered | from all | your train?
       ,   ,          2         T    T     T       ,
      Dismoun/ted from your | snow-white good|ly steed,
            ,         ,      ,           ,     ,
      And wand|ered hith|er to | an ob/scure plot,
          ,     ,     ,            ,    2      ,
      Accomp|anied | but with | a bar|barous Moor,
           ,        ,         ,        ,       ,
      If foul | desire | had not | conduct|ed you?
 
LAVINIA
           ,      ,     ,       ,         ,
      And be|ing in|tercep|ted in  your sport,
        ,    ,                  x       ,         ,
      Great rea/son that | my noble | lord, be | rated
            ,     ,        ,         ,         ,
      For sauc|iness,| I pray | you let | us hence,
           ,         ,         ,      ,         ,
      And let | her joy | her rav|en-col|ored love,
            ,        ,         ,         ,        ,
      This val|ley fits | the pur|pose pass|ing well.
 
BASSIANUS
            ,         ,     2        ,     ,            ,
      The king | my broth|er shall have | notice | of this.
 
LAVINIA
       ,                 ,            ,         ,       ,
      Aye, for | these^slips | have made | him not|ed long,
        ,    ,             ,   ,             ,
      Good king,/ to be | so might/ily | abused.
 
TAMORA
          ,     ,   ,          2     T   T    T
      Why^I | have pa/tience to en|dure all this?
 
[Enter DEMETRIUS and CHIRON]
 
DEMETRIUS
       T   T     T      ,
      How now, dear | sovereign
       ,          ,         ,
      And our | gracious | mother,   (tri with prev)
             ,           ,         ,     T   T   .   T
      Why* doth | your high|ness look | so pale and wan?
 
TAMORA
           ,         ,       ,                ,    ,
      Have I | not^reas|on think | you to / look pale.
             ,            ,          ,            ,    ,
      These two | have 'ticed | me hith|er to / this place,
         ,          ,        ,         ,        ,
      A bar|ren, detes|ted vale | you see | it is.
       .    T      T    T        ,         ,          ,
      The trees though sum|mer, yet | forlorn | and lean,
           ,           ,          ,        ,     ,
      Orecome | with moss,| and bale|ful mist|letoe.
        T    Tx     T      .   T     T    T         ,
      Here never shines | the sun, here noth|ing breeds,
          ,          ,       ,        ,       x
      Unless | the night|ly owl,| or fat|al raven:
            ,            ,          ,       ,       ,
      And when | they showed | me this | abhor|red pit,
             ,         ,         ,      ,             ,
      They told | me here | at dead | time of | the night,
          ,          ,         ,        ,          ,
      A thous|and fiends,| a thous|and his|sing snakes,
            ,         ,         ,          x      ,
      Ten^thous|and swel|ling toads,| as many | urchins,
              ,      ,    ,                ,       ,
      Would make | such fear/ful and | confus|ed cries,
          ,    ,       ,      ,       ,
      As an|y mort|al bod|y hear|ing it,
                 ,        T   T    .   T     ,   ,
      Should straight | fall mad, or else | die sud/denly.
           ,      ,           ,          ,         ,
      No soon|er had | they told | this hel|lish tale,
              ,             ,         ,            ,         ,
      But straight | they told | me they | would bind | me here,
       ,          ,     ,      ,       ,
      Unto | the bod|y of | a dis|mal yew,
            ,         ,         ,    ,       ,
      And leave | me to | this mis|era|ble death:
            ,            ,          ,      ,      ,
      And then | they called | me foul | adul|teress,
          ,   2     ,         ,         ,    2      ,
      Lasciv|ious Goth,| and all | the bit|terest terms
            ,     ,          ,         ,        ,
      That ev|er ear | did hear | to such | effect.
           ,         ,         ,        ,         ,
      And had | you not | by wond|rous for|tune come,
            ,          ,    ,    2       ,    ,
      This ven|geance^on | me had they | exe|cuted:
           ,         ,         ,           ,         ,
      Revenge | it, as | you love | your moth|er's life,
          ,       ,      ,            ,          ,
      Or be | ye not | henceforth^|called my | children.
 
DEMETRIUS
        ,          ,         ,       ,        ,
      This is | a wit|ness that | I am | thy son.
 
[Stabs BASSIANUS]
 
CHIRON
            ,         ,      T     T   .   T           ,
      And this | for me,| struck home to show | my strength.
 
[Also stabs BASSIANUS, who dies]
 
LAVINIA
             ,       ,    ,     ,   ,            ,  2
      Aye* come | Semir|amis,| nay bar/barous | Tamora.
           ,     T    T   T     ,        T   T   T
      For no | name fits thy | nature | but thy own.  (hex with prev)
 
TAMORA
        ,            ,         ,            ,         ,
      Give me | thy pon|iard, you | shall know | my boys
             ,         ,            ,            ,         ,
      Your moth|er's hand | shall right | your moth|er's wrong.
 
DEMETRIUS
        ,   ,                 ,        ,         ,
      Stay mad/am here | is more | belongs | to her,
        T      T    .    T          ,       ,          ,
      First thrash the corn,| then^aft|er burn | the straw:
            ,        ,       ,          ,     ,
      This^min|ion stood | upon | her chast|ity,
        ,         ,        ,         ,     ,
      Upon | her nup|tial vow,| her loy|alty.
            ,           ,        ,       ,            ,   2
      And with | that paint|ed hope,| braves your | mightiness,
            ,          ,       ,       ,         ,
      And shall | she car|ry this | unto | her grave?
 
CHIRON
           ,        ,       ,     ,     2      ,
      And if | she do,| I would | I were an | eunuch.
        T    T    .   T              ,   ,        ,
      Drag hence her hus|band to / some sec|ret hole,
            ,          ,      ,    ,                 ,
      And make | his dead | trunk pil/low to | our lust.
 
TAMORA
            ,         ,         ,      ,       ,
      But when | ye have | the hon|ey we | desire,
           ,           ,     T   T   .   T         ,
      Let^not | this^wasp | outlive us both | to sting.
 
CHIRON
         ,      2     ,      ,          ,           ,
      I war|rant you mad|am we | will make | that sure:
        ,   ,                    ,          ,       ,
      Come mis/tress, now*| perforce | we will | enjoy,
             ,       ,       ,     ,        ,
      That nice-|preserv|ed hon|esty | of yours.
 
LAVINIA
         ,    ,           ,        ,         ,
      O Tam|ora,| thou bearst | a wom|an's face.
 
TAMORA
          ,          ,          ,       ,          ,
      I will | not hear | her speak,| away | with her.
 
LAVINIA
               ,         ,           ,        ,        ,
      *Sweet^lords | entreat | her hear | me but | a word.
 
DEMETRIUS
       ,              ,         x      ,         ,
      Listen | fair* mad|am, let it | be your | glory
          ,          ,          ,          ,      ,
      To see | her tears,| but be | your heart | to them,
          ,    ,         ,          ,          ,
      As un|relen|ting flint | to drops | of rain.
 
LAVINIA
        ,     2       ,          T     T    T          ,
      When did the | tiger's | young ones teach | the dam?
          ,         ,           ,            ,          ,
      O* do | not learn | her wrath,| she taught | it thee,
            ,              ,            ,          ,          x
      The milk | thou* suckedst | from her | did turn | to marble,
        x             ,           ,          ,     ,
      Even at | thy teat | thou hadst | thy tyr|anny,
           ,       ,        ,           ,       ,
      Yet eve|ry moth|er breeds | not^sons | alike,
       ,     2     ,           ,       ,       ,
      Do thou en|treat her | show a | woman | pity.
 
CHIRON
        ,              ,      2       ,        ,       ,
      What, wouldst^|thou have me | prove my|self a | bastard?
 
LAVINIA
             ,         ,       ,          ,         ,
      'Tis true,| the rav|en doth | not^hatch | a lark:
       ,             ,      ,             ,        ,
      Yet have | I heard,| Oh could | I find | it now,
           ,      ,           ,      ,        ,
      The li|on moved | with pi|ty, did | endure
           ,           ,        ,      T    T  . T
      To have | his prince|ly paws | pared all away.
             ,          ,        ,    2     ,      ,
      Some* say,| that rav|ens fost|er forlorn | children,
             ,            ,      ,    ,                   ,
      The whilst | their own | birds fam/ish in | their nests:
          ,       ,                   ,    ,           ,
      Oh be | to me | though* thy / hard heart | say* no,
       ,             ,          ,         ,    ,
      Nothing | so kind | but some|thing pit|iful.
 
TAMORA
          ,     ,              ,       ,          ,
      I know | not what | it means,| away | with her.
 
LAVINIA
          ,         ,       ,             ,         ,
      Oh let | me teach | thee for | my fath|er's sake,
             ,           ,           ,         ,            ,           ->
      That gave | thee life | when well | he might | have slain || thee:
       ,        ,   2      ,            ,    ,
      Be | not ob|durate, op|en thy / deaf ears.
 
TAMORA
        ,              ,        ,       ,       ,
      Hadst thou | in pers|on nere | offend|ed me,
       ,          ,      ,          ,     ,
      Even | for his | sake am | I pit|iless.
         ,        ,         ,       T     T    .   T
      Remem|ber boys | I poured | forth tears in vain,
           ,           ,        ,         ,      ,
      To save | your broth|er from | the sac|rifice,
             ,         ,    ,           ,        ,
      But fierce | Andron|icus | would not | relent,
        ,      2   ,      2           ,         ,         ,
      Therefore a|way with her,| and use | her as | you will,
            ,         ,         ,        ,         ,
      The worse | to her,| the bet|ter loved | of me.
 
LAVINIA
         ,    ,         ,        ,        ,
      O Tam|ora,| be called | a gent|le queen,
                   ,    ,      ,     ,                   ,
      And with / thine own | hands kill / me in | this place,
            ,          ,         ,           ,           ,
      For 'tis | not life | that I | have begged | so* long,
           ,         ,           ,     ,      ,
      Poor^I | was slain,| when Bas|sian|us died.
 
TAMORA
              ,             ,      ,   ,              ,
      What beggst | thou* then?| Fond wom/an let^|me go?
 
LAVINIA
             ,        ,        ,     .   T    T     T
      'Tis pres|ent death | I beg,| and one thing more,
            ,      ,        ,          ,          ,
      That wom|anhood | denies | my tongue | to tell:
           ,         ,            ,           ,         ,
      Oh keep | me from | their worse | than kil|ling lust,
           ,       ,      ,          ,         ,
      And tum|ble me | into | some loath|some pit,
              x       ,    ,             ,        ,
      Where never | man's eye / may be|hold my | body,
       T   T    .   T       ,   3 3    ,     ,
      Do this, and be | a char|itable murd|erer.
 
TAMORA
            ,        ,         ,       ,              ,
      So should | I rob | my sweet | sons of | their fee,
           ,          ,     ,           ,         ,
      No* let | them sat|isfy | their lust | on thee.
 
DEMETRIUS
        ,          ,            ,          ,          ,
      Away,| for thou | hast stayed | us here | too long.
 
LAVINIA
      __    ___
      No | grace?  \\
       T   Tx   T          ,        ,        o
      No womanhood?| Ah* beast|ly creat|ure,
            ,         ,   ,     2      ,        ,
      The blot | and en|emy | to our gene|ral name,
          ,        ,
      Confu|sion fall--
 
CHIRON
                         ,                ,           ,
                        Nay then | I'll stop | your mouth
        ,               ,
      Bring thou | her hus|band,  \\
        ,    2        ,          ,       ,         ,
      This is the | hole where^|Aaron | bid us | hide him.
 
[DEMETRIUS throws the body of BASSIANUS into the pit; then exeunt DEMETRIUS and CHIRON, dragging off LAVINIA]
 
TAMORA
            ,         ,     ,               ,          ,
      Farewell | my sons,| see that | you make | her sure,
             ,         ,            ,       ,         ,
      Nere* let | my heart | know* mer|ry cheer | indeed,
            ,       2    ,    ,        ,      ,
      Till^all | the Andron|ici | be made | away:
       ,             ,          ,         ,       ,
      Now will | I hence | to seek | my love|ly Moor,
           ,          ,         ,           ,          x
      And let | my spleen|ful sons | this trull | deflower.
 
[Exit. Enter AARON, with QUINTUS and MARTIUS]
 
AARON
            ,        ,          ,        ,        ,
      Come^on | my lords,| the bet|ter foot | before,
          ,               ,          ,         ,         ,
      Straight will | I bring | you to | the loath|some pit,
            ,      ,           ,        ,       ,
      Where^I | espied | the panth|er fast | asleep.
 
QUINTUS
           ,         ,      ,         ,         ,
      My sight | is ve|ry dull | whatere | it bodes.
 
MARTIUS
            ,       ,        ,        2    ,          ,
      And mine | I prom|ise you,| were it not | for shame,
        ,              ,           ,          ,        ,
      Well could | I leave | our sport | to sleep | awhile.
 
[Falls into the pit]
 
QUINTUS
            ,            x           ,        ,         ,
      What art | thou fallen?| What sub|tle hole | is this,
              ,         ,                ,    ,         x
      Whose^mouth | is cov|ered with / rude-grow|ing briers,
        ,      T      T    .    T      .  T    T    T
      Upon | whose leaves are drops | of new-shed blood,
           ,         ,        ,         ,            x
      As fresh | as morn|ing dew | distilled | on flowers?
         ,     ,       ,          ,         ,
      A ve|ry fat|al place | it seems | to me:
        ,     ,                    ,           ,          ,
      Speak broth/er hast | thou hurt | thee with | the fall?
 
MARTIUS
      ,    ,                  ,          ,   ,
      O broth/er, with | the dis|mallst ob|ject
      <-         ,      ,           T     T    T         ,
        That || ever | eye with | sight made heart | lament.
 
AARON
       ,             ,           ,         ,           ,
      Now will | I fetch | the king | to find | them here,
            ,     T   T  T        2    ,       ,
      That he | thereby may | give^a like|ly guess,
             ,            ,           ,        x        ,
      How* these | were they | that made | away his | brother.
 
[Exit]
 
MARTIUS
            ,         ,        ,         ,        ,
      Why dost | not com|fort me | and help | me out,
             ,     , ,                T       T     T
      From this | unhal/lowed and | blood-stained hole?
 
QUINTUS
      ,            ,                ,  ,      __
      I am | surprised | with an / uncouth | fear,
          ,         ,           ,         ,           ,
      A chil|ling sweat | ore-runs | my trem|bling joints,
           ,          ,       ,               ,         ,
      My heart | suspects | more than | mine eye | can see.
 
MARTIUS
           ,            ,        ,      ,        ,
      To prove | thou hast | a true-|divin|ing heart,
       ,   2        T    T    T       ,         ,
      Aaron and | thou look down | into | this den,
           ,        ,        ,          ,           ,
      And see | a fear|ful sight | of blood | and death.
 
QUINTUS
       ,           ,         ,       ,      2     ,
      Aaron | is gone,| and my | compas|sionate heart
            ,        ,           ,      ,           ,
      Will not | permit | mine eyes | once to | behold
            ,           ,        ,        ,        ,
      The thing | whereat | it tremb|les by | surmise:
           ,        ,        ,         ,          ,
      Oh tell | me how | it is,| for nere | till now
          ,       ,          ,        ,          ,
      Was I | a child,| to fear | I know | not what.
 
MARTIUS
            ,    ,       ,        ,       ,
      Lord^Bas|sian|us lies | embrew|ed here,
       ,           ,      ,            ,           ,
      All on | a heap | like to | a slaught|ered lamb,
       ,     2    ,         T     T     T        ,
      In this de|tested,| dark, blood-drink|ing pit.
 
QUINTUS
          ,        ,          ,           ,         ,
      If it | be dark,| how dost | thou know |'tis he?
 
MARTIUS
        ,          ,       ,      ,          ,
      Upon | his blood|y fing|er he | doth^wear
         ,          ,           ,        ,          ,
      A pre|cious ring,| that light|ens all | the hole:
              ,       ,            ,   ,     ,
      Which^like | a tap|er in / some mon|ument,
             ,       ,     .    T    T     T        ,
      Doth^shine | upon | the dead man's earth|y cheeks,
            ,          ,       ,    ,             ,
      And shows | the rag|ged en|trails of | the pit:
           ,          ,           ,        ,    ,
      So pale | did shine | the moon | on Py|ramus,
            ,        ,             ,         ,        ,
      When he | by night | lay* bathed | in maid|en blood:
          ,        ,     ,              ,         ,
      O broth|er help | me with | thy faint|ing hand.
           ,           ,           ,         ,        ,
      If fear | hath made | thee faint,| as me | it hath,
       ,              ,        ,     2   ,     ,
      Out of | this fell | devour|ing recep|tacle,
           ,       ,      ,       ,       ,
      As hate|ful as | Cocy|tus' mis|ty mouth.
 
QUINTUS
        ,              ,         ,         ,          ,
      Reach me | thy hand,| that I | may help | thee out,
           ,          ,          ,         ,          ,
      Or want|ing strength | to do | thee so | much^good,
         ,          ,       ,  2        ,           ,
      I may | be plucked | into the | swallow|ing womb,
        2       ,     T     T   T    ,        ,
      Of this deep | pit, poor Bas|sian|us' grave:
          ,           ,           ,           ,         ,
      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 | again,
             ,          ,       ,       ,      ,
      Till thou | art here | aloft,| or I | below,
             ,           ,        ,       ,         ,
      Thou canst | not come | to me,| I come | to thee.
 
[Falls in. Enter SATURNINUS with AARON]
 
SATURNINUS
         ,          ,         ,           ,         ,
      Along | with me,| I'll see | what hole | is here,
            ,        ,         ,          ,         x
      And what | he is | that now | is leaped | into it.
       ,         ,                ,       ,         ,
      Say, who^|art thou*| that late|ly didst | descend,
       ,           ,       ,       ,         ,
      Into | this gap|ing hol|low of | the earth?
 
MARTIUS
         2   ,      ,        ,        ,    ,
      The unhap|py son | of old | Andron|icus,
         ,      ,              ,        ,      ,
      Brought hith/er in | a most | unluck|y hour,
           ,          ,       ,     ,      ,
      To find | thy broth|er Bas|sian|us dead.
 
SATURNINUS
           ,        ,        ,           ,          ,
      My broth|er dead?| I know | thou dost | but jest,
       ,            ,      ,         ,         ,
      He and | his la|dy both | are at | the lodge,
        ,          ,       ,              ,         ,
      Upon | the north | side of | this pleas|ant chase,
            ,        ,      ,         ,          ,
      'Tis not | an hou|r since | I left | him there.
 
MARTIUS
           ,          ,           ,         ,       ,
      We know | not^where | you left | him all | alive.
           ,      ,      ,              ,           ,
      But out | alas,| here have | we found | him dead.
 
[Enter TAMORA, with Attendants; TITUS ANDRONICUS, and Lucius]
 
TAMORA
        ,             ,          ,
      Where is | my lord | the king?  \\
 
SATURNINUS
        ,   ,                  ,            ,        ,
      Here Tam/ora,| though grieved | with kil|ling grief.
 
TAMORA
        ,              ,       ,     ,     o
      Where is | thy broth|er Bas|sian|us?
 
SATURNINUS
       ,            ,        ,            ,          ,
      Now to | the bot|tom dost | thou search | my wound,
        T   T  Tx       ,      T    T   T
      Poor Bassian|us here | lies murdered.
 
TAMORA
            ,           ,        ,           ,       ,
      Then all | too* late | I bring | this fat|al writ,
           ,    ,              ,        ,     ,
      The com|plot of | this time|less trag|edy.
           ,        ,               ,     ,          ,
      And wond|er great|ly that / man's face | can fold,
           ,          ,           ,    2     ,     ,
      In pleas|ing smiles | such^murd|erous tyr|anny.
 
SATURNINUS
           ,        ,         ,          ,       ,
      And if | we miss | to meet | him hand|somely,
               ,         ,     ,      ,         ,
      Sweet* hunts|man, Bas|sian|us 'tis | we mean,
           ,         ,        ,          ,          ,
      Do thou | so much | as dig | the grave | for him,
               ,           ,         ,         ,        ,
      Thou* knowst | our mean|ing, look | for thy | reward
         ,         ,        ,        ,       ,
      Among | the net|tles at | the eld|er tree:
             ,      ,           ,                 ,   ,
      Which^ov|ershades | the mouth | of that / same pit,
        ,     2     ,         ,      ,     ,
      Where we de|creed to | bury | Bassi|anus.
       T   T   .   T         ,         ,         ,
      Do this and purch|ase us | thy last|ing friends.
      ,  ,             ,      ,           ,
      O Tam/ora,| was ev|er heard | the like?
        ,            ,          ,         ,       ,
      This is | the pit,| and this | the eld|er-tree,
        ,          ,             ,          ,        ,
      Look sirs^,|if you | can find | the hunts|man out,
              ,           ,         ,     ,      ,
      That should | have murd|ered Bas|sian|us here.
 
AARON
          ,          ,      ,            ,         ,
      My gra|cious lord | here is | the bag | of gold.
 
SATURNINUS
       ,    2         T      T    T         ,       ,
      Two of thy | whelps, fell curs | of blood|y kind
             ,        ,         ,       ,         ,
      Have here | bereft | my broth|er of | his life;
        ,    ,                     ,     ,  2       ,
      Sirs drag / them from | the pit | unto the | prison,
              ,           ,       ,     ,            ,
      There* let | them bide | until | we have | devised
            ,       ,        ,    2      ,          ,
      Some^nev|er-heard-|of tor|turing pain | for them.
 
TAMORA
            ,          ,         ,         ,         ,
      What are | they in | this pit,| O* wond|rous thing!
           ,    ,    ,        ,      ,
      How eas|ily | murder | is dis|covered?
 
TITUS ANDRONICUS
        ,   ,           ,         ,       ,
      High emp/eror,| upon | my feeb|le knee,
         ,           ,           ,           ,        ,
      I beg | this boon,| with tears,| not light|ly shed,
             ,      ,    ,                 ,       ,
      That this | fell fault / of my | accurs|ed sons,
          ,       ,         ,           ,          ,
      Accurs|ed, if | the fault | be proved | in them.
 
SATURNINUS
       ,            ,          ,        ,      ,      ->
      If it | be proved?| You see | it is | appar||ent,
       ,      ,           ,        ,  2       2    ,
      Who | found this | letter,| Tamora | was it you?
 
TAMORA
          ,    ,         ,          ,        ,
      Andron|icus | himself | did take | it up.
 
TITUS ANDRONICUS
         ,         ,         ,        ,           ,
      I did | my lord,| yet let | me be | their bail,
           ,        ,         ,         ,       ,
      For by | my fath|er's reve|rend tomb | I vow
             ,          ,     ,          ,          ,
      They shall | be read|y at | your high|ness' will,
          ,        ,         ,        ,            ,
      To ans|wer their | suspi|cion with | their lives.
 
SATURNINUS
             ,           ,           ,          ,       ,
      Thou shalt | not bail | them, see | thou fol|low me:
             ,          ,         ,       ,          ,     2   ->
      Some^bring | the murd|ered bo|dy, some | the murd||erers,
       ,          ,         2    ,          ,          ,
      Let | them not | speak^a word,| the guilt | is plain,
           ,        ,                   ,    ,           ,
      For by | my soul,| were there / worse end | than death,
            ,      ,            ,         ,   ,     2->
      That end | upon | them should | be ex|ecut||ed.
 
TAMORA
          ,    ,    ,            ,           ,
      Andron|icus | I will | entreat | the king;
             ,          ,           ,          ,       ,
      Fear* not | thy sons,| they shall | do well | enough.
 
TITUS ANDRONICUS
        T    Tx     T      T   T   .   T           ,
      Come Lucius come,| stay not to talk | with them.
 
[Exeunt]

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