Prescanned Shakespeare.com
presented by Acoustic Learning
The same. A room in the palace.
[Enter, from one side, AARON, DEMETRIUS, and CHIRON; from the other side,
Young LUCIUS, and an Attendant, with a bundle of weapons, and verses writ
upon them]
CHIRON
, , ,
, ,
Deme|trius | here's the | son of | Lucius,
, ,
, , ,
He hath | some mes|sage to | deliv|er us.
AARON
,
, , 2
T T T 2->
Aye some^|mad mes/sage from his | mad
grandfath||er.
YOUNG LUCIUS
, ,
, ,
,
My lords,| with all | the hum|bleness | I may,
, ,
, , ,
I greet | your hon|ors from | Andron|icus.
,
, ,
, ,
And pray | the Rom|an gods | confound | you both.
DEMETRIUS
, ,
, , ,
Gramer|cy love|ly Luc|ius, what's | the news?
YOUNG LUCIUS
, ,
, , ,
That you | are both | deciph|ered, that's | the
news,
, ,
, , ,
For vil|lains marked | with rape.| May it /
please you,
, ,
, ,
,
My grand|sire well^|advised | hath sent | by me,
, 2
, ,
, ,
The good|liest weap|ons of | his arm|ory,
, ,
, , ,
To grat|ify | your hon|ora|ble youth,
,
, ,
, ,
The hope | of Rome,| for so | he bade | me say:
, ,
, ,
,
And so | I do | and with | his gifts | present
, ,
, T T T
Your lord|ships, when|ever | you have need,
,
, , ,
,
You may | be armed | and ap|pointed | well,
<- ,
, ,
, ,
And || so I | leave you | both: like^|bloody |
villains.
[Exeunt Young LUCIUS, and Attendant]
DEMETRIUS
What's here? A scroll, and written round about? Let's see. Integer vitae
scelerisque purus, non eget mauri jaculis, nec arcus.
CHIRON
, ,
, x
,
O 'tis | a verse | in Hor|ace, I / know it well:
,
, ,
, ,
I read | it in | the gram|mar long | ago.
AARON
T T .
T ,
, x
Aye just, a verse | in Hor|ace: right,| you have
it,
,
, ,
, ,
Now what | a thing | it is | to be | an ass?
, ,
2 , ,
,
Here's^no | sound^jest,| the old^man | hath found
| their guilt, ??
,
, ,
, ,
And sends | them weap|ons wrapped | about | with
lines,
,
, , , ,
That wound |(beyond | their feel|ing) to | the
quick:
,
, ,
, ,
But were | our wit|ty emp|ress well | afoot,
, ,
, ,
,
She would | applaud | Andron|icus' | conceit:
, ,
, ,
,
But let | her rest,| in her | unrest | awhile.
. T T
T , ,
,
And now young lords,| wast not | a hap|py star
,
, , ,
,
Led us | to Rome | strangers,| and more | than
so;
,
, , ,
,
Captives,| to be | advanc|ed to | this height?
,
, ,
, ,
It did | me good | before | the pal|ace gate,
, ,
, 2 ,
,
To brave | the trib|une in his | brother's |
hearing.
DEMETRIUS
. T T
T , ,
,
But me more good,| to see | so great | a lord
,
, , , ,
Basely | insin|uate,| and send | us gifts.
AARON
, ,
, , ,
Had he | not reas|on Lord | Demet|rius?
,
, , ,
, 2->
Did you | not use | his daught|er ver|y
friend||ly?
DEMETRIUS
, ,
, ,
,
I would | we had | a thous|and Rom|an dames
,
, ,
, ,
At such | a bay,| by turn | to serve | our lust.
CHIRON
, ,
, , ,
A char|itab|le wish,| and full | of love.
AARON
, ,
, 2 ,
,
Here lacks / but your | mother | for to say,|
amen.
CHIRON
, ,
, ,
,
And that | would she | for twen|ty thous|and
more.
DEMETRIUS
,
, , ,
,
Come, let | us go,| and pray | to all | the gods
,
, , , ,
For our | belov|ed moth|er in | her pains.
AARON
, 2
x , x
,
Pray to the | devils, the | gods have | given us
| over.
[Trumpets sound within]
DEMETRIUS
,
, , ,
,
Why do | the empe|ror's trump|ets flour|ish thus?
CHIRON
, ,
, ,
,
Belike | for joy | the empe|ror hath | a son.
DEMETRIUS
__ T T
T
Soft,| who comes here?
[Enter a Nurse, with a blackamoor Child in her arms]
NURSE
, ,
Good mor|row lords:
, ,
, , ,
O tell | me, did | you see | Aaron | the Moor?
AARON
T T
. T ,
, ,
Well, more or less,| or nere | a whit | at all,
, ,
, , ,
Here Aar|on is,| and what | with Aar|on now?
NURSE
,
, , ,
,
O gent|le Aar|on, we | are all | undone,
T T . T
, , ,
Now help, or woe | betide | thee ev|ermore.
AARON
,
, ,
, ,
Why, what | a cat|erwaul|ing dost | thou keep?
, ,
, , ,
What dost | thou wrap | and fum|ble in |
thine^arms?
NURSE
, ,
, ,
,
O* that | which^I | would hide | from heav|en's
eye,
, ,
, ,
,
Our emp|ress' shame,| and state|ly Rome's |
disgrace,
, ,
, , 2 ,
She is | deliv|ered lords,| she is de|livered.
AARON
,
To whom?
NURSE
T T T
, ,
I mean she | is brought |
a-bed?
AARON
,
, __ __
oo
Well God | give her | good | rest,|
, ,
o
What hath | he sent | her?
NURSE
x
A devil.
AARON
<- , ,
x , ,
,
Why then || she is | the devil's^|dam: a |
joyful | issue.
NURSE
,
, ,
, 2 ,
->
A joy|less, dis|mal, black,| and sor|rowful
is||sue,
, 2
, ,
, ,
Here | is the babe,| as loath|some as | a toad,
, ,
, ,
,
Amongst | the fair|est breed|ers of | our clime,
,
, , ,
,
The emp|ress sends | it thee,| thy stamp,| thy
seal,
, ,
, 2 ,
,
And bids | thee christ|en it | with thy dag|ger's
point.
AARON
T T T
, ,
,
Out you whore,| is black | so* base | a hue?
T T
T 2 , 2
, ,
Sweet blowse, you | are a beaut|eous blos|som
sure.
DEMETRIUS
,
T T T __
Villain | what hast thou | done?
AARON
,
T T T ,
That which^|thou canst not | undo. (tetra
with prev)
CHIRON
,
T T T ,
Thou hast | undone our | mother.
AARON
, ,
, ,
Villain | I have | done thy | mother.
(tetra with prev)
[this line does not appear in the Folio]
DEMETRIUS
, ,
, , ,
And there|in hell|ish dog,| thou hast | undone,
,
, , ,
,
Woe to | her chance,| and damned | her loath|ed
choice,
, , ,
T T . T
Accursed | the off|spring of | so foul a fiend.
CHIRON
. T T
T
It shall not live.
AARON
. T T T
It shall not die. (bi with prev)
NURSE
, ,
, ,
,
Aaron | it must,| the moth|er wills | it so.
AARON
T T
. T ,
, ,
What, must it nurse?| Then let | no man | but I
, , ,
, ,
Do ex|ecu|tion on | my flesh | and blood.
DEMETRIUS
, ,
, , 2
,
I'll broach | the tad|pole on | my rap|ier's
point:
T T .
T , ,
x
Nurse give it me,| my sword | shall soon |
dispatch it.
AARON
,
, ,
, ,
Sooner | this sword | shall plow | thy bow|els
up.
, , ,
2 , ,
->
Stay murd/erous | villains,| will you kill | your
broth||er?
, 2
, , ,
,
Now | by the burn|ing tap|ers of | the sky,
,
, , ,
,
That shone | so bright/ly when | this boy | was
got,
, , , .
T T T
He dies | upon | my scim|itar's sharp point,
, ,
, T T .
T
That touch|es this | my first-|born son and heir.
, , ,
, ,
I tell | you, young|lings, not | Ence|ladus
, ,
2 , ,
,
With all | his threat|ening band | of Typh|on's
brood,
,
, , ,
,
Nor great | Alcid|es, nor | the god | of war,
,
, , ,
,
Shall seize | this^prey | out of | his fath|er's
hands:
,
, , ,
,
What, what | ye sang|uine* shal|low-heart|ed
boys,
. T T
T . T T
T ,
Ye white-limed walls,| ye alehouse paint|ed
signs,
T T
. T , ,
,
Coal-black is bet|ter than | anoth|er hue,
, ,
, , ,
In that | it scorns | to bear | anoth|er hue:
,
, , ,
,
For all | the wat|er in | the o|cean,
, ,
, T T .
T
Can nev|er turn | the swan's | black legs to white,
, ,
, ,
,
Although | she lave | them hour|ly in | the
flood.
,
, ,
, ,
Tell the | empress | from me,| I am | of age
, ,
, ,
,
To keep | mine own,| excuse | it how | she can.
DEMETRIUS
, ,
, ,
,
Wilt thou | betray | thy nob|le mist|ress thus?
AARON
,
, , , ,
My mist|ress is | my mist|ress: this | myself,
,
, ,
, ,
The vig|or, and | the pic|ture of | my youth:
T . T
T , ,
,
This, before all | the world | do I | prefer,
,
, , ,
,
This mau|gre all | the world | will I*/ keep
safe,
,
, , ,
,
Or some | of you | shall smoke | for it | in
Rome.
DEMETRIUS
, ,
, ,
,
By this | our moth|er is | forev|er shamed.
CHIRON
,
, , ,
,
Rome will | despise | her for | this foul |
escape.
NURSE
, ,
, ,
,
The empe|ror in | his rage | will doom | her
death.
CHIRON
, ,
, , ,
I blush | to think | upon | this ig|nomy.
AARON
, ,
, , ,
Why there's | the priv|ilege | your beaut|y
bears:
, ,
, 3 3 ,
,
Fie treach/erous | hue, that will be|tray with |
blushing
, ,
, , ,
The close | enacts | and couns|els of | the
heart:
, T
T T 2 ,
,
Here's a | young lad framed | of anoth|er leer,
, 2
T T T
x ,
Look how the | black slave smiles | upon the |
father;
, ,
T T T 2 ,
As who | should say,| old lad, I | am thine own.
, ,
, ,
,
He is | your broth|er lords,| sensi|bly fed
, ,
, T T . T
Of that / self-blood | that first | gave life to
you,
. T T T
, ,
,
And from that womb | where you | impris|oned were
, ,
, ,
,
He is | enfran|chised | and come | to light:
, 2
, ,
, ,
Nay he is | your broth|er by | the sur|er side,
, , ,
, ,
Although | my seal | be stamp|ed in | his face.
NURSE
,
, ,
, 2 ,
Aaron | what shall | I say | unto the | empress?
DEMETRIUS
, , ,
, ,
Advise | thee Aar|on, what | is to | be done,
,
, ,
, ,
And we | will all | subscribe | to thy | advice:
T T .
T , ,
,
Save thou the child,| so we | may all | be safe.
AARON
, ,
, , ,
Then sit | we down | and let | us all | consult.
, ,
, ,
,
My son | and I | will have | the wind | of you:
T T
T x , 2
,
Keep there, now | talk at plea/sure of your |
safety.
[They sit]
DEMETRIUS
, ,
, ,
,
How* man|y wom|en saw | this child | of his?
AARON
, T T
T ,
,
Why* so | brave lords, when | we join | in league
, ,
, ,
,
I am | a lamb:| but if | you brave | the Moor,
,
, , ,
,
The chaf|ed boar,| the mount|ain li|oness,
,
, , ,
,
The o|cean swells | not^so | as Aar|on storms:
,
, ,
, ,
But say | again;| how* man|y saw | the child?
NURSE
, ,
, , ,
Cornel|ia,| the mid|wife, and | myself,
,
, , 2 ,
,
And no | one^else | but the de|livered | empress.
AARON
, ,
, T T T
The emp|ress, the / midwife,| and yourself,
,
, ,
, ,
Two may | keep coun/sel, when | the third's |
away:
, ,
, ,
,
Go to | the emp|ress, tell | her this | I said.
[He kills the nurse]
T T
T , ,
,
, ->
Weke, weke, so | cries a | pig pre|pared to ||
the spit.
DEMETRIUS
, ,
What meanst | thou Aaron?
,
T T T
Wherefore | didst thou this? (tri with
prev)
AARON
, , ,
, ,
O* Lord | sir, 'tis | a deed | of pol|icy?
,
, , ,
,
Shall she | live to | betray | this guilt | of
ours:
. T T
T ,
, ,
A long-tongued bab|bling gos|sip? No | lords^no:
, 2 ,
, ,
,
And now | be it known | to you | my full |
intent.
T T T
, x ,
2
Not far, one | Muli|teus my | countryman
, ,
, ,
,
His wife | but yes|ternight | was brought | to
bed,
, ,
, ,
,
His child | is like | to her,| fair as | you are:
, ,
, , ,
Go* pack | with him,| and give | the moth|er
gold,
, ,
, , ,
And tell | them both | the cir|cumstance | of
all,
,
, , ,
,
And how | by this | their child | shall be |
advanced,
, ,
, ,
,
And be | receiv|ed for | the empe|ror's heir,
, ,
, ,
,
And sub|stitu|ted in | the place | of mine,
, ,
, ,
,
To calm | this temp|est whirl|ing in | the court,
,
, ,
, 2 ,
And let | the empe|ror dand|le him | for his own.
,
, , 2
x ,
Hark ye | lords; ye | see I have | given her |
physic,
, ,
, , ,
And you | must needs | bestow | her fun|eral,
,
, ,
, ,
The fields | are near,| and you | are gal|lant
grooms:
, ,
, ,
,
This^done,| see that | you take | no* long|er
days
,
, , ,
,
But send | the mid|wife pres/ently | to me.
, ,
, T T . T
The mid|wife and | the nurse | well made away,
, ,
, , ,
Then let | the lad|ies tat|tle what | they
please.
CHIRON
,
, , ,
, ,
->
Aaron | I see | thou wilt / not trust | the air
|| with sec|rets.
DEMETRIUS
,
, , ,
For | this care | of Tam|ora,
, , ,
, ,
Herself,| and hers | are high|ly bound | to thee.
[Exeunt DEMETRIUS and CHIRON bearing off the Nurse's body]
AARON
,
, , ,
,
Now to | the Goths,| as swift | as swal|low
flies,
,
, ,
, ,
There to | dispose | this treas|ure in |
mine^arms,
, ,
, , ,
And sec|retly | to greet | the emp|ress' friends:
, 2
T T T ,
,
Come on you | thick-lipped slave,| I'll bear |
you hence,
, ,
, , ,
For it | is you | that puts | us to | our shifts:
, ,
, , ,
I'll make | you feed | on ber|ries, and | on
roots,
,
, , ,
,
And feed | on curds | and whey,| and suck | the
goat,
, ,
, ,
,
And cab|in in | a cave,| and bring | you up
, ,
2 , , ,
To be | a war|rior, and | command | a camp.
[Exit]