No Fear Shakespeare: Titus Andronicus: Act 4 Scene 1

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Titus Andronicus

William Shakespeare

Original Text

Modern Text

Original Text

Modern Text

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Original Text	Modern Text
Enter LUCIUS’ son and LAVINIA running after him, and the boy flies from her with his books under his arm. Enter TITUS and MARCUS.	Enter LUCIUS’ son and LAVINIA running after him, and the boy flies from her with his books under his arm. Enter TITUS and MARCUS.
YOUNG LUCIUS Help, grandsire, help! My aunt Lavinia Follows me everywhere, I know not why.— Good uncle Marcus, see how swift she comes!— Alas, sweet aunt, I know not what you mean.	YOUNG LUCIUS Help, grandsire, help! My aunt Lavinia Follows me everywhere, I know not why.— Good uncle Marcus, see how swift she comes!— Alas, sweet aunt, I know not what you mean.
MARCUS 5 Stand by me, Lucius. Do not fear thine aunt.	MARCUS Stand by me, Lucius. Do not fear thine aunt.
TITUS She loves thee, boy, too well to do thee harm.	TITUS She loves thee, boy, too well to do thee harm.
YOUNG LUCIUS Ay, when my father was in Rome she did.	YOUNG LUCIUS Ay, when my father was in Rome she did.
MARCUS What means my niece Lavinia by these signs?	MARCUS What means my niece Lavinia by these signs?
TITUS Fear her not, Lucius. Somewhat doth she mean. 10 See, Lucius, see, how much she makes of thee. Somewhither would she have thee go with her. Ah, boy, Cornelia never with more care Read to her sons than she hath read to thee Sweet poetry and Tully’s Orator.	TITUS Fear her not, Lucius. Somewhat doth she mean. See, Lucius, see, how much she makes of thee. Somewhither would she have thee go with her. Ah, boy, Cornelia never with more care Read to her sons than she hath read to thee Sweet poetry and Tully’s Orator.
MARCUS 15 Canst thou not guess wherefore she plies thee thus?	MARCUS Canst thou not guess wherefore she plies thee thus?
YOUNG LUCIUS My lord, I know not, I, nor can I guess, Unless some fit or frenzy do possess her; For I have heard my grandsire say full oft, Extremity of griefs would make men mad, 20 And I have read that Hecuba of Troy Ran mad for sorrow. That made me to fear, Although, my lord, I know my noble aunt Loves me as dear as e’er my mother did, And would not but in fury fright my youth, 25 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.	YOUNG LUCIUS My lord, I know not, I, nor can I guess, Unless some fit or frenzy do possess her; For I have heard my grandsire say full oft, Extremity of griefs would make men mad, And I have read that Hecuba of Troy Ran mad for sorrow. That made me to fear, Although, my lord, I know my noble aunt Loves me as dear as 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 Lucius, I will.	MARCUS Lucius, I will.
TITUS 30 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.— To LAVINIA. But thou art deeper read and better skilled. 35 Come and take choice of all my library, And so beguile thy sorrow till the heavens Reveal the damned contriver of this deed.— Why lifts she up her arms in sequence thus?	TITUS 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.— To LAVINIA. But thou art deeper read and better skilled. Come and take choice of all my library, And so beguile thy sorrow till the heavens Reveal the damned contriver of this deed.— Why lifts she up her arms in sequence thus?
MARCUS I think she means that there were more than one 40 Confederate in the fact. Ay, more there was, Or else to heaven she heaves them for revenge.	MARCUS I think she means that there were more than one Confederate in the fact. Ay, more there was, Or else to heaven she heaves them for revenge.
TITUS Lucius, what book is that she tosseth so?	TITUS Lucius, what book is that she tosseth so?
YOUNG LUCIUS Grandsire, ’tis Ovid’s Metamorphosis. My mother gave it me.	YOUNG LUCIUS Grandsire, ’tis Ovid’s Metamorphosis. My mother gave it me.
MARCUS 45 For love of her that’s gone, Perhaps, she culled it from among the rest.	MARCUS For love of her that’s gone, Perhaps, she culled it from among the rest.
TITUS Soft! So busily she turns the leaves. Help her! What would she find?—Lavinia, shall I read? This is the tragic tale of Philomel, 50 And treats of Tereus’ treason and his rape. And rape, I fear, was root of thy annoy.	TITUS Soft! So busily she turns the leaves. Help 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 thy annoy.
MARCUS See, brother, see! Note how she quotes the leaves.	MARCUS See, brother, see! Note how she quotes the leaves.
TITUS Lavinia, wert thou thus surprised, sweet girl, Ravished and wronged as Philomela was, 55 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!— Patterned by that the poet here describes, By nature made for murders and for rapes.	TITUS Lavinia, wert thou thus surprised, sweet girl, Ravished and wronged 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!— Patterned by that the poet here describes, By nature made for murders and for rapes.
MARCUS 60 O, why should nature build so foul a den, Unless the gods delight in tragedies?	MARCUS O, why should nature build so foul a den, Unless the gods delight in tragedies?
TITUS 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, 65 That left the camp to sin in Lucrece’ bed?	TITUS 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 Sit down, sweet niece.—Brother, sit down by me.	MARCUS Sit down, sweet niece.—Brother, sit down by me.
They sit.	They sit.
Apollo, Pallas, Jove, or Mercury Inspire me, that I may this treason find.— My lord, look here.—Look here, Lavinia.	Apollo, Pallas, Jove, or Mercury Inspire me, that I may this treason find.— My lord, look here.—Look here, Lavinia.
He writes his name with his staff and guides it with feet and mouth.	He writes his name with his staff and guides it with feet and mouth.
70 This sandy plot is plain; guide, if thou canst, This after me. I have writ my name Without the help of any hand at all. Cursed be that heart that forced us to this shift! Write thou, good niece, and here display at last 75 What God will have discovered for revenge. Heaven guide thy pen to print thy sorrows plain, That we may know the traitors and the truth.	This sandy plot is plain; guide, if thou canst, This after me. I have writ my name Without the help of any hand at all. Cursed be that heart that forced us to this shift! Write thou, good niece, and here display at last What God will have discovered 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.	She takes the staff in her mouth, and guides it with her stumps and writes.
O, do you read, my lord, what she hath writ?	O, do you read, my lord, what she hath writ?
TITUS “Stuprum. Chiron, Demetrius.”	TITUS “Stuprum. Chiron, Demetrius.”
MARCUS 80 What, what! The lustful sons of Tamora Performers of this heinous, bloody deed?	MARCUS What, what! The lustful sons of Tamora Performers of this heinous, bloody deed?
TITUS Magni Dominator poli, Tam lentus audis scelera, tam lentus vides?	TITUS Magni Dominator poli, Tam lentus audis scelera, tam lentus vides?
MARCUS O, calm thee, gentle lord, although I know 85 There is enough written upon this earth To stir a mutiny in the mildest thoughts And arm the minds of infants to exclaims. My lord, kneel down with me.—Lavinia, kneel.— And kneel, sweet boy, the Roman Hector’s hope,	MARCUS O, calm thee, gentle lord, although I know There is enough written upon this earth To stir a mutiny in the mildest thoughts And arm the minds of infants to exclaims. My lord, kneel down with me.—Lavinia, kneel.— And kneel, sweet boy, the Roman Hector’s hope,
They all kneel.	They all kneel.
90 And swear with me—as, with the woeful fere And father of that chaste dishonored dame, Lord Junius Brutus swore for Lucrece’ rape— That we will prosecute by good advice Mortal revenge upon these traitorous Goths, 95 And see their blood or die with this reproach.	And swear with me—as, with the woeful fere And father of that chaste dishonored dame, Lord Junius Brutus swore for Lucrece’ rape— That we will prosecute by good advice Mortal revenge upon these traitorous Goths, And see their blood or die with this reproach.
They rise.	They rise.
TITUS ’Tis sure enough, an you knew how. But if you hunt these bearwhelps, then beware; The dam will wake an if she wind you once. She’s with the lion deeply still in league, 100 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 alone. And come, I will go get a leaf of brass, And with a gad of steel will write these words, 105 And lay it by. The angry northern wind Will blow these sands like Sibyl’s leaves abroad, And where’s our lesson then?—Boy, what say you?	TITUS ’Tis sure enough, an you knew how. But if you hunt these bearwhelps, then beware; The dam will wake an 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 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 wind Will blow these sands like Sibyl’s leaves abroad, And where’s our lesson then?—Boy, what say you?
YOUNG LUCIUS I say, my lord, that if I were a man, Their mother’s bedchamber should not be safe 110 For these base bondmen to the yoke of Rome.	YOUNG LUCIUS I say, my lord, that if I were a man, Their mother’s bedchamber should not be safe For these base bondmen to the yoke of Rome.
MARCUS Ay, that’s my boy! Thy father hath full oft For his ungrateful country done the like.	MARCUS Ay, that’s my boy! Thy father hath full oft For his ungrateful country done the like.
YOUNG LUCIUS And, uncle, so will I, an if I live.	YOUNG LUCIUS And, uncle, so will I, an if I live.
TITUS Come, go with me into mine armory. 115 Lucius, I’ll fit thee, and withal my boy Shall carry from me to the Empress’ sons Presents that I intend to send them both. Come, come. Thou ’lt do my message, wilt thou not?	TITUS Come, go with me into mine armory. Lucius, I’ll fit thee, and withal my boy Shall carry from me to the Empress’ sons Presents that I intend to send them both. Come, come. Thou ’lt do my message, wilt thou not?
YOUNG LUCIUS Ay, with my dagger in their bosoms, grandsire.	YOUNG LUCIUS Ay, with my dagger in their bosoms, grandsire.
TITUS 120 No, boy, not so. I’ll teach thee another course.— Lavinia, come.—Marcus, look to my house. Lucius and I’ll go brave it at the court; Ay, marry, will we, sir, and we’ll be waited on.	TITUS No, boy, not so. I’ll teach thee another course.— Lavinia, come.—Marcus, look to my house. Lucius and I’ll go brave it at the court; Ay, marry, will we, sir, and we’ll be waited on.
All but MARCUS exit.	All but MARCUS exit.
MARCUS O heavens, can you hear a good man groan 125 And not relent, or not compassion him? Marcus, attend him in his ecstasy, That hath more scars of sorrow in his heart Than foemen’s marks upon his battered shield, But yet so just that he will not revenge. 130 Revenge the heavens for old Andronicus!	MARCUS O heavens, can you hear a good man groan And not relent, or not compassion him? Marcus, attend him in his ecstasy, That hath more scars of sorrow in his heart Than foemen’s marks upon his battered shield, But yet so just that he will not revenge. Revenge the heavens for old Andronicus!
He exits.	He exits.