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SCENE II。 Rome。 The palace
Enter AARON； DEMETRIUS and CHIRON； at one door； and at the
other door； YOUNG LUCIUS and another with a bundle of weapons； and
verses writ upon them
CHIRON。 Demetrius； here's the son of Lucius； He hath some
message to deliver us。 AARON。 Ay； some mad message from his mad
grandfather。 BOY。 My lords； with all the humbleness I may； I greet your
honours from Andronicus… ＇Aside＇ And pray the Roman gods confound
you both！ DEMETRIUS。 Gramercy； lovely Lucius。 What's the news？
BOY。 ＇Aside＇ That you are both decipher'd； that's the news； For villains
mark'd with rape。… May it please you； My grandsire； well advis'd； hath sent
by me The goodliest weapons of his armoury To gratify your honourable
youth； The hope of Rome； for so he bid me say； And so I do； and with his
gifts present Your lordships； that； whenever you have need； You may be
armed and appointed well。 And so I leave you both… ＇Aside＇ like bloody
villains。 Exeunt YOUNG LUCIUS and attendant DEMETRIUS。 What's
here？ A scroll； and written round about。 Let's see： ＇Reads＇ 'Integer vitae；
scelerisque purus； Non eget Mauri iaculis； nec arcu。' CHIRON。 O； 'tis a
verse in Horace； I know it well； I read it in the grammar long ago。
AARON。 Ay； just… a verse in Horace。 Right； you have it。 ＇Aside＇ Now；
what a thing it is to be an ass！ Here's no sound jest！ The old man hath
found their guilt； And sends them weapons wrapp'd about with lines That
wound； beyond their feeling； to the quick。 But were our witty Empress
well afoot； She would applaud Andronicus' conceit。 But let her rest in her
unrest awhile… And now； young lords； was't not a happy star Led us to
Rome； strangers； and more than so； Captives； to be advanced to this height？
It did me good before the palace gate To brave the Tribune in his brother's
hearing。 DEMETRIUS。 But me more good to see so great a lord Basely
insinuate and send us gifts。 AARON。 Had he not reason； Lord Demetrius？
Did you not use his daughter very friendly？ DEMETRIUS。 I would we
had a thousand Roman dames At such a bay； by turn to serve our lust。
CHIRON。 A charitable wish and full of love。 AARON。 Here lacks but
your mother for to say amen。 CHIRON。 And that would she for twenty
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thousand more。 DEMETRIUS。 Come； let us go and pray to all the gods
For our beloved mother in her pains。 AARON。 ＇Aside＇ Pray to the devils；
the gods have given us over。 ＇Trumpets sound＇ DEMETRIUS。 Why do the
Emperor's trumpets flourish thus？ CHIRON。 Belike； for joy the Emperor
hath a son。 DEMETRIUS。 Soft！ who comes here？
Enter NURSE； with a blackamoor CHILD
NURSE。 Good morrow； lords。 O； tell me； did you see Aaron the
Moor？ AARON。 Well； more or less； or ne'er a whit at all； Here Aaron is；
and what with Aaron now？ NURSE。 O gentle Aaron； we are all undone！
Now help； or woe betide thee evermore！ AARON。 Why； what a
caterwauling dost thou keep！ What dost thou wrap and fumble in thy arms？
NURSE。 O； that which I would hide from heaven's eye： Our Empress'
shame and stately Rome's disgrace！ She is delivered； lord； she is delivered。
AARON。 To whom？ NURSE。 I mean she is brought a…bed。 AARON。 Well；
God give her good rest！ What hath he sent her？ NURSE。 A devil。 AARON。
Why； then she is the devil's dam； A joyful issue。 NURSE。 A joyless； dismal；
black； and sorrowful issue！ Here is the babe； as loathsome as a toad
Amongst the fair…fac'd breeders of our clime； The Empress sends it thee；
thy stamp； thy seal； And bids thee christen it with thy dagger's point。
AARON。 Zounds； ye whore！ Is black so base a hue？ Sweet blowse； you
are a beauteous blossom sure。 DEMETRIUS。 Villain； what hast thou done？
AARON。 That which thou canst not undo。 CHIRON。 Thou hast undone
our mother。 AARON。 Villain； I have done thy mother。 DEMETRIUS。 And
therein； hellish dog； thou hast undone her。 Woe to her chance； and damn'd
her loathed choice！ Accurs'd the offspring of so foul a fiend！ CHIRON。 It
shall not live。 AARON。 It shall not die。 NURSE。 Aaron； it must； the
mother wills it so。 AARON。 What； must it； nurse？ Then let no man but I
Do execution on my flesh and blood。 DEMETRIUS。 I'll broach the tadpole
on my rapier's point。 Nurse； give it me； my sword shall soon dispatch it。
AARON。 Sooner this sword shall plough thy bowels up。 ＇Takes the
CHILD from the NURSE； and draws＇ Stay； murderous villains； will you
kill your brother！ Now； by the burning tapers of the sky That shone so
brightly when this boy was got； He dies upon my scimitar's sharp point
That touches this my first…born son and heir。 I tell you； younglings； not
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Enceladus； With all his threat'ning band of Typhon's brood； Nor great
Alcides； nor the god of war； Shall seize this prey out of his father's hands。
What； what； ye sanguine； shallow…hearted boys！ Ye white…lim'd walls！ ye
alehouse painted signs！ Coal…black is better than another hue In that it
scorns to bear another hue； For all the water in the ocean Can never turn
the swan's black legs to white； Although she lave them hourly 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 noble mistress thus？ AARON。
My mistress is my mistress： this my self； The vigour and the picture of my
youth。 This before all the world do I prefer； This maugre all the world will
I keep safe； Or some of you shall smoke for it in Rome。 DEMETRIUS。 By
this our mother is for ever sham'd。 CHIRON。 Rome will despise her for
this foul escape。 NURSE。 The Emperor in his rage will doom her death。
CHIRON。 I blush to think upon this ignomy。 AARON。 Why； there's the
privilege your beauty bears： Fie； treacherous hue； that will betray with
blushing The close enacts and counsels of thy heart！ Here's a young lad
fram'd of another leer。 Look how the black slave smiles upon the father； As
who should say 'Old lad； I am thine own。' He is your brother； lords；
sensibly fed Of that self…blood that first gave life to you； And from your
womb where you imprisoned were He is enfranchised and come to light。
Nay； he is your brother by the surer side； Although my seal be stamped in
his face。 NURSE。 Aaron； what shall I say unto the Empress？
DEMETRIUS。 Advise thee； Aaron； what is to be done； And we will all
subscribe to thy advice。 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： Keep there； now talk at pleasure of your safety。 ＇They sit＇
DEMETRIUS。 How many women saw this child of his？ AARON。 Why；
so； brave lords！ When we join in league I am a lamb； but if you brave the
Moor； The chafed boar； the mountain lioness； The ocean swells not so as
Aaron storms。 But say； again； how many saw the child？ NURSE。 Cornelia
the midwife and myself； And no one else but the delivered Empress。
AARON。 The Emperess； the midwife； and yourself。 Two may keep
counsel when the third's away： Go to the Empress； tell her this I said。 ＇He
kills her＇ Weeke weeke！ So cries a pig prepared to the spit。 DEMETRIUS。
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What mean'st thou； Aaron？ Wherefore didst thou this？ AARON。 O Lord；
sir； 'tis a deed of policy。 Shall she live to betray this guilt of ours… A long…
tongu'd babbling gossip？ No； lords； no。 And now be it known to you my
full intent： Not far； one Muliteus； my countryman… His wife but
yesternight was brought to bed； His child is like to her； fair as you are。 Go
pack with him； and give the mother gold； And tell them both the
circumstance of all； And how by this their child shall be advanc'd； And be
received for the Emperor's heir And substituted in the place of mine； To
calm this tempest whirling in the court； And