按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
they humbly at my feet Receive my tears； and seem to weep with me； And
were they but attired in grave weeds； Rome could afford no tribunes like
29
… Page 30…
TITUS ANDRONICUS
to these。 A stone is soft as wax： tribunes more hard than stones。 A stone is
silent and offendeth not； And tribunes with their tongues doom men to
death。 ＇Rises＇ But wherefore stand'st thou with thy weapon drawn？
LUCIUS。 To rescue my two brothers from their death； For which attempt
the judges have pronounc'd My everlasting doom of banishment。 TITUS。
O happy man！ they have befriended thee。 Why； foolish Lucius； dost thou
not perceive That Rome is but a wilderness of tigers？ Tigers must prey；
and Rome affords no prey But me and mine； how happy art thou then
From these devourers to be banished！ But who comes with our brother
Marcus here？
Enter MARCUS with LAVINIA
MARCUS。 Titus； prepare thy aged eyes to weep； Or if not so； thy
noble heart to break。 I bring consuming sorrow to thine age。 TITUS。 Will
it consume me？ Let me see it then。 MARCUS。 This was thy daughter。
TITUS。 Why； Marcus； so she is。 LUCIUS。 Ay me！ this object kills me。
TITUS。 Faint…hearted boy； arise； and look upon her。 Speak； Lavinia； what
accursed hand Hath made thee handless in thy father's sight？ What fool
hath added water to the sea； Or brought a fagot to bright…burning Troy？
My grief was at the height before thou cam'st； And now like Nilus it
disdaineth bounds。 Give me a sword； I'll chop off my hands too； For they
have fought for Rome； and all in vain； And they have nurs'd this woe in
feeding life； In bootless prayer have they been held up； And they have
serv'd me to effectless use。 Now all the service I require of them Is that the
one will help to cut the other。 'Tis well； Lavinia； that thou hast no hands；
For hands to do Rome service is but vain。 LUCIUS。 Speak； gentle sister；
who hath martyr'd thee？ MARCUS。 O； that delightful engine of her
thoughts That blabb'd them with such pleasing eloquence Is torn from
forth that pretty hollow cage； Where like a sweet melodious bird it sung
Sweet varied notes； enchanting every ear！ LUCIUS。 O； say thou for her；
who hath done this deed？ MARCUS。 O； thus I found her straying in the
park； Seeking to hide herself as doth the deer That hath receiv'd some
unrecuring wound。 TITUS。 It was my dear； and he that wounded her Hath
hurt me more than had he kill'd me dead； For now I stand as one upon a
rock； Environ'd with a wilderness of sea； Who marks the waxing tide grow
30
… Page 31…
TITUS ANDRONICUS
wave by wave； Expecting ever when some envious surge Will in his
brinish bowels swallow him。 This way to death my wretched sons are
gone； Here stands my other son； a banish'd man； And here my brother；
weeping at my woes。 But that which gives my soul the greatest spurn Is
dear Lavinia； dearer than my soul。 Had I but seen thy picture in this plight；
It would have madded me； what shall I do Now I behold thy lively body
so？ Thou hast no hands to wipe away thy tears； Nor tongue to tell me who
hath martyr'd thee； Thy husband he is dead； and for his death Thy brothers
are condemn'd； and dead by this。 Look； Marcus！ Ah； son Lucius； look on
her！ When I did name her brothers； then fresh tears Stood on her cheeks；
as doth the honey dew Upon a gath'red lily almost withered。 MARCUS。
Perchance she weeps because they kill'd her husband； Perchance because
she knows them innocent。 TITUS。 If they did kill thy husband； then be
joyful； Because the law hath ta'en revenge on them。 No； no； they would
not do so foul a deed； Witness the sorrow that their sister makes。 Gentle
Lavinia； let me kiss thy lips； Or make some sign how I may do thee ease。
Shall thy good uncle and thy brother Lucius And thou and I sit round
about some fountain； Looking all downwards to behold our cheeks How
they are stain'd； like meadows yet not dry With miry slime left on them by
a flood？ And in the fountain shall we gaze so long； Till the fresh taste be
taken from that clearness； And made a brine…pit with our bitter tears？ Or
shall we cut away our hands like thine？ Or shall we bite our tongues； and
in dumb shows Pass the remainder of our hateful days？ What shall we do？
Let us that have our tongues Plot some device of further misery To make
us wonder'd at in time to come。 LUCIUS。 Sweet father； cease your tears；
for at your grief See how my wretched sister sobs and weeps。 MARCUS。
Patience； dear niece。 Good Titus； dry thine eyes。 TITUS。 Ah； Marcus；
Marcus！ Brother； well I wot Thy napkin cannot drink a tear of mine； For
thou； poor man； hast drown'd it with thine own。 LUCIUS。 Ah； my Lavinia；
I will wipe thy cheeks。 TITUS。 Mark； Marcus； mark！ I understand her
signs。 Had she a tongue to speak； now would she say That to her brother
which I said to thee： His napkin； with his true tears all bewet； Can do no
service on her sorrowful cheeks。 O； what a sympathy of woe is this As far
from help as Limbo is from bliss！
31
… Page 32…
TITUS ANDRONICUS
Enter AARON the Moor
AARON。 Titus Andronicus； my lord the Emperor Sends thee this
word； that； if thou love thy sons； Let Marcus； Lucius； or thyself； old Titus；
Or any one of you； chop off your hand And send it to the King： he for the
same Will send thee hither both thy sons alive； And that shall be the
ransom for their fault。 TITUS。 O gracious Emperor！ O gentle Aaron！ Did
ever raven sing so like a lark That gives sweet tidings of the sun's uprise？
With all my heart I'll send the Emperor my hand。 Good Aaron； wilt thou
help to chop it off？ LUCIUS。 Stay； father！ for that noble hand of thine；
That hath thrown down so many enemies； Shall not be sent。 My hand will
serve the turn； My youth can better spare my blood than you； And
therefore mine shall save my brothers' lives。 MARCUS。 Which of your
hands hath not defended Rome And rear'd aloft the bloody battle…axe；
Writing destruction on the enemy's castle？ O； none of both but are of high
desert！ My hand hath been but idle； let it serve To ransom my two
nephews from their death； Then have I kept it to a worthy end。 AARON。
Nay； come； agree whose hand shall go along； For fear they die before their
pardon come。 MARCUS。 My hand shall go。 LUCIUS。 By heaven； it shall
not go！ TITUS。 Sirs； strive no more； such with'red herbs as these Are meet
for plucking up； and therefore mine。 LUCIUS。 Sweet father； if I shall be
thought thy son； Let me redeem my brothers both from death。 MARCUS。
And for our father's sake and mother's care； Now let me show a brother's
love to thee。 TITUS。 Agree between you； I will spare my hand。 LUCIUS。
Then I'll go fetch an axe。 MARCUS。 But I will use the axe。 Exeunt
LUCIUS and MARCUS TITUS。 Come hither； Aaron； I'll deceive them
both； Lend me thy hand； and I will give thee mine。 AARON。 ＇Aside＇ If
that be call'd deceit； I will be honest； And never whilst I live deceive men
so； But I'll deceive you in another sort； And that you'll say ere half an hour
pass。 ＇He cuts off TITUS' hand＇
Re…enter LUCIUS and MARCUS
TITUS。 Now stay your strife。 What shall be is dispatch'd。 Good
Aaron； give his Majesty my hand； Tell him it was a hand that warded him
From thousand dangers； bid him bury it。 More hath it merited… that let it
have。 As for my sons； say I account of them As jewels purchas'd at an easy
32
… Page 33…
TITUS ANDRONICUS
price； And yet dear too； because I bought mine own。 AARON。 I go；
Andronicus； and for thy hand Look by and by to have thy sons with thee。
＇Aside＇ Their heads I mean。 O； how this villainy Doth fat me with the very
thoughts of it！ Let fools do good； and fair men call for grace： Aaron will
have his soul black like his face。 Exit TITUS。 O； here I lift this one hand
up to heaven； And bow this feeble ruin to the earth； If any power pities
wretche