The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated) (1071 page)

a supplication?

Sir, come here.No more joking.

Just give your pigeons to the Emperor;

through me he shall give you justice.

Wait, wait!Here's money for your expenses.

Give me a pen and ink.Sir, can you deliver a plea politely?

CLOWN.

Ay, sir.

Yes, sir.

TITUS.

Then here is a supplication for you. And when you come

to

him, at the first approach you must kneel; then kiss his

foot;

then deliver up your pigeons; and then look for your reward.

I'll

be at hand, sir; see you do it bravely.

Then here is a plea for you.And when you come to him,

you must kneel, and then kiss his foot,

then give him your pigeons, and then see what you get.

I'll be standing by, sir, to see you do it well.

CLOWN.

I warrant you, sir; let me alone.

I promise I will sir, trust me for that.

TITUS.

Sirrah, hast thou a knife? Come let me see it.

Here, Marcus, fold it in the oration;

For thou must hold it like a humble suppliant.

And when thou hast given it to the Emperor,

Knock at my door, and tell me what he says.

Sir, do you have a knife?Come, let me see it.

Here, Marcus, fold the speech round it;

you must hold it like a humble petitioner.

and when you have given it to the Emperor,

come to my house and tell me what he said.

CLOWN.

God be with you, sir; I will.

God be with you sir; I shall.

TITUS.

Come, Marcus, let us go. Publius, follow me.

Exeunt

Come, Marcus, let us go.Publius, follow me.

Enter the EMPEROR, and the EMPRESS and her two sons, DEMETRIUS

and CHIRON; LORDS and others. The EMPEROR brings the arrows in his hand that

TITUS shot at him

SATURNINUS.

Why, lords, what wrongs are these! Was ever seen

An emperor in Rome thus overborne,

Troubled, confronted thus; and, for the extent

Of egal justice, us'd in such contempt?

My lords, you know, as know the mightful gods,

However these disturbers of our peace

Buzz in the people's ears, there nought hath pass'd

But even with law against the wilful sons

Of old Andronicus. And what an if

His sorrows have so overwhelm'd his wits,

Shall we be thus afflicted in his wreaks,

His fits, his frenzy, and his bitterness?

And now he writes to heaven for his redress.

See, here's 'To Jove' and this 'To Mercury';

This 'To Apollo'; this 'To the God of War'-

Sweet scrolls to fly about the streets of Rome!

What's this but libelling against the Senate,

And blazoning our unjustice every where?

A goodly humour, is it not, my lords?

As who would say in Rome no justice were.

But if I live, his feigned ecstasies

Shall be no shelter to these outrages;

But he and his shall know that justice lives

In Saturninus' health; whom, if she sleep,

He'll so awake as she in fury shall

Cut off the proud'st conspirator that lives.

Why, lords, what crimes have been done!Was there ever

a Roman Emperor who was so overwhelmed,

so troubled, so challenged, and treated with such

contempt for handing out equal justice?

My lords, you know, as the mighty gods do,

whatever these disturbers of the peace

whisper in people's ears, nothinghappened

with the disobedient sons of old Andronicus

that wasn't within the law.And so what if

his grief has so triumphed over his sense,

should we suffer for his acts of revenge,

his moods, his madness and his bitterness?

And now he calls on heaven for revenge.

Look, here it says, "To Jove" and here, "To Mercury";

this says, "To Apollo"; this "To the God of War" -

Nice things to have flying around the streets of Rome!

What are these but libels against the Senate,

calling us unjust everywhere?

A nice trick, isn't it, my lords?

He's claiming that there's no justice in Rome.

But if I live his faked madness

will not excuse this outrageous behaviour;

he and his family shall know that justice still lives

as long as Saturninus does; if she sleeps,

I'll stir her up into such a frenzy that she will

cut down the proudest conspirator who ever lived.

TAMORA.

My gracious lord, my lovely Saturnine,

Lord of my life, commander of my thoughts,

Calm thee, and bear the faults of Titus' age,

Th' effects of sorrow for his valiant sons

Whose loss hath pierc'd him deep and scarr'd his heart;

And rather comfort his distressed plight

Than prosecute the meanest or the best

For these contempts. [Aside] Why, thus it shall become

High-witted Tamora to gloze with all.

But, Titus, I have touch'd thee to the quick,

Thy life-blood out; if Aaron now be wise,

Then is all safe, the anchor in the port.

Enter CLOWN

How now, good fellow! Wouldst thou speak with us?

My gracious lord, my lovely Saturnine,

Lord of my life, commander of my thoughts,

calm yourself, and tolerate the faults of the old man Titus,

and his behaviour which is caused by sorrow for his sons' death,

whose loss has stabbed him right to the heart;

give him comfort in his agony and distress rather

than prosecute the highest or lowest

for these libels.[Aside]So, it shall look as though

noble spirited Tamora has a good word for everyone.

But, Titus, I have stabbed you to the heart,

your blood is running out; if Aaron plays his part well now,

then everything is well, we're settled.

Hello there, good fellow!Do you want to speak to us?

CLOWN.

Yes, forsooth, an your mistressship be Emperial.

Yes indeed, if your ladyship is imperial.

TAMORA.

Empress I am, but yonder sits the Emperor.

I am the Empress, but the Emperor is over there.

CLOWN.

'Tis he.- God and Saint Stephen give you godden. I have

brought you a letter and a couple of pigeons here.

[SATURNINUS reads the letter]

That's the one.By God and Saint Stephen I wish you good evening.I have brought you a letter and a couple of pigeons here.

SATURNINUS.

Go take him away, and hang him presently.

Take him away, and hang him quickly.

CLOWN.

How much money must I have?

How much am I to be paid?

TAMORA.

Come, sirrah, you must be hang'd.

Come, sir, you are going to be hanged.

CLOWN.

Hang'd! by'r lady, then I have brought up a neck to a

fair end.

[Exit guarded]

Hanged!By heaven, this is a nice way to finish matters.

SATURNINUS.

Despiteful and intolerable wrongs!

Shall I endure this monstrous villainy?

I know from whence this same device proceeds.

May this be borne- as if his traitorous sons

That died by law for murder of our brother

Have by my means been butchered wrongfully?

Go drag the villain hither by the hair;

Nor age nor honour shall shape privilege.

For this proud mock I'll be thy slaughterman,

Sly frantic wretch, that holp'st to make me great,

In hope thyself should govern Rome and me.

Enter NUNTIUS AEMILIUS

What news with thee, Aemilius?

Spiteful and intolerable wrongs!

Do I have to put up with this shocking villainy?

I know where this message comes from.

Do I have to put up with this - as if his traitorous sons

who were lawfully executed for the murder of my brother,

have been unjustly slaughtered by me?

Go and drag the villain in here by the hair;

neither his age nor position will protect him.

For this arrogant mockery I'll be your executioner,

cunning mad wretch, who wanted to promote me

in the hope that you could rule over both Rome and me.

What news do you have, Aemilius?

AEMILIUS.

Arm, my lords! Rome never had more cause.

The Goths have gathered head; and with a power

Of high resolved men, bent to the spoil,

They hither march amain, under conduct

Of Lucius, son to old Andronicus;

Who threats in course of this revenge to do

As much as ever Coriolanus did.

Arm yourselves, my lords!Rome never needed to more.

The Goths have raised their army, and they are marching

here under full steam, with a force of resolute men,

determined to taste victory, under the leadership

of Lucius, the son of old Andronicus;

he threatens in taking his revenge to do

as much as Coriolanus ever did.

SATURNINUS.

Is warlike Lucius general of the Goths?

These tidings nip me, and I hang the head

As flowers with frost, or grass beat down with storms.

Ay, now begins our sorrows to approach.

'Tis he the common people love so much;

Myself hath often heard them say-

When I have walked like a private man-

That Lucius' banishment was wrongfully,

And they have wish'd that Lucius were their emperor.

Is the warlike Lucius leading the Goths?

This news depresses me, and I hang down my head

like flowers in the frost, or grass flattened by the storms.

Yes, now the bad times are coming.

He's the one the common people adore;

I've often heard them say myself -

when I've gone around in disguise -

that Lucius was wrongfully banished,

and they wished he was their Emperor.

TAMORA.