Lav. And, being intercepted in your sport,

250 Great reason that my noble lord be rated For sauciness.--I pray you, let us hence, And let her 'joy her raven

ven-colour'd love ; This valley fits the purpose passing well. Bas. The king, my brother, shall have note of

this. Lav. Ay, for these slips have made him noted

long : Good king ! to be so mightily abus’d! Tam. Why have I patience to endure all this?

Enter. CHIRON, and DEMETRIUS. Dem. How now, dear sovereign, and our gracious

mother, Why does your highness look so pale and wan? 260

Tam. Have I not reason, think you, to look pale? These two have 'tic'd me hither to this place, A barren and detested vale, you see, it is : The trees, though summer, yet forlorn and lean, O'ercome with moss, and baleful misletoe. Here never shines the sun; here nothing breeds, Unless the nightly owl, or fatal raven. And, when they, shew'd me this abhorred pit, They told me, here, at dead time of the night, A thousand fiends, a thousand hissing snakes,

270 Ten thousand swelling toads, as many urchins, Would make such fearful and confused cries, As any mortal body, hearing it, Should straight fall mad, or else die suddenly, D

No

No sooner had they told this hellish tale,
But straight they told me, they would bind me here
Unto the body of a dismal yew;
And leave me to this miserable death.
And then they callid me, foul adulteress,
Lascivious Goth, and all the bitterest terms 280
That ever ear did hear to such effect.
And, had you not by wondrous fortune come,
This vengeance on me had they executed:
Revenge it, as you love your mother's life;
Or be ye not from henceforth call’d my children.
Dem. This is a witness that I am thy son.

[Stabs BASSIANUS. Chi. And this for me, struck home to shew my strength.

[Stabbing him likewise. Lav. Ay come, Semiramis,-nay, barbarous Ta

mora ! For no name fits thy nature but thy own! Tam. Give me thy poniard; you shall know, my boys,

290 Your mother's hand shall right your mother's wrong.

Dem. Stay, madam, here is more belongs to her; First, thrash the corn, then after burn the straw : This minion stood upon her chastity, Upon her nuptial vow, her loyalty, And with that painted hope she braves your mighti.

ness :

And shall she carry this unto her gráve?

Chi. An if she do, I would I were an eunuch. Drag hence her husband to some secret hole,

And

And make his dead trunk pillow to our lust.

300 Tam. But when you have the honey you desire, Let not this wasp out-live, us both to sting.

Chi. I warrant you, madam; we will make that

sure.

Come, mistress, now perforce we will enjoy
That nice-preserved honesty of yours.

Lav. 0 Tamora! thou bear'st a woman's face,
Tam. I will not hear her speak; away with her.
Lav. Sweet lords, entreat her hear me but a word.

Dem. Listen, fair madam : Let it be your glory,
To see her tears; but be your heart to them, 310
As unrelenting flint to drops of rain.
Lav. When did the tyger's young ones teach the

dam?
0, do not teach her wrath; she taught it thee :
The milk, thou suck’dst from her, did turn to marble;
Even at thy teat thou had'st thy tyranny.-
Yet every mother breeds not sons alike ;
Do thou entreat her shew a woman pity.

[To CHIRON. Chi. What! would'st thou have me prove myself a

bastard ?
Lav. 'Tis true the raven doth not hatch a lark: .
Yet have I heard (0 could I find it now!),
The lion, mov'd with pity, did endure
To have his princely paws par'd all away.
Some say, that ravens foster forlorn children,
The whilst their own birds famish in their nests :
O, be to me, though thy hard heart say no,

Dij

Nothing

320

Nothing so kind, but something pitiful!

Tam. I know not what it means; away with her.

Lav. 0, let me teach thee: for my father's sake, That gave thee life, when well he might have slain

thee, Be not obdurate, open thy deaf ears.

330 Tam. Hadst thou in person ne'er offended me, Even for his sake am I now pitiless :Remember, boys, I pour'd forth tears in vain, To save your brother from the sacrifice; But fierce Andronicus would not relent : Therefore away with her, use her as you will

i The worse to her, the better lov'd of me.

Lav. 0 Tamora, be call'd a gentle queen, And with thine own hands kill me in this place : For 'tis not life, that I have begg'd so long ; 340 Poor I was slain, when Bassianus dy'd.

Tam. What begg'st thou then? fond woman, let

me go.

Lav. 'Tis present death I beg; and one thing

more,
That womanhood denies my tongue to tell :
O, keep me from their worse than killing lust,
And tumble me into some loathsome pit;
Where never man's eye may behold my body:
Do this, and be a charitable murderer.

Tam. So should I rob my sweet sons of their fee : No, let them satisfy their lust on thee.

35° Dem. Away; for thou hast staid us here too long.

Lav. No grace? no womanhood? Ah beastly crea,

ture !
The blot and enemy to our general name!
Confusion fall
Chi. Nay, then I'll stop your mouth,-Bring thou

her husband; [Dragging off LAVINIA. This is the hole where Aaron bid us hide him.

[Exeunt. Tam. Farewel, my sons: see, that you make her

sure:

Ne'er let my heart know merry cheer indeed,
'Till all the Andronici be made away.
Now will I hence to seek my lovely Moor, 360
And let my spleenful sons this trull deflow'r. [Exit.

Enter Aaron, with Quintus, and MARCUS,
Aar. Come on, my lords; the better foot before :
Straight will I bring you to the loathsome pit,
Where I espied the panther fast asleep..

Quin. My sight is very dull, whate'er it bodes,
Mar. And mine, I promise you ; wer't not for

shame,
Well could I leave our sport, to sleep a while.

[Marcus falls into the Pit. Quin. What, art thou fallen ?. What subtle hole

this, Whose mouth is cover'd with rude-growing briars ; Diij

Upon