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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?

BOY.

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.

BOY.

And, uncle, so will I, an if I live.

TITUS.

Come, go with me into mine armoury.

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?

BOY.

Ay, with my dagger in their bosoms, grandsire.

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.

Exeunt TITUS, LAVINIA, and YOUNG LUCIUS

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 batt'red shield,

But yet so just that he will not revenge.

Revenge the heavens for old Andronicus! Exit

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 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