What, have you met with her?
PUBLIUS.
No, my good lord; but Pluto sends you word,
If you will have Revenge from hell, you shall:
Marry, for Justice, she is so employ’d,
He thinks, with Jove in heaven, or somewhere else,
So that perforce you must needs stay a time.
TITUS.
He doth me wrong to feed me with delays.
I’ll dive into the burning lake below,
And pull her out of Acheron by the heels.—
Marcus, we are but shrubs, no cedars we,
No big-bon’d men, fram’d of the Cyclops’ size;
But metal, Marcus, steel to the very back,
Yet wrung with wrongs more than our backs can bear:
And, sith there’s no justice in earth nor hell,
We will solicit heaven, and move the gods
To send down Justice for to wreak our wrongs.—
Come, to this gear.—You are a good archer, Marcus.
[He gives them the arrows.]
‘Ad Jovem’ that’s for you; here, ‘Ad Apollinem’:—
‘Ad Martem’ that’s for myself:—
Here, boy, to Pallas:—here, tTo Mercury:—
To Saturn, Caius, not to Saturnine;
You were as good to shoot against the wind.—
To it, boy.—Marcus, loose when I bid.—
Of my word, I have written to effect;
There’s not a god left unsolicited.
MARCUS.
Kinsmen, shoot all your shafts into the court:
We will afflict the emperor in his pride.
TITUS.
Now, masters, draw. [They shoot.] O, well said, Lucius!
Good boy, in Virgo’s lap; give it Pallas.
MARCUS.
My lord, I aim a mile beyond the moon:
Your letter is with Jupiter by this.
TITUS.
Ha! ha!
Publius, Publius, hast thou done?
See, see, thou hast shot off one of Taurus’ horns.
MARCUS.
This was the sport, my lord: when Publius shot,
The Bull, being gall’d, gave Aries such a knock
That down fell both the Ram’s horns in the court;
And who should find them but the empress’ villain?
She laugh’d, and told the Moor he should not choose
But give them to his master for a present.
TITUS.
Why, there it goes: God give his lordship joy!
[Enter a CLOWN, with a basket and two pigeons in it.]
News, news from heaven! Marcus, the post is come.
Sirrah, what tidings? have you any letters?
Shall I have justice? what says Jupiter?
CLOWN.
Ho, the gibbet-maker? he says that he hath taken them down again, for the man must not be hanged till the next week.
TITUS.
But what says Jupiter, I ask thee?
CLOWN.
Alas, sir, I know not Jupiter; I never drank with him in all my life.
TITUS.
Why, villain, art not thou the carrier?
CLOWN.
Ay, of my pigeons, sir; nothing else.
TITUS.
Why, didst thou not come from heaven?
CLOWN.
From heaven! alas, sir, I never came there: God forbid I should be so bold to press to heaven in my young days. Why, I am going with my pigeons to the tribunal plebs, to take up a matter of brawl betwixt my uncle and one of the imperial’s men.
MARCUS.
Why, sir, that is as fit as can be to serve for your oration; and let him deliver the pigeons to the emperor from you.
TITUS.
Tell me, can you deliver an oration to the emperor with a grace?
CLOWN.
Nay, truly, sir, I could never say grace in all my life.
TITUS.
Sirrah, come hither: make no more ado,
But give your pigeons to the emperor:
By me thou shalt have justice at his hands.
Hold, hold; meanwhile here’s money for thy charges.—
Give me pen and ink.—
Sirrah, can you with a grace deliver up a supplication?
CLOWN.
Ay, 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.
CLOWN.
I warrant you, sir; let me alone.
TITUS.
Sirrah, hast thou a knife? Come let me see it.
Here, Marcus, fold it in the oration;
For thou hast made it like a humble suppliant.:—
And when thou hast given it to the emperor,
Knock at my door, and tell me what he says.
CLOWN.
God be with you, sir; I will.
TITUS.
Come, Marcus, let us go.—Publius, follow me.
[Exeunt.]
SCENE IV
Rome. Before the Palace.
[Enter SATURNINUS, TAMORA, DEMETRIUS, CHIRON; Lords, and others; SATURNINUS with the arrows in his hand that TITUS shot.]
SATURNINUS.
Why, lords, what wrongs are these! was ever seen
An emperor in Rome thus overborne,
Troubled, confronted thus; and, for the extent
Of legal 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 naught hath pass’d
But