English

ACT II.

PROLOGUE.

Enter Chorus.

Chor. Now old desire doth in his death-bed lie,
And young affection gapes to be his heir:
That fair for which love groan'd for and would die,
With tender Juliet match'd, is now not fair.
Now Romeo is beloved and loves again,
Alike bewitched by the charm of looks,
But to his foe supposed he must complain,
And she steal love's sweet bait from fearful hooks:
Being held a foe, he may not have access
To breathe such vows as lovers use to swear;

ACT I.

Scene I. Verona. A public place .

Enter SAMPSON and GREGORY , of the house of Caputet, armed with swords and bucklers .

Sam. Gregory, o' my word, we 'll not carry coals.
Gre. No, for then we should be colliers.
Sam. I mean, an we be in choler, we 'll draw.
Gre. Ay, while you live, draw your neck out o' the collar.
Sam. I strike quickly, being moved.
Gre. But thou art not quickly moved to strike.
Sam. A dog of the house of Montage moves me.

PROLOGUE.

Two households, both alike in dignity,
In fair Verona, where we lay our scene,
From ancient grudge break to new mutiny,
Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean.
From forth the fatal loins of these two foes
A pair of star-cross'd lovers take their life;
Whose misadventured piteous overthrows
Do with their death bury their parents' strife.
The fearful passage of their death-mark'd love,

ACT V.

Scene I. Plains near Rome .

Enter LUCIUS with an army of Goths, with drum
and colours .

Luc. Approved warriors, and my faithful friends,
I have received letters from great Rome,
Which signify what hate they bear their emperor
And how desirous of our sight they are.
Therefore, great lords, be, as your titles witness,
Imperious and impatient of your wrongs,
And wherein Rome hath done you any scath,
Let him make treble satisfaction.
First Goth. Brave slip, sprung from the great Andronicus,

Scene I. Rome. Titus' garden .

Enter young LUCIUS, and LAVINIA running after him, and the boy flies from her, with books
under his arm. Then enter TITUS and MARCUS .

Young Luc. Help, grandsire, help! my aunt Lavinia
Follows me every where, I know not why:
Good uncle Marcus, see how swift she comes.
Alas, sweet aunt, I know not what you mean.
Marc. Stand by me, Lucius; do not fear thine aunt.
Tit. She loves thee, boy, too well to do thee harm.
Young Luc. Ay, when my father was in Rome she did.

ACT III.

Scene I. Rome. A street .

Enter Judges, Senators and Tribunes, with MARTIUS and QUINTIUS , bound, passing on to the
place of execution; TITUS going before, pleading .

Tit. Hear me, grave fathers! noble tribunes, stay!
For pity of mine age, whose youth was spent
In dangerous wars, whilst you securely slept;
For all my blood in Rome's great quarrel shed;
For all the frosty nights that I have watch'd;
And for these bitter tears, which now you see
Filling the aged wrinkles in my cheeks;

ACT II.

Scene I. Rome. Before the palace .

Enter AARON .

Aar. Now climbeth Tamora Olympus' top,
Safe out of fortune's shot; and sits aloft,
Secure of thunder's crack or lightning flash;
Advanced above pale envy's threatening reach.
As when the golden sun salutes the morn,
And, having gilt the ocean with his beams,
Gallops the zodiac in his glistering coach,
And overlooks the highest-peering hills;
So Tamora:
Upon her wit doth earthly honour wait,
And virtue stoops and trembles at her frown.

ACT I.

Scene I. Rome. Before the Capitol .

The Tomb of ANDRONICI appearing; the Tribunes and Senators aloft. Enter, below, from one side , SATURNINUS and his Followers; and, from the other side , BASSIANUS and his Followers; with drum and colours .

Sat. Noble patricians, patrons of my right,
Defend the justice of my cause with arms,
And, countrymen, my loving followers,
Plead my successive title with your swords:
I am his first-born son, that was the last
That ware the imperial diadem of Rome;

ACT V.

Scene I. Rome. A public place.

Enter MENENIUS , COMINIUS , SICINUS , BRUTUS , and others.

Men. No, I 'll not go: you hear what he hath said
Which was sometime his general; who loved him
In a most dear particular. He call'd me father:
But what o' that? Go, you that banish'd him;
A mile before his tent fall down, and knee
The way into his mercy: nay, if he coy'd
To hear Cominous speak, I 'll keep at home.
Com. He would not seem to know me.
Men. Do you hear?
Com. Yet one time did he call me by my name:

ACT IV.

Scene I. Rome. Before a gate of the city .

Enter CORIOLANUS , VOLUMNIA , VIRGILIA , MENENIUS , COMINIUS , with the young Nobility of Rome .

Cor. Come, leave your rears: a brief farewell: the beast
With many heads butts me away. Nay, mother,
Where is your ancient courage? you were used
To say extremity was the trier of spirits;
That common chances common men could bear;
That when the sea was calm all boats alike
Show'd mastership in floating; fortune's blows,
When most struck home, being gentle wounded, craves