Plains near Rome.

       [Enter LUCIUS with GOTHS, with drum and colours.]

      LUCIUS.

       Approved warriors and my faithful friends,

       I have received letters from great Rome,

       Which signifies 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,

       Whose name was once our terror, now our comfort;

       Whose high exploits and honourable deeds

       Ingrateful Rome requites with foul contempt,

       Be bold in us: we’ll follow where thou lead’st,—

       Like stinging bees in hottest summer’s day,

       Led by their master to the flowered fields,—

       And be aveng’d on cursed Tamora.

      GOTHS.

       And as he saith, so say we all with him.

      LUCIUS.

       I humbly thank him, and I thank you all.

       But who comes here, led by a lusty Goth?

       [Enter a GOTH, leading AARON with his CHILD in his arms.]

      SECOND GOTH.

       Renowned Lucius, from our troops I stray’d

       To gaze upon a ruinous monastery;

       And as I earnestly did fix mine eye

       Upon the wasted building, suddenly

       I heard a child cry underneath a wall.

       I made unto the noise; when soon I heard

       The crying babe controll’d with this discourse:—

       ‘Peace, tawny slave, half me and half thy dam!

       Did not thy hue bewray whose brat thou art,

       Had nature lent thee but thy mother’s look,

       Villain, thou mightst have been an emperor:

       But where the bull and cow are both milk-white,

       They never do beget a coalblack calf.

       Peace, villain, peace!’—even thus he rates the babe,—

       ‘For I must bear thee to a trusty Goth;

       Who, when he knows thou art the empress’ babe,

       Will hold thee dearly for thy mother’s sake.’

       With this, my weapon drawn, I rush’d upon him,

       Surpris’d him suddenly, and brought him hither,

       To use as you think needful of the man.

      LUCIUS.

       O worthy Goth, this is the incarnate devil

       That robb’d Andronicus of his good hand;

       This is the pearl that pleas’d your empress’ eye;

       And here’s the base fruit of his burning lust.—

       Say, wall-ey’d slave, whither wouldst thou convey

       This growing image of thy fiend-like face?

       Why dost not speak? what, deaf? No; not a word?—

       A halter, soldiers; hang him on this tree,

       And by his side his fruit of bastardy.

      AARON.

       Touch not the boy,—he is of royal blood.

      LUCIUS.

       Too like the sire for ever being good.—

       First hang the child, that he may see it sprawl,—

       A sight to vex the father’s soul withal.

       Get me a ladder.

       [A ladder brought, which AARON is obliged to ascend.]

      AARON.

       Lucius, save the child,

       And bear it from me to the empress.

       If thou do this, I’ll show thee wondrous things

       That highly may advantage thee to hear:

       If thou wilt not, befall what may befall,

       I’ll speak no more,—but vengeance rot you all!

      LUCIUS.

       Say on: an if it please me which thou speak’st,

       Thy child shall live, and I will see it nourish’d.

      AARON.

       An if it please thee! why, assure thee, Lucius,

       ‘Twill vex thy soul to hear what I shall speak;

       For I must talk of murders, rapes, and massacres,

       Acts of black night, abominable deeds,

       Complots of mischief, treason, villainies,

       Ruthful to hear, yet piteously perform’d:

       And this shall all be buried in my death,

       Unless thou swear to me my child shall live.

      LUCIUS.

       Tell on thy mind; I say thy child shall live.

      AARON.

       Swear that he shall, and then I will begin.

      LUCIUS.

       Who should I swear by? thou believ’st no god;:

       That granted, how canst thou believe an oath?

      AARON.

       What if I do not? as indeed I do not;

       Yet, for I know thou art religious,

       And hast a thing within thee called conscience,

       With twenty popish tricks and ceremonies

       Which I have seen thee careful to observe,

       Therefore I urge thy oath;—for that I know

       An idiot holds his bauble for a god,

       And keeps the oath which by that god he swears;

       To that I’ll urge him:—therefore thou shalt vow

       By that