The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated) (1054 page)

But honour thee, and will do till I die.

My faction if thou strengthen with thy friends,

I will most thankful be; and thanks to men

Of noble minds is honourable meed.

Andronicus, I won't flatter you,

but I do honour you, and I will do until I die.

If you strengthen my party with your friends,

I will be most grateful; and to men of noble

minds thanks is an honourable reward.

TITUS.

People of Rome, and people's Tribunes here,

I ask your voices and your suffrages:

Will ye bestow them friendly on Andronicus?

People of Rome, and the people's Tribunes here,

I ask you to cast your votes:

will you give them on good terms to Andronicus?

TRIBUNES.

To gratify the good Andronicus,

And gratulate his safe return to Rome,

The people will accept whom he admits.

To please the good Andronicus,

and to celebrate his safe return to Rome,

the people will accept whoever he chooses.

TITUS.

Tribunes, I thank you; and this suit I make,

That you create our Emperor's eldest son,

Lord Saturnine; whose virtues will, I hope,

Reflect on Rome as Titan's rays on earth,

And ripen justice in this commonweal.

Then, if you will elect by my advice,

Crown him, and say 'Long live our Emperor!'

Tribunes, I thank you; and I ask you this,

that you choose our Emperor's oldest son,

Lord Saturnine; I hope his virtues will

light up Rome as the sun does the earth,

and help justice to grow in this kingdom–

so if you will be guided by my advice,

crown him and say, ‘Long live our Emperor!’

MARCUS.

With voices and applause of every sort,

Patricians and plebeians, we create

Lord Saturninus Rome's great Emperor;

And say 'Long live our Emperor Saturnine!'

[A long flourish till they come down]

With your voices and every sort of applause,

patricians and people, we create

Lord Saturninus the great emperor of Rome;

and say ‘Long live our Emperor Saturnine!’

SATURNINUS.

Titus Andronicus, for thy favours done

To us in our election this day

I give thee thanks in part of thy deserts,

And will with deeds requite thy gentleness;

And for an onset, Titus, to advance

Thy name and honourable family,

Lavinia will I make my emperess,

Rome's royal mistress, mistress of my heart,

And in the sacred Pantheon her espouse.

Tell me, Andronicus, doth this motion please thee?

Titus Andronicus, for the favours you have done

for me in helping my election today

I give you my thanks as part payment of your reward,

and will repay the rest of your kindness with deeds;

and for a beginning, Titus, to promote

your name and that of your honourable family,

I will make Lavinia my Empress,

the Royal mistress of Rome, mistress of my heart,

and I will marry her in the holy Pantheon.

Tell me, Andronicus, does this idea please you?

TITUS.

It doth, my worthy lord, and in this match

I hold me highly honoured of your Grace,

And here in sight of Rome, to Saturnine,

King and commander of our commonweal,

The wide world's Emperor, do I consecrate

My sword, my chariot, and my prisoners,

Presents well worthy Rome's imperious lord;

Receive them then, the tribute that I owe,

Mine honour's ensigns humbled at thy feet.

It does, my noble Lord, and I take this marriage

as a great honour from your Grace,

and here with all Rome as witnesses, I give Saturnine,

king and commander of our nation,

the Emperor of the wide world,

my sword, my chariot and my prisoners,

presents whichRome's Imperial Lord well deserves;

so take them, the tribute that I owe you,

the symbols of my honour laid down at your feet.

SATURNINUS.

Thanks, noble Titus, father of my life.

How proud I am of thee and of thy gifts

Rome shall record; and when I do forget

The least of these unspeakable deserts,

Romans, forget your fealty to me.

Thanks, noble Titus, father of my life.

Rome shall take note of how pleased I am with you

and your gifts; and when I forget

the smallest of these indescribable rewards,

Romans, you can renounce your loyalty to me.

TITUS. [To TAMORA]

Now, madam, are you prisoner to an

emperor;

To him that for your honour and your state

Will use you nobly and your followers.

Now, madam, you are an emperor's prisoner;

because of your honour and your high rank

he will treat you and your followers with respect.

SATURNINUS.

[Aside] A goodly lady, trust me; of the hue

That I would choose, were I to choose anew.-

Clear up, fair Queen, that cloudy countenance;

Though chance of war hath wrought this change of cheer,

Thou com'st not to be made a scorn in Rome-

Princely shall be thy usage every way.

Rest on my word, and let not discontent

Daunt all your hopes. Madam, he comforts you

Can make you greater than the Queen of Goths.

Lavinia, you are not displeas'd with this?

A fine lady, my goodness; of the colour

that I would choose, if I were to choose another–

fair Queen, take off that frown;

although the fortunes of war have made you miserable,

you will not be badly treated in Rome–

you shall be treated as royalty in every way.

Take my word for it, and don't let unhappiness

take over your whole life. Madam, the one who is comforting you

can give you a greater position than Queen of the Goths.

Lavinia, this doesn't upset you?

LAVINIA.

Not I, my lord, sith true nobility

Warrants these words in princely courtesy.

Not me, my lord, since yourtrue nobility

guarantees that these words are just the courtesy a prince should show.

SATURNINUS.

Thanks, sweet Lavinia. Romans, let us go.

Ransomless here we set our prisoners free.

Proclaim our honours, lords, with trump and drum.

[Flourish]

Thanks, sweet Lavinia. Romans, let us go.

We set these prisoners free without a ransom.

Announce my new position, lords, with trumpets and drums.

BASSIANUS.

Lord Titus, by your leave, this maid is mine.

[Seizing LAVINIA]

Lord Titus, if you'll excuse me, this girl is mine.

TITUS.

How, sir! Are you in earnest then, my lord?

What, sir! Are you serious then, my lord?

BASSIANUS.

Ay, noble Titus, and resolv'd withal

To do myself this reason and this right.

Yes, noble Titus, and I am determined

to claim my reasonable rights.

MARCUS.

Suum cuique is our Roman justice:

This prince in justice seizeth but his own.

Each is entitled to his own is our Roman law:

the Prince is only taking what is his own by law.

LUCIUS.

And that he will and shall, if Lucius live.

And he will have it, as long as Lucius is alive.

TITUS.

Traitors, avaunt! Where is the Emperor's guard?

Treason, my lord- Lavinia is surpris'd!

Traitors, be gone! Where are the emperor's guards?

There is treason, my lord–Lavinia has been ambushed!

SATURNINUS.

Surpris'd! By whom?

Ambushed! By whom?

BASSIANUS.

By him that justly may

Bear his betroth'd from all the world away.

Exeunt BASSIANUS and MARCUS with LAVINIA

By the one who has every right

to carry his fiancée away from all others.

MUTIUS.

Brothers, help to convey her hence away,

And with my sword I'll keep this door safe.

 Exeunt LUCIUS, QUINTUS, and MARTIUS

Brothers, help to get her away from here,

and I'll block this door with my sword.

TITUS.

Follow, my lord, and I'll soon bring her back.

Let's follow her, my lord, and I'll soon bring her back.

MUTIUS.

My lord, you pass not here.

My lord, you cannot go through here.

TITUS.

What, villain boy!

Bar'st me my way in Rome?

What, you villainous boy!

Do you block my way in Rome?

MUTIUS.

Help, Lucius, help!

TITUS kills him. During the fray, exeunt SATURNINUS,

TAMORA, DEMETRIUS, CHIRON, and AARON

Re-enter Lucius

Help, Lucius, help!

LUCIUS.

My lord, you are unjust, and more than so:

In wrongful quarrel you have slain your son.

My Lord, you are unjust, and more than unjust:

in an unjust quarrel you have killed your son.

TITUS.

Nor thou nor he are any sons of mine;

My sons would never so dishonour me.

 Re-enter aloft the EMPEROR

with TAMORA and her two Sons, and AARON the Moor

Traitor, restore Lavinia to the Emperor.

Neither you nor he are any sons of mine;

my real sons would never shame me like this.

Traitor, give Lavinia back to the Emperor.

LUCIUS.

Dead, if you will; but not to be his wife,

That is another's lawful promis'd love. Exit

Dead, if you like; but not as his wife,

when she is lawfully engaged to someone else.

SATURNINUS.

No, Titus, no; the Emperor needs her not,

Nor her, nor thee, nor any of thy stock.

I'll trust by leisure him that mocks me once;

Thee never, nor thy traitorous haughty sons,

Confederates all thus to dishonour me.

Was there none else in Rome to make a stale

But Saturnine? Full well, Andronicus,

Agree these deeds with that proud brag of thine

That saidst I begg'd the empire at thy hands.

No, Titus, no; the Emperor doesn't need her,

not her, nor you, nor any of your family.

I can hardly trust someone who makes a fool of me;

I shall never trust you, or your traitorous arrogant sons,

who have all joined together to dishonour me.