The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated) (1055 page)

Was there nobody else in Rome to use as the butt of your jokes

but Saturnine? This sort of behaviour, Andronicus,

completely matches that proud boast of yours

that claims that I begged for the Empire from you.

TITUS.

O monstrous! What reproachful words are these?

This is monstrous! What is this criticism?

SATURNINUS.

But go thy ways; go, give that changing piece

To him that flourish'd for her with his sword.

A valiant son-in-law thou shalt enjoy;

One fit to bandy with thy lawless sons,

To ruffle in the commonwealth of Rome.

Just go about your business; go on, give that fickle woman

to the one who waved his sword about for her.

You shall have a brave son-in-law;

one suited to brawling with your lawless sons,

to stir up the peace of the Kingdom of Rome.

TITUS.

These words are razors to my wounded heart.

These words cutmy wounded heart like razors.

SATURNINUS.

And therefore, lovely Tamora, Queen of Goths,

That, like the stately Phoebe 'mongst her nymphs,

Dost overshine the gallant'st dames of Rome,

If thou be pleas'd with this my sudden choice,

Behold, I choose thee, Tamora, for my bride

And will create thee Emperess of Rome.

Speak, Queen of Goths, dost thou applaud my choice?

And here I swear by all the Roman gods-

Sith priest and holy water are so near,

And tapers burn so bright, and everything

In readiness for Hymenaeus stand-

I will not re-salute the streets of Rome,

Or climb my palace, till from forth this place

I lead espous'd my bride along with me.

And so, lovely Tamora, Queen of Goths,

who, like the glorious Diana amongst her nymphs,

outshines the finest looking women in Rome,

if you will agree to my sudden choice,

I tell you I choose you, Tamora, as my bride

and will make you Empress of Rome.

Speak, Queen of Goths, do you applaud my choice?

And I swear by all the Roman gods–

since priests and holy water are so near,

and the candles burn so bright, and everything

is ready for a wedding–

I will not go back out into the streets of Rome,

or go up to my palace, until I leave this place

leading my bride along with me.

TAMORA.

And here in sight of heaven to Rome I swear,

If Saturnine advance the Queen of Goths,

She will a handmaid be to his desires,

A loving nurse, a mother to his youth.

And here in the sightof heaven I swear to Rome,

that if Saturnine advances the Queen of the Goths,

she will assist him in everything he desires,

be a loving nurse and a mother to his youth.

SATURNINUS.

Ascend, fair Queen, Pantheon. Lords, accompany

Your noble Emperor and his lovely bride,

Sent by the heavens for Prince Saturnine,

Whose wisdom hath her fortune conquered;

There shall we consummate our spousal rites.

Exeunt all but TITUS

Come up, my fair Queen, to the Pantheon. Lords, accompany

your noble emperor and his lovely bride,

sent from heaven for Prince Saturnine,

who has wisely overcome her misfortune;

in the Pantheon we shall settle our marriage.

TITUS.

I am not bid to wait upon this bride.

Titus, when wert thou wont to walk alone,

Dishonoured thus, and challenged of wrongs?

Re-enter MARCUS,

and TITUS' SONS, LUCIUS, QUINTUS, and MARTIUS

I'm not invited to this wedding.

Titus, since when have you had to walk alone,

disgraced like this, and accused of crimes?

MARCUS.

O Titus, see, O, see what thou hast done!

In a bad quarrel slain a virtuous son.

Oh Titus, see, oh see what you have done!

In an unjustified quarrel you have killed a good son.

TITUS.

No, foolish Tribune, no; no son of mine-

Nor thou, nor these, confederates in the deed

That hath dishonoured all our family;

Unworthy brother and unworthy sons!

No, foolish Tribune, no; no son of mine–

nor are you, nor are these, partners in the deed

that has brought dishonour on all our family;

unworthy brother and unworthy sons!

LUCIUS.

But let us give him burial, as becomes;

Give Mutius burial with our bretheren.

But let us give him a fitting burial;

bury Mutius with our brothers.

TITUS.

Traitors, away! He rests not in this tomb.

This monument five hundred years hath stood,

Which I have sumptuously re-edified;

Here none but soldiers and Rome's servitors

Repose in fame; none basely slain in brawls.

Bury him where you can, he comes not here.

Go away, traitors!He shall not rest in this tomb.

This monument has stood for five hundred years,

and I have rebuilt it richly;

nobody but soldiers and servants of Rome

rest here in honour; not people killed in low brawls.

Bury him where you like, he's not coming in here.

MARCUS.

My lord, this is impiety in you.

My nephew Mutius' deeds do plead for him;

He must be buried with his bretheren.

My lord, this is not pious.

My nephew Mutius' accomplishments speak for him;

he must be buried with his brothers.

QUINTUS & MARTIUS.

And shall, or him we will accompany.

And he shall, or we will follow him.

TITUS.

'And shall!' What villain was it spake that word?

'And shall!'What villain was it who said that?

QUINTUS.

He that would vouch it in any place but here.

One who would fight for it anywhere but here.

TITUS.

What, would you bury him in my despite?

What, you would bury him against my wishes?

MARCUS.

No, noble Titus, but entreat of thee

To pardon Mutius and to bury him.

No, noble Titus, but we beg you

to pardon Mutius and to bury him.

TITUS.

Marcus, even thou hast struck upon my crest,

And with these boys mine honour thou hast wounded.

My foes I do repute you every one;

So trouble me no more, but get you gone.

Marcus, you have struck me on the helmet,

and with these boys you have assaulted my honour.

I count you all as my enemies,

so stop bothering me and go away.

MARTIUS.

He is not with himself; let us withdraw.

He's not himself; let's go away.

QUINTUS.

Not I, till Mutius' bones be buried.

[The BROTHER and the SONS kneel]

I will not, until Mutius has been buried.

MARCUS.

Brother, for in that name doth nature plead-

Brother, for that is the name which should make you-

QUINTUS.

Father, and in that name doth nature speak-

Father, for that is the name which should make you-

TITUS.

Speak thou no more, if all the rest will speed.

Say no more, if the rest is like this.

MARCUS.

Renowned Titus, more than half my soul-

Renowned Titus, who can claim more than half my soul-

LUCIUS.

Dear father, soul and substance of us all-

Dear father, the soul and body of us all-

MARCUS.

Suffer thy brother Marcus to inter

His noble nephew here in virtue's nest,

That died in honour and Lavinia's cause.

Thou art a Roman- be not barbarous.

The Greeks upon advice did bury Ajax,

That slew himself; and wise Laertes' son

Did graciously plead for his funerals.

Let not young Mutius, then, that was thy joy,

Be barr'd his entrance here.

Allow your brother Marcus to place

his noble nephew here in the home of virtue,

who died honourably fighting for Lavinia.

You are a Roman - don't act like a barbarian.

After thinking about it the Greeks buried Ajax,

who had killed himself; and wise Ulysses

graciously argued for a proper funeral.

So don't let young Mutius, who was the apple of your eye,

be blocked from a burial here.

TITUS.

Rise, Marcus, rise;

The dismal'st day is this that e'er I saw,

To be dishonoured by my sons in Rome!

Well, bury him, and bury me the next.

[They put MUTIUS in the tomb]

Get up, Marcus;

this is the worst day of my life,

being dishonoured by my sons in Rome!

Well, bury him, and bury me afterwards.

LUCIUS.

There lie thy bones, sweet Mutius, with thy friends,

Till we with trophies do adorn thy tomb.

Let your bones lie there, sweet Mutius, with your friends,

until we decorate your tomb with trophies.

ALL.

[Kneeling] No man shed tears for noble Mutius;

He lives in fame that died in virtue's cause.

No man should weep for noble Mutius,

he lives on in his fame for dying in the cause of virtue.

MARCUS.

My lord- to step out of these dreary dumps-

How comes it that the subtle Queen of Goths

Is of a sudden thus advanc'd in Rome?

My lord - to move on from this sad mood -

why has the cunning Queen of the Goths

suddenly become promoted so high in Rome?

TITUS.

I know not, Marcus, but I know it is-

Whether by device or no, the heavens can tell.

Is she not, then, beholding to the man

That brought her for this high good turn so far?

I don't know, Marcus, but I know it's happened -

whether it's a plot or not, only heaven knows.

Does she owe nothing, then, to the man

who brought her so far for such honours?

MARCUS.

Yes, and will nobly him remunerate.

Flourish. Re-enter the EMPEROR, TAMORA

and her two SONS, with the MOOR, at one door;

at the other door, BASSIANUS and LAVINIA, with others

Yes, and she will pay him generously.

SATURNINUS.

So, Bassianus, you have play'd your prize:

God give you joy, sir, of your gallant bride!