Dramatis Perfona. SATURNINU s, Son to the late Emperor of Rome, and afterwards declared Emperor himself. Baffianus, Brother to Saturninus, in love with Lavinia. Titus Andronicus, a noble Roman, General against the Goths. Marcus Andronicus, Tribune of the people, and Brother to Titus. Marcus, Young Lucius, a Boy, Son to Lucius. Publius, Son to Marcus the Tribune, and Nephew to Titus Andronicus. Tamora, Queen of the Goths, and afterwards married to Satur ninus. Lavinia, Daughter to Titus Andronicus. Nurfe, with a Black-a-moor Child. Senators, Judges, Officers, Soldiers, and other Attendants. SCENE, Rome; and the Country near it. TITUS ANDRONICUS. (1) ACTI SCENE, before the Capitol in Rome. nate. Enter the Tribunes and Senators aloft, as in the SeEnter SATURNINUS and his Followers, at one Door; BASSANIUS and his Followers, at the other, with Drum and Colours. N SATURNINUS. OBLE patricians, patrons of my right, Defend the juftice of my caufe with arms; And countrymen, my loving followers, Plead my fucceffive title with your fwords. I am the firft-born fon of him that laft (1) Titus Andronicus.] This is one of thofe plays which I have always thought, with the better judges, ought not to be acknowledged in the lift of Shakespeare's genuine pieces. And, perhaps, I may give a proof to ftrengthen this opi nion, that may put the matter out of question. Ben Johnfon, in the induction to his Bartholomew-fair, (which made its first appearance in the year 1614) couples Jeronymo and Andronicus together in reputation, and speaks of them as plays then of twenty five or thirty years standing. Confequently, Andronicus must have been on the stage before Shakespeare left Warwickshire to come and refide in London and I never heard it fo much as intimated, that he had turned his genius to ftage-writing before he affociated with the players, and became one of their body. However, that he afterwards introduced it anew on the fcene, with the addition of his own masterly touches, is inconteftable: and thence, I prefume, grew his title to it. The diction, in general, where he has not taken the pains to raise it, is Wore the imperial diadem of Rome: Baf. Romans, friends, followers, favourers of my If ever Baffianus, Cæfar's fon, Were gracious in the eyes of Royal Rome, [right, And, Romans, fight for freedom in your choice. Enter MARCUS ANDRONICUS aloft, with the Crown. Mar. Princes, that firive by factions, and by For many good and great deferts to Rome. Lives not this day within our city-walls. From weary wars against the barbarous Goths; The even beneath that of the Three Parts of Henry VI. ftory, we are to fuppofe, is merely fictitious. Andronicus is a furname of pure Greek derivation: Tamora is neither mentioned by Ammianus Marcellinus, nor any body elfe that I can find. Nor had Rome, in the time of her Emperors, any wars with the Goths that I know of: not till after the tranflation of the empire, I mean, to Byzantium. And yet the fcene of our play is laid at Rome, and Saturninus is elected to the empire at the Capitol. The cause of Rome, and chastised with arms And now at last, laden with Honour's spoils, Sat. How fair the Tribune fpeaks to calm my thoughts! Baf. Marcus Andronicus, fo I do affie In thy uprightnefs and integrity, And fo I love and honour thee and thine; Thy noble brother Titus, and his fons, And her to whom our thoughts are humbled all, Sat. Friends, that have been thus forward in my right, I thank you all, and here dismiss you all; Open thy gates, and let me in. Baf. Tribunes, and me a poor competitor. [They go up into the Senate-house Enter a Captain. Cap. Romans, make way: the good Andronicus, Patron of virtue, Rome's beft champion, Successful in the battles that he fights, With honour and with fortune is returned, Sound Drums and Trumpets, and then enter MUTIUS and MARCUS: after them, two Men bearing a Coffin covered with black; then QUINTUS and LUCIUS. After them, TITUS ANDRONICUS; and then TAMORA, the Queen of Goths, ALARBUS, CHIRON and DEMETRIUS, with AARON the Moor, Prifoners; Soldiers and other Attendants. They fet down the Coffin, and Titus fpeaks. Tit. (2) Hail, Rome, victorious in thy mourning weeds! Lo, as the bark, that hath difcharged her freight, (2) Hail, Rome, villorious in thy mourning weeds!] Mr Warburton and I concurred to fufpect that the Poet wrote; -in my mourning weeds. i. e. Titus would fay; "Thou, Rome, art victorious, though I am a mourner for thofe fons which I have "loft in obtaining that victory." But I have not ventured to disturb the text; becaufe, on a fecond reflection, mourning weeds may relate to Rome for this reason; the scene opens with Saturninus and Baffianus canvaffing to be elected to the Empire: and confequently the ftate might be in grief for their laft Emperor just deceased. |