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Demetrius, here’s the son of Lucius; He hath some message to deliver us.
Demetrius, here’s the son of Lucius; He has some message for us.
Ay, some mad message from his mad grandfather.
Yes, some crazy message from his crazy grandfather.
My lords, with all the humbleness I may, I greet your honours from Andronicus.
My lords, with all the humility I can, I greet you on behalf of Andronicus.
And pray the Roman gods confound you both!
And I hope the Roman gods curse both of you!
Gramercy, lovely Lucius: what’s the news?
Thank you, lovely Lucius: what’s the news?
[Aside] That you are both decipher’d, that’s the news, For villains mark’d with rape.--May it please you, My grandsire, well advised, hath sent by me The goodliest weapons of his armoury To gratify your honourable youth, The hope of Rome; for so he bade me say; And so I do, and with his gifts present Your lordships, that, whenever you have need, You may be armed and appointed well: And so I leave you both:
[Aside] That you are both exposed for what you are, that’s the news, For criminals marked by rape. – If you please, My grandfather, wisely, sent these by me The finest weapons from his armory To honor your noble youth, The hope of Rome; as he asked me to say; And so I do, and with his gifts present Your lordships, that, whenever you need them, You may be well-armed and ready: And now I leave you both:
like bloody villains.
like bloody criminals.
What’s here? A scroll; and written round about? Let’s see;
What’s this? A scroll; with writing all around it? Let’s see;
’Integer vitae, scelerisque purus, Non eget Mauri jaculis, nec arcu.’
’Integer vitae, scelerisque purus, Non eget Mauri jaculis, nec arcu.’
O, ’tis a verse in Horace; I know it well: I read it in the grammar long ago.
Oh, it’s a verse from Horace; I know it well: I read it in the grammar book long ago.
Ay, just; a verse in Horace; right, you have it.
Yes, exactly; a verse from Horace; right, you’ve got it.
Now, what a thing it is to be an ass! Here’s no sound jest! the old man hath found their guilt; And sends them weapons wrapped about with lines, That wound, beyond their feeling, to the quick. But were our witty empress well afoot, She would applaud Andronicus’ conceit: But let her rest in her unrest awhile. And now, young lords, was’t not a happy star Led us to Rome, strangers, and more than so, Captives, to be advanced to this height? It did me good, before the palace gate To brave the tribune in his brother’s hearing.
Now, what a fool I am! This is no joke! The old man has uncovered their guilt; And sends them weapons wrapped in verses, That strike deeper than they can feel. But if our clever empress were on her feet, She’d praise Andronicus’ cleverness: But let her stay in her unrest for now. And now, young lords, wasn’t it a fortunate star That led us to Rome, strangers, and even more, Captives, to rise to such a high position? It felt good, standing before the palace gate And challenging the tribune in his brother’s presence.
But me more good, to see so great a lord Basely insinuate and send us gifts.
But it felt even better to see such a great lord Act so lowly, flattering us and sending us gifts.
Had he not reason, Lord Demetrius? Did you not use his daughter very friendly?
Didn’t he have a reason, Lord Demetrius? Didn’t you treat his daughter very kindly?
I would we had a thousand Roman dames At such a bay, by turn to serve our lust.
I wish we had a thousand Roman women At our mercy, to satisfy our desires one by one.
A charitable wish and full of love.
That’s a kind wish, full of love.
Here lacks but your mother for to say amen.
All that’s missing is your mother to say amen.
And that would she for twenty thousand more.
And she would, for twenty thousand more.
Come, let us go; and pray to all the gods For our beloved mother in her pains.
Come, let’s go; and pray to all the gods For our dear mother in her pain.
[Aside] Pray to the devils; the gods have given us over.
[Aside] Pray to the devils; the gods have given us up.
Why do the emperor’s trumpets flourish thus?
Why are the emperor’s trumpets sounding like this?
Belike, for joy the emperor hath a son.
Probably because the emperor has a son, and they’re celebrating.
Soft! who comes here?
Wait! Who’s coming here?
Good morr ow, lords: O, tell me, did you see Aaron the Moor?
Good morning, lords: Oh, tell me, have you seen Aaron the Moor?
Well, more or less, or ne’er a whit at all, Here Aaron is; and what with Aaron now?
Well, more or less, or not at all, Here I am, Aaron. What’s going on with Aaron now?
O gentle Aaron, we are all undone! Now help, or woe betide thee evermore!
Oh, kind Aaron, we’re all ruined! Help us, or may misfortune follow you forever!
Why, what a caterwauling dost thou keep! What dost thou wrap and fumble in thine arms?
What are you making all this noise for? What are you hiding and fumbling in your arms?
O, that which I would hide from heaven’s eye, Our empress’ shame, and stately Rome’s disgrace! She is deliver’d, lords; she is deliver’d.
Oh, it’s something I want to keep hidden from heaven’s gaze, Our empress’s disgrace, and the shame of mighty Rome! She’s given birth, lords; she’s given birth.
To whom?
Who are you talking about?
I mean, she is brought a-bed.
I mean, she’s giving birth.
Well, God give her good rest! What hath he sent her?
Well, may God give her a peaceful rest! What has she given birth to?
A devil.
A devil.
Why, then she is the devil’s dam; a joyful issue.
Then she’s the devil’s mother; a happy child indeed.
A joyless, dismal, black, and sorrowful issue: Here is the babe, as loathsome as a toad Amongst the fairest breeders of our clime: The empress sends it thee, thy stamp, thy seal, And bids thee christen it with thy dagger’s point.
A child without joy, dark, ugly, and full of sorrow: Here is the baby, as disgusting as a toad Among the most beautiful children in our land: The empress sends it to you, your mark, your seal, And tells you to baptize it with the point of your dagger.
’Zounds, ye whore! is black so base a hue? Sweet blowse, you are a beauteous blossom, sure.
Damn you, you whore! Is black such a terrible color? Sweet girl, you’re a beautiful flower, really.
Villain, what hast thou done?
Scoundrel, what have you done?
That which thou canst not undo.
Something you can’t undo.
Thou hast undone our mother.
You’ve ruined our mother.
Villain, I have done thy mother.
Scoundrel, I’ve ruined your mother.
And therein, hellish dog, thou hast undone. Woe to her chance, and damn’d her loathed choice! Accursed the offspring of so foul a fiend!
And in doing so, hellish dog, you’ve ruined everything. Woe to her fate, and damn her awful choice! Cursed be the child of such a horrible creature!
It shall not live.
It won’t live.
It shall not die.
It won’t die.
Aaron, it must; the mother wills it so.
Aaron, it must die; the mother wants it that way.
What, must it, nurse? then let no man but I Do execution on my flesh and blood.
What, must it die, nurse? Then let no one but me Carry out the execution on my own flesh and blood.
I’ll broach the tadpole on my rapier’s point: Nurse, give it me; my sword shall soon dispatch it.
I’ll stick the tadpole on the tip of my sword: Nurse, give it to me; my sword will finish it off quickly.
Sooner this sword shall plough thy bowels up.
Sooner this sword will tear your guts open.
Stay, murderous villains! will you kill your brother? Now, by the burning tapers of the sky, That shone so brightly when this boy was got, He dies upon my scimitar’s sharp point That touches this my first-born son and heir! I tell you, younglings, not Enceladus, With all his threatening band of Typhon’s brood, Nor great Alcides, nor the god of war, Shall seize this prey out of his father’s hands. What, what, ye sanguine, shallow-hearted boys! Ye white-limed walls! ye alehouse painted signs! Coal-black is better than another hue, In that it scorns to bear another hue; For all the water in the ocean Can never turn the swan’s black legs to white, Although she lave them hourly in the flood. Tell the empress from me, I am of age To keep mine own, excuse it how she can.
Stop, murderous villains! are you going to kill your brother? Now, by the burning lights in the sky, That shone so brightly when this boy was conceived, He will die on the sharp edge of my scimitar If it touches my first-born son and heir! I’m telling you, youngsters, not even Enceladus, With all his threatening gang of Typhon’s children, Nor mighty Hercules, nor the god of war, Will take this prize from his father’s hands. What, what, you bloodthirsty, shallow-hearted boys! You pale walls! you painted pub signs! Coal-black is better than other colors, Because it refuses to be any other color; For all the water in the ocean Can never turn the swan’s black legs white, Even if she bathes them in the water every hour. Tell the empress from me, I am old enough To protect what’s mine, no matter how she excuses it.
Wilt thou betray thy noble mistress thus?
Will you betray your noble mistress like this?
My mistress is my mistress; this myself, The vigour and the picture of my youth: This before all the world do I prefer; This maugre all the world will I keep safe, Or some of you shall smoke for it in Rome.
My mistress is my mistress; this is me, The strength and the image of my youth: This, above everything in the world, I prefer; Despite all the world, I will keep this safe, Or some of you will pay for it in Rome.
By this our mother is forever shamed.
By this, our mother is forever disgraced.
Rome will despise her for this foul escape.
Rome will look down on her for this terrible mistake.
The emperor, in his rage, will doom her death.
The emperor, in his fury, will sentence her to death.
I blush to think upon this ignomy.
I feel embarrassed to think about this shame.
Why, there’s the privilege your beauty bears: Fie, treacherous hue, that will betray with blushing The close enacts and counsels of the heart! Here’s a young lad framed of another leer: Look, how the black slave smiles upon the father, As who should say ’Old lad, I am thine own.’ He is your brother, lords, sensibly fed Of that self-blood that first gave life to you, And from that womb where you imprison’d were He is enfranchised and come to light: Nay, he is your brother by the surer side, Although my seal be stamped in his face.
Well, that’s the privilege your beauty carries: Shame on you, deceitful color, that will reveal with blushing The secret actions and thoughts of the heart! Here’s a young boy with a different look: Look, how the black slave smiles at the father, As if to say, ’Old man, I’m your own.’ He’s your brother, lords, truly nourished By the same blood that first gave you life, And from that womb where you were once trapped, He’s freed and come into the light: No, he’s your brother by the more certain side, Even though my mark is on his face.
Aaron, what shall I say unto the empress?
Aaron, what should I tell the empress?
Advise thee, Aaron, what is to be done, And we will all subscribe to thy advice: Save thou the child, so we may all be safe.
Tell us, Aaron, what needs to be done, And we’ll all follow your advice: Save the child, so we can all be safe.
Then sit we down, and let us all consult. My son and I will have the wind of you: Keep there: now talk at pleasure of your safety.
Then let’s sit down, and discuss what to do. My son and I will have the advantage over you: Stay there: now talk freely about your safety.
How many women saw this child of his?
How many women have seen this child of his?
Why, so, brave lords! when we join in league, I am a lamb: but if you brave the Moor, The chafed boar, the mountain lioness, The ocean swells not so as Aaron storms. But say, again; how many saw the child?
Well, brave lords! when we team up, I’m harmless: but if you challenge the Moor, The angry boar, the mountain lioness, The ocean doesn’t rise as high as Aaron does when he’s mad. But tell me again; how many people saw the child?
Cornelia the midwife and myself; And no one else but the deliver’d empress.
Cornelia, the midwife, and I; And no one else but the empress, who gave birth.
The empress, the midwife, and yourself: Two may keep counsel when the third’s away: Go to the empress, tell her this I said.
The empress, the midwife, and you: Two can keep a secret when the third’s not around: Go to the empress, and tell her I said this.
Weke, weke! so cries a pig prepared to the spit.
Weke, weke! that’s the sound a pig makes when it’s being roasted.
What mean’st thou, Aaron? wherefore didst thou this?
What do you mean, Aaron? Why did you do this?
O Lord, sir, ’tis a deed of policy: Shall she live to betray this guilt of ours, A long-tongued babbling gossip? no, lords, no: And now be it known to you my full intent. Not far, one Muli lives, my countryman; His wife but yesternight was brought to bed; His child is like to her, fair as you are: Go pack with him, and give the mother gold, And tell them both the circumstance of all; And how by this their child shall be advanced, And be received for the emperor’s heir, And substituted in the place of mine, To calm this tempest whirling in the court; And let the emperor dandle him for his own. Hark ye, lords; ye see I have given her physic,
Oh, sir, it’s a clever political move: Should she live to expose our guilt, A loud, gossiping fool? No, lords, no: And now let me tell you my full plan. Not far from here, a man named Muli lives, my countryman; His wife just gave birth last night; Their child looks just like her, as beautiful as you are: Go to him, give the mother some gold, And tell them the whole story; And how their child will be raised up, And become the emperor’s heir, Replacing mine, To calm this storm in the court; And let the emperor treat him like his own. Listen, lords; you see I’ve dealt with her,
And you must needs bestow her funeral; The fields are near, and you are gallant grooms: This done, see that you take no longer days, But send the midwife presently to me. The midwife and the nurse well made away, Then let the ladies tattle what they please.
And now you must make sure she gets a proper burial; The fields are nearby, and you’re strong, capable men: Once that’s done, make sure you don’t waste time, But send the midwife straight to me. Once the midwife and the nurse are dealt with, Let the women gossip as much as they want.
Aaron, I see thou wilt not trust the air With secrets.
Aaron, I see you won’t let any secrets slip, Even to the air.
For this care of Tamora, Herself and hers are highly bound to thee.
For all you’ve done for Tamora, She and her people owe you a lot.
Now to the Goths, as swift as swallow flies; There to dispose this treasure in mine arms, And secretly to greet the empress’ friends. Come on, you thick lipp’d slave, I’ll bear you hence; For it is you that puts us to our shifts: I’ll make you feed on berries and on roots, And feed on curds and whey, and suck the goat, And cabin in a cave, and bring you up To be a warrior, and command a camp.
Now to the Goths, as fast as a swallow flies; There to place this treasure in my arms, And secretly make contact with the empress’s friends. Come on, you thick-lipped slave, I’ll carry you off; You’re the one making us work so hard: I’ll make you live on berries and roots, And feed on curds and whey, and suckle from a goat, And live in a cave, and raise you up To be a warrior, and lead an army.