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Under their sweet shade； Aaron； let us sit； And while the babbling echo
mocks the hounds； Replying shrilly to the well…tun'd horns； As if a double
hunt were heard at once； Let us sit down and mark their yellowing noise；
And… after conflict such as was suppos'd The wand'ring prince and Dido
once enjoyed； When with a happy storm they were surpris'd； And curtain'd
with a counsel…keeping cave… We may； each wreathed in the other's arms；
Our pastimes done； possess a golden slumber； Whiles hounds and horns
and sweet melodious birds Be unto us as is a nurse's song Of lullaby to
bring her babe asleep。 AARON。 Madam； though Venus govern your
desires； Saturn is dominator over mine。 What signifies my deadly…standing
eye； My silence and my cloudy melancholy； My fleece of woolly hair that
now uncurls Even as an adder when she doth unroll To do some fatal
execution？ No； madam； these are no venereal signs。 Vengeance is in my
heart； death in my hand； Blood and revenge are hammering in my head。
Hark； Tamora； the empress of my soul； Which never hopes more heaven
than rests in thee… This is the day of doom for Bassianus； His Philomel
must lose her tongue to…day； Thy sons make pillage of her chastity； And
wash their hands in Bassianus' blood。 Seest thou this letter？ Take it up； I
pray thee； And give the King this fatal…plotted scroll。 Now question me no
more； we are espied。 Here comes a parcel of our hopeful booty； Which
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dreads not yet their lives' destruction。
Enter BASSIANUS and LAVINIA TAMORA。 Ah； my sweet Moor；
sweeter to me than life！ AARON。 No more； great Empress： Bassianus
comes。 Be cross with him； and I'll go fetch thy sons To back thy quarrels；
whatsoe'er they be。 Exit BASSIANUS。 Who have we here？ Rome's royal
Emperess； Unfurnish'd of her well…beseeming troop？ Or is it Dian； habited
like her； Who hath abandoned her holy groves To see the general hunting
in this forest？ TAMORA。 Saucy controller of my private steps！ Had I the
pow'r that some say Dian had； Thy temples should be planted presently
With horns； as was Actaeon's； and the hounds Should drive upon thy new…
transformed limbs； Unmannerly intruder as thou art！ LAVINIA。 Under
your patience； gentle Emperess； 'Tis thought you have a goodly gift in
horning； And to be doubted that your Moor and you Are singled forth to
try thy experiments。 Jove shield your husband from his hounds to…day！ 'Tis
pity they should take him for a stag。 BASSIANUS。 Believe me； Queen；
your swarth Cimmerian Doth make your honour of his body's hue； Spotted；
detested； and abominable。 Why are you sequest'red from all your train；
Dismounted from your snow…white goodly steed； And wand'red hither to
an obscure plot； Accompanied but with a barbarous Moor； If foul desire
had not conducted you？ LAVINIA。 And； being intercepted in your sport；
Great reason that my noble lord be rated For sauciness。 I pray you let us
hence； And let her joy her raven…coloured love； This valley fits the
purpose passing well。 BASSIANUS。 The King my brother shall have
notice of this。 LAVINIA。 Ay； for these slips have made him noted long。
Good king； to be so mightily abused！ TAMORA。 Why； I have patience to
endure all this。
Enter CHIRON and DEMETRIUS
DEMETRIUS。 How now； dear sovereign； and our gracious mother！
Why doth your Highness look so pale and wan？ TAMORA。 Have I not
reason； think you； to look pale？ These two have 'ticed me hither to this
place。 A barren detested vale you see it is： The trees； though summer； yet
forlorn and lean； Overcome with moss and baleful mistletoe； Here never
shines the sun； here nothing breeds； Unless the nightly owl or fatal raven。
And when they show'd me this abhorred pit； They told me； here； at dead
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time of the night； A thousand fiends； a thousand hissing snakes； Ten
thousand swelling toads； as many urchins； Would make such fearful and
confused cries As any mortal body hearing it Should straight fall mad or
else die suddenly。 No sooner had they told this hellish tale But straight
they told me they would bind me here Unto the body of a dismal yew； And
leave me to this miserable death。 And then they call'd me foul adulteress；
Lascivious Goth； and all the bitterest terms That ever ear did hear to such
effect； And had you not by wondrous fortune come； This vengeance on me
had they executed。 Revenge it； as you love your mother's life； Or be ye not
henceforth call'd my children。 DEMETRIUS。 This is a witness that I am
thy son。 ＇Stabs BASSIANUS＇ CHIRON。 And this for me； struck home to
show my strength。 ＇Also stabs＇ LAVINIA。 Ay； come； Semiramis… nay；
barbarous Tamora； For no name fits thy nature but thy own！ TAMORA。
Give me the poniard； you shall know； my boys； Your mother's hand shall
right your mother's wrong。 DEMETRIUS。 Stay； madam； here is more
belongs to her； First thrash the corn； then after burn the straw。 This minion
stood upon her chastity； Upon her nuptial vow； her loyalty； And with that
painted hope braves your mightiness； And shall she carry this unto her
grave？ CHIRON。 An if she do； I would I were an eunuch。 Drag hence her
husband to some secret hole； And make his dead trunk pillow to our lust。
TAMORA。 But when ye have the honey we desire； Let not this wasp
outlive； us both to sting。 CHIRON。 I warrant you； madam； we will make
that sure。 Come； mistress； now perforce we will enjoy That nice…preserved
honesty of yours。 LAVINIA。 O Tamora！ thou bearest a woman's face…
TAMORA。 I will not hear her speak； away with her！ LAVINIA。 Sweet
lords； entreat her hear me but a word。 DEMETRIUS。 Listen； fair madam：
let it be your glory To see her tears； but be your heart to them As
unrelenting flint to drops of rain。 LAVINIA。 When did the tiger's young
ones teach the dam？ O； do not learn her wrath… she taught it thee； The milk
thou suck'dst from her did turn to marble； Even at thy teat thou hadst thy
tyranny。 Yet every mother breeds not sons alike： ＇To CHIRON＇ Do thou
entreat her show a woman's pity。 CHIRON。 What； wouldst thou have me
prove myself a bastard？ LAVINIA。 'Tis true； the raven doth not hatch a
lark。 Yet have I heard… O； could I find it now！… The lion； mov'd with pity；
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did endure To have his princely paws par'd all away。 Some say that ravens
foster forlorn children； The whilst their own birds famish in their nests； O；
be to me； though thy hard heart say no； Nothing so kind； but something
pitiful！ TAMORA。 I know not what it means； away with her！ LAVINIA。 O；
let me teach thee！ For my father's sake； That gave thee life when well he
might have slain thee； Be not obdurate； open thy deaf ears。 TAMORA。
Hadst thou in person ne'er offended me； Even for his sake am I pitiless。
Remember； boys； I pour'd forth tears in vain To save your brother from the
sacrifice； But fierce Andronicus would not relent。 Therefore away with her；
and use her as you will； The worse to her the better lov'd of me。 LAVINIA。
O Tamora； be call'd a gentle queen； And with thine own hands kill me in
this