Act IIScene I
Rome. Before the palace
Aaron alone.
Aaron
Now climbeth Tamora Olympus’ top,Safe out of Fortune’s shot, and sits aloft,Secure of thunder’s crack or lightning’s flash,Advanced above pale envy’s threat’ning reach.As when the golden sun salutes the morn,And, having gilt the ocean with his beams,Gallops the zodiac in his glistening coach,And overlooks the highest-peering hills;So Tamora.Upon her wit doth earthly honour wait,And virtue stoops and trembles at her frown.Then, Aaron, arm thy heart and fit thy thoughtsTo mount aloft with thy imperial mistress,And mount her pitch, whom thou in triumph longHast prisoner held, fett’red in amorous chains,And faster bound to Aaron’s charming eyesThan is Prometheus tied to Caucasus.Away with slavish weeds and servile thoughts!I will be bright, and shine in pearl and gold,To wait upon this new-made empress.To wait, said I? To wanton with this queen,This goddess, this Semiramis, this nymph,This siren, that will charm Rome’s Saturnine,And see his shipwrack and his commonweal’s.Holla! What storm is this?
Enter Chiron and Demetrius braving.
Demetrius
Chiron, thy years wants wit, thy wit wants edgeAnd manners, to intrude where I am graced,And may, for aught thou knowest, affected be.
Chiron
Demetrius, thou dost overween in all,And so in this, to bear me down with braves.’Tis not the difference of a year or twoMakes me less gracious or thee more fortunate.I am as able and as fit as thouTo serve and to deserve my mistress’ grace;And that my sword upon thee shall approve,And plead my passions for Lavinia’s love.
Aaron
Aside.
Clubs, clubs! These lovers will not keep the peace.
Demetrius
Why, boy, although our mother, unadvised,Gave you a dancing-rapier by your side,Are you so desperate grown to threat your friends?Go to; have your lath glued within your sheathTill you know better how to handle it.
Chiron
Meanwhile, sir, with the little skill I have,Full well shalt thou perceive how much I dare.
Demetrius
Ay, boy, grow ye so brave?
They draw.
Aaron
Why, how now, lords!So near the emperor’s palace dare ye draw,And maintain such a quarrel openly?Full well I wot the ground of all this grudge.I would not for a million of goldThe cause were known to them it most concerns;Nor would your noble mother for much moreBe so dishonoured in the court of Rome.For shame, put up.
Demetrius
Not I, till I have sheathedMy rapier in his bosom, and withalThrust those reproachful speeches down his throatThat he hath breathed in my dishonour here.
Chiron
For that I am prepared and full resolved,Foul-spoken coward, that thund’rest with thy tongue,And with thy weapon nothing dar’st perform.
Aaron
Away, I say!Now, by the gods that warlike Goths adore,This pretty brabble will undo us all.Why, lords, and think you not how dangerousIt is to jet upon a prince’s right?What, is Lavinia then become so loose,Or Bassianus so degenerate,That for her love such quarrels may be broachedWithout controlment, justice, or revenge?Young lords, beware! And should the empress knowThis discord’s ground, the music would not please.
Chiron
I care not, I, knew she and all the world.I love Lavinia more than all the world.
Demetrius
Youngling, learn thou to make some meaner choice.Lavina is thine elder brother’s hope.
Aaron
Why, are ye mad? Or know ye not in RomeHow furious and impatient they be,And cannot brook competitors in love?I tell you, lords, you do but plot your deathsBy this device.
Chiron
Aaron, a thousand deathsWould I propose to achieve her whom I love.
Aaron
To achieve her! How?
Demetrius
Why makes thou it so strange?She is a woman, therefore may be wooed;She is a woman, therefore may be won;She is Lavinia, therefore must be loved.What, man, more water glideth by the millThan wots the miller of; and easy it isOf a cut loaf to steal a shive, we know.Though Bassianus be the emperor’s brother,Better than he have worn Vulcan’s badge.
Aaron
Aside.
Ay, and as good as Saturninus may.
Demetrius
Then why should he despair that knows to court itWith words, fair looks, and liberality?What, hast not thou full often struck a doe,And borne her cleanly by the keeper’s nose?
Aaron
Why, then, it seems some certain snatch or soWould serve your turns.
Chiron
Ay, so the turn were served.
Demetrius
Aaron, thou hast hit it.
Aaron
Would you had hit it too!Then should not we be tired with this ado.Why, hark ye, hark ye, and are you such foolsTo square for this? Would it offend you thenThat both should speed?
Chiron
Faith, not me.
Demetrius
Nor me, so I were one.
Aaron
For shame, be friends, and join for that you jar.’Tis policy and stratagem must doThat you affect; and so must you resolveThat what you cannot as you would achieve,You must perforce accomplish as you may.Take this of me: Lucrece was not more chasteThan this Lavinia, Bassianus’ love.A speedier course than ling’ring languishmentMust we pursue, and I have found the path.My lords, a solemn hunting is in hand;There will the lovely Roman ladies troop.The forest walks are wide and spacious,And many unfrequented plots there areFitted by kind for rape and villainy.Single you thither, then, this dainty doe,And strike her home by force, if not by words.This way, or not at all, stand you in hope.Come, come, our empress, with her sacred witTo villainy and vengeance consecrate,Will we acquaint with all what we intend;And she shall file our engines with adviceThat will not suffer you to square yourselves,But to your wishes’ height advance you both.The emperor’s court is like the house of Fame,The palace full of tongues, of eyes and ears;The woods are ruthless, dreadful, deaf, and dull.There speak and strike, brave boys, and take your turns;There serve your lust, shadowed from heaven’s eye,And revel in Lavinia’s treasury.
Chiron
Thy counsel, lad, smells of no cowardice.
Demetrius
Sit fas aut nefas, till I find the streamTo cool this heat, a charm to calm these fits,Per Stygia, per manes vehor.
Exeunt.