O' my word, I have written to effect;
There's not a god left unsolicited.

MAR. Kinsmen, shoot all your shafts into the court: "

We will afflict the emperor in his pride.

TIT. Now, masters, draw. [They shoot.] O, well said, Lucius!

Good boy, in Virgo's lap; give it Pallas.

MAR. My lord, I aim a mile beyond the moon;" Your letter is with Jupiter by this.

TIT. Ha! Publius, Publius, what hast thou done!

See, see, thou hast shot off one of Taurus' horns. MAR. This was the sport, my lord: when Pub

G

lius shot,

shoot all your shafts into the court:] In the ancient ballad of Titus Andronicus's Complaint, is the following passage:

"Then past reliefe I upp and downe did goe,
"And with my tears wrote in the dust my woe:
"I shot my arrows towards heaven hie,

"If the ballad

"And for revenge to hell did often crye." On this Dr. Percy has the following observation: was written before the play, I should suppose this to be only a metaphorical expression, taken from the Psalms: "They shoot out their arrows, even bitter words," Psalm lxiv. 3. Reliques of Ancient English Poetry, Vol. I. p. 228, third edition.

STEEVENS.

7 I aim a mile beyond the moon ;] To "cast beyond the moon," is an expression used in Hinde's Eliosto Libidinoso, 1606. Again, in Mother Bombie, 1594: "Risio hath gone beyond himself in casting beyond the moon." Again, in A Woman kill'd with Kindness, 1617:

"I talk of things impossible,

"And cast beyond the moon.'

STEEVENS.

I aim a mile beyond the moon;] Thus the quarto and folio. Mr. Rowe for aim substituted am, which has been adopted by all the modern editors. MALONE.

The bull being gall'd, gave Aries such a knock That down fell both the ram's horns in the court; And who should find them but the empress' villain? She laugh'd, and told the Moor, he should not choose

But give them to his master for a present.

TIT. Why, there it goes: God give your lordship' joy.

Enter a Clown, with a Basket and Two Pigeons.

News, news from heaven! Marcus, the post is come.
Sirrah, what tidings? have you any letters?
Shall I have justice? what says Jupiter?

CLO. Ho! the gibbet-maker? he says, that he hath taken them down again, for the man must not be hanged till the next week.

TIT. But what says Jupiter, I ask thee?

CLO. Alas, sir, I know not Jupiter; I never drank with him in all my life.9

TIT. Why, villain, art not thou the carrier? CLO. Ay, of my pigeons, sir; nothing else. TIT. Why, didst thou not come from heaven? CLO. From heaven? alas, sir, I never came there: God forbid, I should be so bold to press to heaven in my young days. Why, I am going with my

your lordship-] Edition 1600:-his lordship.

Todd.

I know not Jupiter; I never drank with him in all my life.] Perhaps, in this instance also, the Clown was designed to blunder, by saying, (as does the Dairy-maid in a modern farce) Jew Peter, instead of Jupiter. STEEVENS.

pigeons to the tribunal plebs,' to take up a matter of brawl betwixt my uncle and one of the emperial's men.

MAR. Why, sir, that is as fit as can be, to serve for your oration; and let him deliver the pigeons to the emperor from you.

TIT. Tell me, can you deliver an oration to the emperor with a grace?

all

CLO. Nay, truly, sir, I could never say grace in life.

my

TIT. Sirrah, come hither: make no more ado, But give your pigeons to the emperor:

By me thou shalt have justice at his hands. Hold, hold;-mean while, here's money for thy charges.

Give me a pen and ink.

Sirrah, can you with a grace deliver a supplication? CLO. Ay, sir.

TIT. Then here is a supplication for you. And when you come to him, at the first approach, you must kneel; then kiss his foot; then deliver up your pigeons; and then look for your reward, I'll be at hand, sir; see you do it bravely.

CLO. I warrant you, sir; let me alone.

TIT. Sirrah, hast thou a knife? Come, let me see it.

Here, Marcus, fold it in the oration;

For thou hast made it like an humble suppliant:

1

the tribunal plebs,] I suppose the Clown means to say, Plebeian tribune, i. e. tribune of the people; for none could fill this office but such as were descended from Plebeian ancestors.

STEEVENS.

Sir T. Hanmer supposes that he means-tribunus plebis.

MALONE.

And when thou hast given it to the emperor,
Knock at my door, and tell me what he says.
CLO. God be with you, sir; I will.

Tır. Come, Marcus, let's go :-Publius, follow [Exeunt.

me.

SCENE IV.

The same. Before the Palace.

Enter SATURNINUS, TAMORA, CHIRON, DEMETRius, Lords and Others: SATURNINUS with the Arrows in his Hand, that TITUS shot.

SAT. Why, lords, what wrongs are these? Was

ever seen

An emperor of Rome thus overborne,

Troubled, confronted thus; and, for the extent
Of egal justice, us'd in such contempt?

My lords, you know, as do2 the mightful gods,
However these disturbers of our peace

Buz in the people's ears, there nought hath pass'd,
But even with law,' against the wilful sons
Of old Andronicus. And what an if
His sorrows have so overwhelm'd his wits,
Shall we be thus afflicted in his wreaks,
His fits, his frenzy, and his bitterness?

2

-as do-] These two words were supplied by Mr. Rowe; who also in the concluding lines of this speech substi tuted if she sleep, &c. for, if he sleep, and-as she, for, as he. MALONE.

even with law,] Thus the second folio. The first, un

metrically, even with the law. STEEVENS.

And now he writes to heaven for his redress:
See, here's to Jove, and this to Mercury;
This to Apollo; this to the god of war:
Sweet scrolls to fly about the streets of Rome!
What's this, but libelling against the senate,
And blazoning our injustice every where?
A goodly humour, is it not, my lords?
As who would say, in Rome no justice were.
But, if I live, his feigned ecstasies
Shall be no shelter to these outrages:
But he and his shall know, that justice lives
In Saturninus' health; whom, if she sleep,
He'll so awake, as she in fury shall
Cut off the proud'st conspirator that lives.

TAM. My gracious lord, my lovely Saturnine,
Lord of my life, commander of my thoughts,
Calm thee, and bear the faults of Titus' age,
The effects of sorrow for his valiant sons,
Whose loss hath pierc'd him deep, and scarr'd his
heart;

And rather comfort his distressed plight,
Than prosecute the meanest, or the best,
For these contempts. Why, thus it shall become
High-witted Tamora to gloze with all: [Aside.
But, Titus, I have touch'd thee to the quick,
Thy life-blood out: if Aaron now be wise,
Then is all safe, the anchor's in the port.*-

Enter Clown.

How now, good fellow? would'st thou speak with us?

the anchor's in the port.] Edition 1600, reads-the

anchor in the port. TODD.