Aar.
Now climbeth Tamora Olympus' top,
Safe out of fortune's shot, and sits aloft,
Secure of thunder's crack or lightning flash,
Advanced above ^note pale envy's threatening reach.
As when the golden sun salutes the morn,
And, having gilt the ocean with his beams,
Gallops the zodiac in his glistering coach,
And overlooks the highest-peering ^note hills;
So Tamora ^note:
Upon her wit ^note doth earthly ^note honour wait,
And virtue stoops and trembles at her frown.
Then, Aaron, arm thy heart ^note, and fit thy thoughts,

To mount aloft ^note with thy imperial mistress,
And mount her pitch, whom thou in triumph long
Hast prisoner held, fetter'd in amorous chains,
And faster bound to Aaron's charming eyes
Than is ^note Prometheus tied to Caucasus.
Away with slavish weeds and servile ^note thoughts!
I will be bright, and shine in pearl and gold,
To wait upon this new-made empress ^note.
To wait ^note, said I? to wanton with this queen,
This goddess, this Semiramis ^note, this nymph ^note,
This siren, that will charm Rome's Saturnine,
And see his shipwreck and his commonweal's.
Holloa ^note! what storm is this? Enter Demetrius and Chiron, braving ^note. ^note

Dem.
Chiron, thy years want ^note wit, thy wit wants edge,
And manners, to intrude where I am graced,
And may, for aught thou know'st ^note, affected be.

Chi.
Demetrius, thou dost over-ween in all,
And so in this, to bear me down with braves.
'Tis not the difference of a year or two
Makes me less gracious, or ^note thee more fortunate:
I am as able and as fit as thou
To serve, and to deserve my mistress' grace;
And that my sword upon thee shall approve,
And plead my passions ^note for Lavinia's love.

Aar. ^note [Aside ^note]
Clubs, clubs! these lovers will not keep the peace.

Dem.
Why, boy, although our mother, unadvised,
Gave you a dancing-rapier ^note by your side,
Are you so desperate grown, to threat your friends? ^note
Go to; have your lath glued within your sheath
Till you know better how to handle it.

Chi.
Meanwhile, sir, with the little skill I have,
Full well shalt thou perceive how much I dare.

Dem.
Ay, boy, grow ye so brave? [They draw.

Aar. [Coming forward ^note]
Why, how now ^note, lords!
So near the emperor's palace dare you draw,
And maintain such a quarrel openly?
Full well I wot the ground of all this grudge: ^note
I would not for a million of gold
The cause were known to them it most concerns;
Nor would your noble mother for much more
Be so dishonour'd ^note in the court of Rome.
For shame, put up.

Dem. ^note
Not I, till I have sheathed
My rapier in his bosom, and withal
Thrust those ^note reproachful speeches down his throat
That he hath breathed in my dishonour here.

Chi. ^note
For that I am prepared and full resolved.
Foul-spoken coward! that ^note thunder'st with thy tongue ^note
And with thy weapon nothing darest ^note perform.

Aar. ^note
Away, I say! ^note
Now, by the gods that warlike Goths adore,
This petty ^note brabble will undo us all.
Why, lords, ^note and think you not how dangerous

It is to jet ^note upon a prince's right?
What, is Lavinia then become so loose,
Or Bassianus so degenerate,
That for her love such quarrels may be broach'd
Without controlment, justice, or revenge? ^note
Young lords, beware! an ^note should the empress know
This discord's ^note ground, the music would not please.

Chi.
I care not, I, knew she and all the world:
I love Lavinia more than all the world.

Dem.
Youngling, learn thou to make some meaner ^note choice ^note:
Lavinia is thine elder brother's hope.

Aar. ^note
Why, are ^note ye mad? or know ye not, in Rome ^note
How furious and impatient they be,
And cannot brook competitors in love?
I tell you, lords, you do but plot your deaths
By this device ^note.

Chi.
Aaron, a thousand deaths
Would I propose ^note to achieve her whom I love ^note. ^note

Aar.
To achieve her! how?

Dem.
Why makest ^note thou it so strange?
She is a woman, therefore may be woo'd;
She is a woman, therefore may be won;
She is Lavinia, therefore must be loved.
What, man! more water glideth by the mill
Than wots the miller of; and easy it is
Of a cut loaf to steal a shive, we know:
Though Bassianus be the emperor's brother,
Better than he have ^note worn Vulcan's ^note badge.

Aar. ^note [Aside ^note]
Ay, and as good as Saturninus ^note may.

Dem.
Then why should he despair that knows to court it
With words, fair looks, and liberality?
What, hast not thou ^note full often struck ^note a doe,
And borne her cleanly by the keeper's nose?

Aar. ^note
Why, then, it seems, some certain snatch or so
Would serve your turns.

Chi.
Ay, so the turn were served.

Dem.
Aaron, thou hast hit it.

Aar. ^note
Would you had hit it too!
Then should not we be tired with this ado.
Why, hark ye, hark ye! and are you such fools
To square for this? ^note would it offend you, then ^note,
That both should speed ^note? ^note

Chi.
Faith ^note, not me.

Dem.
Nor me, so I were one ^note.

Aar.
For shame, be friends, and join for that you jar:
'Tis policy and stratagem must do
That you affect; and so must you resolve,
That what you cannot as you would achieve,
You must perforce accomplish as you may.
Take this of me: Lucrece was not more chaste
Than this Lavinia, Bassianus' ^note love.
A speedier course than ^note lingering languishment
Must we ^note 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 are
Fitted by kind for rape and villany:

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 ^note wit
To villany and vengeance consecrate,
Will we ^note acquaint with all that we intend;
And she shall file our engines with advice ^note,
That 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 ^note ears:
The woods are ruthless, dreadful ^note, deaf and dull ^note;
There speak, and strike, brave boys, and take your turns;
There serve your lust ^note, shadow'd ^note from heaven's eye,
And revel in Lavinia's treasury.

Chi.
Thy counsel, lad, smells of no cowardice.

Dem.
Sit ^note fas aut nefas, till I find the stream ^note
To cool this heat, a charm to calm these ^note fits,
Per Styga ^note, per manes vehor. [Exeunt.

^note

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