AARON
Now climbeth Tamora Olympus’ top,
Safe out of Fortune’s shot, and sits aloft,
Secure of thunder’s crack or lightning flash,
Advanced above pale Envy’s threat’ning reach.
As when the golden sun salutes the morn 5
And, having gilt the ocean with his beams,
Gallops the zodiac in his glistering coach
And overlooks the highest-peering hills,
So Tamora.
Upon her wit doth earthly honor wait, 10
And virtue stoops and trembles at her frown.
Then, Aaron, arm thy heart and fit thy thoughts
To mount aloft with thy imperial mistress,
And mount her pitch whom thou in triumph long
Hast prisoner held, fettered in amorous chains 15
And faster bound to Aaron’s charming eyes
Than 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 emperess. 20
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? 25 | Alone in front of the Senate-house, Aaron delivers a soliloquy (a long speech that reveals a character's innermost thoughts to the audience) about Tamora's rise to power in Rome. Since Tamora and Aaron are longtime secret lovers, Aaron is hoping to benefit from Tamora's new status as Rome's imperial first lady. Aaron also brags that, since Tamora is basically his love slave, he'll soon be in a position to destroy Rome. (Aaron never really explains why he wants to do this.) |
Enter Chiron and Demetrius, braving. DEMETRIUS
Chiron, thy years wants wit, thy wits wants edge
And 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. 30
’Tis not the difference of a year or two
Makes me less gracious or 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 35
And plead my passions for Lavinia’s love. AARON, aside
Clubs, clubs! These lovers will not keep the peace. DEMETRIUS, to Chiron
Why, boy, although our mother, unadvised,
Gave you a dancing rapier by your side,
Are you so desperate grown to threat your friends? 40
Go to. Have your lath glued within your sheath
Till 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 you so brave? They draw. 45 AARON Why, how now, 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.
I would not for a million of gold 50
The cause were known to them it most concerns,
Nor would your noble mother for much more
Be so dishonored in the court of Rome.
For shame, put up. DEMETRIUS Not I, till I have sheathed 55
My rapier in his bosom, and withal
Thrust those reproachful speeches down his throat
That he hath breathed in my dishonor here. CHIRON
For that I am prepared and full resolved,
Foul-spoken coward, that thund’rest with thy tongue 60
And with thy weapon nothing dar’st perform. | Chiron and Demetrius show up and they're in the middle of a big, nasty argument, which goes something like this: Chiron: "I'm just as tough as you are and I'm going to seduce Lavinia." Demetrius: "You're a wimp and I’m the one who's going to seduce Lavinia." |
AARON Away, I say!
Now by the gods that warlike Goths adore,
This petty brabble will undo us all.
Why, lords, and think you not how dangerous 65
It 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 broached
Without controlment, justice, or revenge? 70
Young lords, beware! And should the Empress know
This 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. 75
Lavinia is thine elder brother’s hope. AARON
Why, are you mad? Or know you not in Rome
How furious and impatient they be,
And cannot brook competitors in love?
I tell you, lords, you do but plot your deaths 80
By this device. CHIRON Aaron, a thousand deaths
Would I propose to achieve her whom I love. AARON
To achieve her how? DEMETRIUS Why makes thou it so strange? 85
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 mill
Than wots the miller of, and easy it is 90
Of 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 it 95
With 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 so
Would serve your turns. 100 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 you, hark you! And are you such fools 105
To square for this? Would it offend you then
That both should speed? CHIRON
Faith, not me. DEMETRIUS Nor me, so I were one. | Aaron steps in and says Chiron and Demetrius are crazy if they think they're going to fight over Lavinia in public. For one thing, Lavinia's not the type of girl to cheat on her husband. Plus, Bassianus isn't the type of guy to stand around while two punks try to hit on his wife. |
AARON
For shame, be friends, and join for that you jar. 110
’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 115
Than this Lavinia, Bassianus’ love.
A speedier course than ling’ring languishment
Must we pursue, and I have found the path.
My lords, a solemn hunting is in hand;
There will the lovely Roman ladies troop. 120
The forest walks are wide and spacious,
And many unfrequented plots there are,
Fitted by kind for rape and villainy.
Single you thither then this dainty doe,
And strike her home by force, if not by words. 125
This way, or not at all, stand you in hope.
Come, come, our empress, with her sacred wit
To villainy and vengeance consecrate,
Will we acquaint withal what we intend,
And she shall file our engines with advice 130
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 ears;
The woods are ruthless, dreadful, deaf, and dull. 135
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. | Aaron announces there's a way Chiron and Demetrius can both have Lavinia – during tomorrow's big panther hunt, they can take turns raping Lavinia in the forest. |
CHIRON
Thy counsel, lad, smells of no cowardice. 140 DEMETRIUS
Sit fas aut nefas, till I find the stream
To cool this heat, a charm to calm these fits,
Per Stygia, per manes vehor. They exit. | Chiron and Demetrius think this is an excellent idea. |