Monday, September 20, 2010

Die die Lavinia!!!


SHAKESPEARE ON HONOUR KILLING—DIE DIE LAVINIA!!!
FROM HIS PLAY TITUS ANDRONICUS: Act 5, Scene 3

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TITUS ANDRONICUS
An if your highness knew my heart, you were.My lord the emperor, resolve me this:Was it well done of rash VirginiusTo slay his daughter with his own right hand,Because she was enforced, stain'd, and deflower'd?
SATURNINUS
It was, Andronicus.
TITUS ANDRONICUS
Your reason, mighty lord?
SATURNINUS
Because the girl should not survive her shame,And by her presence still renew his sorrows.
TITUS ANDRONICUS
A reason mighty, strong, and effectual;A pattern, precedent, and lively warrant,For me, most wretched, to perform the like.Die, die, Lavinia, and thy shame with thee;
Kills LAVINIA
And, with thy shame, thy father's sorrow die!
SATURNINUS
What hast thou done, unnatural and unkind?
TITUS ANDRONICUS
Kill'd her, for whom my tears have made me blind.I am as woful as Virginius was,And have a thousand times more cause than heTo do this outrage: and it now is done.
SATURNINUS
What, was she ravish'd? tell who did the deed.
TITUS ANDRONICUS
Will't please you eat? will't please yourhighness feed?
TAMORA
Why hast thou slain thine only daughter thus?
TITUS ANDRONICUS
Not I; 'twas Chiron and Demetrius:They ravish'd her, and cut away her tongue;And they, 'twas they, that did her all this wrong.
SATURNINUS
Go fetch them hither to us presently.
TITUS ANDRONICUS
Why, there they are both, baked in that pie;Whereof their mother daintily hath fed,Eating the flesh that she herself hath bred.'Tis true, 'tis true; witness my knife's sharp point.
Kills TAMORA
SATURNINUS
Die, frantic wretch, for this accursed deed!
Kills TITUS
LUCIUS
Can the son's eye behold his father bleed?There's meed for meed, death for a deadly deed!
Kills SATURNINUS. A great tumult. LUCIUS, MARCUS, and others go up into the balcony

1 comment:

jasbir said...

shaikh and peer-----unparalled and unrivalled........man of all seasons!!!!!!!