The lamentable tragedy of Titus Andronicus. Edited by H. Bellyse ...

sc.m.] TITUS ANDRONICUS 45Chi. I warrant you, madam, we will make that sure.Come, mistress, now perforce we will enjoyThat nice-preserved honesty of yours. 135Lav. O Tamora ! thou bear'st a woman's face,Tarn. I will not hear her speak ; away with her !Lav. Sweet lords, entreat her hear me but a word.Dem. Listen, fair madam : let it be your gloryTo see her tears ;but be your heart to them 1 40As unrelenting flint to drops of rain.Lav. When did the tiger's young ones teach the dam ?O !do not learn her wrath ;she taughtit thee ;The milk thou suck'dst from her did turn to marble ;Even at thy teat thou hadst thy tyranny. 145Yet every mother breeds not sons alike :Do thou entreat her show a woman pity.[To Chiron.']Chi. What ! would'st thou have me prove myself a bastard ?Lav. Tis true the raven doth not hatch a lark :Yet have I heard, O ! could I find it now, 150The lion mov'd with pity did endure135. nice -preserved] carefully pre- It is the mother that teaches, and theyserved, or coyly preserved. As ' ' nice " remain with her till their second yearhas also the meaning of coy, prudish, as Chambers's ( Encyclopedia)."she is nice and coy," Two Gentle- 144. The milk, etc.} This seems inmen, III. i. 82. accord with the popular notion, not137. I will not hear her speak, etc.} unsupported by facts, that a man's dis-Tamora does not seem quite sure of position comes largely from his mother'sherself, and appears anxious to have side, while the type of feature that per-Lavinia dragged away before she, sists is that of the male side. We areTamora, relents. This seems to me a here also reminded of Lady Macbethvery subtle touch. Lavinia, who cer- and of Macbeth's speech to her, Mactainlyis very maladroit, throws away beth, I. vii. 73.her opportunity by attacking Tamora 149. raven doth not} The raven, theas the tiger's dam. See Introduction, bird of night and evil omen, is in sharpp. xlvii et seq. contrast to the lark, the bird of morning142. When did, etc.} This seems like and sunlight.a touch of Shakespeare's encyclopaedic 1 50. O ! could I findit now] Oknowledge, as it is a fact that young would I could now experience the facttigers (like kittens) require to be taught that a mild nature can spring from ato hunt and do not do itbyinstinct, fierce one.