SCENE II. Rome. A Room in the Palace
Enter Aaron, Chiron and Demetrius at one door, and at the other door Young Lucius and another, with a bundle of weapons and verses writ upon them.
CHIRON.
Demetrius, here’s the son of Lucius;
He hath some message to deliver us.
AARON.
Ay, some mad message from his mad grandfather.
YOUNG LUCIUS.
My lords, with all the humbleness I may,
I greet your honours from Andronicus;
[Aside.] And pray the Roman gods confound you both.
DEMETRIUS.
Gramercy, lovely Lucius. What’s the news?
YOUNG LUCIUS.
[Aside.] That you are both deciphered, that’s the news,
For villains marked with rape. [Aloud.] May it please you,
My grandsire, well advised, hath sent by me
The goodliest weapons of his armoury
To gratify your honourable youth,
The hope of Rome; for so he bid me say;
And so I do, and with his gifts present
Your lordships, that, whenever you have need,
You may be armed and appointed well.
And so I leave you both, [Aside.] like bloody villains.
[Exeunt Young Lucius and Attendant.]
DEMETRIUS.
What’s here? A scroll; and written round about?
Let’s see:
[Reads.] Integer vitae, scelerisque purus,
Non eget Mauri iaculis, nec arcu.
CHIRON.
O, ’tis a verse in Horace; I know it well.
I read it in the grammar long ago.