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.
AARON.
Ay, just; a verse in Horace; right, you have it.
[Aside.] Now, what a thing it is to be an ass!
Here’s no sound jest! The old man hath found their guilt,
And sends them weapons wrapped about with lines,
That wound, beyond their feeling, to the quick.
But were our witty empress well afoot,
She would applaud Andronicus’ conceit.
But let her rest in her unrest awhile.—
And now, young lords, was’t not a happy star
Led us to Rome, strangers, and more than so,
Captives, to be advanced to this height?
It did me good before the palace gate
To brave the tribune in his brother’s hearing.
DEMETRIUS.
But me more good to see so great a lord
Basely insinuate and send us gifts.
AARON.
Had he not reason, Lord Demetrius?
Did you not use his daughter very friendly?