[Publius, &c. lay hold on Chiron and Demetrius.[4784]
Chi. Villains, forbear! we are the empress' sons.
Pub. And therefore do we what we are commanded.[4779]
Stop close their mouths, let them not speak a word. 165
Is he sure bound? look that you bind them fast.
Re-enter Titus, with Lavinia; he bearing a knife, and she a basin.[4785]
Tit. Come, come, Lavinia; look, thy foes are bound.[4786]
Sirs, stop their mouths, let them not speak to me;
But let them hear what fearful words I utter.
O villains, Chiron and Demetrius! 170
Here stands the spring whom you have stain'd with mud,
This goodly summer with your winter mix'd.
You kill'd her husband, and for that vile fault[4787]
Two of her brothers were condemn'd to death,
My hand cut off and made a merry jest; 175
Both her sweet hands, her tongue, and that more dear
Than hands or tongue, her spotless chastity,
Inhuman traitors, you constrain'd and forced.
What would you say, if I should let you speak?[4788]
Villains, for shame you could not beg for grace. 180
Hark, wretches! how I mean to martyr you.
This one hand yet is left to cut your throats,[4789]
Whilst that Lavinia 'tween her stumps doth hold[4790]
The basin that receives your guilty blood.
You know your mother means to feast with me,[4791] 185
And calls herself Revenge, and thinks me mad:
Hark, villains! I will grind your bones to dust,
And with your blood and it I'll make a paste;
And of the paste a coffin I will rear,[4792]
And make two pasties of your shameful heads; 190
And bid that strumpet, your unhallow'd dam,[4793]
Like to the earth, swallow her own increase.[4794]
This is the feast that I have bid her to,
And this the banquet she shall surfeit on;
For worse than Philomel you used my daughter, 195
And worse than Progne I will be revenged:[4795]
And now prepare your throats. Lavinia, come,
[He cuts their throats.[4796]
Receive the blood: and when that they are dead,
Let me go grind their bones to powder small,
And with this hateful liquor temper it; 200
And in that paste let their vile heads be baked.[4797]
Come, come, be every one officious[4798]
To make this banquet; which I wish may prove[4799]
More stern and bloody than the Centaurs' feast.[4800]
So, now bring them in, for I'll play the cook,[4801] 205
And see them ready against their mother comes.
[Exeunt, bearing the dead bodies.[4802]