Enter AARON, DEMETRIUS and CHIRON, at one door; and at the other door, YOUNG LUCIUS and another with a bundle of weapons, and verses writ upon themCHIRON.Demetrius, here's the son of Lucius; He hath some message to deliver us.AARON.Ay, some mad message from his mad grandfather.BOY.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? BOY.[Aside] That you are both decipher'd, that's the news, For villains mark'd with rape.- May it please you, My grandsire, well advis'd, 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 wrapp'd 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? DEMETRIUS.I would we had a thousand Roman dames At such a bay, by turn to serve our lust.CHIRON.A charitable wish and full of love.AARON.Here lacks but your mother for to say amen.CHIRON.And that would she for twentythousand more.DEMETRIUS.Come, let us go and pray to all the gods For our beloved mother in her pains.AARON.[Aside] Pray to the devils; the gods have given us over.[Trumpets sound] DEMETRIUS.Why do the Emperor's trumpets flourish thus? CHIRON.Belike, for joy the Emperor hath a son.DEMETRIUS.Soft! who comes here?
Enter NURSE, with a blackamoor CHILD
