And wherein Rome hath done you any scath,
Let him make treble satisfaction. 8
[1.] Goth. Brave slip, sprung from the great Andronicus,
Whose name was once our terror, now our comfort;
Whose high exploits and honourable deeds
Ingrateful Rome requites with foul contempt; 12
Be bold in us: we'll follow where thou lead'st,
Like stinging bees in hottest summer's day
Led by their master to the flower'd fields,
And be aveng'd on cursed Tamora. 16
[All the Goths.] And, as he saith, so say we all with him.
Luc. I humbly thank him, and I thank you all.
But who comes here, led by a lusty Goth?
Enter a Goth, leading of Aaron, with his Child tn his arms.
[2.] Goth. Renowned Lucius, from our troops I stray'd, 20
To gaze upon a ruinous monastery;
And as I earnestly did fix mine eye
Upon the wasted building, suddenly
I heard a child cry underneath a wall. 24
I made unto the noise; when soon I heard
The crying babe controll'd with this discourse:
'Peace, tawny slave, half me and half thy dam!
Did not thy hue bewray whose brat thou art, 28
Had nature lent thee but thy mother's look,
Villain, thou mightst have been an emperor:
But where the bull and cow are both milk-white,
They never do beget a coal-black calf. 32
Peace, villain, peace!'—even thus he rates the babe—
7 scath: harm
9 slip: scion
26 controll'd: restrained
33 rates: scolds
