For, if we two be one, and thou play false,
I do digest the poison of thy flesh."

There is no other poetry of this intensity in the play.

It is interesting to compare Shakespeare's mind with Plautus's in the
description of Epidamnum. Plautus says--

"This is the home of the greatest lechers and drunkards.

"Very many tricksters and cheaters live in this city.

"Nowhere are wheedling whores more cunning at bilking people."

Shakespeare gives the horror a spiritual turn that adds much to the
intensity of the farce.

"They say, this town is full of cozenage:
As, nimble jugglers that deceive the eye,
Dark-working sorcerers that change the mind,
Soul-killing witches that deform the body,
Disguised cheaters, prating mountebanks,
And many such like liberties of sin."

The play is amusing. The plot is intricate. The interest of the piece is
in the plot. When a plot engrosses the vitality of a dramatist's mind,
his character-drawing dies; so here. It is sufficient to say that the
character of AEgeon is the best in the play

_Titus Andronicus._

_Written._ (?)

_Published._ (?)

_Source of the Plot._ (?)

_The Fable._ Tamora, Queen of the Goths, whose firstborn son is
sacrificed by Titus Andronicus, determines to be revenged. She
succeeds in her determination. Titus and his daughter are
mutilated. Two of the Andronici, his sons, are beheaded.

Titus determines to be revenged. He bakes the heads of two of
Tamora's sons in a pasty, and serves them up for her to eat. He
then stabs her, after stabbing his daughter. He is himself stabbed
on the instant; but his surviving son stabs his murderer. Tamora's
paramour is then sentenced to be buried alive, and the survivors
(about half the original cast) move off (as they say) "to order
well the State."

This play shows an instinct for the stage and a knowledge of the
theatre. It seems to have been a popular piece. A knowledge of the
theatre will often make something foolish theatrically effective. So
here.

The piece is nearly worthless. The turning of the tide of revenge, from
Tamora against Andronicus, and then from Andronicus against Tamora, is
the theme. It is a simple theme. Man cannot have simplicity without hard
thought, and hard thought is never worthless, though it may be applied
unworthily.

There can be no doubt that Shakespeare wrot