Titus Andronicus

Young Lucius runs onstage chased by Lavinia. He drops his books in panic. He tells Marcus and Titus that his aunt Lavinia is chasing him everywhere; he doesn’t know why. They tell him to be patient: Lavinia loves him, and her gestures must mean something. Titus recalls how she used to read to Young Lucius. Young Lucius explains he was afraid that her grief had driven her mad, but he will stay with her so long as Marcus stays too.

Lavinia turns over the books. She gestures with both arms: Marcus realizes she means there was more than one perpetrator. She extracts a particular book: Ovid’s Metamorphosis. She turns the pages to the story of Philomel, who was raped in woodland. They realize that she was raped in the woods while they hunted and express their regret for this. Titus suspects Saturninus. Marcus takes a stick and holds it in his mouth to write his name in the dirt. He bids Lavinia reveal her attackers the same way. She writes the names of Chiron and Demetrius. They all vow revenge.

Titus points out that Tamora will protect them fiercely; she has Saturninus’s protection but will also act behind his back.