Original: Then, noble auditory, be it known to you,
Modern: So, noble audience, I want you to know this:

Original: That cursed Chiron and Demetrius
Modern: Those evil men Chiron and Demetrius

Original: Were they that murdered our emperor’s brother;
Modern: Were the ones who murdered our emperor’s brother;

Original: And they it were that ravished our sister:
Modern: And they were the ones who raped our sister:

Original: For their fell faults our brothers were beheaded;
Modern: Because of their terrible crimes, our brothers were executed;

Original: Our father’s tears despised, and basely cozen’d
Modern: Our father’s tears were mocked, and he was cruelly cheated

Original: Of that true hand that fought Rome’s quarrel out,
Modern: Out of that loyal hand that fought for Rome’s cause,

Original: And sent her enemies unto the grave.
Modern: And sent Rome’s enemies to their deaths.

Original: Lastly, myself unkindly banished,
Modern: Finally, I myself was cruelly exiled,

Original: The gates shut on me, and turn’d weeping out,
Modern: The city gates were shut against me, and I was turned away in tears,

Original: To beg relief among Rome’s enemies:
Modern: Forced to seek help from Rome’s enemies:

Original: Who drown’d their enmity in my true tears.
Modern: Who forgot their hatred when they saw my genuine tears.

Original: And oped their arms to embrace me as a friend.
Modern: And opened their arms to welcome me as a friend.

Original: I am the turned forth, be it known to you,
Modern: I am the one who was cast out, let it be known to you,

Original: That have preserved her welfare in my blood;
Modern: Who has protected Rome’s safety with my own blood;

Original: And from her bosom took the enemy’s point,
Modern: And from Rome’s heart took the enemy’s sword point,

Original: Sheathing the steel in my adventurous body.
Modern: Letting the blade pierce my own brave body.

Original: Alas, you know I am no vaunter, I;
Modern: Look, you know I’m not someone who brags;

Original: My scars can witness, dumb although they are,
Modern: My scars can testify, silent though they are,

Original: That my report is just and full of truth.
Modern: That my account is accurate and completely honest.

Original: But, soft! methinks I do digress too much,
Modern: But wait! I think I’m getting off track too much,

Original: Citing my worthless praise: O, pardon me;
Modern: Talking about my unimportant achievements: Oh, forgive me;

Original: For when no friends are by, men praise themselves.
Modern: Because when no friends are around, men have to praise themselves.

In Act V, Scene 3 of “Titus Andronicus,” the final catastrophic events of the play unfold at a banquet hosted by Titus Andronicus for the Emperor Saturninus and Empress Tamora. Titus appears dressed as a cook and serves a meal to his guests, including Lavinia, who is veiled. During the feast, Titus asks Saturninus whether a father should kill his daughter if she has been ravished, using the classical example of Virginius. When Saturninus agrees that such an act would be justified, Titus immediately kills Lavinia, revealing that she was raped and mutilated by Chiron and Demetrius. Titus then discloses that he has baked Tamora’s sons into the pies she has just consumed, before killing her with a knife.

The scene erupts into violence as Saturninus kills Titus in retaliation, and Lucius immediately avenges his father by killing Saturninus. Marcus attempts to restore order as Lucius explains the horrific crimes that led to this bloodbath, displaying the severed heads of Chiron and Demetrius as evidence. Aaron is brought forward and condemned to be buried chest-deep and left to starve. The play concludes with Lucius being proclaimed the new Emperor of Rome, while the bodies are arranged for burial - Titus and Lavinia to receive honorable interment, while Tamora’s corpse is to be thrown to wild beasts. The remaining characters exit to begin the process of healing Rome after the cycle of revenge has finally ended.

Titus Andronicus opens with the Roman general Titus returning victorious from war against the Goths, bringing with him prisoners including Tamora, Queen of the Goths, and her three sons. Despite Tamora’s pleas, Titus sacrifices her eldest son Alarbus in revenge for his own sons killed in battle. The Emperor Saturninus chooses Tamora as his bride, and she secretly plots revenge against Titus. Meanwhile, Titus’s daughter Lavinia is betrothed to Bassianus, the Emperor’s brother, though Saturninus had wanted to marry her himself.

Tamora’s sons Demetrius and Chiron, aided by the villainous Aaron the Moor, murder Bassianus and brutally assault Lavinia, cutting off her hands and tongue to prevent her from identifying them. Aaron tricks two of Titus’s sons, Quintus and Martius, into falling into the pit where Bassianus’s body lies, and they are arrested for his murder. Aaron then deceives Titus into believing that if he cuts off his own hand and sends it to the Emperor, his sons will be spared. Titus complies, but receives back his severed hand along with the heads of his executed sons.

Lavinia manages to reveal her attackers’ identities by writing in the dirt with a stick held in her mouth. Titus feigns madness while plotting revenge and sends weapons with threatening messages to Tamora’s sons. When Tamora gives birth to Aaron’s child, Aaron flees with the baby but is eventually captured. In the final act, Titus kills Tamora’s sons and serves them to her baked in a pie at a banquet. He then kills Lavinia to end her suffering, murders Tamora, and is immediately killed by Saturninus. Titus’s surviving son Lucius kills Saturninus and is proclaimed the new Emperor, ordering Aaron to be buried alive and vowing to restore order to Rome.