Titus andronicus act 4 scene 1

Lucius’s son runs from Lavinia (his aunt), holding some books.
He drops one, and Lavinia flicks through it until she finds the story of philomela and terms, which is about the rape of philomela, who’s tongue gets cut out after she is raped. Titus then realises what has happened to her, and asks her to hell him who. However, she cannot, due to her tongue having been cut out and her hands cut off. Marcus then shows her how to write on the ground with a staff held between his wrists and mouth. She then writes the words, Chiron, Demetrius and rape on the ground. They then all kneel and take a vow to ‘not rest until the treacherous Goths have been made to pay with their blood.’