2 Cit. One word, good citizens. scienc'd men can be content to say, it was for his country, he did it to please his mother, and to be partly proud; which he is, even to`the altitude of his virtue. 2 Cit. What he cannot help in his nature, you account a vice in him: You must in no way say, he is covetous. 1 Cit. If I must not, I need not be barren of accusations; he hath faults, with surplus, to tire in repetition. [Shouts within.] What shouts are these? The other side o'the city is risen: Why stay we prating here? to the Capitol. Cit. Come, come. 1 Cit. Soft; who comes here? Enter Menenius Agrippa. 2 Cit. Worthy Menenius Agrippa; one that hath always loved the people. 1 Cit. He's one honest enough; 'Would, all the rest were so! Men. What work's, my countrymen, in hand? 1 Cit. We are accounted poor citizens: the patricians, good: What authority surfeits on, would relieve us; If they would yield us but the super- With bats and clubs? The matter? Speak, I pray fluity, while it were wholesome, we might guess, you. they relieved us humanely; but they think, we are 1 Cit. Our business is not unknown to the senate; too dear: the leanness that afflicts us, the object they have had inkling, this fortnight, what we inof our misery, is as an inventory to particularize tend to do, which now we'll show 'em in deeds. their abundance; our sufferance is a gain to them.- They say, poor suitors have strong breaths; they Let us revenge this with our pikes, ere we become shall know, we have strong arms too. rakes: for the gods know, speak this in hunger Men. Why, masters, my good friends, mine for bread, not in thirst for revenge. 2 Cit. Would you proceed especially against Caius Marcius? Cit. Against him first; he's a very dog to the commonalty. 2 Cit. Consider you what services he has done for his country? 1 Cit. Very well; and could be content to give him good report for't, but that he pays himself with being proud. honest neighbours, 1 Cit. We cannot, sir, we are undone already. 2 Cit. Nay, but speak not maliciously. Your knees to them, not arms, must help. Alack, Thither where more attends you; and you slander The helms o'the state, who care for you like fathers, | Whereby they live: And though that all at once, 1 Cil Care for us!-True, indeed!-They ne'er cared for us yet. Suffer us to famish, and their store-houses crammed with grain; make edicts for usury, to support usurers: repeal daily and wholesome act established against the rich; and provide more piercing statutes daily, to chain up and restrain the poor. If the wars eat us not up, they will; and there's all the love they bear us. Men. Either you must Confess yourselves wondrous malicious, A pretty tale; it may be, you have heard it; 1 Cit. Well, I'll hear it, sir; yet you must not think to fob off our disgrace2 with a tale: but, an't please you, deliver. Men. There was a time, when all the body's members Rebell'd against the belly; thus accus'd it :- ments Did see, and hear, devise, instruct, walk, feel, 1 Cit. Well, sir, what answer made the belly? 1 Cit. Your belly's answer: What! The kingly crowned head, the vigilant eye, The counsellor heart, the arm our soldier, Our steed the leg, the tongue our trumpeter, With other muniments and pretty helps In this our fabric, if that they Men. What then? 'Fore me, this fellow speaks!-what then? what then? 1 Cit. Should by the cormorant belly be restrain'd Who is the sink o'the body Men. Well, what then? 1 Cit. The former agents, if they did complain, What could the belly answer? Men. And, through the cranks and offices of man, o'the (1) Spread it. (2) Hardship. (3) Whereas. me, 1 Cit. Ay, sir; well, well. Men. See what I Though all at once cannot deliver out to each; Yet I can make my audit up, that all 1 Cit. It was an answer: How apply you this? Men. The senators of Rome are this good belly, And you the mutinous members: For examine Their counsels, and their cares; digest things rightly, Touching the weal o'the common; you shall find, But it proceeds, or comes, from them to you, 1 Cit. I the great toe? Why the great toe? poorest, Of this most wise rebellion, thou go'st foremost: But make you ready your stiff bats and clubs; Mar. Thanks.-What's the matter, you dissentious rogues, That, rubbing the poor itch of your opinion, We have ever your good word. Mar. He that will give good words to thee, will flatter Beneath abhorring.-What would you have, you Below their cobbled shoes. They say, there's grain enough? Would the nobility lay aside their ruth,' Men. Nay, these are almost thoroughly persuaded; For though abundantly they lack discretion, Mar. That hunger broke stone walls; that, dogs must eat; That meat was made for mouths; that, the gods sent not Corn for the rich men only:-With these shreds They vented their complainings; which being answer'd, And a petition granted them, a strange one (To break the heart of generosity, And make bold power look pale,) they threw their Of their own choice: One's Junius Brutus, Sicinius Velutus, and I know not-'Sdeath! The rabble should have first unroof'd the city; Ere so prevail'd with me: it will in time Win upon power, and throw forth greater themes For insurrection's arguing." Men. This is strange. Mar. Go, get you home, you fragments! Enter a Messenger. Mess. Where's Caius Marcius? Mar. Our musty superfluity :-See, our best elders. 1 Sen. Marcius, 'tis true, that you have lately told us; The Volces are in arms. Mar. They have a leader, Tullus Aufidius, that will put you to't. I sin in envying his nobility: And were I any thing but what I am, I would wish me only he. Com. You have fought together. Mar. Were half to half the world by the ears, and he Upon my party, I'd revolt, to make Only my wars with him: he is a lion That I am proud to hunt. 1 Sen. Then, worthy Marcius, Attend upon Cominius to these wars. Com. It is your former promise. Mar. Sir, it is; And I am constant.-Titus Lartius, thou Shalt see me once more strike at Tullus' face: What, art thou stiff? stand'st out? (1) Pity, compassion. (2) Heap of dead. (3) Pitch. (4) Faction. (5) For insurgents to debate upon. 1 Sen. Hence! To your homes, be gone. Mar. [To the Citizens. Nay, let them follow: The Volces have much corn; take these rats thither, To gnaw their garners :-Worshipful mutineers, Your valour puts well forth: pray follow. [Exeunt Senators, Com. Mar. Tit. and Menen. Citizens steal away. Sic. Was ever man so proud as is this Marcius? Bru. He has no equal. Sic. When we were chosen tribunes for the people, Bru. Mark'd you his lip, and eyes? Sic. gods. Sic. Be-mock the modest moon. Bru. The present wars devour him: he is grown Too proud to be so valiant. Such a nature, Sic. Tickled with good success, disdains the shadow Which he treads on at noon: But I do wonder, His insolence can brook to be commanded Under Cominius. Bru. Fame, at the which he aims,In whom already he is well graced,-cannot Better be held, nor more attain'd, than by A place below the first; for what miscarries Shall be the general's fault, though he perform To the utmost of a man; and giddy censure Will then cry out of Marcius, O, if he Had borne the business! Sic. Besides, if things go well, Opinion, that so sticks on Marcius, shall Of his demerits10 rob Cominius. Come: Bru. Half all Cominius' honours are to Marcius, Though Marcius earn'd them not; and all his faults To Marcius shall be honours, though, indeed, In aught he merit not. Sic. Let's hence, and hear How the despatch is made; and in what fashion, More than in singularity, he goes SCENE II.-Corioli. The Senate-house. Enter Tullus Aufidius, and certain Senators. 1 Sen. So, your opinion is, Aufidius, That they of Rome are enter'd in our counsels, And know how we proceed. Auf. Is it not yours? What ever hath been thought on in this state, That could be brought to bodily act ere Rome Had circumvention?" "Tis not four days gone, Since I heard thence; these are the words: I think, I have the letter here; yes, here it is: [Reads. They have press'd a power, but it is not known (8) Shows itself. (9) Sncer. (10) Demerits and merits had anciently the same meaning. (6) Right worthy of precedence. (7) Granaries. (11) Pre-occupation. O, doubt not that; All. The gods assist you! Auf. And keep your honours safe! 1. Sen. 2 Sen. All. Farewell. Vir. 'Beseech you, give me leave to retire3 myself. Vol. Indeed, you shall not. Methinks, I hear hither your husband's drum; As children from a bear, the Volces shunning him: Vir. His bloody brow! O, Jupiter, no blood! [Exit Gent. Val. My ladies both, good day to you. Vir. I am glad to see your ladyship. Val. How do you both? you are manifest housekeepers. What, are you sewing here? A fine spot,4 in good faith.-How does your little son? Vir. I thank your ladyship; well, good madam. Vol. He had rather see the swords, and hear a drum, that look upon his school-master. Farewell. Val. O'my word, the father's son: I'll swear, 'tis Farewell. a very pretty boy. O'my troth, I look'd upon him [Exeunt. o'Wednesday half an hour together: he has such a confirmed countenance. I saw him run after a Vol. One of his father's moods. SCENE III.-Rome. An apartment in Marcius' gilded butterfly; and when he caught it, he let it house. Enter Volumnia, and Virgilia: They go again; and after it again; and over and over sit down on two low stools, and sew. he comes, and up again; catched it again: or Vol. I pray you, daughter, sing; or express your-whether his fall enraged him, or how 'twas, he did self in a more comfortable sort: If my son were so set his teeth, and tear it; O, I warrant, how he my husband, I should freelier rejoice in that ab- mammocked' it! sence wherein he won honour, that in the embracements of his bed, where he would show most love. When yet he was but tender-bodied, and the only son of my womb; when youth with comeliness plucked all gaze his way;2 when, for a day of king's entreaties, a mother should not sell him an hour from her beholding; I,-considering how honour would become such a person; that it was no better than picture-like to hang by the wall, if renown made it not stir,-was pleased to let him seck danger where he was like to find fame. To a cruel war I sent him; from whence he returned, his brows bound with oak. I tell thee, daughter,-I sprang not more in joy at first hearing he was a man-child, than now in first seeing he had proved himself a Val. Come, lay aside your stitchery; I must have you play the idle huswife with me this afternoon. Vir. No, good madam; I will not out of doors. Vir. Indeed, no, by your patience: I will not over the threshold, till my lord return from the wars. Val. Fie, you confine yourself most unreasonably; come, you must go visit the good lady that lies in. Vir. I will wish her speedy strength, and visit her with my prayers; but I cannot go thither. Vol. Why, I pray you? Vir. 'Tis not to save labour, nor that I want love. Val. You would be another Penelope: yet, they say, all the yarn she spun, in Ulysses' absence, did but fill Ithaca full of moths. Come; I would, your cambric were sensible as your finger, that you might leave pricking it for pity. Come, you shall go with us. Vir. No, good madam, pardon me; indeed, I will not forth. Val. In truth, la, go with me; and I'll tell you excellent news of your husband. Vir. O, good madam, there can be none yet. Val. Verily, I do not jest with you; there came news from him last night. Vir. Indeed, madam? Val. In earnest, it's true; I heard a senator speak it. Thus it is:-The Volces have an army forth; against whom Cominius the general is gone, with one part of our Roman power: your lord, and Titus Lartius, are set down before their city Corioli; they nothing doubt prevailing, and to make it brief1 wars. This is true, on mine honour; and so, I pray, go with us. Vir. Give me excuse, good madam; I will obey you in every thing hereafter. Vol. Let her alone, lady; as she is now, she will They do disdain us much beyond our thoughts, Alarum, and exeunt Romans and Volces, fighting. You shames of Rome! you herd of Boils and Mar. All the contagion of the south light on you, Plaster you o'er; that you may be abhorr'd plagues Further than seen, and one infect another Against the wind a mile! You souls of geese, Val. In troth, think, she would:-Fare you From slaves that apes would beat? Pluto and hell! That bear the shapes of men, how have you run well then.-Come, good sweet lady.-Pr'ythee, All hurt behind; backs red, and faces pale Virgilia, turn thy solemness out o'door and go along With flight and agued fear! Mend, and charge but disease our better mirth. with us. home, Vir. No: at a word, madam; indeed, I must Or, by the fires of heaven, I'll leave the foe, not. I wish you much mirth. Val. Well, then farewell. [Exeunt. And make my wars on you: look to't: Come on; If you'll stand fast, we'll beat them to their wives, SCENE IV.-Before Corioli. Enter, with drum As they us to our trenches followed. and colours, Marcius, Titus Lartius, Officers and Soldiers. To them a Messenger. Another alarum. Mar. Yonder comes news:-A wager, they have met. Lart. My horse to yours, no. Mar. Lart. 'Tis done. Agreed. For half a hundred years.-Summon the town. Within this mile and half. Mar. Then shall we hear their 'larum, and they ours. Now, Mars, I pr'ythee, make us quick in work; To help our fielded friends!-Come, blow thy blast. Tullus Aufidius, is he within your walls? Rather than they shall pound us up: our gates, 1 The Volces enter, and pass over the stage. Mar. They fear us not, but issue forth their city. Now put your shields before your hearts, and fight With hearts more proof than shields.-Advance, brave Titus: (1) Short. (2) In the field of battle. (3) Having sensation, feeling. The Volces and Romans reenter, and the fight is renewed. The Volces retire into Corioli, and Marcius follows them to the gates. So, now the gates are ope:-Now prove good seconds: 'Tis for the followers fortune widens them, Nor I. See, they [Alarum continues. To the pot, I warrant him. Lart. What is become of Marcius? Slain, sir, doubtless. 3 Were not so rich a jewel. Thou wast a soldier Re-enter Marcius bleeding, assaulted by the enemy. SCENE V.-Within the town. A street. En- 1 Rom. This I will carry to Rome. 2 Rom. And I this. 3 Rom. A murrain on't! I took this for silver. [Alarum continues still afar off (4) When it is bent. |