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? Where go you With bats and clubs? The matter? Speak, I pray you. 1 Cit. Our business is not unknown to the senate; they have had inkling, this fortnight, what we intend to do, which now we'll show 'em in deeds. They say, poor suitors have strong breaths; they shall know, we have strong arms too. Men. Why, masters, my good friends, mine honest neighbours, Will you undo yourselves? 1 Cit. We cannot, sir, we are undone already. Men. I tell you, friends, most charitable care Have the patricians of you. For your wants, Your suffering in this dearth, you may as well Strike at the heaven with your staves, as lift thein Against the Roman state; whose course will on The way it takes, cracking ten thousand curbs Of more strong link asunder, than can ever Appear in your impediment: For the dearth, The gods, not the patricians, make it; and Your knees to them, not arms, must help. Alack, You are transported by calamity Thither where more attends you; and you slander The helms o'the state, who care for you like fathers, When you curse them as enemies. 1 Cit. 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 Confess yourselves wondrous malicious, 1 Cit. Well, I'll hear it, sir: yet you must not think to fob off our disgrace 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:- I' the midst o'the body, idle and inactive, Still cupboarding the viand, never bearing Like labour with the rest; where the other instru ments Did see, and hear, devise, instruct, walk, feel, 1 Cit. Well, sir, what answer made the belly? Men. Sir, I shall tell you. With a kind of smile, Which ne'er came from the lungs, but even thus, I will venture To scale 't a little more.] To scale is to disperse. The word is still used in the North. The sense of the old reading is, Though some of you have heard the story, I will spread it yet wider, and diffuse it among the rest. 6 7 disgrace with a tale:] Disgraces are hardships, injuries. where the other instruments—] Where for whereas. participate,] Here means participant, or participating. (For, look you, I may make the belly smile, As well as speak,) it tauntingly replied To the discontented members, the mutinous parts That envied his receipt; even so most fitly9 As you malign our senators, for that They are not such as you. 1 Cit. Your belly's answer: What! 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. I will tell you; If you'll bestow a small (of what you have little,) Patience, a while, you'll hear the belly's answer. 1 Cit. You are long about it. Men. Note me this, good friend; Your most grave belly was deliberate, Not rash like his accusers, and thus answer'd. Even to the court, the heart,-to the seat o'the brains • Which ne'er came from the lungs,] With a smile not indicating pleasure, but contempt. even so most fitly—] i. e. exactly. And, through the cranks and offices of man,1 Men. Though all at once cannot See what I do deliver out to each; Yet I can make my audit up, that all But it proceeds, or comes, from them to you, 1 Cit. I the great toe? Why the great toe? Of this most wise rebellion, thou go'st foremost: Thou rascal, that art worst in blood, to run Lead'st first to win some vantage. -- But make you ready your stiff bats and clubs; 1 Enter CAIUS MARCIUS. Mar. Thanks.-What's the matter, you dissen tious rogues, the cranks and offices of man,] Cranks are windings. 2 The one side must have bale.] Bale is an old Saxon word, for misery or calamity. That rubbing the poor itch of your opinion, 1 Cit. We have ever your good word. Mar. He that will give good words to thee, will flatter Beneath abhorring.-What would you have, you curs, That like nor peace; nor war? the one affrights you, Or hailstone in the sun. Your virtue is, To make him worthy, whose offence subdues him, And curse that justice did it.3 Who deserves great ness, Deserves your hate: and your affections are And hews down oaks with rushes. Hang ye! Trust ye? With every minute you do change a mind; And call him noble, that was now your hate, ter, That in these several places of the city You cry against the noble senate, who, Under the gods, keep you in awe, which else Would feed on one another?-What's their seeking? To make him worthy, whose offence subdues him, And curse that justice did it.] i. e. Your virtue is to speak well of him whom his own offences have subjected to justice; and to rail at those laws by which he whom you praise was punished. |