1 Sen. All have not offended; For those that were, it is not square to take, 2 Sen. 1 Sen. Set but thy foot Against our rampir'd gates, and they shall ope; So thou wilt send thy gentle heart before, To say thou'lt enter friendly. 2 Sen. Throw thy glove, Or any token of thine honour else, "That thou wilt use the wars as thy redress, And not as our confusion, all thy powers Shall make their harbour in our town, till we Ilave seal'd thy full desire. Alcib. Then there's my glove; Descend, and open your uncharged ports; CORIOLANUS. 00 Cit. No more talking on't: let it be done: away, away. 2 Cit. One word, good citizens. 1 Cit. We are accounted poor citizens; the patricians, good: what authority surfeits on, would relieve us; if they would yield us but the superfluity, while it were wholesome, we might guess, they relieved us humanely; but they think, we are too dear: the leanness that afflicts us, the object of our misery, is an inventory to particularise their abundance; our sufferance is a gain to them.-- Let us revenge this with our pikes, ere we become rakes: for the gods know, I speak this in hunger 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. 2 Cit. Nay, but speak not maliciously. 1 Cit. I say unto you, what he hath done famously, he did it to that end; though soft-conscienc'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 bé 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 who 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 them 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 storehouses crammed with grain; make edicts for usury, to support usurers; repeal daily any wholesome act established against the rich; and provide more piercing statutes daily, to chain up and restrain the poor. If the wars eat us up not, they will; and there's all the love they bear us. Men. Either you must Confess yourselves wondrous malicious, Or be accus'd of folly. I shall tell you 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 disgrace with a tale: but, an't please you, deliver. Men. There was a time, when all the body's mem bers Rebell'd against the belly; thus accus'd it: That only like a gulf it did remain I' the midst o'the body, idle and inactive, Like labour with the rest; where the other instruments 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 (For look you, I may make the belly smile, As well as speak), it tauntingly replied To the discontented members, the mutinous parts 1 Cit. In this our fabric, if that they 1 Cit. What then ? Not rash, like the accusers, and thus answer'd: And, through the cranks and offices of man, me, 1 Cit. Ay, sir; well, well. Men. Though all at once cannot But it proceeds, or comes, from them to you, 1 Cit. I, the great toe? Why the great toe? ye? With every minute you do change a mind; give out Conjectural marriages: making parties strong, enough? Would the nobility lay aside their ruth, And let me use my sword, I'll make a quarry Men. Nay, these are almost thoroughly persuaded: you Men. O, true-bred! 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, Auf. 1 Sen. Our army's in the field: We never yet made doubt but Rome was ready To answer us. Auf. Nor did you think it folly, To keep your great pretences veil'd, till when hatching, It seem'd, appear'd to Rome. By the discovery To take in many towns, ere, almost, Rome Take your commission: hie you to your bands: If they set down before us, for the remove O, doubt not that; 1 Sen. Your company to the Capitol! where, I I speak from certainties. Nay, more, Our greatest friends attend us. know, Tit. Lead you on: Follow, Cominius; we must follow you; Right worthy you priority. Com. Noble Lartius! 1 Sen. Hence! To your homes, be gone. [To the Citizens. Mar. Nay, let them follow: The Volces have much corn; take these rats thither, To guaw their garuers:-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 peoplo,- Bru. Mark'd you his lip, and eyes? Sic. Nay, but his taunts. Bru. Being mov'd, he will not spare to gird the gods. Sic. Be-mock the modest moon. Bru, The present wars devour him: he is grown Too proud to be so valiant. Sic. Such a nature, 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,— Enter VOLUMNIA and VIRGILIA: they sit down on two stools, and sew. Vol. I pray you, daughter, sing; or express your. self in a more comfortable sort: if my son were my husband, I should freelier rejoice in that absence wherein he won honour, than 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; 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 seek 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 man. Vir. But had he died in the business, madam? How then ? Vol. Then his good report should have been my son; I therein would have found issue. Hear me profess sincerely:-had I a dozen sons,-each in my love alike, and none less dear than thine and my good Marcius,-I had rather had eleven die nobly for their country, than one voluptuously surfeit out of action. Enter a Gentlewoman. Gent. Madam, the lady Valeria is come to visit you. Vir. 'Beseech you, give me leave to retire myself. 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. Vir. Heavens bless my lord from fell Aufidius! Vol. He'll beat Aufidius' head below his knee, And tread upon his neck. Re-enter Gentlewoman, with VALERIA and her Usher. Val. My ladies both, good day to you. Vol. Sweet madam. 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, 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, than look upon his schoolmaster. 'tis Val. O' my word, the father's son: I'll swear, a very pretty boy. O' my troth, I looked upon him o' Wednesday half an hour together: he has such a confirmed countenance. I saw him run after a gilded butterfly; and when he caught it, he let it go again; and after it again: and over and over he comes, and up again; catched it again: or whether his fall enraged him, or how 'twas, he did so set his teeth and tear it! O, I warrant, how he mammocked it Vol. One of his father's moods. Val. Indeed la, 'tis a noble child. Vir. A crack, madam. Val. Come, lay aside your stitchery; I must have you play the idle housewife with me this afternoon. Vir. No, good madam; I will not out of doors. • Val. Not out of doors! Vol. She shall, she shall. Vir. Indeed, no, by your patience: I will not over the threshold, till my lord return from the wars. Val. Fye, 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 Now, Mars, I pr'ythee, make us quick in work; Tullus Aufidius, is he within your walls? 1 Sen. No, nor a man that fears you less than he, That's lesser than a little. Hark, our drums [Alarums afar off. Are bringing forth our youth: we'll break our walls, Rather than they shall pound us up: our gates Which yet seem shut, we have but pinn'd with rush es; They'll open of themselves. Hark you, afar off; There is Aufidius; list, what work he makes The Volces enter, and pass over the stage. They do disdain us much beyond our thoughts, Which makes me sweat with wrath.-Come on, my fellows; He that retires, I'll take him for a Volce, Alarums, and exeunt Romans and Volces, fighting. The Romans are beaten back to their trenches. Reenter MARCIUS. Mar. All the contagion of the south light on you, You shames of Rome!-You herd of-Boils and plagues Plaster you o'er; that you may be abhorr'd 'Tis for the followers fortune widens them, Slain, sir, doubtless. 1 Sol. Following the fliers at the very heels, With them he enters: who, upon the sudden, Clapp'd-to their gates; he is himself alone, To answer all the city. Lart. O noble fellow ! Who, sensible, outdares his senseless sword, And, when it bows, stands up! Thou art left, Marcius: A carbuncle entire, as big as thou art, Re-enter MARCIUS, bleeding, assaulted by the enemy. Look sir. 1 Sol. Lart. 'Tis Marcius: Let's fetch him off, or make remain alike. [They fight, and all enter the city. SCENE V.-Within the Town. A Street. Enter certain Romans, with spoils. 1 Rom. This will I carry to Rome. 2 Rom. And I this. 3 Rom. A murrain on't! I took this for silver. [Alarum continues still afar off. Enter MARCIUS and TITUS LARTIUS with a Trumpet. Mar. See here these movers, that do prize their hours At a crack'd drachm! Cushions, leaden spoons, And hark, what noise the general makes!-To him :- Lart. Worthy sir, thou bleed'st; Thy exercise hath been too violent for A second course of fight. Mar. My work hath not yet warm'd me: fare you The blood I drop is rather physical Than dangerous to me: to Aufidius thus I will appear and fight. Sir praise me not: well. Lart. Now the fair goddess, Fortune, Fall deep in love with thee; and her great charms Misguide thy opposers' swords! Bold gentleman, Prosperity be thy page! Thy friend no less * Mur. [Exeunt. Though I could wish If any think, brave death outweighs bad life, And that his country's dearer than himself; Let him, alone, or so many, so minded, Wave thus, [Waving his hand] to express his disposition, And follow Marcius. [They all shout, and wave their swords; take him up in their arms, and cast up their caps. O me, alone! Make you a sword of me? If these shows be not outward, which of you But is four Volces? None of you, but is Able to bear against the great Aufidius A shield as hard as his. A certain number, Though thanks to all, must I select: the rest Shall bear the business in some other fight, As cause will be obey'd. Please you to march; And four shall quickly draw out my command, Which men are best inclin'd. |