1 Touching the weal o' the common; you shall find,| 2 Cit. I the great toe? Why the great toe? Men. For that, being one o' the loweft,, bafeft, Of this moft wife rebellion, thou go'ft foremost: Enter Caius Marcius. · Mar. Thanks.-What's the matter, you diffen- That, rubbing the poor itch of your opinion, 5 Men. Nay, these are almost thoroughly persuaded; Mar. They are diffolv'd: Hang 'em! [verbs; And a petition granted them, a ftrange one, [caps 15 And make bold power look pale) they threw their As they would hang them on the horns o' the moon, Shouting their emulation. Men. What is granted them? [doms, Mar. Five tribunes, to defend their vulgar wif- 2 Cit. We have ever your good word. [flatter [ye? 1301 To make him worthy, whose offence subdues him, ing? Men. 'This is ftrange. Mar. Go, get you home, you fragments! Mef. Where's Caius Marcius? Mar. Here: What's the matter? Mef. The news is, fir, the Volces are in arms. to vent Our musty fuperfluity:-See, our best elders. 1 Sen. Marcius, 'tis true, that you have lately Mar. They have a leader, Tullus Aufidius, that will put you to 't. 1 fin in envying his nobility: And were I any thing but what I am, I would with me only he. Men. For corn at their own rates; whereof, The city is well ftor'd. Mar. Hang 'em! They say? That I am proud to hunt. 1 Sen. Then, worthy Marcius, Ccm. It is your former promife. And I am conftant.-Titus Lartius, thou Tit. No, Caius Marcius; I'll lean upon one crutch, and fight with the other, I The meaning is, Thou that art a hound, or running dog of the lowest breed, lead'ft the pack, when any thing is to be gotten. 2 Bale is an old Saxon word for misery or calamity. 3 i. e. their pity, compaffion. 4 The old copy reads-picke my lance; and fo the word is ftill pronounced in Staffordshire, where they fay-picke me fuch a thing, that is, throw any thing that the demander wants. 5 Meaning, To give the final blow to the nobles. Generefity is bigh birth. 6 viz. that the Vultes are in That could be brought to bodily at ere Rome 5 "They have prefs'd a power, but it is not known 10" (Who is of Rome worfe hated than of you) [Exeunt. [gods. 20 Bru. Being mov'd, he will not spare to 'gird the Bru. The prefent wars devour him2 ! he is grown Sic. Such a nature, Tickled with good fuccefs, difdains the shadow Bru. Fame, at the which he aims,→→→ Sic. Befides, if things go well, Bru. Come: Half all Cominius' honours are to Marcius, Though Marcius earn'd them not; and all his faults Sic. Let's hence, and hear How the difpatch is made; and in what fashion, Upon this prefent action. Bru. Let's along. The Senate-Houfe in Corioli. Enter Tullus Aufidius, with Senators. 1 Sen. So, your opinion is, Aufidius, Enter Volumnia, and Virgilia: They fit down on two low ftools, and few. Vol. I pray you, daughter, fing; or exprefs [Exeunt. 50 yourself in a more comfortable fort: If my fon were my husband, I should freelier rejoice in that abfence wherein he won honour, than in the embracements of his bed, where he would fhew most love. When yet he was but tender-body'd, and 55 the only fon of my womb; when youth with comelinefs pluck'd all gaze his way; when, for a day of king's entreaties, a mother thould not fell him an hour from her beholding; I,-confidering how honour would become fuch a perfon; that it That they of Rome are enter'd in our counfels, Auf. Is it not yours? What ever hath been thought on in this state, To fneer, to gibe. 2 The fenfe is, that the prefent vars annihilate his gentler qualities. 3 Merits and demerits had anciently the fame meaning. i. e. We will learn what he is to do, befides going bimflf; what are his powers, and what is his appointment. 5 That is, If the Romans befiege us, bring up your army to remove them. Was was no better than picture-like to hang by the wall, if renown made it not ftir,was pleas'd to let him feek danger where he was like to find fame. To a cruel war I fent him; from whence he returned, his brows bound with oak: I tell thee, daughter, I fprang not more in joy at first hearing he was a man-child, than now in firft feeing 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 fon; I therein would have found iffue. Hear me profefs fincerely:-Had I a dozen fons,-each in my love alike, and none lefs dear than thine and my good Marcius, I had rather had eleven die 15 nobly for their country, than one voluptuously furfeit out of action. Enter a Gentlewoman. Gent. Madam, the lady Valeria is come to vifit you. Vir. 'Beseech you, give me leave to retire myself. Vel. Indeed, you fhall not. Methinks, I hither hear your husband's drum; See him pluck down Aufidius by the hair; As children from a bear, the Volces fhunning him : Methinks, I fee him ftamp thus, and call thus, Come on, you cowards; you were got in fear, Though you were born in Rome: His bloody brow With his mail'd hand then wiping, forth he goes; Like to a harvest-man, that's task'd to mow Or all, or lofe his hire. Vr. His bloody brow! O, Jupiter, no blood! Vol. Away, you fool! it more becomes a man, Than gilt his trophy: The breasts of Hecuba, When the did fuckle Hector, look'd not lovelier Than Hector's forehead, when it spit forth blood At Grecian fwords' contending.-Tell Valeria, We are fit to bid her welcome. [Exit Gent. Vir. Heavens bless my lord from fell Aufidius! Vol. He'll beat Aufidius' head below his knee, And tread upon his neck. Enter Valeria, with an Uber, and a Gentlewoman. Vir. I am glad to see your ladyship. Val. How do you both? you are manifeft houfe-keepers. What, are you fewing here? A fine fpot, in good faith.-How does your little fon? Vir. I thank your ladyship; well, good madam. Vol. He had rather fee the fwords, and hear a drum, Than look upon his school-mafter. let it go again; and after it again; and over and over he comes, and up again; catch'd it again : or whether his fall enrag`d him, or how 'twas, he did fo fet his teeth, and tear it; 0, I warrant how he mammock'd 3 it! Vol. One of his father's moods. Val. Indeed la, 'tis a noble child. Vai. Come, lay afide your ftitchery; I must have you play the idle hufwife with me this after noon. Vir. No, good madam; I will not out of doors. Val. Not out of doors! Vol. She fhall, fhe hall. 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 unreafon20ably: Come, you must go visit the good lady that lies in. 25 Vir. I will with her fpeedy ftrength, and visit her with my prayers; but I cannot go thither. Vol. Why, I pray you? Vir. 'Tis not to fave labour, nor that I want love. Val. You would be another Penelope : yet, they fay, all the yarn, the fpun in Ulyffes' absence, did but fill Ithaca full of moths. Come; I would, 30 your cambrick were fenfible as your finger, that you might leave pricking it for pity. Come, you fhall go with us. 35 40 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 jeft with you; there came news from him last night. Vir. Indeed, madam? Val. In earneft, it's true; I heard a fenator fpeak 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 45 and Titus Lartius are fet down before their city Corioli; they nothing doubt prevailing, and to make it brief wars. This is true, on mine honour; and fo, I pray, go with us. Vir. Give me excufe, good madam; I will 50obey you in every thing hereafter. Val. O' my word, the father's fon: I'll fwear, 55 'tis a very pretty boy. O'my troth, I look'd upon bim o' Wednesday half an hour together: he has fuch a confirm'd countenance. I faw him run after a gilded butterfly; and when he caught it, he The crown given by the Romans to him that faved the life of a citizen, and was accounted more honourable than any other. 2 Gilt is an obfolete word, meaning a fuperficial difplay of gold. 3 To mammock is a phrase still used in Staffordshire, and implies to cut in pieces, or to tear. fignifies a boy child." SCENE: IV. Enter Marcius, Titus Lartius, with drum and co- Mar. Yonder comes news:-A wager, they Lart. My horfe to yours, no. Mar. 'Tis done. Lart. Agreed. Max. Say, has our general met the enemy? Mef. They lie in view; but have not spoke as yet. Mar. I'll buy him of you. Lart. No, I'll not fell, nor give him: lend you For half a hundred years.-Summon the town. 10Tis for the followers fortune widens them, Not for the fliers: Mark me, [ours. 20 Mar. Then fhall we hear their 'larum, and they To help our fielded friends!-Come, blow thy blaft. 25 Tullus Aufidius, is he within your walls? I Sen. No, nor a man that fears you lefs than he, That's leffer than a little. Hark, our drums 30 [Drum afar off. Are bringing forth our youth: We'll break our walls, Rather than they shall pound us up: our gates, rushes; They'll open of themselves. Hark you, far off; There is Aufidius: lift, what work he makes Mar. O, they are at it! Lart. Their noife be our inftruction.--Ladders,ho! Enter the Volces. Mar. They fear us not, but iffue forth their city. Now put your shields before your hearts, and fight|45| With hearts more proof than shields.-Advance, brave Titus: They do difdain as much beyond our thoughts, my fellows; He that retires, I'll take him for a Volce, [Alarum; the Romans beat back to their trenches. Mar. All the contagion of the fouth light on you, You shames of Rome, you! Herds of boils and plagues Plafter you o'er; that you may be abhorr'd 50 55 and do the like. Sol. See, they have shut him in. [Alarum continues. All. To the pot, I warrant him. Enter Tirus Lartius. Lart. What is become of Marcius? 1 Sol. Following the fliers at the very heels, Lart. O noble fellow! Who, fenfible, out-dares his fenfelefs fword, A carbuncle entire, as big as thou art, Re-enter Marcius bleeding, affaulted by the enemy. 3 Rom. A murrain on't! I took this for filver. Enter Marcius, and Titus Lartius, with a trumpet. [Alarum continues ftill afar eff. Mar. See here these movers, that do prize their hours At a crack'd drachm! Cushions, leaden spoons, Make remain is an old manner of speaking, which means no more than remain. -Lart Mf. Spies of the Volces Held me in chafe, that I was forc'd to wheel Com. Who's yonder, Com. But how prevail'd you? [think Mar. Will the time ferve to tell? I do not Where is the enemy? Are you lords o' the field? If not, why cease you 'till you are so? Com. Marcius, we have a disadvantage fought, And did retire, to win our purpose. [fide Mar. How lies their battle? Know you on what They have plac'd their men of trust? Cem. As I guess, Marcius, Their bands i' the vaward are the Antiates, Mar. I do befeech you, By all the battles wherein we have fought, Filling the air with fwords advanc'd4, and darts, 40 We prove this very hour. Com. Though I could wish You were conducted to a gentle bath, And balms applied to you, yet dare I never Deny your afking; take your choice of thofe 45 That beft can aid your action. Mar. Those are they That most are willing:-If any fuch be here, 5 Leffer his perfon than an ill report; [Waving bis band.. Able to bear against the great Aufidius 223 2 i. e. remitting his ransom. 3 Delay for Though |
