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, Or be accused of folly. I shall tell you A pretty tale: it may be you have heard it; First 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. [bers Men. There was a time when all the body's memRebell'd against the belly, thus accused it: That only like a gulf it did remain I' the midst o' the body, idle and unactive, Like labour with the rest, where the other instru ments Did see and hear, devise, instruct, walk, feel, To the discontented members, the niutinous parts Your belly's answer? Men. What! What then? 'Fore me, this fellow speaks! What then? what then? First Cit. Should by the cormorant belly be reWho is the sink o' the body,[strain'd, Men. Well, what then? First Cit. The former agents, if they did comWhat could the belly answer? [plain, Men. I will tell you; If you 'll bestow a small-of what you have littlePatience awhile, you'll hear the belly's answer. First Cit. Ye're long about it. Men. Note me this, good friend; Your most grave belly was deliberate, Not rash like his accusers, and thus answer'd: True is it, my incorporate friends,' quoth he, That I receive the general food at first, Which you do live upon; and fit it is, Because I am the store-house and the shop Of the whole body: but, if you do remember, I send it through the rivers of your blood, Even to the court, the heart, to the seat o' the brain; And, through the cranks and offices of man, The strongest nerves and small inferior veins From me receive that natural competency Whereby they live: and though that all at once, You, my good friends,'-this says the belly, mark First Cit. Ay, sir; well, well. [me, Men. "Though all at once cannot See what I do deliver out to each, Yet I can make my audit up, that all From me do back receive the flour of all, And leave me but the bran.' What say you to 't? First 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 No public benefit which you receive But it proceeds or comes from them to you Hail, noble Marcius! Mar. Thanks. What's the matter, you dissentious rogues, That, rubbing the poor itch of your opinion, First 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, Or hailstone in the sun. Your virtue is ness [ye? Deserves your hate; and your affections are Conjectural marriages; making parties strong Men. Nay, these are almost thoroughly persuaded; Mar. They are dissolved: hang 'em! They said they were an-hungry; sigh'd forth proverbs, That hunger broke stone walls, that dogs must eat, That meat was made for mouths, that the gods sent Corn for the rich men only: with these shreds [not They vented their complainings; which being answer'd, [caps And a petition granted them, a strange one- Men. Of their own choice: one's Junius Brutus, Win upon power and throw forth greater themes Men. This is strange. Mar. Go, get you home, you fragments! Enter a Messenger, hastily. Mess. Where's Caius Marcius? Mar. Mar. Tullus Aufidius, that will put you to 't. And were I any thing but what I am, I would wish me only he. And I am constant. Titus Lartius, thou Noble Marcius! Com. Nay, but his taunts. Sic. Bru. Sic. SCENE II. -Corioli. The Senate-house. Who is of Rome worse hated than of you, First Sen. Our army 's in the field: Sec. Sen. Noble Aufidius, If they set down before 's, for the remove Auf. And keep your honours safe! All. The gods assist you! Farewell. Farewell. [Exeunt. First Sen. Sec. Sen. All. Farewell. SCENE III. — Rome. A room in Marcius' house. Enter Volumnia and Virgilia: they set them down on two low stools, and sew. Vol. I pray you, daughter, sing; or express yourself 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 kings' entreaties a Besides, if things go well, mother should not sell him an hour from her behold ing, 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. [how then? Vir. But had he died in the business, madam; 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. Methinks I hear hither your husband's drum, Vir. 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 she did suckle Hector, look'd not lovelier Than Hector's forehead when it spit forth blood At Grecian sword, contemning. Tell Valeria, We are fit to bid her welcome. 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 Volsces 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 brief 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 but disease our better mirth. Val. In troth, I think she would. Fare you well, then. Come, good sweet lady. Prithee, Virgilia, turn thy solemness out o' door, and go along with us. Vir. No, at a word, madam; indeed, I must not. I wish you much mirth. Val. Well, then, farewell. SCENE IV.-Before Corioli. [Excunt. Enter, with drum and colours, Marcius, Titus Lartius, Captains and Soldiers. To them a Messenger. Mar. Yonder comes news. A wager they have Lart. My horse to yours, no. [Exit Gent. Mar. Lart. 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 Usher and Gentlewoman. 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. Val. O' my word, the father's son: I'll swear, t is a very pretty boy. O' my troth, I looked upon him o' Wednesday half an hour together: 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 't was, he did so set his teeth and tear it; O, I warrant, how he mammocked Vol. One on 's father's moods. [it! Val. Indeed, la, 't is a noble child. Vir. A crack, madam. 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. Val. Not out of doors! Vol. She shall, she shall. Vir. Indeed, no, by your patience: I'll 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. T is not to save labour, nor that I want love. Val. You would be another Penelope: yet, they 'Tis done. [met. Agreed. Tullus Aufidius, is he within your walls? [he, First Sen. No, nor a man that fears you less than That 's lesser than a little. [Drums afar off.] Hark! our drums 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 rushes; They'll open of themselves. [Alarum afar off.] Hark you, far off! There is Aufidius; list, what work he makes Mar. Enter the army of the Volsces. 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: |