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Auf. I know it;

And my pretext to strike at him admits

A good construction. I ras'd him, and I pawn'd
Minehonour forhis truth: Whobeing so heighten'd,
He water'd his new plants with dews of flattery,
Seducing so my friends: and, to this end,
He bow'd his nature, never known before
But to be rough, unswayable, and free.
3 Con. Sir, his stoutness,

When he did stand for consul, which he lost
By lack of stooping--

Auf. That I would have spoke of:
Being banish'd for 't, he came unto my hearth;|
Presented to my knife his throat: I took him;
Made him joint servant with me; gave him way
In all his own desires; nay, let him choose,
Out of my files, his projects to accomplish,
My best and freshest men; serv'd his designments
In mine own person; holp to reap the fame,
Which he did end all his; and took some pride
To do myself this wrong; 'till, at the last,
I seem'd his follower, not partner; and

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He wag'd me with his countenance, as if
I had been mercenary.

1 Con. So he did, my lord:

The army marvell'd at it. And, in the last,
When he had carried Rome; and that we look'd
For no less spoil, than glory,-

Auf. There was it ;

5

Auf. Say no more;

Here come the lords.

Enter the Lords of the city.

Lords. You are most welcome home.
Auf. I have not deserv'd it.

But, worthy lords, have you with heed perus'd
What I have written to you?

Lords. We have.

1 Lord. And grieve to hear it.

10 What faults he made before the last, I think,
Might have found easy fines: but there to end,
Where he was to begin; and give away
The benefit of our levies, answering us
With our own charge'; making a treaty, where
15 There was a yielding; This admits no excuse.
Auf. He approaches, you shall hear him.
Enter Coriolanus, with drums and colours; the
Commons being with him.

Cor. Hail, lords! I am return'd your soldier;
20 No more infected with my country's love,
Than when I parted hence; but still subsisting
Under your great command. You are to know,
That prosperously I have attempted, and
With bloody passage led your wars, even to
The gates of Rome. Our spoil, we have brought

25

home,

Doth more than counterpoise, a full third part,
The charges of the action. We have made peace,
With no less honour to the Antiates,

30 Than shame to the Romans: And we here deliver,
Subscribed by the consuls and patricians,
Together with the seal o' the senate, what
We have compounded on.

Auf. Read it not, noble lords;

35 But tell the traitor, in the highest degree
He hath abus'd your powers.

Forwhich my sinews shall be stretch'd upon him.40
At a few drops of women's rheum, which are
As cheap as lies, he sold the blood and labour
Of our great action; Therefore shall he die,
And I'll renew me in his fall. But, hark!
[Drums and trumpets sound, with great shouts 45
of the people.

1 Con. Your native town you enter'd like a post, And had no welcomes honie; but he returns, Splitting the air with noise.

2 Con. And patient fools,

Whose childrenhehath slain, theirbase throats tear,
With giving him glory.

Cor. Traitor-How now?
Auf. Ay, traitor, Marcius.
Cor. Marcius!

[think

Auf. Ay, Marcius, Caius Marcius; Dost thou
I'll grace thee with that robbery, thy stol'n name
Coriolanus, in Corioli?-

You lords and heads of the state, perfidiously
He has betray'd your business, and given up,
For certain drops of salt, your city Rome
(I say, your city) to his wife and mother:
Breaking his oath and resolution, like
A twist of rotten silk; never admitting
Counsel o' the war; but at his nurse's tears
50 He whin'd and roar'd away your victory ;
That pages blush'd at him, and men of heart
Look'd wondering each at other.

3 Con. Therefore, at your vantage,
Ere he express himself, or move the people
With what he would say, let him feel your sword, 55
Which we will second. When he lies along,
After your way his tale pronounc'd shall bury
His reasons with his body.

Cor. Hear'st thou, Mars?

Auf Name not the god, thou boy of tears.-
Cor. Ha!
Auf. No

more.

Cor. Measureless liar, thou hast made my heart Too great for what contains it. Boy! O slave!

The meaning, according to Dr. Johnson, is, He prescribed to me with an air of authority, and gave me his countenance for my wages; thought me sufficiently rewarded with good looks. This is the point on which I will attack him with my utmost abilities. That is, rewarding us with our own

expences.

Pardon

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Must give this cur the lie: and his own notion (Who wears my stripes imprest upon him; that Must bear my beating to his grave) shall join To thrust the lie unto him.

1 Lord. Peace, both, and hear me speak. Cor. Cut me to pieces, Volces, men and lads, Stain all your edges in me.-Boy! False hound! If you have writ your annals true, 'tis there, That, like an eagle on a dove-cote, I Flutter'd your Volces in Corioli: Alone I did it.Boy!

Auf. Why, noble lords,

Will you be put in mind of his blind fortune, Which was your shame, by this unholy braggart, 'Fore your own eyes and ears?

All Con. Let him die for't.

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Provok'd by him, you cannot) the great danger Which this man's life did owe you, you'll rejoice That he is thus cut off. Please it your honours 15 To call me to your senate, I'll deliver Myself your loyal servant, or endure Your heaviest censure.

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1 Lord. Bear from hence his body, And mourn you for him: let him be regarded As the most noble corse, that ever herald Did follow to his urn.

2 Lord. His own impatience

Takes from Aufidius a great part of blame.
Let's make the best of it.

Auf. My rage is gone,

And I am struck with sorrow.-Take him up: Help, three o' the chiefest soldiers; I'll be one.Beat thou the drum, that it speak mournfully: Trail your steel pikes.-Though in this city he 30 Hath widow'd and unchilded many a one, Which to this hour bewail the injury; Yet he shall have a noble memory Assist.

[Aufidius and the Conspirators draw, and kill|35|

i, e, his fame overspreads the world,

[Exeunt, bearing the body of Marcius. A dead march sounded.

2 Memory, as before, for memorial.

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JULIUS CÆSAR.

JULIUS CESAR.

PERSONS REPRESENTED.

OCTAVIUS CESAR, Triumvirs after the Death

M. ANTONIUS,

M. EMIL. LEPIDUS,

of Julius Cæsar.

CICERO, PUBLIUS, POPILIUS LÆNA, Senators.

BRUTUS,

CASSIUS,

FLAVIUS, and MARULLUS, Tribunes.
ARTEMIDORUS, a Sophist of Cnidos.
A Soothsayer.

CINNA, a Poet: Another Poet.

LUCILIUS, TITINIUS, MESSALA, Young CATO,
and VOLUMNIUS; Friends to Brutus and Cassius.
VARRO, CLITUS, CLAUDIUS, STRATO, LUCIUS,
DARDANIUS; Servants to Brutus.
Conspirators againt Julius PINDARUS, Servant to Cassius.

CASCA,

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Cæsar.

DECIUS BRUTUS,

METELLUS CIMBER,

CINNA,

CALPHURNIA, Wife to Cæsar.
PORTIA, Wife to Brutus.

Plebeians, Senators, Guards, Attendants, &c.

SCENE, for the three first Acts, at Rome: afterwards at an Island near Mutina; at Sardis; and near

Philippi.

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A C T I.

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Flar. Thou art a cobler, art thou?

Cob. Truly, sir, all that I live by is, with the awl: I meddle with no trade,-man's matters, nor woman's matters, but with awl. I am, indeed,

sir, a surgeon to old shoes; when they are in great danger, I recover them. As proper men as ever trod upon neats-leather, have gone upon my handy-work.

Flar. But wherefore art not in thy shop to-day? Why dost thou lead these men about the streets? Cob. Truly, sir, to wear out their shoes, to get myself into more work. But, indeed, sir, we make holiday, to see Cæsar, and to rejoice in his triumph.

Mar. Wherefore rejoice? What conquest brings
he home?

What tributaries follow him to Rome,
To grace in captive bonds his chariot wheels?
You blocks, you stones, you worse than senseless

things!

O, you hard hearts, you cruel men of Rome,
Knew you not Pompey? Many a time and oft
Have you climb'd up to walls and battlements,
To towers and windows, yea, to chimney-tops,
25 Your infants in your arms, and there have sat
The live-long day, with patient expectation,
To see great Pompey pass the streets of Rome:
And when you saw his chariot but appear,
Have

3 B3

Have you not made an universal shout,
That Tyber trembled underneath his banks,
To hear the replication of your sounds,
Made in his concave shores?

And do you now put on your best attire?
And do you now cull out a holiday?
And do you now strew flowers in his way,
That comes in triumph over Pompey's blood?
Be gone;

Run to your houses, fall upon your knees,
Pray to the gods to intermit the plague
That needs must light on this ingratitude. [fault,
Flar. Go, go, good countrymen, and, for this
Assemble all the poor men of your sort;
Draw them to Tyber banks, and weep your tears
Into the channel, 'till the lowest stream
Do kiss the most exalted shores of all.

[Exeunt Commoners.
See, whe'r their basest metal be not mov'd?
They vanish tongue-ty'd in their guiltiness.
Go you down that way towards the Capitol;
This way will I: Disrobe the images,
If you do find them deck'd with ceremonies'.
Mar. May we do so?

You know, it is the feast of Lupercal.

Cas. What man is that? [March. Bru. A soothsayer bids you beware the ides of Cas. Set him before me, let me see his face. Cas. Fellow, come from the throng:-Look 5 upon Cæsar. [again. Cas. What say'st thou to me now? Speak once Sooth. Beware the ides of March. Cas. He is a dreamer; let us leave him:-pass. [Sennet. Exeunt Cæsar and train. Cas. Will you go see the order of the course? Bru. Not I.

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Bru. Cassius,

Be not deceiv'd: If I have veil'd my look, I turn the trouble of my countenance 25 Merely upon myself. Vexed I am, Of late, with passions of some difference", Conceptions only proper to myself, Which give some soil, perhaps, to iny behaviours: But let not therefore my good friends be griev'd; (Among which number, Cassius, be you one) Nor construe any further my neglect, Than that poor Brutus, with himself at war, Forgets the shews of love to other men.

Flav. It is no matter; let no images
Be hung with Cæsar's trophies. I'll about,
And drive away the vulgar from the streets:
So do you too, where you perceive them thick.
These growing feathers pluck'd from Cæsar's wing, 30
Will make him fly an ordinary pitch;
Who else would soar above the view of men,
And keep us all in servile fearfulness. [Exeunt.
SCENE II.
The same.

Enter Cæsar; Antony, for the course; Calphurnia,
Portia, Decius,Cicero, Brutus, Cassius, Casca, a
Soothsayer, &c.

Cas. Calphurnia,

Casca. Peace, ho! Cæsar speaks. Cas. Calphurnia,

Calph. Here, my lord.

Cas. Stand you directly in Antonius' way, When he doth run his course.-Antonius. Ant. Cæsar, my lord.

Cas. Forget not, in your speed, Antonius, To touch Calphurnia: for our elders say, The barren, touched in this holy chase, Shake off their sterile course.

Ant. I shall remember:

When Cæsar says, Do this, it is perform'd. Cas. Set on; and leave no ceremony out. Sooth. Cæsar.

Cas. Ha! Who calls?

[again.
Casca. Bid every noise be still:-Peace yet
Cas. Who is it in the press, that calls on me?
I hear a tongue, shriller than all the musick,
Cry, Caesar Speak; Cæsar is turn'd to hear.
Sooth. Beware the ides of March.

35

Cas. Then, Brutus, I have much mistook your passion;

By means whereof, this breast of mine hath bury'd Thoughts of great value, worthy cogitations. Tell me, good Brutus, can you see your face?

Bru. No, Cassius: for the eye sees not itself, 40 But by reflection, by some other things. Cas. 'Tis just:

And it is very much lamented, Brutus,
That you have no such mirrors, as will turn
Your hidden worthiness into your eye,

45 That you might see your shadow. I have heard
Where many of the best respect in Rome,
(Except immortal Cæsar) speaking of Brutus,
And groaning underneath this age's yoke,
Have wish'd that noble Brutus had his eyes.
50 Bru.Intowhatdangerswouldyoulcadme, Cassius,
That you would have me seek into myself
For that which is not in me?

Cas. Therefore,good Brutus, be prepar'dto hear:
And, since you know you cannot see yourself
55 So well as by reflection, I, your glass,
Will modestly discover to yourself

That of yourself, which yet you know not of.
And be not jealous of me, gentle Brutus :
Were I a common laugher, or did use

1 Ceremonies for religious ornaments. 2 This person was not Decius, but Decimus Brutus.

'We

have before observed, that Sennet appears to be a particular tune or mode of martial musick. Strange is alien, unfamiliar. i. e. with a fluctuation of discordant opinions and desires.

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