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His fellowship i'the eause against your city, In part for his sake mov'd.

1 Sen.

Enter Senators from TIMON. "

Here come our brothers.

3 Sen. No talk of Timon, nothing of him expect..

The enemies' drum is heard, and fearful scouring Doth choke the air with dust: In, and prepare ; Ours is the fall, I fear; our foes the snare. [Exeunt.

SCENE IV. - The Woods. Timon's Cave, and a Tomb-stone seen.

Enter a Soldier, seeking TIMON.

Sold. By all description this should be the place, Who's here? speak, ho! — No answer? - What is

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SCENE V.—Before the Walls of Athens.' Trumpets sound. Enter ALCIBIADES and Forces. Alcib. Sound to this coward and lascivious town Our terrible approach. [A parley sounded.

Enter Senators on the walls. Till now you have gone on, and fill'd the time With all licentious measure, making your wills The scope of justice; till now, myself, and such As slept within the shadow of your power, Have wander'd with our travers'd arms, and breath'd Our sufferance vainly: Now the time is flush, When crouching marrow, in the bearer strong, Cries, of itself, No more: now breathless wrong Shall sit and pant in your great chairs of ease; And pursy insolence shall break his wind, With fear, and horrid flight.

1 Sen.

Noble, and young, When thy first griefs were but a mere conceit, Ere thou hadst power, or we had cause of fear, We sent to thee; to give thy rages balm, To wipe out our ingratitude with loves Above their quantity.

2 Sen..

So did we woo

Transformed Timon to our city's love,

By humble message, and by promis'd means;
We were not all unkind, nor all deserve
The common stroke of war,

1 Sen.

These walls of ours

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For those that were, it is not square, to take,
On those that are, revenges: crimes, like lands,
Are not inherited. Then, dear countryman,
Bring in thy ranks, but leave without thy rage:
Spare thy Athenian cradle, and those kin,
Which, in the bluster of thy wrath, must fall
With those that have offended: like a shepherd,
Approach the fold, and cull the infected forth,
But kill not all together.

2 Sen.
What thou wilt,
Thou rather shalt enforce it with thy smile,
Than hew to't with thy sword.

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
Have seal'd thy full desire.

Alcib.
Then there's my glove;
Descend, and open your uncharged ports;
Those enemies of Timon's, and mine own,
Whom you yourselves shall set out for reproof,
Fall, and no more: and, to atone your fears
With my more noble meaning, not a man
Shall pass his
quarter, or offend the stream
Of regular justice in your city's bounds,
But shall be remedied, to your publick laws,
At heaviest answer.

Both.
'Tis most nobly spoken.
Alcib. Descend, and keep your words.

The Senators descend, and open the gates.
Enter a Soldier.

Sol. My noble general, Timon is dead;
Entomb'd upon the very hem o'the sea:
And, on his grave-stone, this insculpture; which
With wax I brought away, whose soft impression
Interprets for my poor ignorance.

Alcib. [Reads.] Here lies a wretched corse, of wretched soul bereft:

Seek not my name: A plague consume you wicked caitiff's left!

Here lie I Timon; who, alive, all living men did hate: Pass by, and curse thy fill; but pass and stay not

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Young MARCIUS, son to Coriolanus.

A Roman Herald.

TULLUS AUFIDIUS, general of the Volscians.
Lieutenant to Aufidius.

Conspirators with Aufidius.

A Citizen of Antium.
Two Volscian Guards.

VOLUMNIA, mother to Coriolanus.
VIRGILIA, wife to Coriolanus.
VALERIA, friend to Virgilia.
Gentlewoman, attending Virgilia.

Roman and Volscian Senators, Patricians, Ediles Lictors, Soldiers, Citizens, Messengers, Servants to Aufidius, and other Attendants.

SCENE, —partly in Rome; and partly in the territories of the VOLSCIANS and Antiates.

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Cit. Resolved, resolved.

2 Cit. Would you proceed especially again Caius Marcius?

Cit. Against him first; he's a very dog to th commonalty.

2 Cit. Consider you what services he has done fo his country?

1 Cit. Very well; and could be content to g him good report for't, but that he pays himself wi being proud.

2 Cit. Nay, but speak not maliciously.

1 Cit. I say unto you, what he hath done f

1 Cit. First you know, Caius Marcius is chief mously, he did it to that end; though soft enemy to the people.

Cit. We know't, we know't.

scienc'd men can be content to say, it was for h country, he did it to please his mother, and to

1 Cit. Let us kill him, and we'll have corn at our partly proud; which he is, even to the altitude own price. Is't a verdict?

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 particularize their abundance; our sufferance is a gain to them. Let as 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.

his virtue.

2 Cit. What he cannot help in his nature, account a vice in him: You must in no way say, be is covetous.

1 Cit. If I must not, I need not be barren accusations; he hath faults, with surplus, to tire repetition. [Shouts within.] What shouts are these The other side o'the city is risen: Why stay prating here? to the Capitol.

Cit. Come, come.

1 Cit. Soft; who comes here?

Enter MENENIUs Agrippa.

2 Cit. Worthy Menenius Agrippa; one that h 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?

Alack,

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. 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 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 not up, 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;
But, since it serves my purpose, I will venture
To scale 't a little more.

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:
That only like a gulf it did remain

I' the midst o'the body, idle and inactive,
Still cupboarding the viand, never bearing

Like labour with the rest; where the other instru

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1 Cit. Should by the cormorant belly be restrain'd, Who is the sink o' the body, Men.

Men.

Well, what then? 1 Cit. The former agents, if they did complain, What could the belly answer? 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. 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 brains 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

me,

1 Cit. Ay, sir; well, well. 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 flower of all, And leave me but the bran. What say you to't?

1 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 publick benefit, which you receive, But it proceeds, or comes, from them to you, And no way from yourselves. - What do you think? You, the great toe of this assembly? —

1 Cit. I the great toe? Why the great toe? Men. For that being one o'the lowest, basest, poorest,

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;
Rome and her rats are at the point of battle,
The one side must have bale.-Hail, noble Marcius!

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That like nor peace, nor war? the one affrights, you, The other makes you proud. He that trusts you, Where he should find you lions, finds you hares; Where foxes, geese: You are no surer, no,

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Sic.

Opinion, that so sticks on Marcius, shall
Of his demerits rob Cominius.

Bru.

Come:

Half all Cominius' honours are to Marcius,
Though Marcius earn'd them not ; and all his faults
To Marcius shall be honours, though, indeed,
In aught he merit not.
Sie.
Let's hence, and hear
How the despatch is made; and in what fashion,
More than in singularity, he goes
Upon his present action.

Bru.

When

Besides, if things go well, 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.
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 mother should not sell him an hour from her be-
holding; 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
[Exeunt, 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.

Let's along.

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,
And know how we proceed.

Auf.

Is it not yours?
What ever hath been thought on in this state,
That could be brought to bodily act ere Rome
Had circumvention? 'Tis not four days gone,
Since I heard thence; these are the words: I think,
I have the letter here; yes, here it is:
They have press'd a power, but it is not known
Whether for east, or west: The dearth is great ;
The people mutinous: and it is rumour'd,
Cominius, Marcius your old enemy,

(Who is of Rome worse hated than of you,)
And Titus Lartius, a most valiant Roman,
These three lead on this preparation
Whither 'tis bent: most likely, 'tis for you :
Consider of it.

1 Sen.

Our army's in the field:

[Reads.

We never yet made doubt but Rome was ready

To answer us.

Auf.
To keep your great pretences veil'd, till when
They needs must show themselves; which in the
hatching,

Nor did you think it folly,

It seem'd, appear'd to Rome. By the discovery,
We shall be shorten'd in our aim; which was,
To take in many towns, ere, almost, Rome

Should know we were afoot.

2 Sen.

Noble Aufidius,

Take your commission; hie you to your bands:
Let us alone to guard Corioli:

If they set down before us, for the remove
Bring up your army; but, I think, you'll find
They have not prepar'd for us.
Auf.

O, doubt not that;
I speak from certainties. Nay, more.
Some parcels of their powers are forth already,
And only hitherward. I leave your honours.
If we and Caius Marcius chance to meet,
'Tis sworn between us, we shall never strike
Till one can do no more.

All.

The gods assist you! Auf. And keep your honours safe!

1 Sen.

2 Sen.

Farewell.

Farewell.
All. Farewell.
[Exeunt.
SCENE III-Rome. An Apartment in Marcius'
House.

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Vol. Indeed, you shall not.

Methinks, I hear hither your husband's drum ;
See him pluck Aufidius down by the hair;
As children from a bear, the Volces shunning him:
Methinks, I see him stamp 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 lose his hire.

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 swords' 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.

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?

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Vir. I thank your ladyship; well, good madam. Vol. He had rather see the swords, and hear a drum, than look upon his school-master,

Val. O' my word, the father's son: I'll swear, 'tis 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 Vol. I pray you, daughter, sing; or express your-let it go again; and after it again; and over and over

Enter VOLUMNIA and VIRGILIA: They sit down on two low stools, and sew.

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