Men. This is ftrange.

Mar. Go, get you home, you fragments!
Enter a Meffenger.

Mef. Where's Caius Martius?

Mar. Here

-what is the matter?

Mef. The news is, Sir, the Volfcians are in arms. Mar. I am glad on't, then we fhall have means to vent Our mufty superfluity. See! our beft elders

SCENE IV.

Enter Sicinius Velutus, Junius Brutus, Cominius, Titus Lartius, with other Senators.

I Sen. Martius, 'tis true, that you have lately told us, The Volfcians are in arms.

Mar. They have a leader,

Tullus Aufidius, that will put you to't.
I fin in envying his nobility:

And were I any thing but what I am,

I'd with me only him.

Com. You have fought together?

Mar. Were half to half the world by th' ears, and he Upon my party, I'd revolt, to make

Only my wars with him. He is a lion

That I am proud to hunt.

1 Sen. Then, worthy Martius,
Attend upon Cominius to these wars.
Com. It is your former promise.
Mar. Sir, it is;

And I am conftant: Titus Lartius, thou
Shalt fee me once more ftrike at Tullus' face.

What, art thou ftiff? ftand'ft out?

Lar. No, Caius Martius ;

I'll lean upon one crutch and fight with t'other,
Ere stay behind this business.

Men. O true bred!

1 Sen. Your company to th' Capitol; where I know Our greatest friends attend us.

Lar. Lead you on;

Follow, Cominius! we must follow you,

Right worthy your priority.

Com, Noble Lartius !

* Sen.

1 Sen. Hence to your homes be gone. [To the Citizens. Mar. Nay, let them follow;

The Volfcians have much corn: take these rats thither
To gnaw their garners. Worshipful mutineers,

Your valour puts well forth; I pray you follow. [Exeunt.
Citizens fteal away. Manent Sicinius and Brutus.

Sic. Was ever man fo proud as is this Martius?

Bru. He has no equal.

Sic. When we were chofen tribunes for the people -
Bru. Mark'd you his lip and eyes?

Sic. Nay, but his taunts.

Bru. Being mov'd, he will not fpare to gird the GodsSic. Be-mock the modeft moon.

Bru. The prefent wars devour him! he is grown Too proud of being fo valiant.

Sic. Such a nature,

Tickled with good fuccefs, difdains the shadow
Which he treads on at noon; but I do wonder
His infolence can brook to be commanded
Under Cominius.

Bru. Fame, at which he aims,

In which already he is well grac'd, cannot
Better be held, nor more attain'd, than by
A place below the firft; for what miscarries
Shall be the General's fault, tho' he perform
To the utmost of a man; and giddy cenfure
Will then cry out of Martius; oh, if be
Had born the bufinefs

Sic. And if things go well,

Opinion, that fo fticks on Martius, fhall
Of his demerits rob Cominius.

Bru. Come;

Half all Cominius' honours are to Martius,

Though Martius earn them not; and all his faults
To Martius fhall be honours, though indeed

In ought he merit not.

Sic. Let's hence, and hear

How the difpatch is made; and in what fashion,
More than this fingularity, he goes

Upon

Upon this prefent action.

Bru. Let's along.

SCENE V. Corioli.

[Exeunt.

Enter Tullus Aufidius with Senators of Corioli. 1 Sen. So, your opinion is, Aufidius,

That they of Rome are entred in our counfels,
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 thefe are the words-I think
I have the letter here, yes- -here it is ;
They have preft a power, but it is not known
Whether for Eaft or Weft; the dearth is great,
The people mutinous; and it is rumour'd
Cominius, Martius your old enemy,
(Who is of Rome worse hated than of you)
And Titus Lartius, a moft valiant Roman,
These three lead on this preparation

Whither 'tis bent- -moft likely, 'tis for you:
Confider of it.

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

They needs muft fhew themselves, which in the hatching
It seems appear'd to Rome. By the discovery
We fhall be fhortned in our aim, which was
To take in many towns ere (almost) Rome
Should know we were a-foot.

2 Sen. Noble Aufidius,

Take your commiffion, hie you to your bande,
Let us alone to guard Corioli;

If they fet down before's, for the remove
Bring up your army: but, I think, you'll find
They've not prepar'd for us.

Auf. O doubt not that,

I fpeak from very certainties. Nay more,

Some

Some parcels of their power are forth already,
And only hitherward. I leave your Honours.
If we and Caius Martius chance to meet,
'Tis fworn between us we shall ever ftrike
"Till one can do no more.

All. The Gods affift you!

Auf. And keep your Honours fafe!

1 Sen. Farewel.

2 Sen. Farewel.

All. Farewel.

SCENE

VI.

[Exeunt

Caius Martius's House in Rome.

Enter Volumnia and Virgilia; they fit down on two low ftools, and for.

Vol. I pray you, daughter, fing, or exprefs your self in a more comfortable fort: if my fon were my husband, I would freelier rejoice in that abfence wherein he won honour, than in the embracements of his bed, where he would fhew moft love. When yet he was but tender-bodied, and the only fon of my womb; when youth with comeliness plucked all gaze his way; when for a day of Kings entreaties, a mother fhould not fell him an hour from her beholding, I, confidering how honour would become fuch a perfon, that it was no better than picture-like to hang by th' 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 return'd, 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 seeing he had proved himself a man.

Vir. But had he died in the bufinefs, Madam, how then? Vol. Then his good report fhould 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 Martius, I had rather eleven die nobly for their country than one voluptuously surfeit out of action.

Enter a Gentlewoman.

Gent. Madam, the Lady Valeria is come to vifit you.
Vir. 'Beseech you, give me leave to retire my self.

Vol. Indeed thou shalt not:

Methinks I hither hear your husband's drum:
I fee him pluck Aufidius down by th' hair :
As children a bear, the Volfci fhunning him:
Methinks I fee him stamp thus and call thus -
Come on, ye cowards, ye 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 harveft-man that's talk'd to mow
Or all, or lofe his hire.

Vir. His bloody brow! oh Jupiter, no blood.
Vol. Away, you fool; it more becomes a man
Than gilt his trophy. The breaft 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. Heav'ns blefs my Lord from fell Aufidius! Vol. He'll beat Aufidius' head below his knee, And tread upon his neck.

Enter Valeria with an Ufher, and a Gentlewoman. Val. My Ladies both, good day to you!

Vol. Sweet Madam

-

Vir. I am glad to fee your Ladyship

Val. How do you both? you are manifeft houfe-keepers. What are you fowing 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 schoolmafter.

Val. O' my word, the father's fon: I'll fwear 'tis a very pretty boy. O' my troth, I look'd on him o' Wednesday half an hour together -h'as fuch a confirm'd countenance. I faw 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, and caught it again; and whether his fall enraged him, or how 'twas, he did fo fet his teeth and did tear it, oh, I warrant how he mam~ mockt it!

Vol. One o's father's moods.