Imatges de pàgina
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Our greatest friends attend us.

Tit.

Lead you on:

Follow, Cominius; we must follow you;
Right worthy you priority*.

Com.

1 Sen. Hence! To your homes, be gone.

Noble Lartius!

[To the Citizens. Nay, let them follow:

Mar. The Volces have much corn: take these rats thither, To gnaw their garners† :-Worshipful mutineers, Your valour puts well forth: pray follow.

[Exeunt Senators, Com. Mar. Tit. and Menen. Citizens steal away.

Sic. Was ever man so proud as is this Marcius? Bru. He has no equal.

Sic. When we were chosen tribunes for the peo

ple,

Bru. Mark'd you his lip, and eyes?

Sic.

Nay, but his taunts. Bru. Being mov'd, he will not spare to gird § the

gods.

Sic. Be-mock the modest moon.

Bru. The present wars devour him: he is grown Too proud to be so valiant.

Such a nature,

Sic.
Tickled with good success, disdains the shadow
Which he treads on at noon: But I do wonder,
His insolence can brook to be commanded
Under Cominius.

Bru.

Fame, at the which he aims,In whom already he is well graced,-cannot Better be held, nor more attain'd, than by A place below the first; for what miscarries Shall be the general's fault, though he perform To the utmost of a man; and giddy censure Will then cry out of Marcius, O, if he

Had borne the business!

Sic.

Besides, if things go well,

Right worthy of precedence.
Shows itself.

+ Granaries.

§ Sneer.

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.

Sic. 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.

Let's along.

[Exeunt.

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: [Reads.
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.

Sen.

Our army's in the field:

* Demerits and merits had anciently the same meaning.
+ Pre-occupation.

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 must show themselves; which in the
hatching,

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.

All. Farewell.

Farewell.

Farewell.

[Exeunt.

SCENE III.

Rome. An apartment in Marcius' house.

Enter Volumnia, and Virgilia: They sit 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

* To subdue.

[ACT I. 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 king's entreaties, a mother should not sell him an hour from her beholding; 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.

Vir. But had he died in the business, madam? how then?

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.

Vir. 'Beseech you, give me leave to retire † myself.
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

* Attracted attention.

+ Withdraw.

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?

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.

'tis

Val. O' my word, the father's son: I'll swear, a very pretty boy. O' my troth, I look'd 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 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 'twas, he did so set his teeth, and tear it; O, I warrant, how he mammocked + it!

Vol. One of his father's moods.

Val. Indeed, la, 'tis a noble child.

Vir. A crack ‡, madam.

Val. Come, lay aside your stitchery; I must have you play the idle huswife with me this after

noon.

Vir. No, good madam; I will not out of doors.

* Of work.

VOL. VIII.

+ Tore.

K

+ Boy.

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