hate;

Enter Caius Marcius. Hail, noble Marcius !

[rogues, Mar. Thanks. . What's the matter, you dissentious That, rubbing the poor itch of your opinion, Make yourselves scabs ?

2 Cit. We have ever your good word.

Mar. He, that will give good words to thee, will flatter Beneath abhorring. What would you have, ye curs, That like nor peace, nor war? The one affrights you, The other makes you proud. He that truts to you, Where he should find you lions, finds you

hares :
Where foxes, geese : You are no surer, no,
Than is the coal of fire upon the ice,
Or hailstone in the sun. Your virtue is,
To make him worthy, whose offence subdues him,
And curse that justice, did it. Who deserves greatness,
Deserves your

and
your

affections are
A fick man's appetite, who defires most that
Which would increase his evil. He, that depends
Upon your favours, swims with fins of lead,
And hews down oaks with rushes. Hang ye--trust ye!
With every minute

you do change a mind, printed in 1595, we find the word spelt as it ought. And it was a term familiar both with authors prior in time, and contemporaries with Sbakespeare.

and eke her fingirs long and smale
She wrong full oft, and bade God on her rue,
And with the death to doe bote on her bale: &C.

Chaucer's Troil. and Creseide, Book IV. verse 738.
And the black holme, that loves the wat’ry vale,
And the sweet cypress, sign of deadly bale.

Spenser's Translation of Virgil's Gnat. And again,

Said he, what have I wretch desery'd, that thus
Into this bitter bale I am out cast.

Idem ibid.
Thus greatest bliss is prone to greatest bale.

First Chorus of Hercules Oetæus from Seneca ; printed in 15812
And least my foe, false Promos here,

Do interrupt my tale ;
Grant, gracious King, that, uncontroul'd,
may report my bale.
Promos and Casandra, (a Play,) printed in 1578.

And

And call him noble, that was now your hate ;
Him vile that was your garland. What's the matter,
That in the several places of the city
You cry against the noble Senate, who
(Under the gods) keep you in awe, which elfe
Would feed on one another? what's their seeking ?

Men. For corn at their own rates, whereof, they say, The city is well stor’d.

Mar. Hang 'em : they say!-
They'll fit by th' fire, and presume to know
What's done i'th' capitol ; who's like to rise ;
Who thrives, and who declines : side factions, and give out
Conjectural marriages ; making parties ftrong,
And feebling such, as stand not in their liking,
Below their cobbled shoes. They say, there's grain

enough!
Would the nobility lay aside their ruth,
And let me use my sword, I'd made a quarry
With thousands of these quarter'd llaves as high
As I could pitch my lance.

Men. Nay, these are almost thoroughly persuaded :
For though abundantly they lack discretion,
Yet are they passing cowardly. But, I beseech you,
What says the other troop?

Mar. They are diffolv’d; hang 'em,
They say they were an hungry, figh'd forth proverbs;
That hunger broke sone wails--that dogs must eat,-
That meat was made for mouths that the gods fent not
Corn for the rich men only-With these shreds
They vented their complainings : which being answer'd,
And a petition granted them, a strange one,
To break the heart of generosity,
And make bold power look pale ; they threw their caps
As they would hang then on the horns oʻth'moon,
Shouting their emulation.

Men. What is granted them ?

Mar. Five tribunes to defend their vulgar wisdoms,
Of their own choice. One's Junius Brutus,
Sicinius Velutus, and I know not death,
The rabble hould have first unroof'd the city,

Ere

Ere so prevail'd with me! it will in time
Win upon power, and throw forth greater themes
For insurrection's arguing.

Men. This is strange.
Mar. Go, get you home, you fragments!

Enter a Messenger.
Mes. Where's Caius Marcius?
Mar. Here what's the matter?
Mef. The news is, Sir, the Volfcians are in arms.

Mar. I'm glad on't, then we fall have means to vent
Our musty superfuity. See, our best elders !
Enter Sicinius Velutus, Junius Brutus, Cominius,

Titus Lartius, with other Senators.
i Sen. Marcius, '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.
1 fin in envying his nobility:
And were I any thing but what I am,
I'd with me only he.

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.

i Sen. Then, worthy Marcius,
Attend upon Cominius to these wars.

Com. It is your former promise.

Mar. Sir, it is ;
And I am constant: Titus Lartius, thou
Shalt see me once more strike at Tullus' face.
What, art thou ftiff? ftand'st out?

Tit. No, Caius Marcius,
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.

Tit. Lead you on;
Follow, Cominirs ; we muft follow you;
Right worthy you priority.

Com. Noble Lartius !-
i 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; pray, follow.- [Exeunt.

[Citizens fieal away. Manent Sicinius and Brutus. Sic. Was ever man so proud, as is this Marcius ? Bru. He has no equal. Sic. When we were chosen tribunes for the people 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. (4) The present wars devour him; he is grown Too proud to be so valiant.

Sic. Such a nature,
Tickled with good success, disdains the shadow
Which he treads on at noon; but I do wonder,
His infolence can brook to be commanded
Under Cominius.

Bru. Fame, at the which he aims,
In whom already he is well grac’d, cannot
Better be held, nor more attain'd, than by
A place below the first ; for what miscarries
Shall be the General's fault, tho' he perform
To the utmost of a man; and giddy censure
(4) The present wars devour him ; be is grown

Too proud to be so valiant.] This is very obscurely express’d; but the poet's meaning must certainly be this. Marcius is so conscious of, and so elate upon, the notion of his own valour, that he is eaten up with pride'; devoured with the apprehensions of that glory which he promises himself from the ensuing war. A sentiment, like this, occurs again in Troilus and Cressida.

He, that is proud, eats up bimself. Pride is his own glass, his own trumpet, his own chronicle; and whatever praises itself but in the deed, devours the deed in the praise,

Will then cry out of Marcius: oh, if he
Had borne the business-

Sic. Besides, if things go well, 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 ought he merit not.

Sic. Let's hence, and hear
How the dispatch is made; and in what fashion,
More than his fingularity, he goes
Upon this present action.
Bru. Let's along.

[Exeuntun SCENE changes to Corioli. Enter Tullus Aufidius, with Senators of Corioli. 1 Sen. So, your opinion is, Aufidius;

That they of Rome are entred in our counsels, And know how we proceed.

Auf. Is it not yours ? Whatever hath been thought on in this state, That could be brought to bodily act, ere Rome Had circumvention? 'tis not four days gone, ince I heard thence these are the words I think, I have the letter here; yes—here it is ; “ They have prest a power, but it is not known

[Reading 6. Whether for East or West; the dearth is great, “ The people mutinous; and it is rumour'd, " Cominius, Marcius your “ (Who is of Rome worse hated than of you) “ And Titus Laertius, a 'most valiant Roman, “ These three lead on this preparation “ Whither 'tis bent-most likely, 'tiş for you: 66 Consider of it.

i Sen. Our army's in the field : We never yet made doubt, but Rome was ready

то

old enemy,