Thou'lt not believe thy deeds: but I'll report it, That, with the fusty plebeians, hate thine honours, Our Rome hath such a soldier !— Yet camest thou to a morsel of this feast, Enter TITUS LARTIUS, with his Power†, from the pursuit. Lart. O general, Here is the steed, we the caparison: Mar. Pray now, no more: my mother, As you have done; that's what I can; induced Com. You shall not be The grave of your deserving; Rome must know Which, to the spire and top of praises vouch'd, smart To hear themselves remember'd. Com. Should they not, Well might they fester 'gainst ingratitude, Your only choice. Mar. I thank you, general; But cannot make my heart consent to take * Thrown into grateful trepidation. † Forces. Privilege. A bribe to pay my sword: I do refuse it; [A long Flourish.-They all cry, Marcius! Marcius! cast up their Caps and Lances; Cominius and Lartins stand bare. Mar. May these same instruments, which you profane, Never sound more! When drums and trumpets shall I' the field prove flatterers, let courts and cities be Made all of false-faced soothing: when steel grows Soft as the parasite's silk, let him be made note, Here's many else have done,-you shout me forth As if I loved my little should be dieted Com. Too modest are you; More cruel to your good report, than grateful nacles, Then reason safely with you.-Therefore, be it known, As to us, to all the world, that Caius Marcius Bear the addition nobly ever! [Flourish.-Trumpets sound, and Drums. All. Caius Marcius Coriolanus ! And when my face is fair, you shall perceive Weak, feeble. Add more by doing his best. + Own. Com. So, to our tent: Where, ere we do repose us, we will write Lart. I shall, my lord. Cor. The gods begin to mock me. I that now Com. Take it: 'tis yours.-What is 't? But then Autidius was within my view, And wrath o'erwhelm'd my pity: I request you Com. O, well begg'd! Were he the butcher of my son, he should Cor. By Jupiter, forgot : I am weary; yea, my memory is tired.- Com. Go we to our tent: The blood upon your visage dries: 'tis time. [Exeunt. SCENE X-The Camp of the Volces. A Flourish.-Cornets-Enter TULLUS AUPIDIUS, bloody, with Two or Three SOLDIERS. Auf. The town is ta'en! 1 Sol. Twill be deliver'd back on good condition. Auf. Condition ? I would, I were a Roman; for I cannot, Being a Volce, be that I am.-Condition! I' the part that is at mercy? Five times, Marcius, me; And wouldst do so, I think, should we encounter * Chief men. Enter into articles. ] 1 Hath not that honour in't, it had; for where * I thought to crush him in an equal force (True sword to sword), I'll potcht, at him some way; Or wrath, or craft, may get him. 1 Sol. He's the devil. With only suffering stain by him; for him E Shall fly out of itself: nor sleep, nor sanctuary, Being naked, sick: nor fane, nor Capitol, The prayers of priests, nor times of sacrifice, Embarquements all of fury, shall lift up Their rotten privilege and custom 'gainst My hate to Marcius; where I find him, were it At home, upon my brother's guard ‡, even there Against the hospitable canon, would I Wash my fierce hand in his heart. Go you to the Auf. Bolder, though not so subtle: my valour's poison'd, city; Learn, how 'tis held; and what they are, that must Be hostages for Rome. 1 Sol. Will not you go? I pray you, at the cypress grove : ('Tis south the city mills,) bring me word thither [Exeunt. ACT II. SCENE I.-Rome.-A public Place. Enter MENENIUS, SICINIUS, and BRUTUS. Men. The augurer tells me, we shall have news to night. Bru. Good, or bad? Men. Not according to the prayer of the people, for they love not Marcius. Sic. Nature teaches beasts to know their friends. + Poke, push. Whereas. Men. Ay, to devour him; as the hungry plebeians would the noble Marcius. Bru. He's a lamb, indeed, that baes like a bear. Men. He's a bear, indeed, that lives like a lamb. You two are old men; tell me one thing that I shall ask you. Both Trib. Well, Sir. Men. In what enormity is Marcius poor, that you two have not in abundance? Bru. He's poor in no one fault, but stored with all. Sic. Especially, in pride. Bru. And topping all others in boasting. Men. This is strange now: Do you two know how you are censured here in the city, I mean of us o' the right hand file? Do you? Both Trib. Why, how are we censured? Men. Because you talk of pride now.-Will you not be angry Both Trib. Well, well, Sir, well. Men. Why 'tis no great matter; for a very little thief of occasion will rob you of a great deal of patience give your disposition the reins, and be angry at your pleasures; at the least, if you take it as a pleasure to you, in being so. You blame Marcius for being proud? Bru. We do it not alone, Sir. Men. I know, you can do very little alone; for your helps are many; or else your actions would grow wondrous single your abilities are too infant-like, for doing much alone. You talk of pride: O, that you could turn your eyes towards the napes of your necks, and make but an interior survey of your good selves! O that you could! Bru. What then, Sir? Men. Why, then you should discover a brace of unmeriting, proud, violent, testy magistrates (alias, fools), as any in Rome. Sic. Menenius, you are known well enough too. Men. I am known to be a humorous patrician, and one that loves a cup of hot wine with not a drop of allaying Tybert in't; said to be something im perfect, in favouring the first complaint: hasty, and tinder-like, upon too trivial motion; one that converses more with the buttock of the night, than with the forehead of the morning. What I think, I utter; and spend my malice in my breath: meeting two such weals t-men as you are (I cannot call + Water of the Tyber. + States. • Back. |