Was not our recompense; resting well assur'd They ne'er did service for't: Being press'd to the war, They would not thread the gates 8: this kind of service 1 The senate's courtesy? Let deeds express They gave us our demands: :- Thus we debase The nature of our seats, and make the rabble To peck the eagles. Men. Come, enough. No, take more; Bru. Enough, with over-measure. Cor. What may be sworn by, both divine and human, Seal what I end withal! - This double worship, Where one part does disdain with cause, the other Insult without all reason; where gentry, title, wisdom Cannot conclude, but by the yea and no Of general ignorance, it must omit Real necessities, and give way the while To unstable slightness: purpose so barr'd, it follows, Nothing is done to purpose: Therefore, beseech you, 8 They would not thread the gates:-] That is, pass them. We yet say, to thread an alley. 9 could never be the native-] Native is here not natural birth, but natural parent, or cause of birth. JOHNSON. 11 this bosom multiplied-] This multitudinous bosom; the bosom of that great monster, the people You that will be less fearful than discreet; More than you doubt the change of't2; that prefer 3 To jump a body 3 with a dangerous physick That's sure of death without it, at once pluck out Bru. He has said enough. Sic. He has spoken like a traitor, and shall answer As traitors do. Cor. Thou wretch! despite o'erwhelm thee! What should the people do with these bald tribunes? On whom depending, their obedience fails To the greater bench; In a rebellion, When what's not meet, but what must be, was law, Let what is meet, be said, it must be meet, And throw their power i'the dust. Bru. Manifest treason. Sic. This a consul? no. Bru. The Ædiles, ho! — Let him be apprehended. Sic. Go, call the people; [exit BRUTUS.] in whose name, myself Attach thee, as a traitorous innovator, 21 More than you doubt the change of't;] To doubt is to fear. The meaning is, You whose zeal predominates over your terrors; you who do not so much fear the danger of violent measures, as wish the good to which they are necessary, the preservation of the original constitution of our government. 3 To jump a body-] Thus the old copy. To jump anciently signified to jolt, to give a rude concussion to any thing. To jump a body may therefore mean, to put it into a violent agitation or commotion. A foe to the public weal: Obey, I charge thee, Cor. Hence, old goat! Aged sir, hands off. Sen. & Pat. We'll surety him. Com. Cor. Hence, rotten thing, or I shall shake thy bones Out of thy garments. Sic. Help, ye citizens. Re-enter BRUTUS, with the Ediles, and a rabble of Cit. Down with him, down with him! 2 Sen. [Several speak. Weapons, weapons, weapons! Tribunes, patricians, citizens! - what ho! - Cit. Peace, peace, peace; stay, hold, peace! Speak, good Sicinius. Sic. Hear me, people; - Peace. Cit. Let's hear our tribune:- Peace. Speak, speak, speak. Sic. You are at point to lose your liberties: Marcius would have all from you; Marcius, Whom late you have nam'd for consul. Fye, fye, fye! Men. Cit. True, The people are the city. Bru. By the consent of all, we were establish'd The people's magistrates. Cit. You so remain. Men. And so are like to do. Cor. That is the way to lay the city flat; Sic. This deserves death. Bru. Or let us stand to our authority, Sic. Therefore, lay hold of him; Bear him to the rock Tarpeian, and from thence Bru. Ediles, seize him. Hear me one word. Cit. Yield, Marcius, yield. Men. Beseech you, tribunes, hear me but a word. Edi. Peace, peace. Men. Be that you seem, truly your country's friend, And temperately proceed to what you would Thus violently redress. Bru. Sir, those cold ways, That seem like prudent helps, are very poisonous Where the disease is violent: - Lay hands upon him, And bear him to the rock. Cor. No; I'll die here. [Drawing his Sword. There's some among you have beheld me fighting; Bru. Lay hands upon him. Men. Help, help Marcius! help, You that be noble: help him, young, and old! Cit. Down with him, down with him! [In this Mutiny, the Tribunes, the Ediles, and the People, are all beat in. Men. Go, get you to your house; be gone, away, All will be naught else. 2 Sen. Cor. Get you gone. Stand fast; We have as many friends as enemies. Men. Shall it be put to that? 1 Sen. I pr'ythee, noble friend, home to thy house; Leave us to cure this cause. Men. The gods forbid ! For 'tis a sore upon us, You cannot tent yourself: Begone, 'beseech you. Cor. I would they were barbarians, (as they are, Though in Rome litter'd,) not Romans, (as they are not, Though calv'd i'the porch o'the Capitol,) — Men. Cor. I could beat forty of them. Men. Be gone; On fair ground, I could myself Take up a brace of the best of them; yea, the two tri bunes. Com. But now 'tis odds beyond arithmetick; And manhood is call'd foolery, when it stands Against a falling fabrick.-Will you hence, 4 One time will owe another.] The meaning seems to be, One time will compensate for another. Our time of triumph will come hereafter time will be in our debt, will owe us a good turn, for our present disgrace. Let us trust to futurity. |