1 CIT. Let us kill him, and we'll have corn at our own price. Is 't a verdict?

CITIZENS. No more talking on 't; let it be done away, away!

2 CIT. One word, good citizens.

1 CIT. We are accounted poor citizens; the patricians good." What authority surfeits on would relieve us if they would yield us but the superfluity, while it were wholesome, we might guess they relieved us humanely; but they think we are too dear: the leanness that afflicts us, the object of our misery, is as an inventory to particularize their abundance; our sufferance is a gain to them.— Let us revenge this with our pikes, ere we become rakes for the gods know, I speak this in hunger for bread, not. in thirst for revenge.

2 CIT. Would you proceed especially against Caius Marcius?

CITIZENS. Against him first: he's a very dog to the commonalty.

2 CIT. Consider you what services he has done for his country?

1 CIT. Very well; and could be content to give him good report for 't, but that he pays himself with being proud.

2 Crr. Nay, but speak not maliciously.

1 CIT. I say unto you, what he hath done famously, he did it to that end: though softconscienced men can be content to say it was for his country, he did it to please his mother, and to be partly proud; which he is, even to the altitude of his virtue.

2 CIT. What he cannot help in his nature, you account a vice in him. You must in no way say he is covetous.

1 CIT. If I must not, I need not be barren of accusations; he hath faults, with surplus, to tire in repetition. [Shouts without.] What shouts are these? The other side o' the city is risen: why stay we prating here? to the Capitol !

CITIZENS. Come, come!

1 CIT. Soft! who comes here?

2 CIT. Worthy Menenius Agrippa; one that hath always loved the people.

1 CIT. He's one honest enough; would, all the rest were so!

a the patricians good.] Good is here used in the commercial sense, of substance; as in "The Merchant of Venice," Act I. Sc. 3,

"Antonio is a good man."

bere we become rakes:] "As lean as a rake" is a very ancient proverb; it is found in Chaucer's Cant. Tales, 1. 289,

"Al so lene was his hors as is a rake;"

and Spenser has it in his "Faerie Queene," B. II. c. 11,— "His body leane and meagre as a rake."

Nay, but speak not maliciously.] In the old text this speech has the prefix "All" to it, as if spoken by a body of the citizens, but it unquestionably belongs to the second Citizen.

1 CIT. We cannot, sir, we are undone already. MEN. I tell you, friends, most charitable care Have the patricians of you. For your wants, Your suffering in this dearth, you may as well Strike at the heaven with your staves, as lift them Against the Roman state; whose course will on The way it takes, cracking ten thousand curbs Of more strong link asunder than can ever Appear in your impediment: for the dearth, The gods, not the patricians, make it; and Your knees to them, not arms, must help. Alack, You are transported by calamity

Thither where more attends you; and you slander The helms o' the state, who care for you like fathers,

When you curse them as enemies.

1 CIT. Care for us! True, indeed, they ne'er cared for us yet. Suffer us to famish, and their store-houses crammed with grain; make edicts for usury, to support usurers ;(1) repeal daily any wholesome act established against the rich; and provide more piercing statutes daily, to chain up and restrain the poor. If the wars eat us not up, they will; and there's all the love they bear us. MEN. Either you must

Confess yourselves wondrous malicious,
Or be accus'd of folly. I shall tell you
A pretty tale; it may be, you have heard it;
But, since it serves my purpose, I will venture
To stale 't' a little more.

1 Crr. Well, I'll hear it, sir: yet you must not think to fob off our disgrace with a tale: but, an't please you, deliver.

111

d to please his mother, and to be partly proud;] This may mean, - partly to please his mother, and because he was proud; " but we believe the genuine text would give us, “—and to be portly proud."

e Our business is not unknown to the senate;] This and the subsequent speeches of the civic interlocutor, are in the old copy assigned to the second Citizen. Capell originally gave them to the first Citizen (though Malone, more suo, takes credit for it), and the previous dialogue very clearly shows the necessity of the change.

f To stale't a little more.] The folio has "To scale 't," for which Theobald substituted stale't, no doubt the genuine word. See Massinger's "Unnatural Combat," Act IV. Sc. 2,

"I'll not stale the jest By my relation,"

and Gifford's note on that passage.

MEN. There was a time, when all the body's

members

Rebell'd against the belly; thus accus'd it:—
That only like a gulf it did remain

I' the midst o' the body, idle and unactive,
Still cupboarding the viand, never bearing

Like labour with the rest, where the other instruments

Did see, and hear, devise, instruct, walk, feel,
And, mutually participate, did minister
Unto the appetite and affection common

Of the whole body. The belly answer'd,

1 Crr. Well, sir, what answer made the belly? MEN. Sir, I shall tell you. With a kind of

smile, Which ne'er came from the lungs, but even thus,For, look you, I may make the belly smile, As well as speak,-it tauntingly * replied To the discontented members, the mutinous parts That envied his receipt; even so most fitly As you malign our senators for that They are not such as you.

1 CIT. Your belly's answer? What! The kingly-crowned head, the vigilant eye, The counsellor heart, the arm our soldier, Our steed the leg, the tongue our trumpeter, With other muniments and petty helps

In this our fabric, if that they

If you'll bestow a small (of what you have little)
Patience, a while, you'll hear the belly's answer.
1 CIT. You're long about it.
MEN.
Note me this, good friend;
Your most grave belly was deliberate,

Not rash like his accusers, and thus answered :—
True is it, my incorporate friends, quoth he,
That I receive the general food at first,
Which you do live upon; and fit it is,

Because I am the store-house and the shop
Of the whole body: but, if you do remember,
I send it through the rivers of your blood,
Even to the court, the heart,-to the seat o' the
brain;

a

(*) Old text, taintingly.

(†) Old text, you'st. Thou rascal, that art worst in blood to run, Lead'st first, to win some vantage.]

"Rascal" and "in blood" being ancient terms of the chase, the former applicable to a deer, lean and out of condition, the latter signifying one full of vigour and dangerous to his hunters, Menenius is supposed to mean,- thou meagre wretch, least in heart and resolution, art prompt enough to lead when profit points VOL. III. 129

That, rubbing the poor itch of your opinion,
Make yourselves scabs ?

1 CIT.
We have ever your good word.
MAR. He that will give good words to thee will
flatter

Beneath abhorring.-What would you have, you

hares;

Where he should find you lions, finds you
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 hate; and your affections are
A sick man's appetite, who desires 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;
And call him noble that was now your hate,
Him vile that was your garland.

matter,

That in these several places of the city

I'd make a quarry

What's the

With thousands of these quarter'd slaves,-]

You cry against the noble senate, who,
Under the gods, keep you in awe, which else

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 sit by the fire, and presume to know What's done i' the Capitol; who's like to rise, Who thrives, and who declines; side factions, and give out

Conjectural marriages; making parties strong, 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 make a quarry

Aquarry," in the language of the forest, meant a pile of slaughtered game.

With thousands of these quarter'd slaves, as high As I could pick 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 dissolv'd: hang 'em! They said they were an-hungry; sigh'd forth proverbs,[eat ;That hunger broke stone walls;-that dogs must That meat was made for mouths;-that the gods sent 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
[moon,
As they would hang them on the horns o' the
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-'sdeath!
The rabble should have first unroof'd the city,
Ere so prevail'd with me: it will in time

Win upon power, and throw forth greater themes For insurrection's arguing.

MAR.

[To the Citizens. Nay, let them follow:

The Volsces have much corn; take these rats

Το

thither,

gnaw their garners.-Worshipful mutiners, 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

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. The present wars devour him! he is

grown Too proud to be so valiant. SIC.

Such a nature,

(*) Old text, Shooting.

(†) Old text, unroo'st.

(*) Old text, Lucius.

The present wars devour him! he is grown
Too proud to be so valiant.]

The beginning of this speech, which has been explained,-his pride of military prowess in these wars devours him, we prefer to read, with Warburton, as an imprecation. The latter words appear to import,-He is grown too proud of being so valiant.

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's 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, 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!

Let's along. [Exeunt.

1 SEN.

2 SEN.

ALL. Farewell.

The gods assist you!

Farewell.

Farewell.

[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 have 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.

1 SEN.

Our army's in the field:

a of his demerits rob Cominius.] "Demerits" and merits had, of old, the same meaning, that of deserts.

b More than his singularity,-] As "singularity" formerly implied pre-eminence, Sicinius may mean, sarcastically,-after what fashion beside his usual assumption of superiority.

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 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 kings' 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.(3) I tell thee, daughter, -I sprang not more in joy at first hearing he was

care enter'd in our counsels,-] Have penetrated into our secrets, or, are informed of our purposes.

dCorioli;] In the folio this name is spelt "Coriolus," "Corioles," or "Carioles."