Upon your favours, fwims with fins of lead,
And hews down oaks with rushes. Hang yetrust ye!
With every minute you do change a mind,

And call him noble, that was now your hate;

lim vile, that was your garland. What's the matter, That in the fev'ral places of the city

You cry againft the noble Senate, who

(Under the Gods) keep you in awe, which elfe Would feed on one another? what's their feeking! Men. For corn at their own rates, whereof, they fay, The city is well stor'd.

Mar. Hang 'em they fay!

They'll fit by th' fire, and prefume to know
What's done i'th' Capitol; who's like to rife;

Who thrives,and who declines: fide factions, and give out
Conjectural marriages; making parties ftrong,
And feeble fuch, as ftand not in their liking,
Below their cobled fhoes. They fay, there's grain enough!
Would the nobility lay afide their ruth,

And let me ufe my fword, I'd make a quarry
With thousands of these quarter'd slaves, as high
As I could pitch my lance.

Men. Nay, thefe are almoft thoroughly perfuaded : For though abundantly they lack difcretion,

Yet are they paffing cowardly. But, I beseech you, What fays the other troop?

figh'd forth proverbs ; that dogs must eat,

Mar. They are diffolv'd; hang 'em,
They faid they were an hungry,
That hunger broke ftone walls
That meat was made for mouths
Corn for the rich men only-

that the Gods fent net

-With thefe fhreds

They vented their complainings: which being anfwer'd, And a petition granted them, a ftrange one,

To break the heart of generofity,

And make bold power look pale; they drew their caps As they would hang them on the horns o'th' 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

Sicinius Velutus, and I know not

-s'death,

The rabble should have first unroof'd the city,
Ere fo prevail'd with me! it will in time

Win upon Power, and throw forth greater themes
For infurrection's arguing..

Men. This is ftrange.

Mar. Go, get you home, you fragments!

Mef. The news is, Sir, the Volfcians are in arms. Mar. I'm glad on't, then we shall have means to vent Our mufty fuperfluity. See, our best Elders!

Enter Sicinius Velutus, Junius Brutus, Cominius, Titus Lartius, with other Senators.

1 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.
I 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

Qnly my wars with him. He is a lion,

That I am proud to hunt.

1 Sen. Then, worthy Marcius,

Attend upon Cominius to these wars.
Com. It is your former promise.

Mar. Sir, it is;

And I am conftant; Titus Lartius, thou

Shalt fee me once more ftrike at Tullus' face.

What, art thou ftiff? ftand'ft out?

Tit. No, Caius Marcius,

I'll lean upon one crutch, and fight with t'other;"

Ere

Ere ftay 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, Cominius; we must follow you;

Right worthy you priority.

Com. Noble Lartius!.

1 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. Worfhipful mutineers,
Your valour puts well forth; pray, follow.-
[Citizens feal away.

[Exeunt.

Manent Sicinius and Brutus.

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

Sic. When we were chofen 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 GodsSic. Be-mock the modeft moon,

Bru. The prefent wars devour him; he is grown Too proud, to be fo valiant.

Sic. Such a nature,

Tickled with good fuccefs, difdains 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 firft; for what miscarries
Shall be the general's fault, tho' he perform.
To the utmost of a man; and giddy cenfure
Will then cry out of Marcius: oh, if he
Had borne the bufinefs.

Sic. Befides, if things go well,
Opinion, that fo fticks on Marcius, fhall
Of his demerits rob Cominius.

Bru.

Bru. Come,

Half all Cominius' honours are to Marcius,
Though Marcius earn'd them not; and all his faults
To Marcius fhall he honours, though, indeed,
In aught 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 prefent action.

Bru. Let's along.

SCENE changes to Corioli.

[Exeunt.

Enter Tullus Aufidius, with Senators of Corioli.

1 Sen.

O, 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 the ftate,
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;

They have preft a power, but it is not known

[Reading. "Whether for Eaft or Weft; the dearth is great, "The people mutinous; and it is rumour'd, Cominius, Marcius your old enemy,

་་

(Who is of Rome worfe hated than of you) "And Titus Lartius, a most valiant Roman, "These three lead on this preparation "Whither 'tis bent-most likely, 'tis for "Confider of it."

1 Sen. Our army's in the field:

you

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

They needs muft fhew themselves: which in the hatching,
It feem'd, appear'd to Rome. By the difcovery
We fhall be shortned in our aim, which was
To take in many towns, ere (almost) Rome
Should know we were a-foot.

z Sen. Noble Aufidius,

Take your commiffion, hie you to your bands;
Let us alone to guard Corioli;

If they fet down before's, for the remove
Bring up your army: but, I think, you'll find,
They've not prepar'd for us.

Auf. O, doubt not that,

I fpeak from certainties. Nay more,
Some parcels of their power are forth already,
And only hitherward. I leave your honours.
If we and Caius Marcius chance to meet,
'Tis fworn between us, we fhall ever ftrike
'Till one can do no more.

All. The Gods affift you!

Auf. And keep your Honours fafe!

1 Sen. Farewel.

2 Sen. Farewel.

All. Farewel.

[Exeunt.

SCENE changes to Caius Marcius's House in

ROME.

Enter Volumnia and Virgilia; they fit down on two low ftools and few.

Vol. Pray you, daughter, fing or exprefs yourfelf in a more comfortable fort: if my Son were my Husband, I would freelier rejoice in that abfence wherein he won honour, than in the embracements of his bed, where he would fhew moft love. When yet he was but tender-bodied, and the only fon of my womb; when youth with comeliness plucked all gaze his way; when, for a day of Kings' entreaties, a mother should not fell him an hour from her beholding; I, confidering how

honour