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!

Enter a Messenger.

Mef. 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 fhall have means to vent Our mufty superfluity. See, our best Elders

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

ARCIUS, 'tis true, that you have lately

1 Sen. MA

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 wish 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.

1 Sat. 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 stiff? ftand'st out?

Tit. No, Caius Marcius,

I'll lean upon one crutch, and fight with t'other;
Ere ftay behind this bufinefs.

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 muft 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. Worshipful Mutineers, Your valour puts well forth; pray follow

[Exeunt. [Citizens feal away. Manent Sicinius and Brutus. Sic. Was ever man so 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 fpare to gird the
Gods-

Sic. Be-mock the modeft Moon-

Bru. The present wars devour him! He is grown Too proud, to be fo valiant.

Sic. Such a nature,

Tickled with good fuccefs, difdains the fhadow
Which he treads on at noon; but I do wonder,
His infolence can brook to be commanded
Under Cominius.

Brù. 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, though he perform

Το

To the utmost of a man; and giddy censure
Will then cry out of Marcius: oh, if he
Had borne the business-

Sic. Befides, if things go well,
Opinion, that fo flicks on Marcius: fhall
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 fhall be honours, though, indeed,

In aught he merit not.

Sic. Let's hence, and hear

How the difpatch is made; and in what fashion,
More than his fingularity, he goes

Upon this present action.

Bru. Let's along.

SCENE

[Exeunt.

V.

Changes to Corioli.

Enter Tullus Aufidius, with Senators of Corioli. I 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 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;
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 moft valiant Roman,
These three lead on this preparation

Whither

Whither 'tis bent-most likely, 'tis for you:
Confider of it.

1 Sen. Our Army's in the Field:

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 [ing,
They needs muft fhew themselves; which in the hatch-
It feem'd, appear'd to Rome. By the discovery
We fhall be fhortned in our aim, which was
To take in many Towns, ere (almost) Rome
Should know we were a-foot.

Sen. Noble Aufidius,

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

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

Auf. O, dout 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 afsist you!
Auf. And keep your Honours fafe!

I Sen. Farewel.

2 Sen. Farewel.

All. Farewel.

SCENE

VI.

[Exeunt.

Changes to Caius Marcius's House in Rome. Enter Volumnia and Virgilia; they fit down on two low fools, and few.

Pray you, Daughter, fing, or express yourself in a more comfortable fort: if my Son were

my

my Husband, I would freelier rejoice in that absence 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 Son of my womb; when youth with comeliness plucked all gaze his way; when, for a day of Kings' entreaties, a Mother fhould not fell him an hour from her beholding; I, confidering how Honour would become fuch a per-fon, that it was no better than picture-like to hang by th' wall, if Renown made it not ftir, was pleas'd to let him feek Danger where he was like to find Fame to a cruel war I fent him, from whence he return'd, his brows bound with Oak. I tell thee, Daughter, I fprang not more in joy at first hearing he was a man-child, than now in firft feeing he had proved himself a Man.

Vir. But had he died in the business, Madam; how then?

Vol. Then his good Report fhould have been my Son; I therein would have found iffue. Hear me profefs fincerely: had I a dozen Sons each in my love alike, and none lefs dear than thine and my good Marcius, I had rather eleven die nobly for their Country, than one volumptuoufly furfeit,out of action.

Gent. Madam, the Lady Valeria is come to vifit you.
Vir. 'Beseech you, give me leave to retire myself.
Vol. Indeed, thou shalt not:

Methinks, I hither hear your Hufband's Drum:
I fee him pluck Aufidius down by th' hair:

(As children from a bear) the Volfci fhunning him:
Methinks, I fee him ftamp thus-and call thus-
Come on, ye cowards, ye were got in fear,
Though ye were born in Rome; his bloody brow
With his mail'd hand then wiping, forth he goes
Like to a harveft man, that's talk'd to mow
Or all, or lofe his hire.