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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?

4

Would the nobility lay aside their ruth,'
And let me use my sword, I'd make a quarry'
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 dissolved: Hang 'em! They said, they were an-hungry; sigh'd forth pro

verbs;

That, hunger broke stone walls; that, dogs must eat; 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,

*—their ruth,] i. e. their pity, compassion. Fairfax and Spenser often use the word. Hence the adjective-ruthless,

which is still current.

5

I'd make a quarry-] Mr. Steevens asserts, that quarry means game pursued or killed, and supports that opinion by a passage in Massinger's Guardian: and from thence, perhaps, the word was used to express a heap of slaughtered persons.

6

pick my lance.] i. e. pitch it.

(To break the heart of generosity,"

And make bold power look pale,) they threw their

caps

As they would hang them on the horns o'the moon, Shouting their emulation.

Men.

8

What is granted them?

Mar. Five tribunes, to defend their vulgar wis

doms,

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."

Men.

This is strange.

Mar. Go, get you home, you fragments!

Enter a Messenger.

Mess. Where's Caius Marcius?

Mar.

Here: What's the matter?

Mess. The news is, sir, the Volces are in arms.
Mar. I am glad on't; then we shall have means to

vent

Our musty superfluity:-See, our best elders.

Enter COMINIUS, TITUS LARTIUS, and other Senators; JUNIUS BRUTUS, and SICINIUS VELUTUS.

1 Sen. Marcius, 'tis true, that you have lately

told us;

7- the heart of generosity,] To give the final blow to the nobles. Generosity is high birth.

Shouting their emulation.] Emulation, in the present instance, perhaps, signifies faction. Shouting their emulation, may mean, expressing the triumph of their faction by shouts. Emulation, in our author, is sometimes used in an unfavourable sense, and not to imply an honest contest for superior excellence.

For insurrection's arguing.] For insurgents to debate upon.

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The Volces are in arms.

Mar.

They have a leader,

Tullus Aufidius, that will put you to't.
I sin in envying his nobility:

And were I any thing but what I am,
I would wish me only he.

Com.

You have fought together.

Mar. Were half to half the world by the 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 Sen.

Then, worthy Marcius,

Sir, it is;

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

Mar.

And I am constant.-Titus Lartius, thou
Shalt see me once more strike at Tullus' face:
What, art thou stiff? stand'st out?

Tit.
No, Caius Marcius;
I'll lean upon one crutch, and fight with the other,
Ere stay behind this business.

Men.

O, true bred!

1 Sen. Your company to the Capitol; where, I

know,

Our greatest friends attend us.

Tit.

Lead you on:

Follow, Cominius; we must follow you;
Right worthy you priority.1

Com.

Noble Lartius!

1 Sen. Hence! To your homes, be gone.

To the Citizens. Mar. Nay, let them follow: The Volces have much corn; take these rats thither,

1 Right worthy you priority.] You being right worthy of precedence.

To gnaw their garners:-Worshipful mutineers,
Your valour puts well forth:2 pray, follow.

Exeunt Senators, Coм. 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 peo

ple,

Bru. Mark'd you his lip, and eyes?

Sic.

Nay, but his taunts.

Bru. Being mov'd, he will not spare to gird3 the

gods.

Sic. Be-mock the modest moon.

Bru. The present wars devour him: he is grown Too proud to be so valiant.*

Such a nature,

Sic.
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 is 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!

Sic.

Besides, if things go well,

Opinion, that so sticks on Marcius, shall

2 Your valour puts well forth:] That is, You have in this mutiny shown fair blossoms of valour.

to gird-] To sneer, to gibe.

+ The present wars devour him: he is

grown

Too proud to be so valiant.] He is grown too proud to be so valiant, may signify, his pride is such as not to deserve the accompanyment of so much valour.

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Of his demerits rob Cominius.5

Bru.

Come:

Half all Cominius' honours are to Marcius,

Though Marcius earn'd them not; and all his faults To Marcius shall be honours, though, indeed,

In aught he merit not.

Sic.

Let's hence, and hear

How the despatch is made; and in what fashion,
More than in singularity, he goes

Upon his present action.

Bru.

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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 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: [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,)

s Of his demerits rob Cominius.] Merits and Demerits had anciently the same meaning.

More than in singularity, &c.] After what fashion, beside that in which his own singularity of disposition invests him, he goes into the field.

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