Bru. Good-e'en to you all, good-e'en to you all. 1 Cit. Ourselves, our wives, and children, on our knees, Are bound to pray for you both. Sic. Live, and thrive! Bru. Farewell, kind neighbours: We wish'd Coriolanus Had lov'd you as we did. Cit. Now the gods keep you! Both Tri. Farewell, farewell. [Exeunt Citizens. Sic. This is a happier and more comely time, Than when these fellows ran about the streets, Bru. Caius Marcius was A worthy officer i'the war; but insolent, Sic. And affecting one sole throne, Without assistance. Men. I think not so. Sic. We should by this, to all our lamentation, If he had gone forth consul, found it so. Bru. The gods have well prevented it, and Rome Sits safe and still without him. Enter Edile. Ed. Worthy tribunes, There is a slave, whom we have put in prison, Are enter'd in the Roman territories: ; And with the deepest malice of the war Destroy what lies before them. Men. 'Tis Aufidius Who, hearing of our Marcius' banishment, Thrusts forth his horns again into the world; Which were inshell'd, when Marcius stood for Rome, And durst not once peep out. Sic. Come, what talk you Of Marcius? Bru. Go, see this rumourer whipp'd.-It cannot be, The Volces dare break with us. Men. Cannot be ! We have record, that very well it can; And three examples of the like have been Within my age. But reason with the fellow, Before you punish him, where he heard this : And beat the messenger who bids beware Of what is to be dreaded. Sic. Tell not me : I know, this cannot be. Bru. Not possible. Enter a Messenger. Mes. The nobles, in great earnestness, are going Sic. 'Tis this slave ;— Go whip him 'fore the people's eyes :—his raising! Mes. Yes, worthy sir, The slave's report is seconded; and more, Sic. What more fearful? Mes. It is spoke freely out of many mouths, Sic. This is most likely ! Bru. Rais'd only, that the weaker sort may wish Good Marcius home again. Sic. The very trick on't. He and Aufidius can no more atone," Than violentest contrariety. Enter another Messenger: Mes. You are sent for to the senate: A fearful army, led by Caius Marcius, Associated with Aufidius, rages Upon our territories; and have already, O'erborne their way, consum'd with fire, and took Enter COMINIUS. Com. O, you have made good work! Men. What news? What news? Com. You have holp to ravish your own daughters, and To melt the city leads upon your pates; To see your wives dishonour'd to your noses; Men. What's the news? what's the news? [5] To atone, in the active sense, is to reconcile, and is so used by our author. To atone here is, in the neutral sense, to come to reconciliation. To atone is to unite, JOHNSON. Com. Your temples burned in their cement; and Men. Pray now, your news ? You have made fair work, I fear me :-Pray, your news? If Marcius should be join'd with Volcians, Com, If! He is their god; he leads them like a thing Made by some other deity than nature, That shapes man better: and they follow him, Than boys pursuing summer butterflies, Or butchers killing flies. Men. You have made good work, You, and your apron men; you that stood so much The breath of garlic-eaters !? Com. He will shake Your Rome about your ears, Men. As Hercules 6 Did shake down mellow fruit: You have made fair work! Bru. But is this true, sir? Com. Ay; and you'll look pale Before you find it other. All the regions Do smilingly revolt; and, who resist, Are only mock'd for valiant ignorance, And perish constant fools. Who is't can blame him? Your enemies, and his, find something in him. Men. We are all undone, unless The noble man have mercy. Com. Who shall ask it? The tribunes cannot do't for shame; the people Deserve such pity of him, as the wolf Does of the shepherds: for his best friends, if they Men. 'Tis true : [6] Occupation is here used for mechanicks, men occupied in daily business. MAL. [7] To smell of garlick was once such a brand of vulgarity, that garlick was a food forbidden to an ancient order of Spanish knights, mentioned by Guevara. JOHNSON.To smell of leeks was no less a mark of vulgarity among the Roman people in the time of Juvenal. Sat. iii. .........quis tecum sectile porum Sutor, et elixi vervecis labra comedit? [8] An allusion to the apples of the Hesperides. STEEVENS. If he were putting to my house the brand Com. You have brought A trembling upon Rome, such as was never Tri. Say not, we brought it. Men. How! Was it we? We lov'd him ; but, like beasts, And cowardly nobles, gave way to your clusters, Who did hoot him out o'the city. Com. But, I fear They'll roar him in again." Tullus Aufidius, Enter a troop of Citizens. Men. Here come the clusters.- And is Aufidius with him?You are they And not a hair upon a soldier's head, Which will not prove a whip; as many coxcombs, threw caps up, will he tumble down, As you And pay you for your voices. 'Tis no matter; If he could burn us all into one coal, We have deserv'd it. Cit. 'Faith, we hear fearful news. 1 Cit. For mine own part, When I said, banish him, I said, 'twas pity. 2 Cit. And so did I. : 3 Cit. And so did I; and, to say the truth, so did very many of us That we did, we did for the best and though we willingly consented to his banishment, yet it was against our will. Com. You are goodly things, you voices! Men. You have made Good work, you and your cry!-Shall us to the capitol ? Com. O, ay; what else? [Exe. Coм. and MENEN. Sic. Go, masters, get you home, be not dismay'd; [9] As they hooted at his departure, they will roar at his return; as he went out with scoffs, he will come back with lamentations. JOHNSON. 'These are a side, that would be glad to have 1 Cit. The gods be good to us! Come, masters, let's home. I ever said, we were i'the wrong, when we banished him. 2 Cit. So did we all. But come, let's home. [Ex.Citizens. Bru. I do not like this news. Sic. Nor I. Bru. Let's to the Capitol.-'Would, half my wealth Would buy this for a lie! Sic. Pray, let us go. SCENE VII. [Exeunt. A Camp, at a small distance from Rome. Enter AUFIDIUS and his Lieutenant. Auf Do they still fly to the Roman ? Lieu. I do not know what witchcraft's in him; but Your soldiers use him as the grace 'fore meat, Their talk at table, and their thanks at end; And you are darken'd in this action, sir, Even by your own. Auf. I cannot help it now; Unless, by using means, I lame the foot Of our design. He bears himself more proudlier Lieu. Yet I wish, sir, (I mean for your particular,) you had not Auf. I understand thee well; and be thou sure, To the vulgar eye, that he bears all things fairly, Lieu. Sir, I beseech you, think you he'll carry Rome? |