Complete Plays, The (173 page)

Menenius

What is granted them?

Marcius

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.

Menenius

This is strange.

Marcius

Go, get you home, you fragments!

Enter a Messenger, hastily

Messenger

Where’s Caius Marcius?

Marcius

Here: what’s the matter?

Messenger

The news is, sir, the Volsces are in arms.

Marcius

I am glad on ’t: then we shall ha’ means to vent
Our musty superfluity. See, our best elders.

Enter Cominius, Titus Lartius, and other Senators; Junius Brutus and Sicinius Velutus

First Senator

Marcius, ’tis true that you have lately told us;
The Volsces are in arms.

Marcius

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.

Cominius

You have fought together.

Marcius

Were half to half the world by the ears and he.
Upon my party, I’ld revolt to make
Only my wars with him: he is a lion
That I am proud to hunt.

First Senator

Then, worthy Marcius,
Attend upon Cominius to these wars.

Cominius

It is your former promise.

Marcius

Sir, it is;
And I am constant. Titus Lartius, thou
Shalt see me once more strike at Tullus’ face.
What, art thou stiff? stand’st out?

Titus

No, Caius Marcius;
I’ll lean upon one crutch and fight with t’other,
Ere stay behind this business.

Menenius

O, true-bred!

First Senator

Your company to the Capitol; where, I know,
Our greatest friends attend us.

Titus

[To Cominius]
 
Lead you on.

To Marcius

Right worthy you priority.

Cominius

Noble Marcius!

First Senator

[To the Citizens]
 
Hence to your homes; be gone!

Marcius

Nay, let them follow:
The Volsces have much corn; take these rats thither
To gnaw their garners. Worshipful mutiners,
Your valour puts well forth: pray, follow.

Citizens steal away. Exeunt all but Sicinius and Brutus

Sicinius

Was ever man so proud as is this Marcius?

Brutus

He has no equal.

Sicinius

When we were chosen tribunes for the people,—

Brutus

Mark’d you his lip and eyes?

Sicinius

Nay. but his taunts.

Brutus

Being moved, he will not spare to gird the gods.

Sicinius

Be-mock the modest moon.

Brutus

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

Sicinius

Such a nature,
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.

Brutus

Fame, at the which he aims,
In whom already he’s well graced, can not
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!’

Sicinius

Besides, if things go well,
Opinion that so sticks on Marcius shall
Of his demerits rob Cominius.

Brutus

Come:
Half all Cominius’ honours are to Marcius.
Though Marcius earned them not, and all his faults
To Marcius shall be honours, though indeed
In aught he merit not.

Sicinius

Let’s hence, and hear
How the dispatch is made, and in what fashion,
More than his singularity, he goes
Upon this present action.

Brutus

Lets along.

Exeunt

S
CENE
II. C
ORIOLI
. T
HE
S
ENATE
-
HOUSE
.

Enter Tullus Aufidius and certain Senators

First Senator

So, your opinion is, Aufidius,
That they of Rome are entered in our counsels
And know how we proceed.

Aufidius

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.’

First Senator

 
Our army’s in the field
We never yet made doubt but Rome was ready
To answer us.

Aufidius

 
Nor did you think it folly
To keep your great pretences veil’d till when
They needs must show themselves; which in the hatching,
It seem’d, appear’d to Rome. By the discovery.
We shall be shorten’d in our aim, which was
To take in many towns ere almost Rome
Should know we were afoot.

Second Senator

Noble Aufidius,
Take your commission; hie you to your bands:
Let us alone to guard Corioli:
If they set down before ’s, for the remove
Bring your army; but, I think, you’ll find
They’ve not prepared for us.

Aufidius

O, doubt not that;
I speak 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 sworn between us we shall ever strike
Till one can do no more.

All

The gods assist you!

Aufidius

And keep your honours safe!

First Senator

Farewell.

Second Senator

Farewell.

All

Farewell.

Exeunt

S
CENE
III. R
OME
. A
ROOM
IN
M
ARCIUS
’
HOUSE
.

Enter Volumnia and Virgilia they set them down on two low stools, and sew

Volumnia

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. I tell thee, daughter, I sprang not more in joy at first hearing he was a man-child than now in first seeing he had proved himself a man.

Virgilia

But had he died in the business, madam; how then?

Volumnia

Then his good report should have been my son; I therein would have found issue. Hear me profess sincerely: had I a dozen sons, each in my love alike and none less dear than thine and my good Marcius, I had rather had eleven die nobly for their country than one voluptuously surfeit out of action.

Enter a Gentlewoman

Gentlewoman

Madam, the Lady Valeria is come to visit you.

Virgilia

Beseech you, give me leave to retire myself.

Volumnia

Indeed, you shall not.
Methinks I hear hither your husband’s drum,
See him pluck Aufidius down by the hair,
As children from a bear, the Volsces shunning him:
Methinks I see him stamp thus, and call thus:
‘Come on, you cowards! you were got in fear,
Though you were born in Rome:’ his bloody brow
With his mail’d hand then wiping, forth he goes,
Like to a harvest-man that’s task’d to mow
Or all or lose his hire.

Virgilia

His bloody brow! O Jupiter, no blood!

Volumnia

Away, you fool! it more becomes a man
Than gilt his trophy: the breasts of Hecuba,
When she did suckle Hector, look’d not lovelier
Than Hector’s forehead when it spit forth blood
At Grecian sword, contemning. Tell Valeria,
We are fit to bid her welcome.

Exit Gentlewoman

Virgilia

Heavens bless my lord from fell Aufidius!

Volumnia

He’ll beat Aufidius’ head below his knee
And tread upon his neck.

Enter Valeria, with an Usher and Gentlewoman

Valeria

My ladies both, good day to you.

Volumnia

Sweet madam.

Virgilia

I am glad to see your ladyship.

Valeria

How do you both? you are manifest house-keepers. What are you sewing here? A fine spot, in good faith. How does your little son?

Virgilia

I thank your ladyship; well, good madam.

Volumnia

He had rather see the swords, and hear a drum, than look upon his school-master.

Valeria

O’ my word, the father’s son: I’ll swear,’tis a very pretty boy. O’ my troth, I looked upon him o’ Wednesday half an hour together: has such a confirmed countenance. I saw him run after a gilded butterfly: and when he caught it, he let it go again; and after it again; and over and over he comes, and again; catched it again; or whether his fall enraged him, or how ’twas, he did so set his teeth and tear it; O, I warrant it, how he mammocked it!

Volumnia

One on ’s father’s moods.

Valeria

Indeed, la, ’tis a noble child.

Virgilia

A crack, madam.

Valeria

Come, lay aside your stitchery; I must have you play the idle husewife with me this afternoon.

Virgilia

No, good madam; I will not out of doors.

Valeria

Not out of doors!

Volumnia

She shall, she shall.

Virgilia

Indeed, no, by your patience; I’ll not over the threshold till my lord return from the wars.

Valeria

Fie, you confine yourself most unreasonably: come, you must go visit the good lady that lies in.

Virgilia

I will wish her speedy strength, and visit her with my prayers; but I cannot go thither.

Volumnia

Why, I pray you?

Virgilia

’Tis not to save labour, nor that I want love.

Valeria

You would be another Penelope: yet, they say, all the yarn she spun in Ulysses’ absence did but fill Ithaca full of moths. Come; I would your cambric were sensible as your finger, that you might leave pricking it for pity. Come, you shall go with us.

Virgilia

No, good madam, pardon me; indeed, I will not forth.

Valeria

In truth, la, go with me; and I’ll tell you excellent news of your husband.

Virgilia

O, good madam, there can be none yet.

Valeria

Verily, I do not jest with you; there came news from him last night.

Virgilia

Indeed, madam?

Valeria

In earnest, it’s true; I heard a senator speak it. Thus it is: the Volsces have an army forth; against whom Cominius the general is gone, with one part of our Roman power: your lord and Titus Lartius are set down before their city Corioli; they nothing doubt prevailing and to make it brief wars. This is true, on mine honour; and so, I pray, go with us.

Virgilia

Give me excuse, good madam; I will obey you in every thing hereafter.

Volumnia

Let her alone, lady: as she is now, she will but disease our better mirth.

Valeria

In troth, I think she would. Fare you well, then. Come, good sweet lady. Prithee, Virgilia, turn thy solemness out o’ door. and go along with us.

Virgilia

No, at a word, madam; indeed, I must not. I wish you much mirth.

Valeria

Well, then, farewell.

Exeunt

S
CENE
IV. B
EFORE
C
ORIOLI
.

Enter, with drum and colours, Marcius, Titus Lartius, Captains and Soldiers. To them a Messenger

Marcius

Yonder comes news. A wager they have met.

Lartius

My horse to yours, no.

Marcius

’Tis done.

Lartius

Agreed.

Marcius

Say, has our general met the enemy?

Messenger

They lie in view; but have not spoke as yet.

Lartius