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 Meffenger.

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 fuperfluity. See, our beft 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,

Tullas 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

Only my wars with him. He is a lion,

That I am proud to hunt.

1 Sen. Then worthy Marcius,

Attend upon Cominius to thefe wars.
Com. It is your former promife.

Mar. Sir, it is;

And I am constant: 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 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.

Mar. Nay, let them follow;

[To the Citizensa

The Volfcians have much corn: take thefe rats thither,
To gnaw their garners. Worshipful mutineers,
Your valour puts well forth; pray, follow.- [Exeunt.
[Citizens fteal 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 spare to gird the gods Sic. Be-mock the modest moon,

Bru. (4) The prefent 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.

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

(4) The prefent wars devour him; he is grown

Too proud to be fo valiant.] This is very obfcurely exprefs'd; but the poet's meaning muft certainly be this. Marcius is fo confcious of, and fo elate upon, the notion of his own valour, that he is eaten up with pride; devour'd with the apprehenfions of that glory which he promises himself from the enfuing war. A fentiment, like this, Occurs again in Troilus and Crefida.

He, that is proud, eats up himself. Pride is his own glafs, his own trumpet, his own chronicle; and whatever praifes itself but in the deed, devours the deed in the praise.

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. 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 ought 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.

O, your opinion is, "Aufidius,

8 Sen. ST

That they of Rome are entred in our counfels,

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-thefe 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 worse hated than of you) "And Titus Lartius, a moft valiant Roman, "These three lead on this preparation "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 anfwer us.

Auf. Nor did you think it folly

To keep your great pretences veil'd, 'till when.
They needs must fhew themfelves; which in the hatching,
It feem'd, appear'd to Rome. By the discovery,
We fhall be fhortened in our aim, which was
To take in many towns, ere (almost) Rome
Should know we were a-foot.

2 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.

Al. The gods aflift you!

duf. And keep your honours fafe!

1 Sen. Farewel.

2 Sen. Farewel.

All. Farewel.

[Exeunt.

SCENE, changes to Caius Marcius's Houfe in Rome.

Enter Volumnia and Virgilia; they fit down on two lozu ftools, and for.

Vol. I

Pray you, daughter, fing, or express yourself in a more comfortable fort: if my fon 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

when for a day of King's intreaties, a mother should not fell him an hour from her beholding; I, confidering how honour would become.fuch a perfon, 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 bufinefs, Madam; how then?

Vol. Then his good report fhould have been my fon; I therein would have found iffue. Hear me profefs fincerely; had I a dozen fons 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 voluptuoufly furfeit out of action.

Enter a Gentlewoman.

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

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

(As children from a bear) the Volfi fhunning him:
Methinks, I fee him ftamp, thus-and call thus-
Come on, ye cowards, ye 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 harveft man, that's task'd to mow
Or all, or lofe his hire.

Vir. His bloody brow! oh, Jupiter, no blood! -
Vol. Away, you fool; it more becomes a man,
Than gilt his trophy. The breaft of Hecuba,:
When he did fuckle Hector, look'd not lovelier
Than Hector's forehead, when it fpit forth blood
At Grecian fwords contending; tell Valeria,
We are fit to bid her welcome.

"

[Exit Gent.

Vir. Heav'ns blefs my Lord from fell Aufidius!