1 Sen.

Then, worthy Marcius,

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

Mar.

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?

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

Men.

O, true bred.

1 Sen. Your company to th' Capitol; where, I know, Our greatest friends attend us.

Tit.

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

Com.

Lead you on:

Noble Lartius!

Nay, let them follow :

1 Sen. Hence! To your homes, be

Mar. The Volces have much corn; take these rats thither,

To gnaw their garners:-Worshipful mutineers,

Your valour puts well forth; 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 peoBru. Mark'd you his lip, and eyes? ple,

Sic.

Nay, but his taunts. Bru. Being mov'd, he will not spare to gird' the

gods.

Sic. Be-mock the modest moon.

Bru. The present wars devour him :3 he is grown Too proud to be so valiant.1

Sic.

1

Such a nature,

to gird, to jeer.

Worthily you take the priority. * Devour his gentler qualities.

Too proud to be endured.

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 th' 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

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 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.

Let's along.

[Exeunt.

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,

Merits and demerits had anciently the same meaning. 2 We will learn what he is to do besides going himself; what are his powers and what is his appointment.

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.

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
They needs must show themselves; which in the
hatching,

It seem'd, appeared 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.

2 Sen.

Take

your

Noble Aufidius,

bands:

hie
commission;
to your
you
Let us alone to guard Corioli:

If they set down before us, for the remove2
Bring up your army; but, I think, you'll find
They have not prepar'd for us.

Auf.
O, doubt not that;
I speak from certainties. Nay, more,
Some parcels of their powers are forth already,
And only hitherward. I leave your honours.
If we and Caius Marcius chance to meet,
'Tis sworn between us, we shall never strike
Till one can do no more.

To capture, to subdue.

To remove them.

SCENE III.-Rome. An apartment in Marcius'

house.

Enter VOLUMNIA, and VIRGILIA: They sit down on two low stools, and sew.

Vol. 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 [home], 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 manchild, than now in first seeing he had proved himself a

man.

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

Vol. Then his good report should have been my son; I therein would have found issue. Hear me

This was the Corona Civica, which was given to him that had saved the life of a citizen, and was accounted more honourable than any other. Virgil calls it Civilis Quercus, Æn. 6. 772.

Atque umbrata gerunt civili tempora Quercu.

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,

Gent. Madam, the lady Valeria is come to visit you.

Vir. 'Beseech you, give me leave to retire' myself.
Vol. Indeed, you shall not.

Methinks, I hear hither your husband's drum;
See hin pluck Aufinius down by the hair;

As children from a bear, the Volces 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.

Vir. His bloody brow! O, Jupiter, no blood!
Vol. 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 swords' contending.-Tell Valeria,
We are fit to bid her welcome.
[Exit. Gent.

Vir. Heavens bless my lord from fell Aufidius! Vol. He'll beat Aufidius' head below his knee, And tread upon his neck.

Re-enter Gentlewoman, with VALERIA and her Usher.

Val. My ladies both, good day to you.

Vol. Sweet madam,

Vir. I am glad to see your ladyship.

Val. How do you both? you are manifest house

1 retire-used as a verb active.

i. e. Than gilt becomes his trophy.