Only my wars with him: he is a lion
That I am proud to hunt.

1 SEN. Then, worthy Marcius, Attend

upon Cominius to these wars.

Coм. It is your former promise.

MAR. Sir, it is;

And I am conftant. Titus Lartius, thou

Shalt fee me once more ftrike at Tullus' face:
What, art thou ftiff? ftand'ft 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!

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

I SEN. Hence! To your homes, be gone.

MAR. Nay, let them follow:

[To the CITIZEns.

The Volces have much corn; take these rats thither, gnaw their garners :-Worshipful mutineers,

To

Your valour puts well forth: pray,

follow.

[Exeunt SENATORS, COM. MAR. TIT. and MENEN. CITIZENS fteal away.

SIC. Was ever man fo 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 modeft moon.

BRU. The prefent wars devour him: he is grown Too proud to be fo valiant.

SIC. Such a nature,

Tickled with good fuccefs, difdains the shadow
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 first for what miscarries
Shall be the general's fault, though he perform
To the utmost of a man; and giddy cenfure
Will then cry out of Marcius, O, if he
Had borne the business!

Sic. Befides, if things go well,

Opinion, that fo fticks 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 fhall 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 his fingularity, he goes

Upon this prefent action.

BRU. Let's along.

SCENE II. Corioli. The Senate-Houfe.

[Exeunt.

Enter TULLUS AUFIDIUS, and certain SENATORS. I SEN. So, your opinion is, Aufidius,

That they of Rome are enter'd 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; these are the words: I think,
I have the letter here; yes, here it is:

They have prefs'd a power, but it is not known
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 worfe hated than of you,)
And Titus Lartius, a moft valiant Roman,
Thefe three lead on this preparation
Whitber 'tis bent: most likely, 'tis for you:
Confider of it.

I 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,

[reads.

To keep your great pretences veil'd, till when
They needs must show themselves; which in the hatching,
It feem'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.

2 SEN. Noble Aufidius,

Take

your commiffion; hie you to your bands; Let us alone to guard Corioli:

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

VOL. V.

G

AUF. O, doubt not that ;

I fpeak 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 fworn between us, we fhall ever strike
Till one can do no more.

SCENE III. Rome. An Apartment in MARCIUS' Houfe. Enter VOLUMNIA, and VIRGILIA: They fit down on two low ftools, and few.

VOL. I pray you, daughter, fing; or exprefs yourself in a more comfortable fort: If my fon were my husband, I should freelier rejoice in that abfence wherein he won honour, than in the embracements of his bed, where he would fhow moft love. When yet he was but tender-body'd, and the only fon of my womb; when youth with comelinefs pluck'd all gaze his way; when, for a day of kings' entreaties, a mother fhould 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 the wall, if renown made it not ftir,-was pleased 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 first feeing he had proved himself a man.

VIR. But had he died in the bufinefs, madam? how then? VOL. Then his good report should have been my son ; 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 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 vifit you.
VIR. 'Beseech you, give me leave to retire myself.
VOL. Indeed, you fhail not.

Methinks, I hear hither your hufband's drum;
See him pluck Aufidius down by the hair;

As children from a bear, the Volces fhunning him:
Methinks, I fee him ftamp 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 tafk'd to mow
Or all, or lofe his hire.

VIR. His bloody brow! O, Jupiter, no blood!
VOL. Away, you fool! it more becomes a man,
Than gilt his trophy: The breafts of Hecuba,
When fhe 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. Heavens blefs my lord from fell Aufidius! VOL. He'll beat Aufidius' head below his knee, And tread upon his neck.

Re-enter GENTLE WOMAN, with VALERIA and her Ufher. VAL. My ladies both, good day to you.

VOL. Sweet madam,--