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MEN.

Aius Martius Coriolanus, a Noble Roman,

C hated by the Common People.

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Titus Lartius,Generals against the Volscians,and
Cominius,
Friends to Coriolanus.

Menenius Agrippa, Friend to Coriolanus.

Sicinius Velutus,Tribunes of the People, and EJunius Brutus, nemies to Coriolanus.

Tullus Aufidius, General of the Volfcians.

Lieutenant to Aufidius.

Young Martius, Son to Coriolanus.

WOM E N.

Volumnia, Mother to Coriolanus.

Virgilia, Wife to Coriolanus.

Valeria, Friend to Virgilia.

Roman and Volfcian Senators, Ediles, Lictors, Soldiers, Common People, Servants to Aufidius, and other Attendants.

The SCENE is partly in Rome and partly in the Territory of the Volfcians.

CORIO

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Enter a Company of Mutinous Citizens, with Staves, Clubs, and other Weapons.

B

I CITIZEN.

EFORE we proceed any further, hear me speak.

All. Speak, fpeak.

1 Cit. You are all refolv'd rather to die than to famish?

All. Refolv'd, refolv❜d.

1 Cit. First, you know, Caius Martins is chief Enemy to the People.

All. We know't.

1 Cit. Let us kill him, and we'll have Corn at our own Price. Is't a Verdi&?

All. No more talking on't, let be done, away, away. 2 Cit. One word, good Citizens.

I Cit. We are accounted poor Citizens; the Patricians good: What Authority furfeits on, would relieve us: If they would yield us but the fuperfluity, while it were wholfome, we might guess they relieved us humanly: But they think we are too dear; the leannefs that afflict us, the object of our Mifery, is as an Inventory to particularize their Abundance; VOL. IV. Bb 2

our

Our fufferance is a gain to them. Let us revenge this with our Pikes, e'er we become Rakes: For the Gods know, I fpeak this in hunger for Bread, not in thirst for Revenge.

2 Cit. Would you proceed especially againft Gaius Mar

tius?

All. Against him firft: He's a very Dog to the Commonalty.

2 Cit. Confider you what Services he has done for his Country?

1 Cit. Very well and could be content to give him good Report for't; but that he pays himself with being proud. All. Nay, but speak not maliciously.

1 Cit. I fay unto you, what he hath done famoufly, he did it to that end; though foft confcienc'd Men can be content to fay it was for his Country, he did it to please his Mother, and to be partly proud, which he is, even to the altitude of his Virtue.

2 Cit. What he cannot help in his Nature, you account a Vice in him: You must in no way fay, he is Covetous.

1 Cit. If I must not, I need not be barren of Accufations; he hath Faults, with furplus, to tire in Repetition.

[Shouts within. What Shouts are thofe? The other fide o'th' City is rifen, why stay we prating here? To th' Capitol

All. Come, come.

1 Cit. Soft

who comes here ?

Enter Menenius Agrippa.

2 Cit. Worthy Menenius Agrippa; one that hath always lov'd the People.

1 Cit. He's one honeft enough, would all the reft were fo. Men. What work's, my Countrymen, in hand? Where go you with your Bats and Clubs? The Matter— Speak, I pray you.

2 Cit. Our Bufinefs is not unknown to the Senate, they have had inkling, this Fortnight, what we intended to do, which now we'll fhew 'em in Deeds: They fay, poor Suiters have ftrong Breaths, they fhall know we have ftrong Arms too.

Men. Why Masters, my good Friends, mine honeft Neighbours, will you undo your felves?

2 Cit. We cannot, Sir, we are undone already.
Men. tell you, Friends, moft. charitable care
Have the Patricians of you: for your Wants,
Your fufferings in this Dearth, you may as well
Strike at the Heav'n with your Staves, as lift them
Against the Roman State; whofe course will on
The way it takes, cracking ten thousand Curbs
Of more ftrong link'd afunder, than can ever
Appear in your Impediment. For the Dearth;
The Gods, not the Patricians, make it; and
Your Knees to them, not Arms, muft help. Alack,
You are transported by Calamity

Thither, where more attends you; and you flander
The Helms o'th' State, who care for you, like Fathers,
When you curfe them as Enemies.

2 Cit. Care for us !----True indeed, they ne'er car'd for us yet. Suffer us to famith, and their Store-houses cramm'd with Grain: Make Edicts for Ufury, to fupport Ufwers; repeal daily any wholfom Act established against the Rich, and provide more piercing Statutes daily, to chain tip and reftrain the Poor. If the Wars eat us not up, they will, and there's all the love they bear us.

Men. Either you must

Confels your felves wond'rous malicious,
Or be accus'd of Folly. I fhall tell you
A pretty Tale, it may be you have heard it,
But fince it ferves my purpofe, I will venture
To fcale't a little more.

2 Cit. Well,

I'll hear it, Sir—yet you must not think

To fob off our Difgrace with a Tale:

But, and't please you, deliver.

Men. There was a time when all the Bodies Members

Rebell'd against the Belly; thus accus'd it

That only like a Gulfit did remain

I'th' midt o'th' Body, idle and unactive,

Still cubbarding the Viand, never bearing

Like labour with the reft: where th' other Inftruments

Did fee, and hear, devife, inftruct, walk, feel,

And mutually participate, did minifter

Unto the Appetite, and Aff:ction common

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of

Of the whole Body. The Belly answer'd

2 Cit. Well, Sir, what anfwer made the Belly?
Men. Sir, I shall tell you with a kind of smile,
Which ne'er came from the Lungs, but even thus
(For look you, I may make the Belly smile
As well as fpeak) it tauntingly reply'd

To the discontented Members, the mutinous Parts
That envied his Receit ; even fo moft fitly,
As you malign our Senators, for that
They are not fuch as you

2 Cit. Your Belly's answer

What

The Kingly crown'd Head, the vigilant Eye,
The Counsellor Heart, the Arm our Soldier,
Our Steed the Leg, the Tongue our Trumpeter;
With other Muniments and petty Helps

In this our Fabrick, if that they

Men. What then?-For me this Fellow fpeaks. What then? what then?

2 Cit. Should by the Cormorant Belly be reftrain'; Who is the fink o'th' Body

Men. Well,

-what then?

2 Cit. The former Agents, if they did complain, What could the Belly answer?

Men. I will tell you,

If you'll beftow a fmall (of what you have little) Patience, a while; you'ft hear the Belly's answer. 2 Cit. Y'are long about it.

Men. Note me this, good Friend;
Your moft grave Belly was deliberate,

Not rafh, like his Accufers, and thus anfwer'd;
True is it, my incorporate Friends, quoth he,
That I receive the general Food at first
Which you do live upon; and fit it is,
Because I am the Store-houfe, and the Shop
Of the whole Body. But if you do remember,
I fend it through the Rivers of your Blood
Even to the Court, th'Heart, to th' feat o'th' Brain,
And through the Cranks and Offices of Man,
The ftrongeft Nerves, and fmall inferior Veins
From me receive that natural competency
Whereby they live. And though that all at once,

You

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