CORIOLANUS.

ACT I. SCENE I

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

B

I CITIZEN.

EFORE we proceed any further, hear me fpeak.

All. Speak, fpeak.

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

All. Refolv'd, refolv'd.

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

All. We know't.

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

All. No more talking on't, let it 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 wholsome, we might guess they relieved us humanly: But they think we are too dear; the leannels that-afflicts us, the object of our Mifery, is as an Inventory to particularize their Abundance; VOL IV.

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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 against Caius Mar

tius ?

:

All Againft him first 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 fpeak not maliciously.

1 Cit. I fay unto you, what he hath done famously, 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 muft in no way fay, he is Covetous. 1 Cit. If I muft 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 ftay 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 MatterSpeak, I pray you.

2 Cit. Our Bufinefs is not unknown to the Senate, they have had inkling, this Fortnight, what we intend 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 Maflers, my good Friends, mine honeft Neighbours, will you undo your felves?

2 Cit. We cannot, Sir, we are undone already.
Men. I tell you, Friends, moft charitable care
Have the Patricians of you: for your Wants,
Your fuffering in this Dearth, you may as well
Strike at the Heaven 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 tranfported by Calamity

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

2 Cit. Care for us!----True indeed, they ne'er cared for us yet. Suffer us to famifh, and their Store-houfes cramm'd with Grain: Make Edicts for Ufury, to fupport Ufurers; repeal daily any wholfom A& established against the Rich, and provide more piercing Statutes daily, to chain up 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

Confefs 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 purpose, 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 Gulf it did remain

Ith' midft o'th' Body, idle and unactive,

Still cubbording the Viand, never bearing

Like labour with the reft: where th' other Inftruments
Did fee, and hear, devife, inftru&t, walk, feel,
And mutually participate, did minifter
Unto the Appetite, and Affection common

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Of

Of the whole Body. The Belly anfwer'd.

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

To the defcontented 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 anfwer-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 restrain❜d, Who is the fink o'th' Body

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 firft
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

You, my good Friends, (this fays the Belly) mark me

2 Cit. Ay, Sir, well, well.

Men. Though all at once, cannot

See, what I do deliver out to each,

Yet I can make my Audit up, that all
From me do back receive the Flow'r of all,
And leave me but the Bran. What fay you to't?
a Cit. It was an answer-how apply you this?
Men. The Senators of Rome are this good Belly,
And you the mutinous Members; for examine
Their Counfels, and their Care; digeft things rightly,
Touching the Weal o'th' Common, you fhall find
No publick Benefit which you receive,

But it proceeds or comes from them to you,
And no way from your felves. What do you think?
You, the great Toe of this Affembly?

2 Cit. I the great Toe! Why the great Toe?
Men. For that being one o'th' loweft, bafeft, pooreft
Of this moft wife Rebellion, thou goeft formoft:
Thou Rafcal, that art worft in Blood to run,
Lead'ft firft to win fome vantage.

But make you ready your ftiff Bats and Clubs,
Rome and her Rats are at the point of Battel:
The one fide muft have Bail.

Enter Caius Martius.

Hail, Noble Martius.

Mar. Thanks. What's the Matter, you diffentious Rogues? That rubbing the poor itch of your Opinion, Make your felves Scabs.)

2 Cit, We have ever your good Word.

Mar. He that will give good Words to thee, will flatter Beneath abhorring. What would you have, ye Curs, That like not Peace, nor War? The one affrights you, The other makes you proud. He that trufts to you, Where he should find you Lions, finds you Where Foxes, Geefe you are: No furer, no, Than is the coal of Fire upon the Ice,

Hares:

Or Hailstone in the Sun. Your Virtue is,
To make him worthy, whofe Offence fubdues him,
And curfe that Juftice, did it. Who deferves Greatness,
Deferves your Hate; and your Affections are