Enter a company of mutinous Citizens with staves,
clubs, and other weapons.FIRST CITIZEN Before we proceed any further, hear me speak.ALL Speak, speak!FIRST CITIZEN You are all resolved rather to die than to5 famish?ALL Resolved, resolved!FIRST CITIZEN First, you know Caius Martius is chief enemy to the people.ALL We know ’t, we know ’t!FIRST CITIZEN 10Let 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!SECOND CITIZEN One word, good citizens.FIRST CITIZEN We are accounted poor citizens, the patricians15 good. What authority surfeits on would relieve us. If they would yield us but the superfluity while it were wholesome, we might guess they relieved us humanely. But they think we are too dear. The leanness that afflicts us, the object of our20 misery, is as an inventory to particularize their abundance; our sufferance is a gain to them. Let us revenge this with our pikes ere we become
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rakes; for the gods know I speak this in hunger for bread, not in thirst for revenge.SECOND CITIZEN 25Would you proceed especially against Caius Martius?ALL Against him first. He’s a very dog to the commonalty.SECOND CITIZEN Consider you what services he has30 done for his country?FIRST CITIZEN Very well, and could be content to give him good report for ’t, but that he pays himself with being proud.⌜SECOND CITIZEN⌝ Nay, but speak not maliciously.FIRST CITIZEN 35I say unto you, what he hath done famously he did it to that end. Though soft-conscienced men can be content to say it was for his country, he did it to please his mother and to be partly proud, which he is, even to the altitude of40 his virtue.SECOND CITIZEN What he cannot help in his nature you account a vice in him. You must in no way say he is covetous.FIRST CITIZEN If I must not, I need not be barren of accusations.45 He hath faults, with surplus, to tire in repetition. (Shouts within.) What shouts are these? The other side o’ th’ city is risen. Why stay we prating here? To th’ Capitol!ALL Come, come!Enter Menenius Agrippa.FIRST CITIZEN 50Soft, who comes here?SECOND CITIZEN Worthy Menenius Agrippa, one that hath always loved the people.FIRST CITIZEN He’s one honest enough. Would all the rest were so!
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MENENIUS 55 What work ’s, my countrymen, in hand? Where go you With bats and clubs? The matter? Speak, I pray you.SECOND CITIZEN Our business is not unknown to th’ Senate. They have had inkling this fortnight what60 we intend to do, which now we’ll show ’em in deeds. They say poor suitors have strong breaths; they shall know we have strong arms too.MENENIUS Why, masters, my good friends, mine honest neighbors,65 Will you undo yourselves?SECOND CITIZEN We cannot, sir; we are undone already.MENENIUS I tell you, friends, most charitable care Have the patricians of you. For your wants, Your suffering in this dearth, you may as well70 Strike at the heaven with your staves as lift them Against the Roman state, whose course will on The way it takes, cracking ten thousand curbs Of more strong link asunder than can ever Appear in your impediment. For the dearth,75 The gods, not the patricians, make it, and Your knees to them, not arms, must help. Alack, You are transported by calamity Thither where more attends you, and you slander The helms o’ th’ state, who care for you like fathers,80 When you curse them as enemies.SECOND CITIZEN Care for us? True, indeed! They ne’er cared for us yet. Suffer us to famish, and their storehouses crammed with grain; make edicts for usury to support usurers; repeal daily any wholesome85 act established against the rich, and provide more piercing statutes daily to chain up and restrain
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the poor. If the wars eat us not up, they will; and there’s all the love they bear us.MENENIUS Either you must confess yourselves wondrous90 malicious Or be accused of folly. I shall tell you A pretty tale. It may be you have heard it, But since it serves my purpose, I will venture To ⌜stale⌝ ’t a little more.SECOND CITIZEN 95Well, I’ll hear it, sir; yet you must not think to fob off our disgrace with a tale. But, an ’t please you, deliver.MENENIUS There was a time when all the body’s members Rebelled against the belly, thus accused it:100 That only like a gulf it did remain I’ th’ midst o’ th’ body, idle and unactive, Still cupboarding the viand, never bearing Like labor with the rest, where th’ other instruments Did see and hear, devise, instruct, walk, feel,105 And, mutually participate, did minister Unto the appetite and affection common Of the whole body. The belly answered—SECOND CITIZEN Well, sir, what answer made the belly?MENENIUS Sir, I shall tell you. With a kind of smile,110 Which ne’er came from the lungs, but even thus— For, look you, I may make the belly smile As well as speak—it ⌜tauntingly⌝ replied To th’ discontented members, the mutinous parts That envied his receipt; even so most fitly115 As you malign our senators for that They are not such as you.SECOND CITIZEN Your belly’s answer—what? The kingly crownèd head, the vigilant eye, The counselor heart, the arm our soldier,
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120 Our steed the leg, the tongue our trumpeter, With other muniments and petty helps In this our fabric, if that they—MENENIUS What then? ’Fore me, this fellow speaks. What then? What then?SECOND CITIZEN 125 Should by the cormorant belly be restrained, Who is the sink o’ th’ body—MENENIUS Well, what then?SECOND CITIZEN The former agents, if they did complain, What could the belly answer?MENENIUS 130 I will tell you, If you’ll bestow a small—of what you have little— Patience awhile, you’st hear the belly’s answer.SECOND CITIZEN You’re long about it.MENENIUS Note me this, good friend;135 Your most grave belly was deliberate, Not rash like his accusers, and thus answered: “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,140 Because I am the storehouse and the shop Of the whole body. But, if you do remember, I send it through the rivers of your blood Even to the court, the heart, to th’ seat o’ th’ brain; And, through the cranks and offices of man,145 The strongest nerves and small inferior veins From me receive that natural competency Whereby they live. And though that all at once, You, my good friends”—this says the belly, mark me—SECOND CITIZEN 150 Ay, sir, well, well.
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MENENIUS “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 flour of all,155 And leave me but the bran.” What say you to ’t?SECOND CITIZEN It was an answer. How apply you this?MENENIUS The senators of Rome are this good belly, And you the mutinous members. For examine Their counsels and their cares, digest things rightly160 Touching the weal o’ th’ common, you shall find No public benefit which you receive But it proceeds or comes from them to you And no way from yourselves. What do you think, You, the great toe of this assembly?SECOND CITIZEN 165I the great toe? Why the great toe?MENENIUS For that, being one o’ th’ lowest, basest, poorest, Of this most wise rebellion, thou goest foremost. Thou rascal, that art worst in blood to run, Lead’st first to win some vantage.170 But make you ready your stiff bats and clubs. Rome and her rats are at the point of battle; The one side must have bale.Enter Caius Martius. Hail, noble Martius.MARTIUS Thanks.—What’s the matter, you dissentious rogues,175 That, rubbing the poor itch of your opinion, Make yourselves scabs?SECOND CITIZEN We have ever your good word.MARTIUS He that will give good words to thee will flatter Beneath abhorring. What would you have, you curs,
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180 That like nor peace nor war? The one affrights you; The other makes you proud. He that trusts to you, Where he should find you lions, finds you hares; Where foxes, geese. You are no surer, no, Than is the coal of fire upon the ice185 Or hailstone in the sun. Your virtue is To make him worthy whose offense subdues him, And curse that justice did it. Who deserves greatness Deserves your hate; and your affections are A sick man’s appetite, who desires most that190 Which would increase his evil. He that depends Upon your favors swims with fins of lead, And hews down oaks with rushes. Hang you! Trust you? With every minute you do change a mind195 And call him noble that was now your hate, Him vile that was your garland. What’s the matter, That in these several places of the city You cry against the noble senate, who, Under the gods, keep you in awe, which else200 Would feed on one another?—What’s their seeking?MENENIUS For corn at their own rates, whereof they say The city is well stored.MARTIUS Hang ’em! They say? They’ll sit by th’ fire and presume to know205 What’s done i’ th’ Capitol, who’s like to rise, Who thrives, and who declines; side factions and give out Conjectural marriages, making parties strong And feebling such as stand not in their liking210 Below their cobbled shoes. They say there’s grain enough? Would the nobility lay aside their ruth And let me use my sword, I’d make a quarry
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With thousands of these quartered slaves as high215 As I could pick my lance.MENENIUS Nay, these are almost thoroughly persuaded; For though abundantly they lack discretion, Yet are they passing cowardly. But I beseech you, What says the other troop?MARTIUS 220 They are dissolved. Hang ’em! They said they were an-hungry, sighed forth proverbs That hunger broke stone walls, that dogs must eat,225 That meat was made for mouths, that the gods sent not Corn for the rich men only. With these shreds They vented their complainings, which being answered230 And a petition granted them—a strange one, To break the heart of generosity And make bold power look pale—they threw their caps As they would hang them on the horns o’ th’ moon,235 Shouting their emulation.MENENIUS What is granted them?MARTIUS Five tribunes to defend their vulgar wisdoms, Of their own choice. One’s Junius Brutus, Sicinius Velutus, and I know not. ’Sdeath!240 The rabble should have first ⌜unroofed⌝ the city Ere so prevailed with me. It will in time Win upon power and throw forth greater themes For insurrection’s arguing.MENENIUS This is strange.MARTIUS 245Go get you home, you fragments.Enter a Messenger hastily.
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MESSENGER Where’s Caius Martius?MARTIUS Here. What’s the matter?MESSENGER The news is, sir, the Volsces are in arms.MARTIUS I am glad on ’t. Then we shall ha’ means to vent250 Our musty superfluity.Enter Sicinius Velutus, Junius Brutus, ⌜(two Tribunes);⌝
Cominius, Titus Lartius, with other Senators. See our best elders.FIRST SENATOR Martius, ’tis true that you have lately told us: The Volsces are in arms.MARTIUS They have a leader,255 Tullus Aufidius, that will put you to ’t. I sin in envying his nobility, And, were I anything but what I am, I would wish me only he.COMINIUS You have fought together?MARTIUS 260 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.FIRST SENATOR Then, worthy Martius,265 Attend upon Cominius to these wars.COMINIUS It is your former promise.MARTIUS Sir, it is, And I am constant.—Titus ⌜Lartius,⌝ thou Shalt see me once more strike at Tullus’ face.270 What, art thou stiff? Stand’st out?
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LARTIUS No, Caius Martius, I’ll lean upon one crutch and fight with t’ other Ere stay behind this business.MENENIUS O, true bred!⌜FIRST⌝ SENATOR 275 Your company to th’ Capitol, where I know Our greatest friends attend us.LARTIUS, ⌜to Cominius⌝ Lead you on.— ⌜To Martius.⌝ Follow Cominius. We must follow you; Right worthy you priority.COMINIUS 280 Noble Martius.⌜FIRST⌝ SENATOR, ⌜to the Citizens⌝ Hence to your homes, begone.MARTIUS Nay, let them follow. The Volsces have much corn; take these rats thither To gnaw their garners.Citizens steal away.285 Worshipful mutineers, Your valor puts well forth.—Pray follow.They exit. Sicinius and Brutus remain.SICINIUS Was ever man so proud as is this Martius?BRUTUS He has no equal.SICINIUS When we were chosen tribunes for the people—BRUTUS 290 Marked you his lip and eyes?SICINIUS Nay, but his taunts.BRUTUS Being moved, he will not spare to gird the gods—SICINIUS Bemock the modest moon.BRUTUS The present wars devour him! He is grown295 Too proud to be so valiant.
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SICINIUS Such a nature, Tickled with good success, disdains the shadow Which he treads on at noon. But I do wonder His insolence can brook to be commanded300 Under Cominius.BRUTUS Fame, at the which he aims, In whom already he’s well graced, cannot Better be held nor more attained than by A place below the first; for what miscarries305 Shall be the General’s fault, though he perform To th’ utmost of a man, and giddy censure Will then cry out of Martius “O, if he Had borne the business!”SICINIUS Besides, if things go well,310 Opinion that so sticks on Martius shall Of his demerits rob Cominius.BRUTUS Come. Half all Cominius’ honors are to Martius, Though Martius earned them not, and all his faults315 To Martius shall be honors, though indeed In aught he merit not.SICINIUS Let’s hence and hear How the dispatch is made, and in what fashion, More than his singularity, he goes320 Upon this present action.BRUTUS Let’s along.They exit.
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