What we are sorry for ourselves in thee. 2 Sen. Tim. You witch me in it; Surprise me to the very brink of tears: Lend me a fool's heart, and a woman's eyes, And I'll beweep these comforts, worthy senators. 1.S. Therefore, so please thee to return with us, And of our Athens (thine, and ours,) to take The captainship, thou shalt be met with thanks, Allow'd with absolute power, and thy good name Live with authority:-so soon we shall drive Of Alcibiades the approaches wild; [back Who, like a boar too savage, doth root up His country's peace. 2 Sen. And shakes his threat'ning sword Against the walls of Athens. 1 Sen. Therefore, Timon,T.Well, sir, I will; therefore, I will, sir; Thus,If Alcibiades kill my countrymen, Let Alcibiades know this of Timon, [Athens, That-Timon cares not. But if he sack fair And take our goodly aged men by the beards, Giving our holy virgins to the stain Of contumelious, beastly, mad-brain'd war; Then, let him know,-and tell him, Timon In pity of our aged, and our youth, [speaks it, I cannot choose but tell him, that-I care not, And let him take't at worst; for their knives care not [you While you have throats to answer: for myself, Flav. We speak in vain. 1 Sen. Tim. But yet I love my country; and am not One that rejoices in the common wreck, As common bruit doth put it. That's well spoke. 1 Sen. Tim. Commend me to my loving countrymen,1 Sen. These words become your lips as they pass through them. 2S. And enter in our ears like great triumphers In their applauding gates. Tim. Commend me to them; And tell them, that to ease them of their griefs, Their fears of hostile strokes, their aches, losses, Their pangs of love, with other incident throes That nature's fragile vessel doth sustain In life's uncertain voyage, I will some kindness do them: I'll teach them to prevent wild Alcibiades' wrath. 2 Sen. I like this well, he will return again. T. I have a tree, which grows here in my close, That mine own use invites me to cut down, And shortly must I fell it: Tell my friends, Tell Athens in the sequence of degree, From high to low throughout, that whoso please To stop affliction, let him take his haste, Come hither, ere my tree hath felt the axe, And hang himself:-I pray you, do my greeting. Fl. Trouble him no further, thus you still shall find him. Tim. Come not to me again: but say to Athens, Timon hath made his everlasting mansion Upon the beached verge of the salt flood; Which once a day with his embossed froth The turbulent surge shall cover; thither come, And let my grave-stone be your oracle.Lips, let sour words go by, and language end: What is amiss, plague and infection mend! Graves only be men's works; and death, their gain! Sun, hide thy beams! Timon hath done his reign. [Exit Timon. 1 Sen. His discontents are unremoveably Coupled to nature. 2 Sen. Our hope in him is dead: let us return, And strain what other means is left unto us In our dear1 peril. 1 Sen. It requires swift foot. [Exeunt. SCENE III.-THE WALLS OF ATHENS. 1 Sen. Thou hast painfully discovered; are his As full as thy report? Mess. [tiles 2 2 Sen. We stand much hazard, if they bring not Timon. Mess. I met a courier, one mine ancient friend;Whom, though in general part we were oppos'd, Yet our old love made a particular force, And made us speak like friends:-this man was From Alcibiades to Timon's cave, [riding With letters of entreaty, which imported His fellowship i' the cause against your city, In part for his sake mov'd. Enter Senators from Timon. 1 Sen. Here come our brothers. 2.S. No talk of Timon, nothing of him expect.The enemies' drum is heard, and fearful scouring Doth choke the air with dust: in and prepare; Ours is the fall, I fear; our foes, the snare. On those that are, revenges: crimes, like lands, SCENE IV.-THE WOODS. TIMON'S CAVE Are not inherited. Then, dear countryman, AND A TOMB-STONE SEEN. Timon is dead, who hath outstretched his span: What's on this tomb I cannot read; the character Our captain hath in every figure skill; An ag'd interpreter, though young in days: SCENE V.-BEFORE THE WALLS OF ATHENS. Enter Senators on the Walls. Our sufferance vainly; Now the time is flush,2 1 Sen. Noble and young, 2 Sen. So did we woo Transform'd Timon to our city's love, 1 Sen. For private faults in them. 2 Sen. Nor are they living 1 Sen. 1 Crossed. 2 Mature. Bring in thy ranks, but leave without thy rage: 2 Sen. 1 Sen. Sol. My noble general, Timon is dead; Alcib. [Reads.] Here lies a wretched corse, of Seek not my name: A plague consume you wicked caitiffs left! Here lie I, Timon; who, alive, all living men did hate: Pass by, and curse thy fill; but pass, and stay These well express in thee thy latter spirits: From niggard nature fall, yet rich conceit Prescribe to other, as each other's leech.6 [Exeunt. 3 Reconcile. 6 Physician. Coriolanus. Persons Represented. CAIUS MARCIUS CORIOLANUS, a noble Roman. | A Citizen of Antium. scians. MENENIUS AGRIPPA, Friend to Coriolanus. SICINIUS VELUTUS,Tribunes of the People. JUNIUS BRUTUS, Young MARCIUS, Son to Coriolanus. A Roman Herald. TULLUS AUFIDIUS, General of the Volscians. Lieutenant to Aufidius. Conspirators with Aufidius. Two Volscian Guards. VOLUMNIA, Mother to Coriolanus. Roman and Volscian Senators, Patricians, SCENE.-Partly in Rome, and partly in the Territories of the Volscians and Antiates. away, away. 2 Cit. One word, good citizens. 1 Cit. We are accounted poor citizens; the patricians, good1: 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 our misery, is an inventory to particularize their abundance; our sufferance is a gain to them.-Let us revenge this with our pikes, ere we become rakes2: for the gods know, I speak this in hunger for bread, not in thirst for revenge. 2 Cit. Would you proceed especially against Caius Marcius? Cit. Against him first; he's a very dog to the commonalty. 2 Cit. Consider 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. 2 Cit. Nay, but speak not maliciously. 1 Cit. I say unto you, what he hath done famously, he did it to that end: though soft con2 (Thin as rakes.) 1 Rich. scienc'd 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 of his virtue. 2 Cit. What he cannot help in his nature, you account a vice in him: You must in no way say, he is covetous. 1 Cit. If I must not, I need not be barren of accusations; he hath faults, with surplus, to tire in repetition. [Shouts within.] What shouts are these? The other side o' the city is risen: Why stay we prating here? to the Capitol. Cit. Come, come. 1 Cit. Soft; who comes here? Enter Menenius Agrippa. 2 Cit. Worthy Menenius Agrippa; one that hath always loved the people. 1 Cit. He's one honest enough; 'Would all the rest were so! Men. What works, my countrymen, in hand? Where go you [you. With bats and clubs? The matter speak, I pray 1 Cit. Our business is not unknown to the senate; they have had inkling this fortnight, what 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. Men. Why, masters, my good friends, mine honest neighbours, Will you undo yourselves? 1 Cit. We cannot, sir, we are undone already. Men. I tell you, friends, most charitable care Have the patricians of you. For your wants, Your suffering in this dearth, you may as well 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, 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' the state, who care for you like When you curse them as enemies. [fathers, 1 Cit. 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 wholesome act established against the rich; and provide more piercing statutes daily, to chain up and restrain the poor. If the wars eat us not up, they will; and there's all the love they bear us. Men. Either you must Confess yourselves wondrous malicious, 1 Cit. Well, I'll hear it, sir: yet you must not think to fob2 off our disgrace with a tale: but, an't please you, deliver. Men. There was a time, when all the body's members Rebell'd against the belly; thus accus'd it:That only like a gulf it did remain I' the midst o' the body, idle and inactive, Did see, and hear, devise, instruct, walk, feel, Fore me, this fellow speaks?-What then? what then? 1 Cit. Should by the cormorant belly be reWho is the sink o' the body,- [strain'd, Men. Well, what then? 1 Cit. The former agents, if they did complain, What could the belly answer? Men. I will tell you; If you'll bestow a small (of what you have little,) Patience, a while, you'll hear the belly's answer. 1 Cit. You are long about it. Men. Note me this, good friend; Your most grave belly was deliberate, Not rash like his accusers, and thus answer'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; 1 Spread, i.e. make known. 2 Shift off. 3 Injuries. 4 Whereas. 5 Exactly. 6 Supports. Because I am the storehouse, and the shop Men. Touching the weal o' the common; you shall 1 Cit. I the great toe? Why the great toe? Men. For that being one o' the lowest, basest, poorest, Of this most wise rebellion, thou go'st foremost: Thou rascal, that art worst in blood to run, Lead'st first to win some vantage. 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.2 Hail, noble Marcius! Enter Caius Marcius. Mar. Thanks.-What's the matter, you dis sentious rogues? That rubbing the poor itch of your opinion, Make yourselves scabs? 1 Cit. We have ever your good word. Deserves your hate: and your affections are With every minute you do change a mind; Men. For corn at their own rates; whereof The city is well stor❜d. [they say, Mar. Hang 'em! They say? They'll sit by the fire, and presume to know What's done i' the Capitol: who's like to rise, Who thrives, and who declines: side factions, and give out Conjectural marriages; making parties strong, Would the nobility lay aside their ruth,1 sent not Corn for the rich men only:-With these shreds They vented their complainings; which being answer'd, And a petition granted them, a strange one, Men. Of their own choice: One's Junius Brutus, Men. This is strange. Mess. Where's Caius Marcius? Here, what's the matter? Mess. The news is, sir, the Volces are in arms. Mar. I am glad on't, then we shall have means to vent Our musty superfluity :-See, our best elders. Mar. And were I anything but what I am, I would wish me only he. Com. You have fought together. Mar. Were half to half the world by the ears, And I am constant.-Titus Lartius, thou Noble Lartius! 1 Sen. [To the Citizens.] Hence! To your homes, be gone. Mar. Nay, let them follow: The Volces have much corn; take these rats thither, To gnaw their garners1:-Worshipful mutineers, Your valour puts well forth: pray, follow. [Exeunt Senators, Com., Mar., Tit., and Menen. Citizens steal away. S. V. Was ever man so proud as is this Marcius? Bru. He has no equal. Sic. V. When we were chosen tribunes for the people, Bru. Mark'd you his lip, and eyes? Sic. V. Nay, but his taunts. Bru. Being mov'd, he will not spare to gird 2 Sic. V. Bemock the modest moon. [the gods. Bru. The present wars devour him: he is grown Too proud to be so valiant. Sic. V. 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 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 censure Will then cry out of Marcius, O, if he Had borne the business! Sic. V. Besides, if things go well, Opinion, that so sticks on Marcius, shall Of his demerits3 rob Cominius. Come: Bru. 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. V. 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. 1 Granaries. 2 Gibo. Let's along. [Exeunt. |