Enter COMINIUS, TITUS LARTIUS, and other Senators; JUNIUS BRUTUS and SICINIUS VELUTUS. First Sen. Marcius, 'tis true that you have lately told us; The Volsces are in arms. Mar. They have a leader, Tullus Aufidius, that will put you to 't. I sin in envying his nobility, And were I any thing 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 he Upon my party, I'ld revolt, to make Only my wars with him: he is a lion That I am proud to hunt. First Sen. Attend upon Cominius to these wars. Then, worthy Marcius, 240 Sir, it is; Com. It is your former promise. And I am constant. Titus Lartius, thou Tit. Men. O, true-bred! First Sen. Your company to the Capitol; where, Our greatest friends attend us. Tit. [To Com.] Lead you on. [To Mar.] Follow Cominius; we must follow you ; 250 Right worthy you priority. Com. Noble Marcius! 245. stiff, stubborn. First Sen. [To the Citizens] Hence to your homes; be gone! Mar. Nay, let them follow: The Volsces have much corn; take these rats thither To gnaw their garners. Worshipful mutiners, [Citizens steal away. Exeunt all but Sic. Was ever man so proud as is this Marcius? Bru. He has no equal. Sic. When we were chosen tribunes for the people, Bru. Mark'd you his lip and eyes? Sic. Nay, but his taunts. Bru. Being moved, he will not spare to gird the gods. Sic. Be-mock the modest moon. Bru. The present wars devour him: he is grown Too proud to be so valiant. Such a nature, Sic. Bru. Fame, at the which he aims, In whom already he's well graced, can not Sic. Besides, if things go well, Opinion that so sticks on Marcius shall 263. to be, of being. 260 270 Of his demerits rob Cominius. Bru. Come: Half all Cominius' honours are to Marcius, Though Marcius earn'd them not, and all his faults In aught he merit not. Sic. Let's hence, and hear 280 How the dispatch is made, and in what fashion, Upon this present action. Bru. Let's along. [Exeunt. SCENE II. Corioli. The Senate-house. Enter TULLUS AUFIDIUS and certain Senators. First Sen. So, your opinion is, Aufidius, That they of Rome are enter'd in our counsels, And know how we proceed. Is it not yours? Auf. Since I heard thence; these are the words: I think I have the letter here; yes, here it is. [Reads] They have press'd a power, but it is not known Whether for east or west: the dearth is great; Who is of Rome worse hated than of you, 276. demerits, desert (in a good sense). 282. More than his singu 10 larity, apart from his individual temperament. 2. enter'd in, privy to. Whither 'tis bent: most likely 'tis for you: Consider of it.' First Sen. Our army's in the field: We never yet made doubt but Rome was ready Auf. Nor did you think it folly To keep your great pretences veil'd till when They needs must show themselves; which in the hatching, It seem'd, appear'd to Rome. By the discovery To take in many towns ere almost Rome Should know we were afoot. Sec. Sen. Noble Aufidius, Take your commission; hie you to your bands: If they set down before's, for the remove Auf. 20 O, doubt not that; 30 I speak from certainties. Nay, more, Some parcels of their power are forth already, SCENE III. Rome. A room in Marcius' house. Enter VOLUMNIA and VIRGILIA: they set them Vol. I pray you, daughter, sing; or express yourself in a more comfortable sort: if my son were my husband, I should freelier rejoice in that absence wherein he won honour than in the embracements of his bed where he would show most love. When yet he was but tender-bodied and the only son of my womb; when youth with comeliness plucked all gaze his way; when, for a day of kings' entreaties, a mother should not sell him an hour from her beholding; I, considering how honour would become such a person; that it was no better than picture-like to hang by the wall, if renown made it not stir, was pleased to let him seek danger where he was like to find fame. a cruel war I sent him; from whence he returned, his brows bound with oak. I tell thee, daughter, I sprang not more in joy at first hearing he was a man-child than now in first seeing he had proved himself a man. To ΙΟ Vir. But had he died in the business, madam: 20 how then? Vol. Then his good report should have been my son; I therein would have found issue. Hear me profess sincerely: had I a dozen sons, each in my love alike and none less dear than thine and my good Marcius, I had rather had eleven die nobly for their country than one voluptuously surfeit out of action. 8. plucked, attracted. 16. his brows bound with oak. A crown of oak-leaves was the reward for saving the life of a fellow-citizen in battle. |