Enter CAIUS MARCIUS.

Hail, noble Marcius!

[rogues,

Mar. Thanks. What's the matter, you diffentious That, rubbing the poor itch of your opinion, Make yourselves fcabs?

2 Cit. We have ever your good word.

Mar. He that will give good words to thee, will flatter

Beneath abhorring. What would ye have, ye curs, 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, geefe: you are no furer, no,
Than is the coal of fire upon the ice,

Or hailstone in the fun. Your virtue is,

To make him worthy, whofe offence fubdues him,
And curfe that juftice did it. Who deferves great-
Deferves your hate; and your affections are [nefs,
A fick man's appetite, who defires most that
Which would increase his evil. He that depends
Upon your favours, swims with fins of lead,
And hews down oaks with rushes. Hang ye--
trust ye!

With every minute you do change a mind,
And call him noble that was now your hate;
Him vile that was your garland.

matter,

That in the feveral places of the city
You cry against the noble Senate, who

What's the

(Under the gods) keep you in awe, which elfe Would feed on one another? what's their feeking? Men. For corn at their own rates, whereof, they

The city is well stored.

Mar. Hang 'em: they fay!

[fay,

They'll fit by the fire, and prefume to know What's done i' th' capitol; who's like to rife; Who thrives, and who declines: fide factions, and give out

Conjectural marriages; making parties ftrong, And feebling fuch as stand not in their liking, Below their cobbled fhoes. They fay, there's grain enough!

Would the nobility lay aside their ruth,

And let me ufe my fword, i'd make a quarry With thousands of these quartered flaves, as high As I could pitch my lance.

Men. Nay, thefe are almoft thoroughly perfuaded: For though abundantly they lack difcretion, Yet are they paffing cowardly. But, I beseech you, What fays the other troop?

Mar. They are diffolved; hang 'em,

They said they were an hungry, fighed forth pro

verbs;

That " hunger broke ftone walls,"-that "

"must eat,"

dogs

That "meat was made for mouths,"-that "the gods fent not

"Corn for the rich man only."With thefe fhreds They vented their complainings. which being an

fwered,

And a petition granted them, a ftrange one,
To break the heart of generofity,

[caps And make bold power look pale; they threw their As they would hang them on the horns o' th' moon, Shouting their emulation.

Men. What is granted them?

Mar. Five tribunes to defend their vulgar wifOf their own choice. One's Junius Brutus, [doms, Sicinius Velutus, and I know not-'s death, The rabble fhould have first unroofed the city,

Ere fo prevailed with me! it will in time

Win upon power, and throw forth greater themes For infurrection's arguing.

Men. This is ftrange.

Mar. Go, get you home, you fragments!
Enter a Meflenger.

Mef. Where's Caius Marcius?

Mar. Here-what's the matter?

Mef. The news is, Sir, the Volfcians are in arms.
Mar. I'm glad on't, then we fhall have means

to vent

Our musty fuperfluity. See, our best elders !Enter SICINIUS VELUTUS, JUNIUS BRUTUS, COMINIUS, TITUS LARTIUS, with other Senators.

I Sen. Marcius, 'tis true that you have lately The Volfcians are in arms. [told us,

Mar. They have a leader,

Tullus Aufidius, that will put you to't.

I fin in envying his nobility:

And were I any thing but what I am,

I'd with me only he.

Com. You have fought together?

Mar. Were half to half the world by the ears,

Upon my party, I'd revolt, to make

Only my wars with him. He is a lion

That I am proud to hunt.

1 Sen. Then, worthy Marcius,

Attend upon Cominius to thefe wars.
Com. It is your former promise.

Mar. Sir, it is;

And I am constant: Titus Lartius, thou

[and he

Shalt fee me once more ftrike at Tullus' face,

What, art thou ftiff? ftandeft out?

Tit. No, Caius Marcius,

I'll lean upon one crutch, and fight with t'other, Ere ftay behind this business.

Men. O true bred!

1 Sen. Your company to the capitol; where I Our greatest friends attend us,

Tit. Lead you on;

Follow, Cominius; we must follow you;

Right worthy you priority.

Com. Noble Lartius !

1 Sen. Hence to your homes---be gone.

[know,

[To the Citizens.

Mar. Nay, let them follow;

[ther, The Volfcians have much corn: take thefe rats thiTo gnaw their garners. Worshipful mutineers, Your valour puts well forth: pray follow..

[Exeunt. [Citizens fteal away. Manent SICINIUS and

BRUTUS.

Sic. Was ever man fo proud as is this Marcius? Bru. He has no equal.

Sic. When we were chofen tribunes for the people

Bru. Marked 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 modeft moon,--

[grown Bru. (4) The prefent wars devour him: he is

(4) The prefent wars devour him; he is grown

Too proud to be fo valiant.] This is very obfcurely expreffed but the Poet's meaning muft certainly be this: Marcius is fo confcious of, and fo elate upon the notion of his own valour, that he is eaten up with pride; devoured with the apprehenfious of that glory which he promises himfelf from the enfuing war. A fentiment like this occur again in Trols and Ceffita:

VOL. XI.

K

Too proud to be so valiant.
Sic. Such a nature,

Tickled with good fuccefs, difdains the shadow
Which he treads on at noon: but I do wonder
His infolence can brook to be commanded
Under Cominius.

Bru. Fame, at the which he aims,

In whom already he is well graced, cannot
Better be held, nor more attained, than by
A place below the firft; for what mifcarries
Shall be the General's fault, tho' he perform
To the utmost of a man; and giddy cenfure
Will then cry out of Marcius: oh, if he
Had borne the bufinefs-

Sic. Befides, if things go well,
Opinion, that fo fticks on Marcius, fhall
Of his demerits rob Cominius.

Bru. Come,

Half all Cominius' honours are to Marcius,
Though Marcius earned them not; and all his faults
To Marcius fhall be honours, though, indeed,
In ought he merit not.

Sic. Let's hence, and hear

How the dispatch is made; and in what fafhion, More than his fingularity, he goes

Upon this present action.

Bru. Let's along.

SCENE changes to Corioli.

[Exeunt.

Enter TULLUS AUFIDIUS, with Senators of Corioli.

1 Sen. So, your opinion is, Aufidius, That they of Rome are entered in our counfels, And know how we proceed.

He that is proud, eats up himself. Pride is his own glafs, his own trumpet, his own chronicle; and whatever praifes itfelf but in the deed, devours the deed in the praise.