And beat the messenger who bids beware

Of what is to be dreaded.

Sic. Tell not me :

I know this cannot be.

Bru. Not possible.

Enter a Messenger.

530

Mess. The nobles, in great earnestness, are going All to the senate-house: some news is come, That turns their countenances.

Sic. 'Tis this slave;

Go whip him 'fore the people's eyes :-his raising!
Nothing but his report!

Mess. Yes, worthy sir,

The slave's report is seconded; and more,

More fearful, is deliver'd.

Sic. What more fearful?

540

Mes. It is spoke freely out of many mouths
(How probable, I do not know) that Marcius,
Join'd with Aufidius, leads a power 'gainst Rome;
And vows revenge as spacious, as between

The young'st and oldest thing.

Sic. This is most likely!

Bru. Rais'd only, that the weaker sort may wish

Good Marcius home again.

Sic. The very trick on't.

Men. This is unlikely :

He and Aufidius can no more atone,

Than violentest contrariety.

550

Enter

Enter another Messenger.

Mes. You are sent for to the senate:

A fearful army, led by Caius Marcius,
Associated with Aufidius, rages

Upon our territories; and have already

O'erborne their way, consum'd with fire, and took What lay before them.

Enter COMINIUS.

Com. O, you have made good work!

Men. What news? what news?

560

Com. You have holp to ravish your own daughters, and

To melt the city leads upon your pates;

To see your wives dishonour'd to your noses-
Men. What's the news; what's the news?

Com. Your temples burned in their cement; and
Your franchises, whereon you stood, confin'd
Into an augre's bore.

Men. Pray now, the news?

570

You have made fair work, I fear me :-Pray, your

news?

If Marcius should be joined with the Volsces-
Com. If!

He is their god; he leads them like a thing
Made by some other deity than nature,
That shapes man better; and they follow him,
Against us brats, with no less confidence,
Than boys pursuing summer butter-flies,

Or

Or butchers killing flies.

Men. You have made good work,

580

You, and your apron-men; you that stood so much Upon the voice of occupation, and

The breath of garlick-eaters!

Com. He'll shake your Rome about your ears.

Men. As Hercules did shake down mellow fruit. You have made fair work!

Bru. But is this true, sir?

Com. Ay; and you'll look pale

Before you find it other. All the regions

Do smilingly revolt; and, who resist,

Are mock'd for valiant ignorance,

590

And perish constant fools. Who is't can blame him? Your enemies, and his, find something in him.

Men. We are all undone, unless

The noble man have mercy.

Com. Who shall ask it?

The tribunes cannot do't for shame; the people
Deserve such pity of him, as the wolf

Does of the shepherds: for his best friends, if they
Should say, Be good to Rome, they charg'd him even
As those should do that had deserv'd his hate,
And therein shew'd like enemies.

Men. 'Tis true:

If he were putting to my house the brand

That should consume it, I have not the face

601

To say, 'Beseech you, cease.You have made fair

hands,

You, and your crafts! you have crafted fair!

Com.

Com. You have brought

A trembling upon Rome, such as was never

So incapable of help.

Tri. Say not we brought it.

610

Men. How! Was it we? We lov'd him; but, like

beasts,

And cowardly nobles, gave way to your clusters,
Who did hoot him out o' the city.

Com. But, I fear,

They'll roar him in again. Tullus Aufidius,
The second name of men, obeys his points
As if he were his officer :- -Desperation
Is all the policy, strength, and defence,
That Rome can make against them.

Enter a Troop of Citizens.

Men. Here come the clusters !

And is Aufidius with him?-You are they
That made the air unwholesome, when you cast
Your stinking, greasy caps, in hooting at
Coriolanus' exile. Now he's coming;

And not a hair upon a soldier's head,

Which will not prove a whip; as many coxcombs,
As you threw caps up, will he tumble down,
And pay you for your voices. 'Tis no matter;
If he could burn us all into one coal,

We have deserv'd it.

Omnes. 'Faith, we hear fearful news.

1 Cit. For mine own part,

When I said, banish him, I said, 'twas pity.

620

630

2 Cit.

2 Cit. And so did I.

3 Cit. And so did I; and, to say the truth, so did very many of us: That we did, we did for the best; and though we willingly consented to his banishment, yet it was against our will.

Com. You are goodly things, you voices ! 640 Men. You have made you

Good work, you and your cry!-Shall us to the Capitol ?

Com. O, ay; what else?

[Exit Coм. and MEN. Sic. Go, masters, get you home, be not dismay'd; These are a side, that would be glad to have This true, which they so seem to fear. Go home, And shew no sign of fear.

1 Cit. The gods be good to us! Come, masters, let's home. I ever said, we were i' the wrong, when we banish'd him.

2 Cit. So did we all. But come, let's home.

651

[Exeunt Citizens.

Bru. I do not like this news.

Sic. Nor I.

Bru. Let's to the Capitol :-'Would, half my

wealth

Would buy this for a lie!

Sic. Pray, let us go.

[Exeunt Tribunes.

SCENE