Omnes. Faith, we heare fearfull Newes
1 Cit. For mine owne part, When I said banish him, I said "twas pitty
2 And so did I
3 And so did I: and to say the truth, so did very many of vs, that we did we did for the best, and though wee willingly consented to his Banishment, yet it was against our will
Com. Y"are goodly things, you Voyces
Mene. You haue made good worke You and your cry. Shal"s to the Capitoll?
Com. Oh I, what else?
Exeunt. both.
Sicin. Go Masters get you home, be not dismaid, These are a Side, that would be glad to haue This true, which they so seeme to feare. Go home, And shew no signe of Feare
1 Cit. The G.o.ds bee good to vs: Come Masters let"s home, I euer said we were i"th wrong, when we banish"d him
2 Cit. So did we all. But come, let"s home.
Exit Cit.
Bru. I do not like this Newes
Sicin. Nor I
Bru. Let"s to the Capitoll: would halfe my wealth Would buy this for a lye
Sicin. Pray let"s go.
Exeunt. Tribunes.
Enter Auffidius with his Lieutenant.
Auf. Do they still flye to"th" Roman?
Lieu. I do not know what Witchcraft"s in him: but Your Soldiers vse him as the Grace "fore meate, Their talke at Table, and their Thankes at end, And you are darkned in this action Sir, Euen by your owne
Auf. I cannot helpe it now, Vnlesse by vsing meanes I lame the foote Of our designe. He beares himselfe more proudlier, Euen to my person, then I thought he would When first I did embrace him. Yet his Nature In that"s no Changeling, and I must excuse What cannot be amended
Lieu. Yet I wish Sir, (I meane for your particular) you had not Ioyn"d in Commission with him: but either haue borne The action of your selfe, or else to him, had left it soly
Auf. I vnderstand thee well, and be thou sure When he shall come to his account, he knowes not What I can vrge against him, although it seemes And so he thinkes, and is no lesse apparant To th" vulgar eye, that he beares all things fairely: And shewes good Husbandry for the Volcian State, Fights Dragon-like, and does atcheeue as soone As draw his Sword: yet he hath left vndone That which shall breake his necke, or hazard mine, When ere we come to our account
Lieu. Sir, I beseech you, think you he"l carry Rome?
Auf. All places yeelds to him ere he sits downe, And the n.o.bility of Rome are his: The Senators and Patricians loue him too: The Tribunes are no Soldiers: and their people Will be as rash in the repeale, as hasty To expell him thence. I thinke hee"l be to Rome As is the Aspray to the Fish, who takes it By Soueraignty of Nature. First, he was A n.o.ble seruant to them, but he could not Carry his Honors eeuen: whether "twas Pride Which out of dayly Fortune euer taints The happy man; whether detect of iudgement, To faile in the disposing of those chances Which he was Lord of: or whether Nature, Not to be other then one thing, not moouing From th" Caske to th" Cushion: but commanding peace Euen with the same austerity and garbe, As he controll"d the warre. But one of these (As he hath spices of them all) not all, For I dare so farre free him, made him fear"d, So hated, and so banish"d: but he ha"s a Merit To choake it in the vtt"rance: So our Vertue, Lie in th" interpretation of the time, And power vnto it selfe most commendable, Hath not a Tombe so euident as a Chaire T" extoll what it hath done.
One fire driues out one fire; one Naile, one Naile; Rights by rights fouler, strengths by strengths do faile.
Come let"s away: when Caius Rome is thine, Thou art poor"st of all; then shortly art thou mine.
Exeunt.
Actus Quintus.
Enter Menenius, Cominius, Sicinius, Brutus, the two Tribunes, with others.
Menen. No, ile not go: you heare what he hath said Which was sometime his Generall: who loued him In a most deere particular. He call"d me Father: But what o"that? Go you that banish"d him A Mile before his Tent, fall downe, and knee The way into his mercy: Nay, if he coy"d To heare Cominius speake, Ile keepe at home
Com. He would not seeme to know me
Menen. Do you heare?
Com. Yet one time he did call me by my name: I vrg"d our old acquaintance, and the drops That we haue bled together. Coriola.n.u.s He would not answer too: Forbad all Names, He was a kinde of Nothing, t.i.tlelesse, Till he had forg"d himselfe a name a"th" fire Of burning Rome
Menen. Why so: you haue made good worke: A paire of Tribunes, that haue wrack"d for Rome, To make Coales cheape: A n.o.ble memory
Com. I minded him, how Royall "twas to pardon When it was lesse expected. He replyed It was a bare pet.i.tion of a State To one whom they had punish"d
Menen. Very well, could he say lesse
Com. I offered to awaken his regard For"s priuate Friends. His answer to me was He could not stay to picke them, in a pile Of noysome musty Chaffe. He said, "twas folly For one poore graine or two, to leaue vnburnt And still to nose th" offence
Menen. For one poore graine or two?
I am one of those: his Mother, Wife, his Childe, And this braue Fellow too: we are the Graines, You are the musty Chaffe, and you are smelt Aboue the Moone. We must be burnt for you
Sicin. Nay, pray be patient: If you refuse your ayde In this so neuer-needed helpe, yet do not Vpbraid"s with our distresse. But sure if you Would be your Countries Pleader, your good tongue More then the instant Armie we can make Might stop our Countryman
Mene. No: Ile not meddle
Sicin. Pray you go to him
Mene. What should I do?
Bru. Onely make triall what your Loue can do, For Rome, towards Martius
Mene. Well, and say that Martius returne mee, As Cominius is return"d, vnheard: what then?
But as a discontented Friend, greefe-shot With his vnkindnesse. Say"t be so?
Sicin. Yet your good will Must haue that thankes from Rome, after the measure As you intended well
Mene. Ile vndertak"t: I thinke hee"l heare me. Yet to bite his lip, And humme at good Cominius, much vnhearts mee.
He was not taken well, he had not din"d, The Veines vnfill"d, our blood is cold, and then We powt vpon the Morning, are vnapt To giue or to forgiue; but when we haue stufft These Pipes, and these Conueyances of our blood With Wine and Feeding, we haue suppler Soules Then in our Priest-like Fasts: therefore Ile watch him Till he be dieted to my request, And then Ile set vpon him
Bru. You know the very rode into his kindnesse, And cannot lose your way
Mene. Good faith Ile proue him, Speed how it will. I shall ere long, haue knowledge Of my successe.
Enter.
Com. Hee"l neuer heare him
Sicin. Not
Com. I tell you, he doe"s sit in Gold, his eye Red as "twould burne Rome: and his Iniury The Gaoler to his pitty. I kneel"d before him, "Twas very faintly he said Rise: dismist me Thus with his speechlesse hand. What he would do He sent in writing after me: what he would not, Bound with an Oath to yeeld to his conditions: So that all hope is vaine, vnlesse his n.o.ble Mother, And his Wife, who (as I heare) meane to solicite him For mercy to his Countrey: therefore let"s hence, And with our faire intreaties hast them on.