CORIOLANUS.

A C T I.

SCENE, A Street in Rome.

Enter a company of mutinous Citizens with flaves, clubs,

B

and other

weapons.

I CITIZEN.

Efore we proceed any further, hear me speak.
All. Speak, fpeak.

1 Cit. You are all refolv'd rather to die, than to famish!

All. Refolv'd, refolv'd.

1 Cit. First, you know, Caius Marcius is the chief enemy to the people.

All. We know't, we know't.

1 Cit. Let us kill him, and we'll have corn at our own price. Is't a verdict?

All. No more talking on't, let 't be done ; away, away. 2 Cit. One word, good Citizens.

1 Cit. We are accounted poor Citizens; the Patricians, good: what authority furfeits on, would relieve us: if they would yield us but the fuperfluity, while it were wholesome, we might guefs, they relieved us humanely: but they think, we are too dear; the leannefs that afflicts us, the object of our mifery, is as an inventory

inventory to particularize their abundance; our fuffe rance is a gain to them. Let us revenge this with our pikes, ere we become rakes: for the gods know, } fpeak this in hunger for bread, not in thirst for revenge. 2 Cit. Would you proceed efpecially against Caius Marcius?

All. Against him firft: he's a very dog to the commonalty.

2 Cit. Confider you, what fervices 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.

All. Nay, but fpeak not maliciously.

1 Cit. I fay unto you, what he hath done famously, he did it to that end; though foft-confcienc'd men can be content to fay, 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 muft not, I need not be barren of accu fations; he hath faults, with furplus, to tire in repetition. [Shouts within.] What fhouts are thofe? the other fide o' th' city is rifen; why stay we prating here? To the capitol.

All. Come, come.

1 Cit. Soft-who comes here ?

Enter Menenius Agrippa.

z Cit. Worthy Menenius Agrippa; one that hath always lov'd the people.

Cit. He's one honeft enough; 'would, all the reft were fo!

Men. What work's, my countrymen, in hand? where go you

With bats and clubs? the matter-Speak, 1 pray you.

2 Cit. Our bufinefs is not unknown to the Senate; they have had inkling, this fortnight, what we intend

to

to do, which now we'll fhew 'em in deeds: they fay, poor fuitors have strong breaths; they fhall know, we have ftrong arms too.

Men. Why, mafters, my good friends, mine honest neighbours,

Will you undo yourselves?

2 Cit. We cannot, Sir, we are undone already,
Men. I tell you, friends, moft charitable care
Have the patricians of you: For your wants,
Your fufferings in this dearth, you may as well
Strike at the heaven with your ftaves, as lift them
Against the Roman State; whofe courfe will on
The way it takes, cracking ten thousand curbs
Of more strong links afunder, than can ever
Appear in your impediment. For the dearth,
The gods, not the patricians, make it; and
Your knees to them (not arms) muft help. Alack,
You are tranfported by calamity

Thither, where more attends you; and you flander
The helms o' th' ftate, who care for you, like fathers,
When you curse them as enemies.

2 Cit. Care for us!-true, indeed!-they ne'er car'd for us yet. Suffer us to famish, and their store-houses cramm'd with grain: make edicts for ufury, to fupport ufurers; repeal daily any wholesome act established against the rich, and provide more piercing ftatutes daily to chain up and reftrain the poor. If the wars eat us not up, they will; and there's all the love they

bear us.

Men. Either you must,

Confefs yourselves wond'rous malicious,

Or be accus'd of folly. I fhall tell you
A pretty tale, (it may be, you have heard it;)
But fince it ferves my purpofe, I will venture
(1) To ftale't a little more.

2. Cit.

(1) To fcale't a little more.] Thus all the editions, but without any manner of fenfe, that I can find out. The poet must have wrote, as I have corrected the text: and then the meaning will be plainly this. "Perhaps, you may have heard my tale already, but for all that, "I'll venture to make it more fale and familiar to you, by telling it

374

2 Cit. Well,

I'll hear it, Sir-yet you must not think
To fob off our difgraces with a tale:

But, and'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

l' th' midft o' th' body, idle and unactive,

Still cupboarding the viand, never bearing

Like labour with the reft; where th' other inftruments

Did fee, and hear, devife, inftruct, walk, feel,

And mutually participate, did minister,

Unto the appetite, and affection common

Of the whole body. The belly answer'd←———

over again." And nothing is more common than the verb in this fenfe, with our three capital Dramatic poets. To begin, with our own author. Anth. and Cleop.

Age cannot wither her, nor cuftom ftale
Her infinite variety.

ful. Caf.

Were I a common laugher, or did use To fale with ordinary oaths my love &c. And, again,

and imitations,

Which out of ufe, and ftaled by other men,
Begin his fashion.

So B. Jonfon, in his Every Man in his Humour.

and not content

To ftale himself in all focieties,

He makes my house here common as a mart.

Cynthia's Revels.

I'll go tell all the argument of his play aforehand, and fo fale hig invention to the auditory, before it come forth.

And fo Beaumont and Fletcher, in their Beggar's Bufb.
But I fhould lofe myself to speak him further,

And ftale, in my relation, the much good

You may be witness of.

Queen of Corinth.

-I'll not fale 'em,

By giving up their characters; but leave you

To make your own difcov'ries.

Wit at feveral weapons.

You fhall not be feen yet, we'll fale your friend first,

So please but him to ftand for th' anti-mask.

-

-2 Cit. Well, Sir, what anfwer made the belly? Men. (2) Sir, I fhall tell you. With a kind of fmile, Which ne'er came from the lungs, but even thus→→ (For, look you, I may make the belly fmile, As well as fpeak) it tauntingly, reply'd

To th' difcontented members, th' mutinous parts,
That envied his receipt; even fo moft fitly,
As you malign our fenators, for that
They are not fuch as you-

2 Cit. Your belly's anfwer-what!

The kingly crowned head, the vigilant eye,
The counfellor heart, the arm our foldier,
Our feed the leg, the tongue our trumpeter;
With other muniments and petty helps

In this our fabrick, if that they

Men. What then

'Fore me, this fellow fpeaks

What then? what then?

2 Cit. Should by the cormorant belly be restrain'd, Who is the fink o' th' body,

Men. Well,—what then ?

2 Cit. The former agents, if they did complain, What could the belly answer ?

Men. I will tell you,

If you'll beftow a fmall (of what you have little); Patience, a while; you'll hear the belly's answer.. 2 Cit. Y' are long about it.

Men. Note me this, good friend;
Your molt grave belly was deliberate,

Not rash, like his accufers; 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,
Because I am the ftore-house, and the fhop
Of the whole body. But, if you do remember,
I fend it through the rivers of your blood,

(2) Sir, I fhall tell you with a kind of smile,

Which ne'er came from the lungs, Thus all the editors, most upidly, hitherto; as if Menenius were to fmile in telling his flory, tho' the lines, which immediately follow, make it evident that the belly was meant to fmile,