To see him then step in, and steal our glory! it.— Know then, my valiant friend, no less than thee, To the same level, nay, above myself? To yield him the command of half my troops? Was weak, was mean, unworthy of a man!- Thou say'st, I will be free,-I will command,- I do not say, we should employ the dagger, 1 Of this sure precipice ;-then down at once, [Trumpet sounds. But hark,--the trumpet calls us to a scene, [A March.-Exeunt. Enter MENENIUS, meeting BRUTUS and SICINIUS. Men. O, you have made good work! Bru. What news? what news? Sic. 'Pray now, your news? Men. You have made good work, You, and your apron-men; you that stood so much Upon the voice of occupation, and The breath of garlick-eaters! Sic. We're all undone, unless The noble man have mercy. Men. Who shall ask it? The tribunes cannot do't for shame; the people Does of the shepherds. If he were putting to my house the brand 66 Το say, Beseech you, cease."-You have made fair hands, You and your crafts! you have crafted fair! Enter the CITIZENS. Here comes the clusters. You are they, That made the air unwholesome, when you cast Your stinking, greasy caps, in hooting at Which will not prove a whip; as many coxcombs, If he could burn us all into one coal, We have deserv'd it. 2 Cit. For mine own part, When I said," Banish him," I said, 'twas pity. 1 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. Men. You are goodly things,-you voices !— You have made Good work, you and your cry.— But here's Cominius; he will tell you news. Enter COMINIUS, and SENATORs. Have you prevail'd? Will he have mercy on us? What hope has Rome yet? How did he receive you? Com. He would not seem to know me. Men. Do you hear? Com. Yet one time he did call me by my name: Till he had forg'd himself a name i'the fire Men. Why, so; you've made good work: Com. I minded him, how royal 'twas to pardon, When it was least expected. He reply'd, It was a bare petition of a state Men. Very well: Could he say less? Com. I offer'd to awaken his regard For his private friends: His answer to me was, Men. For one poor grain Or two? I am one of those; his mother, wife. grains: You are the musty chaff; and you are smelt Above the moon: We must be burnt for you. Sic. Nay, 'pray, be patient: If you refuse your aid In this so never-needed help, yet do not Upbraid us with our distress. But, sure, if you Would be your country's pleader, your good tongue, More than the instant army we can make, Might stop our countryman. Men. No: I'll not meddle, Bru. Only make trial what your love can do, Com. He'll never hear him. Sic. Not? Com. I tell you, he does sit in gold, his eye Red as 'twould burn Rome; and his injury Unless his noble mother, and his wife; For mercy to his country. Men. See you yond' coign o'the capitol, yond' cor ner-stone? Sic. Why, what of that? Men. If it be possible for you to displace it with your little finger, there is some hopes the ladies of Rome, especially his mother, may prevail with him. Sic. Is it possible, that so short a time can alter the condition of a man? Men. There is differency between a grub, and a butterfly; yet your butterfly was a grub. This Marcius is grown from man to dragon: he has wings; he's more than a creeping thing. Sic. He lov'd his mother dearly. Men. So did he me: and he no more remembers his mother now, than an eight year old horse. Mark what mercy his mother shall bring from him: There is no more mercy in him, than there is milk in a male tiger; that shall our poor city find: and all this is 'long of you. 1 Cit. O doleful tidings! 2 Cit. O woful day! 3 Cit. What will become of us? All the Citizens. 0, 0, 0 !— 1 Cit. Let us seize the two tribunes, that did banish him, and throw them down the Tarpeian rock. Sic. O, good Menenius, save us ! Bru. Stand our friend! one to me. Men. Not I; they may hang, drown, burn, or break your worthless necks from the rock; 'tis all [Exit MENENIUS. All. Away with them, away with them! Com. Hear me, fellow citizens ! Suspend awhile your anger, till you hear How the entreaties of his mother, wife, |