CORIOLANUS.

ACT

A C T I.

SCENE, a Street in ROME..

Enter a company of mutinous Citizens with ftaves, clubs, and other weapons.

B

1 CITIZEN.

EFORE we proceed any farther, 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..

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 wholefome, we might guess, they relieved us humanely:

but

but they think, we are too dear; the leannefs that afflicts us, the object of our mifery, is as an inventory to particularize their abundance; our fufferance is a gain to them. Let us revenge this with our Pikes, ere we become Rakes for the Gods know, I fpeak this in hunger for bread, not in thirst for revenge.

2 Cit. Would you proceed especially 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 say, 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 ways fay, he is

covetous.

1 Cit. If I muft not, I need not be barren of accufations; he hath faults, with furplus, to tire in repetition. [Shouts within.] What fhouts are thofe? the other fide o' th' City is rifen; why ftay we prating here? To the Capitol

All. Come, come.

1 Cit. Soft

-who comes here?

Enter Menenius Agrippa.

2 Cit. Worthy Menenius Agrippa; one that hath always lov'd the People.

i Cit. He's one honest 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, I pray you.

2 Cit. Our business is not unknown to the Senate; they have had inkling, this fortnight, what we intend to do, which now we'll fhew 'em in deeds: they say, poor Suiters have strong breaths; they fhall know, we have strong arms too.

Men. Why, Masters, my good Friends, mine honest Neighbours,

Will you undo your felves?

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 faves, as lift them
Against the Roman State; whofe Course will on
The way it takes, cracking ten thousand Curbs
Of more strong Links asunder, 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 transported by Calamity

Thither, where more attends you; and you flander
The Helms o'th' State, 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 famifh, and their Storehoufes cramm'd with grain: make Edicts for Ufury, to fupport Ufurers; repeal daily any wholesome Act eitablifhed against the Rich, and provide more piercing Statutes daily to chain up and restrain 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 your felves 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 withont any Manner of Senfe, that I can find out, The Poer must

2 Cit. Well,

I'll hear it, Sir

-yet you must not think

To fob off our difgraces with a Tale:

But, an'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

I'th' midst o'th body, idle and unactive,

Still cupboarding the Viand, never bearing

Like labour with the reft; where th'other instruments
Did fee, and hear, devise, instruct, walk, feel,
And mutually participate, did minifter
Unto the appetite, and affection common
Of the whole body. The belly answer'd-

2 Cit. Well, Sir, what answer made the belly?
Men. (2) Sir, I fhall tell you.

fmile,

-With a kind of

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' discontented Members, th' mutinous Parts,
That envied his receit; even fo most fitly,
As you malign our Senators, 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 steed the leg, the tongue our trumpeter;

have wrote, as I have corrected the Text: and then the Mean. ing will be plainly this. "Perhaps, you may have heard my "Tale already, but for all That, I'll venture to make it more "ftale and familiar to You, by telling it over again." And nothing is more common than the Verb in this Senfe, with our three Capital Dramatick Poets.

(2) Sir, I shall tell you with a kind of Smile,

Which ne'er came from the Lungs,] Thus all the Editors, moft stupidly, hitherto; as if Menenius were to smile in telling his Story, tho' the Lines, which immediately follow, make it evident that the Belly was meant to fmile.

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 Sink 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 bestow 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 moft grave belly was deliberate,

Not rafh, 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 store house, and the shop
Of the whole body. But, if you do remember,
I fend it through the rivers of your blood,

Even to the Court, the Heart; to th' feat o'th' brain;
And, through the cranks and offices of man,
The ftrongest nerves, and small inferior veins,
From me receive that natural competency,
Whereby they live. And tho' that all at once,
You, my good Friends, (this fays the belly) mark

me

2 Cit. Ay, Sir, well, well.

Men. Though all at once cannot See what I do deliver out to each, Yet I can make my audit up, that all

From me do back receive the flow'r of all,

And leave me but the bran. What fay you to't?
2 Cit. It was an answer;-how apply you this?
Men. The Senators of Rome are this good belly,
And you the mutinous Members; for examine
Their Counfels, and their Cares'; digeft things rightly,
Touching the weal o'th' Common; you fhall find,

No