usurers; repeal daily any wholesome act established 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

Confess yourselves wondrous malicious,

Or be accused of folly. I shall tell you
A pretty tale; it may be, you have heard it;
But since it serves my purpose, I will venture
To stale't a little more.

1 Cit. Well, I'll hear it, sir: yet you must not think to fob off our disgrace with a tale; but, an't please you, deliver. Men. There was a time, when all the body's members Rebelled against the belly; thus accused it:That only like a gulf it did remain

I' the midst o' the body, idle and inactive,

Still cupboarding the viand, never bearing

Like labor with the rest; where the other instruments
Did see, and hear, devise, instruct, walk, feel,
And, mutually participate, did minister
Unto the appetite and affection common
Of the whole body. The belly answered,-

1 Cit. Well, sir, what answer made the belly?
Men. Sir, I shall tell you.-With a kind of smile,
Which ne'er came from the lungs, but even thus,
(For, look you, I may make the belly smile,
As well as speak,) it tauntingly replied

To the discontented members, the mutinous parts
That envied his receipt; even so most fitly
As you malign our senators, for that

They are not such as you.

1 Cit. Men. The kingly-crowned head, the vigilant eye, The counsellor heart, the arm our soldier,

Your belly's answer; what?

Our steed the leg, the tongue our trumpeter,
With other muniments and petty helps

In this our fabric, if that they

1 Cit.

What then?———

Men. 'Fore me, this fellow speaks!-what then? what

then?

Should by the cormorant belly be restrained,

Who is the sink o' the body,

1 Cit.

The former agents, if they did

Well, what then?

complain,

I will tell you;

What could the belly answer?

Men.

If you'll bestow a small (of what you have little)
Patience, a while, you'll hear the belly's answer.
1 Cit. You are long about it.
Men.

Note me this, good friend;

Your most grave belly was deliberate,

Not rash like his accusers, and thus answered :—
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 send it through the rivers of your blood,

Even to the court, the heart,-to the seat o' the brain;
And through the cranks and offices of man,
The strongest nerves, and small, inferior veins,
From me receive that natural competency

Whereby they live. And though that all at once, You, my good friends, (this says the belly,) mark me,— 1 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 flour of all,
And leave me but the bran. What say you to't?
1 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 counsels, and their cares; digest things rightly,
Touching the weal of the common; you shall find,
No public benefit which you receive,

But it proceeds, or comes, from them to you,
And no way from yourselves.-What do you think?
You, the great toe of this assembly?—

Cit. I the great toe? Why the great toe?

Men. For that being one o' the lowest, basest, poorest, Of this most wise rebellion, thou go'st foremost. Thou rascal, thou art worst in blood to run,

Lead'st first to win some vantage.

But make you ready your stiff bats and clubs;

Rome and her rats are at the point of battle;

The one side must have bale. Hail, noble Marcius!

Enter CAIUS MARCIUS.

Mar. Thanks.-What's the matter, you dissensious rogues, That, rubbing the poor itch of your opinion,

Make yourselves scabs?

1 Cit. We have ever your good word. Mar. He that will give good words to thee, will flatter Beneath abhorring.-What would you have, you curs, That like nor peace, nor war? the one affrights you, The other makes you proud. He that trusts you, Where he should find you lions, finds you hares; Where foxes, geese. You are no surer, no, Than is the coal of fire upon the ice,

Or hailstone in the sun. Your virtue is,

To make him worthy, whose offence subdues him,
And curse that justice did it. Who deserves greatness,
Deserves your hate; and your affections are

A sick man's appetite, who desires most that

Which would increase his evil. He that depends
Upon your favors, swims with fins of lead,

And hews down oaks with rushes. Hang ye! Trust ye?
With every minute you do change a mind;

And call him noble that was now your hate;

Him vile, that was your garland. What's the matter, That in these several places of the city

You cry against the noble senate, who,

Under the gods, keep you in awe, which else

Would feed on one another?-What's their seeking? Men. For corn at their own rates; whereof, they say, The city is well stored.

Mar.

Hang 'em! They say?

They'll sit by the fire, and presume to know

What's done i' the capitol; who's like to rise,

Who thrives, and who declines; side factions, and give out Conjectural marriages; making parties strong,

And feebling such as stand not in their liking,

Below their cobbled shoes. They say there's grain enough?
Would the nobility lay aside their ruth,

And let me use my sword, I'd make a quarry
With thousands of these quartered slaves, as high

As I could pick my lance.

Men. Nay, these are almost thoroughly persuaded;
For though abundantly they lack discretion,

Yet are they passing cowardly. But, I beseech you,
What says the other troop?

Mar.
They are dissolved. Hang 'em!
They said, they were an hungry; sighed forth proverbs;
That hunger broke stone walls; that dogs must eat;
That meat was made for mouths; that the gods sent not
Corn for the rich men only.-With these shreds
They vented their complainings; which being answered,

And a petition granted them, a strange one, (To break the heart of generosity,

And make bold power look pale,) they threw their caps As they would hang them on the horns o' the moon, Shouting their emulation.

Men.

What is granted them?

Mar. Five tribunes to defend their vulgar wisdoms,
Of their own choice. One's Junius Brutus,
Sicinius Velutus, and I know not-'Sdeath!
The rabble should have first unroofed the city,
Ere so prevailed with me; it will in time.

Win upon power, and throw forth greater themes
For insurrection's arguing.

Men.

This is strange.

Mar. Go, get you home, you fragments!

Enter a Messenger.

Mess. Where's Caius Marcius?

Mar.

Here. What's the matter?

Mess. The news is, sir, the Volces are in arms.

Mar. I am glad on't; then we shall have means to vent

Our musty superfluity.-See, our best elders.

Enter COMINIUS, TITUS LARTIUS, and other Senators; JUNIUS BRUTUS and SICINIUS VELUtus.

1 Sen. Martius, 'tis true, that you have lately told us; The Volces are in arms.

Mar. They have a leader,

Tullus Aufidius, that will put you to't.

I sin in envying his nobility;

And were I any thing but what I am,
I would wish me only he.

Com.

You have fought together.

Mar. Were half to half the world by the ears, and he Upon my party, I'd revolt to make

Only my wars with him: he is a lion

That I am proud to hunt.

1 Sen.

Then, worthy Marcius,

Sir, it is;

Attend upon Cominius to these wars.
Com. It is your former promise.

'Mar.

And I am constant.-Titus Lartius, thou
Shalt see me once more strike at Tullus' face:
What, art thou stiff? stand'st out?

Tit.

No, Caius Marcius;

I'll lean upon one crutch, and fight with the other,
Ere stay behind this business.

Men.

O, true bred!

1 Sen. Your company to the capitol; where, I know, Our greatest friends attend us.

Tit.

Lead you on:

Follow, Cominius; we must follow you;
Right worthy you priority.

Com.

Noble Lartius!

1 Sen. Hence! To your homes, be gone.

[To the Citizens. Nay, let them follow:

Mar.
The Volces have much corn; take these rats thither,

To gnaw their garners.-Worshipful mutineers,

Your valor puts well forth; pray, follow.

[Exeunt Senators, Coм., MAR., TIT., and
MENEN. Citizens steal away.

Sic. Was ever man so proud as is this Marcius?
Bru. He has no equal.

Sic. When we were chosen tribunes for the people,-
Bru. Marked you his lip and eyes?

Sic.

Nay, but his taunts. Bru. Being moved, he will not spare to gird the gods. Sic. Bemock the modest moon.

Bru. The present wars devour him; he is grown Too proud to be so valiant.

Sic.

Such a nature,

Tickled with good success, disdains the shadow
Which he treads on at noon. But I do wonder,
His insolence can brook to be commanded
Under Cominius.

Bru.
Fame, at the which he aims,-
In whom already he is well graced,― cannot
Better be held, nor more attained, than by
A place below the first; for what miscarries
Shall be the general's fault, though he perform
To the utmost of a man; and giddy censure
Will then cry out of Marcius, O, if he
Had borne the business!

Sic.
Opinion, that so sticks on Marcius, shall
Of his demerits rob Cominius.

Besides, if things go well,

Half all Cominius' honors are to Marcius,

Though Marcius earned them not; and all his faults