If they

would yield us but the superfluity while it were wholesome14,

we might guess15 they relieved us humanely: but they think

we are too dear: the leanness that afflicts us, the object16 of our

misery, is as an inventory to particularize their abundance17:

our sufferance18 is a gain to them. Let us revenge this with our

pikes, ere we become rakes19. For the gods know, I speak this in

hunger for bread, not in thirst for revenge.

SECOND CITIZEN    Would you proceed especially against Caius

Martius?

ALL    Against him first: he’s a very dog to the commonalty23.

SECOND CITIZEN    Consider you what services he has done for his

country?

FIRST CITIZEN    Very well, and could be content to give him good

report for’t, but that he pays himself with being proud.

ALL    Nay, but speak not maliciously.

FIRST CITIZEN    I say unto you, what he hath done famously30, he

did it to that end: though soft-conscienced31 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 the33

altitude of his virtue.

SECOND CITIZEN    What he cannot help in his nature, you account

a vice in him. You must in no way say he is covetous.

FIRST CITIZEN    If37 I must not, I need not be barren of accusations:

he hath faults, with surplus, to tire in repetition38.

Shouts within

What shouts are these? The other side o’th’city is risen39: why

stay we prating here? To th’Capitol40!

ALL    Come, come.

FIRST CITIZEN    Soft42, who comes here?

Enter Menenius Agrippa

SECOND CITIZEN    Worthy Menenius Agrippa, one that hath always

loved the people.

FIRST CITIZEN    He’s one honest enough: would all the rest were so!

MENENIUS    What work’s, my countrymen, in hand?

Where go you With bats and clubs? The matter47, speak, I pray you.

SECOND CITIZEN    Our business is not unknown to th’senate: they

have had inkling this fortnight what we intend to do, which

now we’ll show ’em in deeds. They say poor suitors50 have

strong51 breaths: they shall know we have strong arms too.

MENENIUS    Why, masters52, my good friends, mine honest neighbours,

Will you undo53 yourselves?

SECOND CITIZEN    We cannot, sir, we are undone already.

MENENIUS    I tell you, friends, most charitable care

Have the patricians of you. For56 your wants,

Your suffering in this dearth57, you may as well

Strike at the heaven with your staves58 as lift them

Against the Roman state, whose course will on59

The way it takes, cracking ten thousand curbs60

Of more strong link asunder than can ever

Appear in your impediment62. For the dearth,

The gods, not the patricians, make it, and

Your knees to them, not arms64, must help. Alack,

You are transported65 by calamity

Thither where more attends66 you, and you slander

The helms67 o’th’state, who care for you like fathers,

When you curse them as enemies.

SECOND CITIZEN    Care for us? True, indeed69, they ne’er cared for us

yet. Suffer70 us to famish, and their store-houses crammed

with grain: make edicts for usury, to support usurers71: repeal

daily any wholesome act established against the rich, and

provide more piercing73 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.

MENENIUS    Either you must

Confess yourselves wondrous77 malicious,

Or be accused of folly. I shall tell you

A pretty79 tale: it may be you have heard it,

But since it serves my purpose, I will venture

To stale’t81 a little more.

SECOND CITIZEN    Well, I’ll hear it, sir: yet you must not think to

fob off our disgrace with a tale: but, an’t please you, deliver83.

MENENIUS    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’th’midst o’th’body, idle and unactive,

Still cupboarding the viand88, never bearing

Like labour with the rest, where th’other instruments89

Did see and hear, devise90, instruct, walk, feel,

And, mutually participate91, did minister

Unto the appetite and affection92 common

Of the whole body. The belly answered—

SECOND CITIZEN    Well, sir, what answer made the belly?

MENENIUS    Sir, I shall tell you: with a kind of smile,

Which ne’er came from the lungs, but even thus96—

For look you, I may make the belly smile

As well as speak — it tauntingly replied

To th’discontented members, the mutinous parts

That envied his receipt: even so most fitly100

As you malign our senators for that101

They are not such as you.

SECOND CITIZEN    Your belly’s answer: what?

The kingly crownèd head, the vigilant eye,

The counsellor heart, the arm our soldier,

Our steed the leg, the tongue our trumpeter,

With other muniments107 and petty helps

In this our fabric108, if that they—

MENENIUS    What then?

Fore me, this fellow speaks109! What then? What then?

SECOND CITIZEN    Should by the cormorant110 belly be restrained,

Who is the sink111 o’th’body—

MENENIUS    Well, what then?

SECOND CITIZEN    The former113 agents, if they did complain,

What could the belly answer?

MENENIUS    I will tell you,

If you’ll bestow a small116 — of what you have little —

Patience awhile, you’st117 hear the belly’s answer.

SECOND CITIZEN    You’re long about it.

MENENIUS    Note me this, good friend:

Your most grave120 belly was deliberate,

Not rash like his accusers, and thus answered:

‘True is it, my incorporate122 friends,’ quoth he,

‘That I receive the general123 food at first

Which you do live upon: and fit it is,

Because I am the storehouse and the shop

Of the whole body. But, if you do remember,

I send it through the rivers of your blood

Even to the court128, the heart, to th’seat o’th’brain,

And through the cranks and offices129 of man,

The strongest nerves130 and small inferior veins

From me receive that natural competency131

Whereby they live. And though that all at once’ —

You, my good friends, this says the belly, mark133 me—

SECOND CITIZEN    Ay, sir, well, well.

MENENIUS    ‘Though all at once cannot

See what I do deliver out to each,

Yet I can make my audit up137, that all

From me do back receive the flour138 of all,

And leave me but the bran139.’ What say you to’t?

SECOND CITIZEN    It was an answer: how apply you this?

MENENIUS    The senators of Rome are this good belly,

And you the mutinous members: for examine

Their counsels and their cares, digest143 things rightly

Touching the weal o’th’common144, 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?

SECOND CITIZEN    I the great toe? Why the great toe?

MENENIUS    For that, being one o’th’lowest, basest, poorest

Of this most wise rebellion, thou goest foremost:

Thou rascal, that art worst in blood152 to run,

Lead’st first to win some vantage153.

But make you ready your stiff bats and clubs:

Rome and her rats are at the point of battle:

The one side must have bale156.

Enter Caius Martius

Hail, noble Martius.

MARTIUS    Thanks. What’s the matter, you dissentious157 rogues,

That, rubbing the poor itch of your opinion,

Make yourselves scabs159?

SECOND CITIZEN    We have ever160 your good word.

MARTIUS    He that will give good words to thee will flatter

Beneath abhorring. What would you have, you curs162,

That like nor peace nor war? The one163 affrights you,

The other makes you proud164. He that trusts to you,

Where he should find you lions, finds you hares165:

Where foxes, geese: you are no surer166, no,

Than is the coal of fire upon the ice,

Or hailstone in the sun. Your virtue168 is

To make him worthy whose offence subdues him

And curse that justice did it. Who170 deserves greatness

Deserves your hate, and your affections171 are

A sick man’s appetite, who desires most that

Which would increase his evil173. He that depends

Upon your favours swims with fins of lead,

And hews down oaks with rushes175. Hang ye! Trust ye?

With every minute you do change a mind,

And call him noble that was now177 your hate,

Him vile that was your garland178. What’s the matter,

That in these several179 places of the city

You cry against the noble senate, who,

Under the gods, keep you in awe, which else181

Would feed on one another?— What’s their seeking182?

To Menenius

MENENIUS    For corn at their own rates, whereof they say

The city is well stored.

MARTIUS    Hang ’em! They say?

They’ll sit by th’fire, and presume to know

What’s done i’th’Capitol: who’s like to rise,

Who thrives and who declines: side factions and give out188

Conjectural marriages189, making parties strong

And feebling190 such as stand not in their liking

Below their cobbled191 shoes. They say there’s grain enough?

Would the nobility lay aside their ruth192,

And let me use my sword, I’d make a quarry193

With thousands of these quartered194 slaves, as high

As I could pick195 my lance.

MENENIUS    Nay, these are almost thoroughly persuaded:

For though abundantly they lack discretion,

Yet are they passing198 cowardly. But I beseech you,

What says the other troop?

MARTIUS    They are dissolved: hang ’em:

They said they were an-hungry201, sighed forth proverbs

That hunger broke stone walls, that dogs202 must eat,

That meat203 was made for mouths, that the gods sent not

Corn for the rich men only: with these shreds204

They vented their complainings, which being answered,

And a petition granted them, a strange one —

To break the heart of generosity207,

And make bold power look pale — they threw their caps

As209 they would hang them on the horns o’th’moon,

Shouting their emulation210.

MENENIUS    What is granted them?

MARTIUS    Five tribunes to defend their vulgar212 wisdoms,

Of their own choice. One’s Junius Brutus,

Sicinius Velutus, and I know not. ’Sdeath214,

The rabble should have first unroofed the city,

Ere so prevailed with me: it will in time

Win upon power and throw forth greater themes217

For insurrection’s arguing218.

MENENIUS    This is strange.

MARTIUS    Go get you home, you fragments220.

To the Citizens

Enter a Messenger hastily

MESSENGER    Where’s Caius Martius?

MARTIUS    Here: what’s the matter?

MESSENGER    The news is, sir, the Volsces are in arms.

MARTIUS    I am glad on’t: then we shall ha’ means to vent224

Our musty superfluity225. See, our best elders.

Enter Sicinius Velutus, Junius Brutus, Cominius, Titus Lartius, with other Senators

FIRST SENATOR    Martius, ’tis true that226 you have lately told us:

The Volsces are in arms.

MARTIUS    They have a leader,

Tullus Aufidius, that will put you to’t229:

I sin in envying his nobility,

And were I anything but what I am,

I would wish me only he.

COMINIUS    You have fought together233!

MARTIUS    Were half to half the world by th’ears234 and he

Upon my party235, I’d revolt to make

Only my wars with236 him. He is a lion

That I am proud to hunt.

FIRST SENATOR    Then, worthy Martius,

Attend upon239 Cominius to these wars.

COMINIUS    It is your former promise.

To Martius

MARTIUS    Sir, it is,

And I am constant242: Titus Lartius, thou

Shalt see me once more strike at Tullus’ face.

What, art thou stiff? Stand’st out?244

LARTIUS    No, Caius Martius,

I’ll lean upon one crutch and fight with t’other,

Ere247 stay behind this business.

MENENIUS    O, true-bred!

FIRST SENATOR    Your249 company to th’Capitol, where I know

Our greatest friends attend250 us.

LARTIUS    Lead you on.—

To Cominius

Follow Cominius, we must follow you,

To Martius

Right worthy your priority253.

COMINIUS    Noble Martius.

FIRST SENATOR    Hence to your homes, be gone.

To the Citizens

MARTIUS    Nay, let them follow:

The Volsces have much corn: take these rats thither

To gnaw their garners. Worshipful258 mutineers,

Your valour puts well forth259: pray follow.

Exeunt

Citizens steal away.