CIT.] Nay, but speak not maliciously.

1. CIT. I say unto you, what he hath done famously, he did it to that end. Though soft-conscienc'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 way say he is covetous.

1. CIT. If I must not, I need not be barren of accusations; he hath faults (with surplus) to tire in repetition. (Shouts within.) What shouts are these? The other side a' th' city is risen; why stay we prating here? To th' 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.

1. CIT. He's one honest enough; would all the rest were so!

MEN.

What work's, my countrymen, in hand? Where go you

With bats and clubs? The matter? Speak, I pray you.

[1.] CIT. 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 suitors have strong breaths; they shall know we have strong arms too.

MEN.

Why, masters, my good friends, mine honest neighbors,

Will you undo yourselves?

[1.] CIT.

We cannot, sir, we are undone already.

MEN.

I tell you, friends, most charitable care

Have the patricians of you. For your wants,

Your suffering in this dearth, you may as well

Strike at the heaven with your staves as lift them

Against the Roman state, whose course will on

The way it takes, cracking ten thousand curbs

Of more strong link 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) must help. Alack,

You are transported by calamity

Thither where more attends you, and you slander

The helms o' th' state, who care for you like fathers,

When you curse them as enemies.

[1.] 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 usury, to support usurers; repeal daily any wholesome act establish'd 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 accus'd 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 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

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

Still cupboarding the viand, never bearing

Like labor with the rest, where th' 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 answer'd –

[1.] CIT.

Well, sir, what answer made the belly?

MEN.

Sir, I shall tell you.