The Same. A Street near the Gate. | |
| |
Enter SICINIUS, BRUTUS, and an Ædile. | |
| Sic. Bid them all home; he’s gone, and we’ll no further. | |
| The nobility are vex’d, whom we see have sided | 4 |
| In his behalf. | |
| Bru. Now we have shown our power, | |
| Let us seem humbler after it is done | |
| Than when it was a-doing. | 8 |
| Sic. Bid them home; | |
| Say their great enemy is gone, and they | |
| Stand in their ancient strength. | |
| Bru. Dismiss them home. [Exit Ædile. | 12 |
| |
Enter VOLUMNIA, VIRGILIA, and MENENIUS. | |
| Here comes his mother. | |
| Sic. Let’s not meet her. | |
| Bru. Why? | 16 |
| Sic. They say she’s mad. | |
| Bru. They have ta’en note of us: keep on your way. | |
| Vol. O! you’re well met. The hoarded plague o’ the gods | |
| Requite your love! | 20 |
| Men. Peace, peace! be not so loud. | |
| Vol. If that I could for weeping, you should hear,— | |
| Nay, and you shall hear some. [To BRUTUS.] Will you be gone? | |
| Vir. [To SICINIUS.] You shall stay too. I would I had the power | 24 |
| To say so to my husband. | |
| Sic. Are you mankind? | |
| Vol. Ay, fool; is that a shame? Note but this fool. | |
| Was not a man my father? Hadst thou foxship | 28 |
| To banish him that struck more blows for Rome | |
| Than thou hast spoken words? | |
| Sic. O blessed heavens! | |
| Vol. More noble blows than ever thou wise words; | 32 |
| And for Rome’s good. I’ll tell thee what; yet go: | |
| Nay, but thou shalt stay too: I would my son | |
| Were in Arabia, and thy tribe before him, | |
| His good sword in his hand. | 36 |
| Sic. What then? | |
| Vir. What then! | |
| He’d make an end of thy posterity. | |
| Vol. Bastards and all. | 40 |
| Good man, the wounds that he does bear for Rome! | |
| Men. Come, come: peace! | |
| Sic. I would he had continu’d to his country | |
| As he began, and not unknit himself | 44 |
| The noble knot he made. | |
| Bru. I would he had. | |
| Vol. ‘I would he had!’ ’Twas you incens’d the rabble: | |
| Cats, that can judge as fitly of his worth | 48 |
| As I can of those mysteries which heaven | |
| Will not have earth to know. | |
| Bru. Pray, let us go. | |
| Vol. Now, pray, sir, get you gone: | 52 |
| You have done a brave deed. Ere you go, hear this: | |
| As far as doth the Capitol exceed | |
| The meanest house in Rome, so far my son,— | |
| This lady’s husband here, this, do you see,— | 56 |
| Whom you have banish’d, does exceed you all. | |
| Bru. Well, well, we’ll leave you. | |
| Sic. Why stay we to be baited | |
| With one that wants her wits? | 60 |
| Vol. Take my prayers with you. [Exeunt Tribunes. | |
| I would the gods had nothing else to do | |
| But to confirm my curses! Could I meet ’em | |
| But once a day, it would unclog my heart | 64 |
| Of what lies heavy to ’t. | |
| Men. You have told them home, | |
| And, by my troth, you have cause. You’ll sup with me? | |
| Vol. Anger’s my meat; I sup upon myself, | 68 |
| And so shall starve with feeding. Come, let’s go. | |
| Leave this faint puling and lament as I do, | |
| In anger, Juno-like. Come, come, come. | |
| Men. Fie, fie, fie! [Exeunt. | 72 |
