Enter another Messenger. Mess. You are sent for to the senate: A fearful army, led by Caius Marcius, Associated with Aufidius, rages Upon our territories; and have already, O'erborne their way, consum'd with fire, and took What lay before them. Enter COMINIUS. Com. O, you have made good work! Men. What news? what news? Com. You have holp to ravish your own daughters, and To melt the city leads upon your pates; Men. What's the news? what's the news? Men. Pray now, your news? You have made fair work, I fear me : news? Pray, your If Marcius should be join'd with Volcians, He is their god; he leads them like a thing That shapes man better: and they follow him, Or butchers killing flies. Men. If! You have made good work, You, and your apron men; you that stood so much Upon the voice of occupation, and The breath of garlick-eaters! Com. Your Rome about your ears. He will shake 9 Mechanics. Men. As Hercules Did shake down mellow fruit: You have made fair work! Bru. But is this true, sir? Com. Ay; and you'll look pale Before you find it other. All the regions Do smilingly revolt; and, who resist, Are only mock'd for valiant ignorance, And perish constant fools. Who is 't can blame him? Your enemies, and his, find something in him. Men. We are all undone, unless The noble man have mercy. Com. Who shall ask it? The tribunes cannot do 't for shame; the people Deserve such pity of him, as the wolf Does of the shepherds: for his best friends, if they Should say, Be good to Rome, they charg'd him even As those should do that had deserv'd his hate, Men. 'Tis true: If he were putting to my house the brand To say, 'Beseech you cease.— You have made fair hands, You and your crafts! you have crafted fair! Com. You have brought A trembling upon Rome, such as was never So incapable of help. Tri. Say not, we brought it. Men. How! Was it we? We lov'd him; but, like beasts, And cowardly nobles, gave way to your clusters, Com. Is all the policy, strength, and defence, Enter a Troop of Citizens. Men. Here come the clusters. And is Aufidius with him? You are they That made the air unwholesome, when you cast And not a hair upon a soldier's head, Which will not prove a whip; as many coxcombs, We have deserv'd it. Cit. 'Faith, we hear fearful news. 1 Cit. For mine own part, When I said, banish him, I said, 'twas pity. 2 Cit. And so did I. 3 Cit. And so did I; and, to say the truth, so did very many of us: That we did, we did for the best and though we willingly consented to his banishment, yet it was against our will. Com. You are goodly things, you voices! Men. You have made Good work, you and your cry'! Shall us to the Capitol ? Com. O, ay; what else? [Exeunt Coм. and MEN. Sic. Go, masters, get you home, be not dismay'd; These are a side, that would be glad to have This true, which they so seem to fear. Go home, And show no sign of fear. when 1 Cit. The gods be good to us! Come, masters, let's home. I ever said, we were i' the wrong, we banished him. • Pack; alluding to a pack of hounds. [Exeunt Citizens. 2 Cit. So did we all. But come, let's home. Bru. I do not like this news. Sic, Nor I. Bru. Let's to the Capitol: Would, half my wealth Would buy this for a lie! Sic. Pray, let us go. [Exeunt. SCENE VII. A Camp; at a small distance from Rome. Enter AUFIDIUS, and his Lieutenant. Auf. Do they still fly to the Roman ? Lieu. I do not know what witchcraft 's in him; but Your soldiers use him as the grace 'fore meat, Auf. Of our design. He bears himself more proudlier Lieu. Yet I wish, sir, Auf. I understand thee well; and be thou sure, When he shall come to his account, he knows not What I can urge against him. Although it seems, And so he thinks, and is no less apparent To the vulgar eye, that he bears all things fairly, Lieu. Sir, I beseech you, think he 'll carry Rome? you Auf. All places yield to him ere he sits down ; And the nobility of Rome are his : The senators, and patricians, love him too. To expel him thence. I think, he'll be to Rome, A noble servant to them; but he could not The happy man; whether defect of judgment, . Even with the same austerity and garb As he controll'd the war; but, one of these, 3 Helmet. 2 An eagle that preys on fish. |