his treading: he is able to pierce a corslet with his eye, talks like a knell, and his hum is a battery. He sits in his state as a thing made for Alexander. What he bids be done is finished with his bidding. He wants nothing of a god but eternity, and a heaven to throne in.
SICINIUS.
Yes, mercy, if you report him truly.
MENENIUS. I paint him in the character. Mark what mercy his mother shall bring from him. There is no more mercy in him than there is milk in a male tiger; that shall our poor city find: and all this is ‘long of you.
SICINIUS.
The gods be good unto us!
MENENIUS. No, in such a case the gods will not be good unto us. When we banished him we respected not them; and, he returning to break our necks, they respect not us.
[Enter a MESSENGER
MESSENGER.
Sir, if you’d save your life, fly to your house:
The plebeians have got your fellow-tribune
And hale him up and down; all swearing, if
The Roman ladies bring not comfort home
They’ll give him death by inches.
[Enter a second MESSENGER.]
SICINIUS.
What’s the news?
SECOND MESSENGER.
Good news, good news;—the ladies have prevail’d,
The Volscians are dislodg’d, and Marcius gone:
A merrier day did never yet greet Rome,
No, not the expulsion of the Tarquins.
SICINIUS.
Friend,
Art thou certain this is true? is’t most certain?
SECOND MESSENGER.
As certain as I know the sun is fire:
Where have you lurk’d, that you make doubt of it?
Ne’er through an arch so hurried the blown tide
As the recomforted through the gates. Why, hark you!
[Trumpets and hautboys sounded, drums beaten, aand shouting within.]
The trumpets, sackbuts, psalteries, and fifes,
Tabors and cymbals, and the shouting Romans,
Make the sun dance. Hark you!
[Shouting within.]
MENENIUS.
This is good news.
I will go meet the ladies. This Volumnia
Is worth of consuls, senators, patricians,
A city full: of tribunes such as you,
A sea and land full. You have pray’d well to-day:
This morning for ten thousand of your throats
Ied not have given a doit. Hark, how they joy!
[Shouting and music.]
SICINIUS.
First, the gods bless you for your tidings; next,
Accept my thankfulness.
SECOND MESSENGER.
Sir, we have all
Great cause to give great thanks.
SICINIUS.
They are near the city?
MESSENGER.
Almost at point to enter.
SICINIUS.
We’ll meet them,
And help the joy.
[Exeunt.]
SCENE V. Rome. A street near the gate.
[Enter VOLUMNIA, VIRGILIA, VALERIA, &c., accompanied by Senators,
Patricians, and Citizens.]
FIRST SENATOR.
Behold our patroness, the life of Rome!
Call all your tribes together, praise the gods,
And make triumphant fires; strew flowers before them:
Unshout the noise that banish’d Marcius,
Repeal him with the welcome of his mother;
Cry, ‘Welcome, ladies, welcome!’—
ALL.
Welcome, ladies,
Welcome!
[Exeunt.]
SCENE VI. Antium. A public place.
[Enter TULLUS AUFIDIUS, with attendants.]
AUFIDIUS.
Go tell the lords o’ the city I am here:
Deliver them this paper; having read it,
Bid them repair to the marketplace: where I,
Even in theirs and in the commons’ ears,
Will vouch the truth of it. Him I accuse
The city ports by this hath enter’d and
Intends t’ appear before the people, hoping
To purge himself with words: despatch.
[Exeunt attendants.]
[Enter three or four CONSPIRATORS of AUFIDIUS’ faction.]
Most welcome!
FIRST CONSPIRATOR.
How is it with our general?
AUFIDIUS.
Even so
As with a man by his own alms empoison’d,
And with his charity slain.
SECOND CONSPIRATOR.
Most noble sir,
If you do hold the same intent wherein
