Rome. A Street.
 Enter a company of mutinous CITIZENS, with staves,
 clubs, and other weapons.

1st Citizen	Before we proceed any further, hear me speak.

All	Speak, speak.

1st Citizen	You are all resolved rather to die than to famish?

All	Resolved, resolved.

1st Citizen	First, you know Caius Martius is chief enemy to the people.

All	We know't, we know't.

1st Citizen	Let us kill him, and we'll have corn at our own price. Is't 
	a verdict?

All	No more talking on't; let it be done. Away, away!

2nd Citizen	One word, good citizens.

1st Citizen	We are accounted poor citizens, the patricians good. What 
	authority surfeits on would relieve us. If they would yield 
	us but the superfluity while it were wholesome, we might 
	guess they relieved us humanely; but they think we are too 
	dear. The leanness that afflicts us, the object of our 
	misery, is as an inventory to particularize their 
	abundance; our sufferance is a gain to them. Let us revenge 
	this with our pikes ere we become rakes; for the gods know 
	I speak this in hunger for bread, not in thirst for 
	revenge.

2nd Citizen	Would you proceed especially against Caius Martius?

1st Citizen	Against him first. He's a very dog to the commonalty.

2nd Citizen	Consider you what services he has done for his country?

1st Citizen	Very well, and could be content to give him good report 
	for't but that he pays himself with being proud.

2nd Citizen	Nay, but speak not maliciously.

1st Citizen	I say unto you, what he hath done famously he did it to 
	that end. Though soft-conscienced 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.

2nd Citizen	What he cannot help in his nature you account a vice in 
	him. You must in no way say he is covetous.

1st Citizen	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 o'th' city is risen: 
	why stay we prating here? To th' Capitol!

All	Come, come.

1st Citizen	Soft, who comes here?

                         Enter MENENIUS AGRIPPA.

2nd Citizen	Worthy Menenius Agrippa, one that hath always loved the 
	people.

1st 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 matter? Speak, I pray you.

1st 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 suitors have strong 
	breaths; they shall know we have strong arms too.

Menenius	Why, masters, my good friends, mine honest neighbours,
	Will you undo yourselves?

1st Citizen	We cannot, sir, we are undone already.

Menenius	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.

1st Citizen	Care for us? True indeed! They ne'er cared for us yet: 
	suffer us to famish, and their storehouses crammed with 
	grain; make edicts for usury, to support usurers; repeal 
	daily any wholesome act established 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.

Menenius	Either you must
	Confess yourselves wondrous malicious,
	Or be accused 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.

1st Citizen	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.

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 viand, never bearing
	Like labour with the rest, where the 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 answered-

1st 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 thus-
	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 fitly,
	As you malign our Senators for that
	They are not such as you.

1st Citizen							Your belly's answer - what?
	The kingly crownd head, the vigilant eye,
	The counsellor heart, the arm our soldier,
	Our steed the leg, the tongue our trumpeter,
	With other muniments and petty helps
	In this our fabric, if that they-

Menenius										What then?
	'Fore me, this fellow speaks! What then? What then?

1st Citizen	Should by the cormorant belly be restrained,
	Who is the sink o'th' body-

Menenius								Well, what then?

1st Citizen	The former agents, if they did complain,
	What could the belly answer?

Menenius										I will tell you;
	If you'll bestow a small (of what you have little)
	Patience awhile, you'll hear the belly's answer.

1st Citizen	You're long about it.

Menenius							Note me this, good friend:
	Your most grave belly was deliberate,
	Not rash like his accusers, and thus answered:
	"True is it, my incorporate friends," quoth he
	"That I receive the general 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 court, the heart, to th' seat o'th' brain;
	And, through the cranks and offices of man,
	The strongest nerves and small inferior veins
	From me receive that natural competency
	Whereby they live. And though that all at once,
	You, my good friends," - this says the belly, mark me-

1st 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 up, that all
	From me do back receive the flour of all,
	And leave me but the bran." What say you to't?

1st 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, digest things rightly
	Touching the weal o'th' common, 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?

1st 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 blood to run,
	Lead'st first to win some vantage.
	But make you ready your stiff bats and clubs.
	Rome and her rats are at the point of battle;
	The one side must have bale.

                           Enter CAIUS MARTIUS.

	Hail, noble Martius!

Martius	Thanks. What's the matter, you dissentious rogues
	That, rubbing the poor itch of your opinion,
	Make yourselves scabs?

1st Citizen							We have ever your good word.

Martius	He that will give good words to thee, will flatter
	Beneath abhorring. What would you have, you curs,
	That like nor peace nor war? the one affrights you,
	The other makes you proud. He that trusts to you,
	Where he should find you lions, finds you hares;
	Where foxes, geese: you are no surer, no,
	Than is the coal of fire upon the ice,
	Or hailstone in the sun. Your virtue is,
	To make him worthy whose offence subdues him,
	And curse that justice did it. Who deserves greatness,
	Deserves your hate; and your affections are
	A sick man's appetite, who desires most that
	Which would increase his evil. He that depends
	Upon your favours swims with fins of lead,
	And hews down oaks with rushes. Hang ye! Trust ye?
	With every minute you do change a mind,
	And call him noble that was now your hate,
	Him vile that was your garland. What's the matter,
	That in these several places of the city,
	You cry against the noble Senate, who,
	Under the gods, keep you in awe, which else
	Would feed on one another? What's their seeking?

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 out
	Conjectural marriages; making parties strong,
	And feebling such as stand not in their liking
	Below their cobbled shoes.They say there's grain enough?
	Would the nobility lay aside their ruth,
	And let me use my sword, I'd make a quarry
	With thousands of these quartered slaves, as high
	As I could pick my lance.

Menenius	Nay, these are almost thoroughly persuaded;
	For though abundantly they lack discretion,
	Yet are they passing cowardly. But I beseech you,
	What says the other troop?

Martius								They are dissolved. Hang 'em!
	They said they were an-hungry, sighed forth proverbs-
	That hunger broke stone walls; that dogs must eat;
	That meat was made for mouths; that the gods sent not
	Corn for the rich men only. With these shreds
	They vented their complainings, which being answered
	And a petition granted them, a strange one-
	To break the heart of generosity
	And make bold power look pale - they threw their caps
	As they would hang them on the horns o'th' moon,
	Shouting their emulation.

Menenius									What is granted them?

Martius	Five Tribunes to defend their vulgar wisdoms,
	Of their own choice; one's Junius Brutus,
	Sicinius Velutus, and I know not. 'Sdeath,
	The rabble should have first unroofed the city,
	Ere so prevailed with me; it will in time
	Win upon power, and throw forth greater themes
	For insurrection's arguing.

Menenius									This is strange.

Martius	Go get you home, you fragments.

                        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 vent
	Our musty superfluity. See, our best elders.

     Enter SICINIUS VELUTUS, JUNIUS BRUTUS, COMINIUS, TITUS LARTIUS,
                           with other SENATORS.

1st Senator	Martius, 'tis true that you have lately told us,
	The Volsces are in arms.

Martius								They have a leader,
	Tullus Aufidius, that will put you to't.
	I sin in envying his nobility;
	And were I anything but what I am,
	I would wish me only he.

Cominius								You have fought together!

Martius	Were half to half the world by th' ears, and he
	Upon my party, I'd revolt to make
	Only my wars with him. He is a lion
	That I am proud to hunt.

1st Senator									Then, worthy Martius,
	Attend upon Cominius to these wars.

Cominius	It is your former promise.

Martius								Sir, it is,
	And I am constant. Titus Lartius, thou
	Shalt see me once more strike at Tullus' face.
	What, art thou stiff? Stand'st out?

Lartius										No, Caius Martius,
	I'll lean upon one crutch and fight with t' other,
	Ere stay behind this business.

Menenius										O, true-bred!

1st Senator	Your company to th' Capitol; where I know
	Our greatest friends attend us.

Lartius			[To COMINIUS.]			Lead you on.
	[To MARTIUS.] Follow Cominius, we must follow you,
	Right worthy you priority.

Cominius								Noble Martius.

1st Senator	[To the CITIZENS.]
	Hence to your homes. Be gone.

Martius										Nay, let them follow.
	The Volsces have much corn; take these rats thither,
	To gnaw their garners. Worshipful mutineers,
	Your valour puts well forth; pray follow.
												[CITIZENS steal away.
								[Exeunt all but SICINIUS and BRUTUS.

Sicinius	Was ever man so proud as is this Martius?

Brutus	He has no equal.

Sicinius	When we were chosen Tribunes for the people-

Brutus	Marked you his lip and eyes?

Sicinius									Nay, but his taunts.

Brutus	Being moved, he will not spare to gird the gods.

Sicinius	Bemock the modest moon.

Brutus	The present wars devour him. He is grown
	Too proud to be so valiant.

Sicinius									Such a nature,
	Tickled with good success, disdains the shadow
	Which he treads on at noon. But I do wonder
	His insolence can brook to be commanded
	Under Cominius.

Brutus					Fame, at the which he aims,
	In whom already he's well graced, cannot
	Better be held nor more attained than by
	A place below the first: for what miscarries
	Shall be the general's fault, though he perform
	To th' utmost of a man; and giddy censure
	Will then cry out of Martius "O, if he
	Had borne the business!"

Sicinius							Besides, if things go well,
	Opinion, that so sticks on Martius, shall
	Of his demerits rob Cominius.

Brutus										Come.
	Half all Cominius' honours are to Martius,
	Though Martius earned them not; and all his faults
	To Martius shall be honours, though indeed
	In aught be merit not.

Sicinius							Let's hence, and hear
	How the dispatch is made; and in what fashion,
	More than his singularity, he goes
	Upon this present action.

Brutus								Let's along.
												[Exeunt.
