AUFIDIUS

Is it not yours? What ever have been thought one in this State That could be brought to bodily act, ere Room Had circumvention: it's not four days gone Since I herd thence, these are the words, I think I have the Letter here: yes, here it is; They have pressed a Power, but it is not known Whither for East or West: the Dearth is great, The people Mutinous: And it is umour'd, Cominius, Martius your old Enemy (Who is of Room worse hated then of you) And Titus Lartius, a most valiant Roman, These three lead on this Preparation Whither it's bent: most likely, it's for you: Consider of it. Nor did you think it folly, To keep your great pretences veiled, till when They needs must show themselves, which in the hatching It seemed appeared to Room. By the discovery, We shall be shortened in our aim, which was To take in many Towns, ere (almost) Room Should know we were afoot. Oh doubt not that, I speak from Certainties. Nay more, Some parcels of their Power are forth already, And only hitherward. I leave your Honours. If we, and Caius Martius chance to meet, It's sworn between us, we shall ever strike Till one can do no more. And keep your Honours safe. If I fly Martius, hollow me Like a Hare. Were't thou the Hector, That was the whip of your bragged Progeny, Thou shouldst not escape me here. Officious and not valiant, you have shamed me In your condemned Seconds. Bolder, though not so subtle: my valours poisoned, With only suffering stain by him: for him Shall fly out of it self, nor sleep, nor sanctuary, Being naked, sick; nor Phane, nor Capitol, The Prayers of Priests, nor times of Sacrifice: Embarkments all of Fury, shall lift up Their rotten Privilege, and Custom against My hate to Martius. Where I find him, were it At home, upon my Brother's Guard, even there Against the hospitable Canon, would I Wash my fierce hand in's heart. Go you to the City, Learn how it's held, and what they are that must Be Hostages for Room. I am attended at the Cyprus grove I pray you (It's South the City Mills) bring me word thither How the world goes: that to the pace of it I may spur on my journey. Where is this Fellow? Whence comest thou? What wouldst y u ? Thy name? Why speakest not? Speak man: What's thy name? What is thy name? Say, what's thy name? Thou hast a Grim appearance, and thy Face Bears a Command in't: Though thy Tackles torn, Thou shewest a Noble Vessel: What's thy name? I know thee not? Thy Name? O Martius, Martius ; Each word thou hast spoke, hath weeded from my heart A root of Ancient Envy. If Jupiter Should from yond cloud speak divine things, And say it's true; I'de not believe them more Then thee all-Noble Martius. Let me twine Mine arms about that body, where against My grained Ash and hundred times hath broke, And scarred the Moon with splinters: here I cleep The Anvil of my Sword, and do contest As hotly, and as Nobly with thy Love, As ever in Ambitious strength, I did Contend against thy Valour. Know thou first, I loved the Maid I married: never man Sighed truer breath. But that I see thee here Thou Noble thing, more dances my rapt heart, Then when I first my wedded Mistress saw Bestride my Threshold. Why, thou Mars I tell thee, We have a Power on foot: and I had purpose Once more to hew thy Target from thy Brawn, Or lose mine Arm for't: Thou hast beat me out Twelve several times, and I have nightly since Dreamed of encounters betwixt thy self and me: We have been down together in my sleep, Unbuckling Helms, fisting each others Throat, And waked half dead with nothing. Worthy Martius, Had we no other quarrel else to Room, but that Thou art thence Banished, we would muster all From twelve, to seventy: and powering War Into the bowels of ungrateful Room, Like a bold Flood o're-beate. O come, go in, And take our Friendly Senators by' the hands Who now are here, taking their leaves of me, Who am prepared against your Territories, Though not for Room it self. Therefore most absolute Sir, if thou wilt have The leading of thine own Revenges, take the one half of my Commission, and set down As best thou art experienced, since thou knowest Thy Countries strength and weakness, thine own ways Whither to knock against the Gates of Room, Or rudely visit them in parts remote, To fright them, ere destroy. But come in, Let me commend thee first, to those that shall Say yea to thy desires. A thousand welcomes, And more a Friend, then ere and Enemy, Yet Martius that was much. Your hand: most welcome. Do they still fly to the Roman? I cannot help it now, Unless by using means I lame the foot Of our design. He bears himself more proudlier, Even to my person, then I thought he would When first I did embrace him. Yet his Nature In that's no Changeling, and I must excuse What cannot be amended. 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: And show good Husbandry for the Volcian State, Fights Dragonlike, and does atcheeue as soon As draw his Sword: yet he hath left undone That which shall break his neck, or hazard mine, When ere we come to our account. All places yields to him ere he sits down, And the Nobility of Room are his: The Senators and Patricians love him too: The Tribunes are no Soldiers: and their people Will be as rash in the repeal, as hasty To expel him thence. I think he'll be to Room As is the Aspray to the Fish, who takes it By Sovereignty of Nature. First, he was A Noble servant to them, but he could not Carry his Honours even: whither was Pride Which out of daily Fortune ever taints The happy man; whither detect of judgement, To fail in the disposing of those chances Which he was Lord of: or whither Nature, Not to be other then one thing, not moving From the Cask to the Cushion: but commanding peace Even with the same austerity and garb, As he controlled the war. But one of these (As he hath spices of them all) not all, For I dare so far free him, made him feared, So hated, and so banished: but he ha a Merit To choke it in the utterance: So our Virtue, Lie in the interpretation of the time, And power unto it self most commendable, Hath not a Tomb so evident as a Chair to extol what it hath done. One fire drives out one fire; one Nail, one Nail; Rights by rights fouler, strengths by strengths do fail. Come let's away: when Caius Room is thine, Thou art poorest of all; then shortly art thou mine. Only their ends you have respected, Stopped your ears against the general suit of Room: Never admitted a private whisper, no not with such friends That thought them sure of you. I was moved withal. I am glad thou hast set thy mercy, & thy Honour At difference in thee: Out of that I'll work My self a former Fortune. Go tell the Lords of the City, I am here: Deliver them this Paper: having read it, Bid them repair to the Market place, 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 entered, and Intends to appear before the People, hoping To purge himself with words. Dispatch. Most Welcome. Even so, as with a man by his own Alms im poisoned, and with his Charity slain. Sir, I cannot tell, We must proceed as we do find the People. I know it: And my pretext to strike at him, admits A good construction. I raised him, and I pawned Mine Honour for his truth: who being so heightened, He watered his new Plants with dews of Flattery, Seducing so my Friends: and to this end, He bowed his Nature, never known before, But to be rough, unswayable, and free. That I would have spoke of: Being banished for't, he came unto my Hearth, Presented to my knife his Throat: I took him, Made him ioynt-seruant with me: Gave him way In all his own desires: Nay, let him choose Out of my Files, his projects, to accomplish My best and freshest men, served his designments In mine own person: help to reap the Fame Which he did end all his; and took some pride To do my self this wrong: Till at the last I seemed his Follower, not Partner; and He wadg'd me with his Countenance, as if I had been Mercenary. There was it: For which my sinews shall be stretched upon him, At a few drops of Women's rhewme, which are As cheap as Lies; he sold the Blood and Labour Of our great Actium; therefore shall he die, And I'll renew me in his fallen. But hark. Say no more. Here come the Lords He approaches, you shall hear him. Read it not Noble Lords, But tell the Traitor in the highest degree He hath abused your Powers. I Traitor, Martius. I Martius, Caius Martius : Dost thou think I'll grace thee with that Robbery, thy stolen name Coriolanus in Corioles ? You Lords and Heads of the State, perfidiously He ha betrayed your business, and given up For certain drops of Salt, your City Room: I say your City to his Wife and Mother, Breaking his Oath and Resolution, Like A twist of rotten Silk, never admitting Counsel of the war: But at his Nurse's tears He whined and roared away your Victory, That Pages blushed at him, and men of heart Looked wondering each at others. Name not the God, thou boy of Tears. Why Noble Lords, Will you be put in mind of his blind Fortune, Which was your shame, by this unholy Braggart? Before your own eyes, and ears? Insolent Villain. My Noble Master's, hear me speak. My Lords, When you shall know (as in this Rage Provoked by him, you cannot) the great danger Which this men life did owe you, you'll rejoice That he is thus cut off. Please it your Honours To call me to your Senate, I'll deliver My self your loyal Servant, or endure Your heaviest Censure. My Rage is gone, And I am struck with sorrow. Take him up: Help three of the chiefest Soldiers, I'll be one. Beat thou the Drum that it speak mournfully: Trail your steel Pikes. Though in this City he Hath widowed and unchilded many a one, Which to this hour bewail the Injury, Yet he shall have a Noble Memory. Assist. We hate alike: Not Africa owns a Serpent I abhor More then thy Fame and Envy: Fix thy foot. Condition? I would I were a Roman, for I cannot. Being a Ʋ olce, be that I am. Condition? What good Condition can a Treaty find In the partly that is at mercy? five times, Martius, I have fought with thee; so often hast thou Beatrice me: And wouldst do so, I think, should we encounter As often as we eat. By the Elements, If ere again I meet him beard to beard, He's mine, or I am his: Mine Emulation Hath not that Honour in't it had: For where I thought to crush him in and equal Force, True Sword to Sword: I'll potch at him some way, Or Wrath, or Craft may get him. You keep a constant temper. The Town is taken. I have not deserved it. But worthy Lords, have you with heed perused What I have written to you? No more.