1 Cit.

Well, what then?

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

I will tell you;

Men. If you'll bestow a small (of what you have little), Patience, a while, you'll hear the belly's answer.

1 Cit. You are long about it.

Men.

Note me this, good friend; Your most grave belly was deliberate,

Not rash like his accusers, and thus answer'd.
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 store-house, 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 the seat o' the brain 10-

10 Shakspeare uses seat for throne. I send it (says the belly) through the blood, even to the royal residence, the heart, in which the kingly crowned understanding sits enthroned.' The poet, besides the relation in Plutarch, had seen a similar fable in Camden's Remaines; Camden copied it from John of Salisbury De Nugis Curialium, b. vi. c. 24. Mr. Douce, in a very curious note, has shown the high antiquity of this apologue, ' which is to be found in several ancient collections of Esopian Fables: there may be, therefore, as much reason for supposing it the invention of Esop, as there is for making him the parent of many others. The first writer who has introduced Menenius as reciting the fable is Dionysius of Halicarnassus, book vi. Then follow Livy, lib. ii.; Plutarch, in his life of Coriolanus ; Florus, lib. i. c. 23; each of whom gives it in his own manner.' Mr. Douce observed that our English Pliny, Bartholomew Glanville, informs us from Aristotle, that the substance of the brain being cold, it is placed before the well of heat, which is the heart; and that small veins proceed from the heart, of which is made a marvellous caul wherein the brain is wrapped.' De Propr. Rer. lib. v. c. 3. The same authority tells us that in the heart is all business and knowing.' A very curious imitation of this passage in Shakspeare has been pointed out by Mr. Douce in The Curtaine-Drawer of the World, by W. Parkes,' 1612, 4to.

And, through the cranks11 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,

1 Cit. Ay, sir; well, well.

Men.

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
And leave me but the bran.

flower of all,
What say you to't?
1 Cit. It was an answer: How apply you this?
Men. 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 of the 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?—

1 Cit. I the great toe? Why the great toe?
Men. For that being one o' the lowest, basest,
poorest,

Of this most wise rebellion, thou go'st foremost:
Thou rascal, that art worst in blood to run 12,
Lead'st first to win some vantage.―

But make you ready your stiff bats and clubs;

11 Cranks are windings; the meandering ducts of the human body.

12 Rascal and in blood are terms of the forest, both here used equivocally. The meaning seems to be, thou worthless scoundrel, though thou art in the worst plight for running of all this herd of plebeians, like a deer not in blood, thou takest the lead in this tumult in order to obtain some private advantage to thyself,' Worst in blood' has a secondary meaning of lowest in condition. The modern editions have erroneously a comma at blood, which obscures the sense,

Rome and her rats are at the point of battle,
The one side must have bale 13. Hail, noble Marcius!

Enter CAIUS MARCIUS.

Mar. Thanks. What's the matter, you dissen-
tious rogues,

That rubbing the poor itch of your opinion,
Make yourselves scabs?

1 Cit.

We have ever your good word. Mar. 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 14. He that trusts 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 15. 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?

13 Bale is evil or mischief, harm or injury. The word is Saxon, and was becoming obsolete in Shakspeare's time. 14That like nor peace, nor war? the one affrights you, The other makes you proud.'

pure

Coriolanus does not use these two sentences consequentially; but first reproaches them with unsteadiness, then with their other occasional vices.

15 Your virtue is to speak well of him whom his own offences have subjected to justice; and to rail at those laws by which he whom you praise was punished.'

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? Men. For corn at their own rates; whereof, they

say,

The city is well stor❜d.

Mar.

Hang 'em! They say? They'll sit by the fire, and presume to know

What's done i' the 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?

17

Would the nobility lay aside their ruth 16,
And let me use my sword, I'd make a quarry
With thousands of these quarter'd slaves, as high
As I could pick 18 my lance.

Men. Nay, these are almost thoroughly per-
suaded;

For though abundantly they lack discretion,
Yet are they passing cowardly. But I beseech you,
What the other troop?

says

16 i. e. pity, compassion.

17 Quarry or querre signified slaughtered game of any kind, which was so denominated from being deposited in a square enclosed space in royal hunting. See note on Macbeth, vol. iv. p. 304.

18 Pick, peck, or picke, i. e. pitch; still in provincial use. The fact is, that, in ancient language, to pick was used for to cast, throw, or hurl: to pitch was to set or fix any thing in a particular spot.

Mar.

They are dissolved: Hang 'em! They said, they were an hungry; sigh'd forth pro

verbs;

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 answer'd,

And a petition granted them, a strange one (To break the heart of generosity 19,

And make bold power look pale), they threw their

caps

As they would hang them on the horns o' the moon, Shouting their emulation 20.

Men.

What is granted them? Mar. 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 unroof'd the city, Ere so prevail'd with me: it will in time

Win upon power, and throw forth greater themes For insurrection's arguing 21.

Men.

This is strange.

Mar. Go, get you home, you fragments!

Enter a Messenger.

Mess. Where's Caius Marcius?

Mar.

Here: What's the matter?

Mess. The news is, sir, the Volces are in arms.

19 Generosity, in the sense of its Latin original, for nobleness, high birth. Thus in Measure for Measure:

The generous and gravest citizens.'

See vol. ii. p. 92, note 4.

20 Emulation is factious contention. See Troilus and Cressida, Act ii. Sc. 2, note 25.

21 For insurgents to debate upon.