Men. If it be possible for you to displace it with your little finger, there is some hope the ladies of Rome, especially his mother, may prevail with him. But, I say, there is no hope in 't; our throats are sentenced, and stay upon execution."

Sic. Is 't possible, that so short a time can alter the condition of a man?

Men. There is lifferency between a grub, and a butterfly; yet your butterfly was a grub. This Marcius is grown from man to dragon: he has wings; he's more than a creeping thing.

Sic. He loved his mother dearly.

Men. So did he me: and he no more remembers his mother now, than an eight year old horse. The tartness of his face sours ripe grapes. When he walks, he moves like an engine, and the ground shrinks before 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.

Sic. Yes, mercy, if you report him truly.

Men. 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.

Sic. The gods be good unto us!

Men. 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.

Mess. 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

7 stay upon execution.]i. e. stay but for it. So, in Macbeth: "Worthy Macbeth, we stay upon your leisure." Steevens.

8

---

- than an eight year old horse.] Subintelligitur remembers his dam. Warburton.

9 He sits in his state, &c.] In a foregoing note he was said to sit in gold. The phrase, as a thing made for Alexander, means, as one made to resemble Alexander. Johnson.

His state means his chair of state. See the passage quoted from Plutarch, in p. 157, n. 1; and Vol. VII, p. 144, n. 9. Malone.

The Roman ladies bring not comfort home,
They'll give him death by inches.

Sic.

Enter another Messenger.

What's the news?

Mess. Good news, good news;-The ladies have pre

vail'd,

The Volces are dislodg'd, and Marcius gone:
A merrier day did never yet greet Rome,
No, not the expulsion of the Tarquins.

Sic.

Friend,

Art thou certain this is true? is it most certain?
Mess. 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, and Drums
beaten, all together. Shouting also within.
The trumpets, sackbuts, psalteries, and fifes,
Tabors, and cymbals, and the shouting Romans,
Make the sun dance. Hark you!

Men.

[Shouting again. 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

1 Ne'er through an arch so hurried the blown tide, As the recomforted through the gates.] So, in our author's Rape of Lucrece :

"As through an arch the violent roaring tide "Out-runs the eye that doth behold his haste." Blown in the text is swell'd. So, in Antony and Cleopatra: here on her breast

"There is a vent of blood, and something blown.". The effect of a high or spring tide, as it is called, is so much greater than that which wind commonly produces, that I am not convinced by the following note that my interpretation is erroneous. Water that is subject to tides, even when it is not accelerated by a spring tide, appears swoln, and to move with more than ordinary rapidity, when passing through the narrow strait of an arch. Malone.

The blown tide is the tide blown, and consequently accelerated by the wind. So, in another of our author's plays:

"My boat sails swiftly both with wind and tide." Steepers.

I'd not have given a doit. Hark, how they joy!

[Shouting and Musick. Sic. First, the gods bless you for your tidings: next,

Accept my thankfulness.

Mess.

Great cause to give great thanks.

Sic.

Sir, we have all

They are near the city?

We will meet them,

Mess. Almost at point to enter.
Sic.

And help the joy.

[Going.

Enter the Ladies, accompanied by Senators, Patricians, and People. They pass over the Stage.

1 Sen. 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!

Welcome, ladies!

[A Flourish with Drums and Trumpets.

SCENE V.

Antium. A publick Place.

[Exeunt.

Enter TULLUS AUFIDIUS, with Attendants.
Auf. 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,2
The city ports3 by this hath enter'd, and
Intends to appear before the people, hoping
To purge himself with words: Despatch.

Exeunt Attendants.

Enter Three or Four Conspirators of Aufidius' Faction. Most welcome!

2

1 Con. How is it with our general?

Him I accuse, &c.] So, in The Winter's Tale: "I am appointed him to murder you."

Mr. Pope and all the subsequent editors read-He I accuse-.

Malené

Auf.

Even so,

As with a man by his own alms empoison'd,
And with his charity slain.

2 Con.

Most noble sir,

If you do hold the same intent wherein
You wish'd us parties, we 'll deliver you
Of your great danger.

Auf.

Sir, I cannot tell;

We must proceed, as we do find the people.

3 Con. The people will remain uncertain, whilst
"Twixt you there 's difference; but the fall of either
Makes the survivor heir of all.

Auf.
I know it;
And my pretext to strike at him admits

A good construction. I rais'd him, and I pawn'd
Mine honour for his truth: Who being so heighten'd,
He water'd his new plants with dews of flattery,
Seducing so my friends: and, to this end,

He bow'd his nature, never known before
But to be rough, unswayable, and free.
3 Con. Sir, his stoutness,

When he did stand for consul, which he lost
By lack of stooping,

Auf.
Being banish'd for 't, he came unto my hearth;
Presented to my knife his throat: I took him;
Made him joint-servant 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; serv'd his designments
In mine own person; holp to reap the fame,
Which he did end all his ; and took some pride
To do myself this wrong: till, at the last,
I seem'd his follower, not partner; and

That I would have spoke of:

He wag'd me with his countenance, as if

Which he did end all his;] In Johnson's edition it was: "Which he did make all his," which seems the more natural expression, though the other be intelligible. M. Mason.

End is the reading of the old copy, and was chang'd into make by Mr. Rowe. Steevens.

5 He wag'd me with his countenance,] This is obscure. The meaning, I think, is, he prescribed to me with an air of authority, and gave me his countenance for my wages; thought me sufficient ly rewarded with good looks. Johnson.

So he did, my lord:

I had been mercenary.

1 Con.

The army marvell'd at it. And, in the last,

When he had carried Rome; and that we look'd
For no less spoil, than glory,

Auf.
There was it ;--
For which my sinews shall be stretch'd upon him.
At a few drops of women's rheum, which are
As cheap as lies, he sold the blood and labour
Of our great action; Therefore shall he die,
And I'll renew me in his fall. But, hark!

[Drums and Trumpets sound, with great Shouts of the People.

1 Con. Your native town you enter'd like a post, And had no welcomes home; but he returns, Splitting the air with noise.

2 Con.

And patient fools,

Whose children he hath slain, their base throats tear, With giving him glory.

3 Con.

Therefore, at your vantage,

Ere he express himself, or move the people

With what he would say, let him feel your sword,

The verb, to wage, is used in this sense in The Wise Woman of Hogsden, by Heywood, 1638:

I receive thee gladly to my house, "And wage thy stay."

وو

Again, in Greene's Mamillia, 1593: " by custom common to all that could wage her honesty with the appointed price." To wage a task was, anciently, to undertake a task for wages. So, in George Withers's Verses prefixed to Drayton's Polyolbion: "Good speed befall thee who hast wag'd a task, "That better censures, and rewards doth ask."

Again, in Spenser's Fairy Queen, B. II, c. vii:

66

must wage

"Thy works for wealth, and life for gold engage." Again, in Holinshed's Reign of King John, p. 168: "- - the summe of 28 thousand markes to levie and wage thirtie thousand

men."

Again, in the ancient MS. romance of the Sowdon of Babyloyne,

p. 15:

"Therefore Gy of Burgoyn

"Myne owen neve we so trewe,

"Take a thousande pound of ffranks fyne

"To wage wyth the pepul newe." Steevens.

6 For which my sinews shall be stretch'd -] This is the point on which I will attack him with my utmost abilities. Johnson.