Shakespeare Portal

Act 5, Scene 4

Rome. A public place.

  1. [Enter MENENIUS and SICINIUS.]
  2. Menenius Agrippa
  3. 3390 See you yond coign o' the Capitol,—yond corner-stone?
  4. Sicinius Velutus
  5. 3391 Why, what of that?
  6. Menenius Agrippa
  7. 3392 If it be possible for you to displace it with your little
  8. 3393 finger, there is some hope the ladies of Rome, especially his
  9. 3394 mother, may prevail with him. But I say there is no hope in't:
  10. 3395 our throats are sentenced, and stay upon execution.
  11. Sicinius Velutus
  12. 3396 Is't possible that so short a time can alter the condition of a
  13. 3397 man?
  14. Menenius Agrippa
  15. 3398 There is differency between a grub and a butterfly; yet your
  16. 3399 butterfly was a grub. This Marcius is grown from man to dragon;
  17. 3400 he has wings; he's more than a creeping thing.
  18. Sicinius Velutus
  19. 3401 He loved his mother dearly.
  20. Menenius Agrippa
  21. 3402 So did he me: and he no more remembers his mother now than an
  22. 3403 eight-year-old horse. The tartness of his face sours ripe grapes:
  23. 3404 when he walks, he moves like an engine, and the ground shrinks
  24. 3405 before his treading: he is able to pierce a corslet with his eye,
  25. 3406 talks like a knell, and his hum is a battery. He sits in his
  26. 3407 state as a thing made for Alexander. What he bids be done is
  27. 3408 finished with his bidding. He wants nothing of a god but
  28. 3409 eternity, and a heaven to throne in.
  29. Sicinius Velutus
  30. 3410 Yes, mercy, if you report him truly.
  31. Menenius Agrippa
  32. 3411 I paint him in the character. Mark what mercy his mother shall
  33. 3412 bring from him. There is no more mercy in him than there is
  34. 3413 milk in a male tiger; that shall our poor city find: and all this
  35. 3414 is 'long of you.
  36. Sicinius Velutus
  37. 3415 The gods be good unto us!
  38. Menenius Agrippa
  39. 3416 No, in such a case the gods will not be good unto us. When we
  40. 3417 banished him we respected not them; and, he returning to break
  41. 3418 our necks, they respect not us.
  42. [Enter a MESSENGER]
  43. Messenger
  44. 3419 Sir, if you'd save your life, fly to your house:
  45. 3420 The plebeians have got your fellow-tribune
  46. 3421 And hale him up and down; all swearing, if
  47. 3422 The Roman ladies bring not comfort home
  48. 3423 They'll give him death by inches.
  49. [Enter a second MESSENGER.]
  50. Sicinius Velutus
  51. 3424 What's the news?
  52. Second Messenger
  53. 3425 Good news, good news;—the ladies have prevail'd,
  54. 3426 The Volscians are dislodg'd, and Marcius gone:
  55. 3427 A merrier day did never yet greet Rome,
  56. 3428 No, not the expulsion of the Tarquins.
  57. Sicinius Velutus
  58. 3429 Friend,
  59. 3430 Art thou certain this is true? is't most certain?
  60. Second Messenger
  61. 3431 As certain as I know the sun is fire:
  62. 3432 Where have you lurk'd, that you make doubt of it?
  63. 3433 Ne'er through an arch so hurried the blown tide
  64. 3434 As the recomforted through the gates. Why, hark you!
  65. [Trumpets and hautboys sounded, drums beaten, aand shouting within.]
  66. Second Messenger
  67. 3435 The trumpets, sackbuts, psalteries, and fifes,
  68. 3436 Tabors and cymbals, and the shouting Romans,
  69. 3437 Make the sun dance. Hark you!
  70. [Shouting within.]
  71. Menenius Agrippa
  72. 3438 This is good news.
  73. 3439 I will go meet the ladies. This Volumnia
  74. 3440 Is worth of consuls, senators, patricians,
  75. 3441 A city full: of tribunes such as you,
  76. 3442 A sea and land full. You have pray'd well to-day:
  77. 3443 This morning for ten thousand of your throats
  78. 3444 Ied not have given a doit. Hark, how they joy!
  79. [Shouting and music.]
  80. Sicinius Velutus
  81. 3445 First, the gods bless you for your tidings; next,
  82. 3446 Accept my thankfulness.
  83. Second Messenger
  84. 3447 Sir, we have all
  85. 3448 Great cause to give great thanks.
  86. Sicinius Velutus
  87. 3449 They are near the city?
  88. Messenger
  89. 3450 Almost at point to enter.
  90. Sicinius Velutus
  91. 3451 We'll meet them,
  92. 3452 And help the joy.
  93. [Exeunt.]