Bru.
In this point charge him home, that he affects
Tyrannical power: If he evade us there,
Enforce him with his envy^{8 note}

Æd.
He's coming.

Bru.
How accompanied?

Æd.
With old Menenius, and those senators
That always favour'd him.

Sic.
Have you a catalogue
Of all the voices that we have procur'd,
Set down by the poll?

Æd.
I have; 'tis ready^{9 note}.

Sic.
Have you collected them by tribes?

Æd.
I have.

Sic.
Assemble presently the people hither:
And when they hear me say, It shall be so
I' the right and strength o' the commons, be it either
For death, for fine, or banishment, then let them,
If I say, fine, cry fine; if death, cry death;
Insisting on the old prerogative
And power i' the truth o' the cause^{1 note}

Æd.
I shall inform them.

Bru.
And when such time they have begun to cry,
Let them not cease, but with a din confus'd
Enforce the present execution
Of what we chance to sentence.

Æd.
Very well.

Sic.
Make them be strong, and ready for this hint,

When we shall hap to give't them.

Bru.
Go about it.— [Exit Ædile.
Put him to choler straight: He hath been us'd
Even to conquer, and to have his worth
Of contradiction^{2 note}

: Being once chaf'd, he cannot
Be rein'd again to temperance^{3 note}

Sic.
Well, here he comes.

Men.
Calmly, I do beseech you.

Cor.
Ay, as an ostler, that for the poorest piece
Will bear the knave by the volume^{5 note}.—The honour'd gods

Keep Rome in safety, and the chairs of justice
Supplied with worthy men! plant love among us!
Throng our large temples with the shows of peace,
And not our streets with war^{6 note}

1 Sen.
Amen, amen!

Men.
A noble wish. Re-enter Ædile, with Citizens.

Sic.
Draw near, ye people.

Ædi.
List to your tribunes; audience: Peace, I say.

Cor.
First, hear me speak.

Both Tri.
Well, say.—Peace, ho^{7 note}
.

Cor.
Shall I be charg'd no further than this present?
Must all determine here?

Sic.
I do demand,
If you submit you to the people's voices,
Allow their officers, and are content

To suffer lawful censure for such faults
As shall be prov'd upon you?

Cor.
I am content.

Men.
Lo, citizens, he says, he is content:
The warlike service he has done, consider;
Think on the wounds his body bears, which show
Like graves i' the holy churchyard.

Cor.
Scratches with briars,
Scars to move laughter only.

Men.
Consider further,
That when he speaks not like a citizen,
You find him like a soldier: Do not take
His rougher accents^{8 note}

Com.
Well, well, no more.

Cor.
What is the matter,
That being pass'd for consul with full voice,
I am so dishonour'd, that the very hour
You take it off again?

Sic.
Answer to us.

Cor.
Say then: 'tis true, I ought so.

Sic.
We charge you, that you have contriv'd to take
From Rome all season'd office^{1 note}, and to wind

Yourself into a power tyrannical;
For which, you are a traitor to the people.

Cor.
How! Traitor?

Men.
Nay; temperately: your promise.

Cor.
The fires i' the lowest hell fold in the people!
Call me their traitor!—Thou injurious tribune!
Within thine eyes sat twenty thousand deaths,
In thy hands clutch'd^{2 note}
as many millions, in
Thy lying tongue both numbers, I would say,
Thou liest, unto thee, with a voice as free
As I do pray the gods.

Sic.
Mark you this, people?

Cit.
To the rock; to the rock with him^{3 note}

Sic.
Peace.
We need not put new matter to his charge:
What you have seen him do, and heard him speak,
Beating your officers, cursing yourselves,
Opposing laws with strokes, and here defying
Those whose great power must try him; even this,
So criminal, and in such capital kind,
Deserves the extremest death.

Bru.
But since he hath
Serv'd well for Rome,—

Cor.
What do you prate of service?

Bru.
I talk of that, that know it.

Cor.
You?

Men.
Is this
The promise that you made your mother?

Com.
Know,
I pray you,—

Cor.
I'll know no further:
Let them pronounce the steep Tarpeian death,
Vagabond exile, flaying; Pent to linger
But with a grain a day, I would not buy
Their mercy at the price of one fair word;
Nor check my courage for what they can give,
To have't with saying, Good morrow.

Sic.
For that he has
(As much as in him lies) from time to time
Envied against the people^{4 note}, seeking means
To pluck away their power; as now at last^{5 note}

Cit.
It shall be so, it shall be so; let him away:
He's banish'd, and it shall be so^{7 note}

Com.
Hear me, my masters, and my common friends;—

Sic.
He's sentenc'd: no more hearing.

Com.
Let me speak:
I have been consul, and can show from Rome^{8 note}

Sic.
We know your drift: Speak what?

Bru.
There's no more to be said, but he is banish'd,
As enemy to the people, and his country:
It shall be so.

Cit.
It shall be so, it shall be so.

Cor.
You common cry of curs^{1 note}

As reek o' the rotten fens^{2 note}

, whose loves I prize
As the dead carcasses of unburied men
That do corrupt my air, I banish you^{3 note}

Making not reservation of yourselves,
(Still your own foes,) deliver you, as most
Abated captives^{5 note}

Æd.
The people's enemy is gone, is gone!

Cit.
Our enemy's banish'd! he is gone! Hoo! hoo! [The People shout, and throw up their caps.

Sic.
Go, see him out at gates, and follow him,
As he hath follow'd you, with all despite;
Give him deserv'd vexation. Let a guard
Attend us through the city.

Cit.
Come, come, let us see him out at gates; come:—
The gods preserve our noble tribunes!—Come. [Exeunt.

Previous section