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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: |
and, through the cranks 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,-- |
first citizen: |
ay, sir: well, well. |
menenius: |
'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 flour of all, |
and leave me but the bran.' what say you to't? |
first citizen: |
it was an answer: how apply you this? |
menenius: |
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 o' 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? |
first citizen: |
i the great toe! why the great toe? |
menenius: |
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, |
lead'st first to win some vantage. |
but make you ready your stiff bats and clubs: |
rome and her rats are at the point of battle: |
the one side must have bale. |
hail, noble marcius! |
marcius: |
thanks. what's the matter, you dissentious rogues, |
that, rubbing the poor itch of your opinion, |
make yourselves scabs? |
first citizen: |
we have ever your good word. |
marcius: |
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. he that trusts to 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. |
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? |
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? |
menenius: |
for corn at their own rates: whereof, they say, |
the city is well stored. |
marcius: |
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! |
would the nobility lay aside their ruth, |
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