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The same. A street near the gate.
The same. A street near the gate.
Enter SICINIUS , BRUTUS , and an Aedile
Enter SICINIUS , BRUTUS , and an Aedile

SICINIUS

Bid them all home; he’s gone, and we’ll no further.
The nobility are vex’d, whom we see have sided
In his behalf.

SICINIUS

Bid them all home; he’s gone, and we’ll no further.
The nobility are vex’d, whom we see have sided
In his behalf.

BRUTUS

Now we have shown our power,
5 Let us seem humbler after it is done
Than when it was a-doing.

BRUTUS

Now we have shown our power,
Let us seem humbler after it is done
Than when it was a-doing.

SICINIUS

Bid them home:
Say their great enemy is gone, and they
Stand in their ancient strength.

SICINIUS

Bid them home:
Say their great enemy is gone, and they
Stand in their ancient strength.

BRUTUS

10 Dismiss them home.

BRUTUS

Dismiss them home.
Exit Aedile
Exit Aedile
Here comes his mother.
Here comes his mother.

SICINIUS

Let’s not meet her.

SICINIUS

Let’s not meet her.

BRUTUS

Why?

BRUTUS

Why?

SICINIUS

They say she’s mad.

SICINIUS

They say she’s mad.

BRUTUS

15 They have ta’en note of us: keep on your way.

BRUTUS

They have ta’en note of us: keep on your way.
Enter VOLUMNIA , VIRGILIA , and MENENIUS
Enter VOLUMNIA , VIRGILIA , and MENENIUS

VOLUMNIA

O, ye’re well met: the hoarded plague o’ the gods
Requite your love!

VOLUMNIA

O, ye’re well met: the hoarded plague o’ the gods
Requite your love!

MENENIUS

Peace, peace; be not so loud.

MENENIUS

Peace, peace; be not so loud.

VOLUMNIA

If that I could for weeping, you should hear,—
20 Nay, and you shall hear some.

VOLUMNIA

If that I could for weeping, you should hear,—
Nay, and you shall hear some.
To BRUTUS
To BRUTUS
Will you be gone?
Will you be gone?

VIRGILIA

[To SICINIUS] You shall stay too: I would I had the power
To say so to my husband.

VIRGILIA

[To SICINIUS] You shall stay too: I would I had the power
To say so to my husband.

SICINIUS

Are you mankind?

SICINIUS

Are you mankind?

VOLUMNIA

25 Ay, fool; is that a shame? Note but this fool.
Was not a man my father? Hadst thou foxship
To banish him that struck more blows for Rome
Than thou hast spoken words?

VOLUMNIA

Ay, fool; is that a shame? Note but this fool.
Was not a man my father? Hadst thou foxship
To banish him that struck more blows for Rome
Than thou hast spoken words?

SICINIUS

O blessed heavens!

SICINIUS

O blessed heavens!

VOLUMNIA

30 More noble blows than ever thou wise words;
And for Rome’s good. I’ll tell thee what; yet go:
Nay, but thou shalt stay too: I would my son
Were in Arabia, and thy tribe before him,
His good sword in his hand.

VOLUMNIA

More noble blows than ever thou wise words;
And for Rome’s good. I’ll tell thee what; yet go:
Nay, but thou shalt stay too: I would my son
Were in Arabia, and thy tribe before him,
His good sword in his hand.

SICINIUS

35 What then?

SICINIUS

What then?

VIRGILIA

What then!
He’ld make an end of thy posterity.

VIRGILIA

What then!
He’ld make an end of thy posterity.

VOLUMNIA

Bastards and all.
Good man, the wounds that he does bear for Rome!

VOLUMNIA

Bastards and all.
Good man, the wounds that he does bear for Rome!

MENENIUS

40 Come, come, peace.

MENENIUS

Come, come, peace.

SICINIUS

I would he had continued to his country
As he began, and not unknit himself
The noble knot he made.

SICINIUS

I would he had continued to his country
As he began, and not unknit himself
The noble knot he made.

BRUTUS

I would he had.

BRUTUS

I would he had.

VOLUMNIA

45 ‘I would he had’! ’Twas you incensed the rabble:
Cats, that can judge as fitly of his worth
As I can of those mysteries which heaven
Will not have earth to know.

VOLUMNIA

‘I would he had’! ’Twas you incensed the rabble:
Cats, that can judge as fitly of his worth
As I can of those mysteries which heaven
Will not have earth to know.

BRUTUS

Pray, let us go.

BRUTUS

Pray, let us go.

VOLUMNIA

50 Now, pray, sir, get you gone:
You have done a brave deed. Ere you go, hear this:—
As far as doth the Capitol exceed
The meanest house in Rome, so far my son—
This lady’s husband here, this, do you see—
55 Whom you have banish’d, does exceed you all.

VOLUMNIA

Now, pray, sir, get you gone:
You have done a brave deed. Ere you go, hear this:—
As far as doth the Capitol exceed
The meanest house in Rome, so far my son—
This lady’s husband here, this, do you see—
Whom you have banish’d, does exceed you all.

BRUTUS

Well, well, we’ll leave you.

BRUTUS

Well, well, we’ll leave you.

SICINIUS

Why stay we to be baited
With one that wants her wits?

SICINIUS

Why stay we to be baited
With one that wants her wits?

VOLUMNIA

Take my prayers with you.

VOLUMNIA

Take my prayers with you.
Exeunt Tribunes
Exeunt Tribunes
60 I would the gods had nothing else to do
But to confirm my curses! Could I meet ’em
But once a-day, it would unclog my heart
Of what lies heavy to’t.
I would the gods had nothing else to do
But to confirm my curses! Could I meet ’em
But once a-day, it would unclog my heart
Of what lies heavy to’t.

MENENIUS

You have told them home;
65 And, by my troth, you have cause. You’ll sup with me?

MENENIUS

You have told them home;
And, by my troth, you have cause. You’ll sup with me?

VOLUMNIA

Anger’s my meat; I sup upon myself,
And so shall starve with feeding. Come, let’s go:
Leave this faint puling and lament as I do,
In anger, Juno-like. Come, come, come.

VOLUMNIA

Anger’s my meat; I sup upon myself,
And so shall starve with feeding. Come, let’s go:
Leave this faint puling and lament as I do,
In anger, Juno-like. Come, come, come.

MENENIUS

70 Fie, fie, fie!

MENENIUS

Fie, fie, fie!
Exeunt
Exeunt

Original Text

Modern Text

The same. A street near the gate.
The same. A street near the gate.
Enter SICINIUS , BRUTUS , and an Aedile
Enter SICINIUS , BRUTUS , and an Aedile

SICINIUS

Bid them all home; he’s gone, and we’ll no further.
The nobility are vex’d, whom we see have sided
In his behalf.

SICINIUS

Bid them all home; he’s gone, and we’ll no further.
The nobility are vex’d, whom we see have sided
In his behalf.

BRUTUS

Now we have shown our power,
5 Let us seem humbler after it is done
Than when it was a-doing.

BRUTUS

Now we have shown our power,
Let us seem humbler after it is done
Than when it was a-doing.

SICINIUS

Bid them home:
Say their great enemy is gone, and they
Stand in their ancient strength.

SICINIUS

Bid them home:
Say their great enemy is gone, and they
Stand in their ancient strength.

BRUTUS

10 Dismiss them home.

BRUTUS

Dismiss them home.
Exit Aedile
Exit Aedile
Here comes his mother.
Here comes his mother.

SICINIUS

Let’s not meet her.

SICINIUS

Let’s not meet her.

BRUTUS

Why?

BRUTUS

Why?

SICINIUS

They say she’s mad.

SICINIUS

They say she’s mad.

BRUTUS

15 They have ta’en note of us: keep on your way.

BRUTUS

They have ta’en note of us: keep on your way.
Enter VOLUMNIA , VIRGILIA , and MENENIUS
Enter VOLUMNIA , VIRGILIA , and MENENIUS

VOLUMNIA

O, ye’re well met: the hoarded plague o’ the gods
Requite your love!

VOLUMNIA

O, ye’re well met: the hoarded plague o’ the gods
Requite your love!

MENENIUS

Peace, peace; be not so loud.

MENENIUS

Peace, peace; be not so loud.

VOLUMNIA

If that I could for weeping, you should hear,—
20 Nay, and you shall hear some.

VOLUMNIA

If that I could for weeping, you should hear,—
Nay, and you shall hear some.
To BRUTUS
To BRUTUS
Will you be gone?
Will you be gone?

VIRGILIA

[To SICINIUS] You shall stay too: I would I had the power
To say so to my husband.

VIRGILIA

[To SICINIUS] You shall stay too: I would I had the power
To say so to my husband.

SICINIUS

Are you mankind?

SICINIUS

Are you mankind?

VOLUMNIA

25 Ay, fool; is that a shame? Note but this fool.
Was not a man my father? Hadst thou foxship
To banish him that struck more blows for Rome
Than thou hast spoken words?

VOLUMNIA

Ay, fool; is that a shame? Note but this fool.
Was not a man my father? Hadst thou foxship
To banish him that struck more blows for Rome
Than thou hast spoken words?

SICINIUS

O blessed heavens!

SICINIUS

O blessed heavens!

VOLUMNIA

30 More noble blows than ever thou wise words;
And for Rome’s good. I’ll tell thee what; yet go:
Nay, but thou shalt stay too: I would my son
Were in Arabia, and thy tribe before him,
His good sword in his hand.

VOLUMNIA

More noble blows than ever thou wise words;
And for Rome’s good. I’ll tell thee what; yet go:
Nay, but thou shalt stay too: I would my son
Were in Arabia, and thy tribe before him,
His good sword in his hand.

SICINIUS

35 What then?

SICINIUS

What then?

VIRGILIA

What then!
He’ld make an end of thy posterity.

VIRGILIA

What then!
He’ld make an end of thy posterity.

VOLUMNIA

Bastards and all.
Good man, the wounds that he does bear for Rome!

VOLUMNIA

Bastards and all.
Good man, the wounds that he does bear for Rome!

MENENIUS

40 Come, come, peace.

MENENIUS

Come, come, peace.

SICINIUS

I would he had continued to his country
As he began, and not unknit himself
The noble knot he made.

SICINIUS

I would he had continued to his country
As he began, and not unknit himself
The noble knot he made.

BRUTUS

I would he had.

BRUTUS

I would he had.

VOLUMNIA

45 ‘I would he had’! ’Twas you incensed the rabble:
Cats, that can judge as fitly of his worth
As I can of those mysteries which heaven
Will not have earth to know.

VOLUMNIA

‘I would he had’! ’Twas you incensed the rabble:
Cats, that can judge as fitly of his worth
As I can of those mysteries which heaven
Will not have earth to know.

BRUTUS

Pray, let us go.

BRUTUS

Pray, let us go.

VOLUMNIA

50 Now, pray, sir, get you gone:
You have done a brave deed. Ere you go, hear this:—
As far as doth the Capitol exceed
The meanest house in Rome, so far my son—
This lady’s husband here, this, do you see—
55 Whom you have banish’d, does exceed you all.

VOLUMNIA

Now, pray, sir, get you gone:
You have done a brave deed. Ere you go, hear this:—
As far as doth the Capitol exceed
The meanest house in Rome, so far my son—
This lady’s husband here, this, do you see—
Whom you have banish’d, does exceed you all.

BRUTUS

Well, well, we’ll leave you.

BRUTUS

Well, well, we’ll leave you.

SICINIUS

Why stay we to be baited
With one that wants her wits?

SICINIUS

Why stay we to be baited
With one that wants her wits?

VOLUMNIA

Take my prayers with you.

VOLUMNIA

Take my prayers with you.
Exeunt Tribunes
Exeunt Tribunes
60 I would the gods had nothing else to do
But to confirm my curses! Could I meet ’em
But once a-day, it would unclog my heart
Of what lies heavy to’t.
I would the gods had nothing else to do
But to confirm my curses! Could I meet ’em
But once a-day, it would unclog my heart
Of what lies heavy to’t.

MENENIUS

You have told them home;
65 And, by my troth, you have cause. You’ll sup with me?

MENENIUS

You have told them home;
And, by my troth, you have cause. You’ll sup with me?

VOLUMNIA

Anger’s my meat; I sup upon myself,
And so shall starve with feeding. Come, let’s go:
Leave this faint puling and lament as I do,
In anger, Juno-like. Come, come, come.

VOLUMNIA

Anger’s my meat; I sup upon myself,
And so shall starve with feeding. Come, let’s go:
Leave this faint puling and lament as I do,
In anger, Juno-like. Come, come, come.

MENENIUS

70 Fie, fie, fie!

MENENIUS

Fie, fie, fie!
Exeunt
Exeunt