How now, my as fair as noble ladies- and the moon, were she
earthly, no nobler- whither do you follow your eyes so fast?
VOLUMNIA. Honourable Menenius, my boy Marcius approaches; for
the
love of Juno, let's go.
MENENIUS. Ha! Marcius coming home?
VOLUMNIA. Ay, worthy Menenius, and with most prosperous
approbation.
MENENIUS. Take my cap, Jupiter, and I thank thee. Hoo!
Marcius coming home!
VOLUMNIA, VIRGILIA. Nay, 'tis true.
VOLUMNIA. Look, here's a letter from him; the state hath
another,
his wife another; and I think there's one at home for you.
MENENIUS. I will make my very house reel to-night. A letter for
me?
VIRGILIA. Yes, certain, there's a letter for you; I saw't.
MENENIUS. A letter for me! It gives me an estate of seven
years'
health; in which time I will make a lip at the physician. The
most sovereign prescription in Galen is but empiricutic and,
to
this preservative, of no better report than a horse-drench.
Is he
not wounded? He was wont to come home wounded.
VIRGILIA. O, no, no, no.
VOLUMNIA. O, he is wounded, I thank the gods for't.
MENENIUS. So do I too, if it be not too much. Brings a victory
in
his pocket? The wounds become him.
VOLUMNIA. On's brows, Menenius, he comes the third time home
with
the oaken garland.
MENENIUS. Has he disciplin'd Aufidius soundly?
VOLUMNIA. Titus Lartius writes they fought together, but
Aufidius
got off.
MENENIUS. And 'twas time for him too, I'll warrant him that; an
he
had stay'd by him, I would not have been so fidius'd for all
the
chests in Corioli and the gold that's in them. Is the Senate
possess'd of this?
VOLUMNIA. Good ladies, let's go. Yes, yes, yes: the Senate has
letters from the general, wherein he gives my son the whole
name
of the war; he hath in this action outdone his former deeds
doubly.
VALERIA. In troth, there's wondrous things spoke of him.
MENENIUS. Wondrous! Ay, I warrant you, and not without his true
purchasing.
VIRGILIA. The gods grant them true!
VOLUMNIA. True! pow, waw.
MENENIUS. True! I'll be sworn they are true. Where is he
wounded?
[To the TRIBUNES] God save your good worships! Marcius is
coming
home; he has more cause to be proud. Where is he wounded?
VOLUMNIA. I' th' shoulder and i' th' left arm; there will be
large
cicatrices to show the people when he shall stand for his
place.
He received in the repulse of Tarquin seven hurts i' th'
body.
MENENIUS. One i' th' neck and two i' th' thigh- there's nine
that I
know.
VOLUMNIA. He had before this last expedition twenty-five wounds
upon him.
MENENIUS. Now it's twenty-seven; every gash was an enemy's
grave.
[A shout and flourish] Hark! the trumpets.
VOLUMNIA. These are the ushers of Marcius. Before him he
carries
noise, and behind him he leaves tears;
Death, that dark spirit, in's nervy arm doth lie,
Which, being advanc'd, declines, and then men die.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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