1    Let them puff all about mine ears, present me
2    Death on the wheel or at wild horses' heels,
3    Or pile ten hills on the Tarpeian rock,
4    That the precipitation might down stretch
5    Below the beam of sight, yet will I still
6    Be thus to them.

7    You do the nobler.

8    I muse my mother
9    Does not approve me further, who was wont
10   To call them woollen vassals, things created
11   To buy and sell with groats, to show bare heads
12   In congregations, to yawn, be still and wonder,
13   When one but of my ordinance stood up
14   To speak of peace or war.
Enter VOLUMNIA
15   I talk of you:
16   Why did you wish me milder? would you have me
17   False to my nature? Rather say I play
18   The man I am.

19   O, sir, sir, sir,
20   I would have had you put your power well on,
21   Before you had worn it out.

22   Let go.

23   You might have been enough the man you are,
24   With striving less to be so; lesser had been
25   The thwartings of your dispositions, if
26   You had not show'd them how ye were disposed
27   Ere they lack'd power to cross you.

28   Let them hang.

29   Ay, and burn too.

30   Come, come, you have been too rough, something
31   too rough;
32   You must return and mend it.

33   There's no remedy;
34   Unless, by not so doing, our good city
35   Cleave in the midst, and perish.

36   Pray, be counsell'd:
37   I have a heart as little apt as yours,
38   But yet a brain that leads my use of anger
39   To better vantage.

40   Well said, noble woman?
41   Before he should thus stoop to the herd, but that
42   The violent fit o' the time craves it as physic
43   For the whole state, I would put mine armour on,
44   Which I can scarcely bear.

45   What must I do?

46   Return to the tribunes.

47   Well, what then? what then?

48   Repent what you have spoke.

49   For them! I cannot do it to the gods;
50   Must I then do't to them?

51   You are too absolute;
52   Though therein you can never be too noble,
53   But when extremities speak. I have heard you say,
54   Honour and policy, like unsever'd friends,
55   I' the war do grow together: grant that, and tell me,
56   In peace what each of them by the other lose,
57   That they combine not there.

58   Tush, tush!

59   A good demand.

60   If it be honour in your wars to seem
61   The same you are not, which, for your best ends,
62   You adopt your policy, how is it less or worse,
63   That it shall hold companionship in peace
64   With honour, as in war, since that to both
65   It stands in like request?

66   Why force you this?

67   Because that now it lies you on to speak
68   To the people; not by your own instruction,
69   Nor by the matter which your heart prompts you,
70   But with such words that are but rooted in
71   Your tongue, though but bastards and syllables
72   Of no allowance to your bosom's truth.
73   Now, this no more dishonours you at all
74   Than to take in a town with gentle words,
75   Which else would put you to your fortune and
76   The hazard of much blood.
77   I would dissemble with my nature where
78   My fortunes and my friends at stake required
79   I should do so in honour: I am in this,
80   Your wife, your son, these senators, the nobles;
81   And you will rather show our general louts
82   How you can frown than spend a fawn upon 'em,
83   For the inheritance of their loves and safeguard
84   Of what that want might ruin.

85   Noble lady!
86   Come, go with us; speak fair: you may salve so,
87   Not what is dangerous present, but the loss
88   Of what is past.

89   I prithee now, my son,
90   Go to them, with this bonnet in thy hand;
91   And thus far having stretch'd it--here be with them--
92   Thy knee bussing the stones--for in such business
93   Action is eloquence, and the eyes of the ignorant
94   More learned than the ears--waving thy head,
95   Which often, thus, correcting thy stout heart,
96   Now humble as the ripest mulberry
97   That will not hold the handling: or say to them,
98   Thou art their soldier, and being bred in broils
99   Hast not the soft way which, thou dost confess,
100  Were fit for thee to use as they to claim,
101  In asking their good loves, but thou wilt frame
102  Thyself, forsooth, hereafter theirs, so far
103  As thou hast power and person.

104  This but done,
105  Even as she speaks, why, their hearts were yours;
106  For they have pardons, being ask'd, as free
107  As words to little purpose.

108  Prithee now,
109  Go, and be ruled: although I know thou hadst rather
110  Follow thine enemy in a fiery gulf
111  Than flatter him in a bower. Here is Cominius.

112  I have been i' the market-place; and, sir,'tis fit
113  You make strong party, or defend yourself
114  By calmness or by absence: all's in anger.

115  Only fair speech.

116  I think 'twill serve, if he
117  Can thereto frame his spirit.

118  He must, and will
119  Prithee now, say you will, and go about it.

120  Must I go show them my unbarbed sconce?
121  Must I with base tongue give my noble heart
122  A lie that it must bear? Well, I will do't:
123  Yet, were there but this single plot to lose,
124  This mould of Marcius, they to dust should grind it
125  And throw't against the wind. To the market-place!
126  You have put me now to such a part which never
127  I shall discharge to the life.

128  Come, come, we'll prompt you.

129  I prithee now, sweet son, as thou hast said
130  My praises made thee first a soldier, so,
131  To have my praise for this, perform a part
132  Thou hast not done before.

133  Well, I must do't:
134  Away, my disposition, and possess me
135  Some harlot's spirit! my throat of war be turn'd,
136  Which quired with my drum, into a pipe
137  Small as an eunuch, or the virgin voice
138  That babies lulls asleep! the smiles of knaves
139  Tent in my cheeks, and schoolboys' tears take up
140  The glasses of my sight! a beggar's tongue
141  Make motion through my lips, and my arm'd knees,
142  Who bow'd but in my stirrup, bend like his
143  That hath received an alms! I will not do't,
144  Lest I surcease to honour mine own truth
145  And by my body's action teach my mind
146  A most inherent baseness.

147  At thy choice, then:
148  To beg of thee, it is my more dishonour
149  Than thou of them. Come all to ruin; let
150  Thy mother rather feel thy pride than fear
151  Thy dangerous stoutness, for I mock at death
152  With as big heart as thou. Do as thou list
153  Thy valiantness was mine, thou suck'dst it from me,
154  But owe thy pride thyself.

155  Pray, be content:
156  Mother, I am going to the market-place;
157  Chide me no more. I'll mountebank their loves,
158  Cog their hearts from them, and come home beloved
159  Of all the trades in Rome. Look, I am going:
160  Commend me to my wife. I'll return consul;
161  Or never trust to what my tongue can do
162  I' the way of flattery further.

163  Do your will.

164  Away! the tribunes do attend you: arm yourself
165  To answer mildly; for they are prepared
166  With accusations, as I hear, more strong
167  Than are upon you yet.

168  The word is 'mildly.' Pray you, let us go:
169  Let them accuse me by invention, I
170  Will answer in mine honour.

171  Ay, but mildly.

172  Well, mildly be it then. Mildly!