The Philosophy of the Plays of Shakspere Unfolded Part 37

_First Cit_. Soft; who comes here?

[_Enter Menenius Agrippa_.]

_Second Cit_. Worthy Menenius Agrippa, one that hath always _loved the people_.

_First Cit_. He's one _honest_ enough [--_honest_--a great word in the Shakspere philosophy]; would _all the rest_ were so.

[That is a good prayer when it comes to be understood.]

_Men_. What work's, my countrymen, in hand? Where go you, With bats and clubs? The matter? Speak, I pray you.

_First Cit. Our business is not unknown to_ THE SENATE [Hear]; they have had _inkling_ this fortnight what we intend to do, which now we'll show 'em in deeds. They say, poor suitors have strong breaths; they shall know we have _strong arms, too_.

_Men_. Why, _masters_, my good friends, mine honest neighbours, Will you undo yourselves_?

_First Cit. We cannot, sir; we are undone already_. [Revolution.]

_Men_. I tell you, friends, _most charitable care_ Have the _patricians_ of you. For your WANTS,--Your suffering in this dearth, you may as well _Strike at the heavens_ with your staves, as lift them Against the Roman State, whose course _will on The way it takes_, cracking ten thousand curbs Of more strong link asunder, than can ever Appear in your impediment. For the dearth, The _G.o.ds, not_ the _patricians_, make it; and _Your knees_ to them, _not arms, must_ help.

[This sounds very pious, but it is not the piety of the new school.

The doctrine of submission and suffering is indeed taught in it, and scientifically reinforced; but then it is the patient suffering of the harm 'which is not within our power' which is commendable, according to its tenets, and 'a wise and industrious suffering' of it, too. It is a wise 'accommodating of the nature of man to those points of nature and fortune which we cannot control,' that is pleasing to G.o.d, according to this creed.]

Alack!

You are transported by calamity, Thither where more attends you; and you slander The helms o' the state, who care for you like _fathers_, When you curse them as enemies.

_First Cit_. CARE FOR us! _True_, INDEED! They ne'er cared for us yet.

SUFFER us TO FAMISH, and _their_ store-houses CRAMMED WITH GRAIN!

_Make edicts for usury, to support usurers_! Repeal daily any WHOLESOME ACT _established against the rich_, and provide more piercing statutes daily to chain up and restrain the poor! If the WARS eat us not up, THEY WILL; and there's _all the love_ they bear us.

Menenius attempts to counteract these impressions; but his story and his arguments appear to have some applications which he is not aware of, and are much more to the purpose of the party in arms than they are to his own. For it is a story in which the natural subordination of the parts to the whole in the fabric of human society is ill.u.s.trated by that natural instance and symbol of unity and organization which the single human form itself present; and that condition of the state which has just been exhibited--one in which the body at large is dying of inanition that a part of it may _surfeit_--is a condition which, in the light of this story, appears to need help of some kind, certainly.

But the platform is now ready. It is the hero's entrance for which we are preparing. It is on the ground of this sullen want that the author will exhibit him and his dazzling military virtues. It is as the doctor of this _diseased common-weal_ that he brings him in with his sword;

'_Enter_ CAIUS MARCIUS.'

and that idea--the idea of the diseased commonwealth, which Menenius has already set forth--that notion of _parts_ and _partiality_, and dissonance and dissolution, which is a radical idea in the play, and runs into its minutest points of phraseology, breaks out at once in his rough speech.

_Men_. Hail, n.o.ble Marcius!

_Mar_. Thanks. What's the matter, you dissentious rogues, That rubbing the poor itch of your opinion, Make _yourselves_ scabs.

[It is the _common-weal_ that must be made _whole_ and comely.

OPINION! your opinion.]

_First Cit_. We have ever your good word.

_Mar_. In 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 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 hail-stone 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 appet.i.te, 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;

[This is not the principle of _state_, whether in the many or the one].

And call _him_ n.o.ble, 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 n.o.ble senate, who, Under the G.o.ds, keep you in awe, _which else Would feed on one another_?--What's their seeking?

_Men_. For corn at their own rates; _whereof, they say, The city is well stor'd_.

_Mar_. 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 n.o.bility lay aside their ruth, And let me use my sword, _I'd make a quarry With thousands of these quartered slaves_, AS HIGH As I could _p.r.i.c.k my lance_.

[The _alt.i.tude_ of his virtue;--the _measure_ of his greatness. That is the tableau of the first scene, in the first act of the play of the cure of the Common-weal and the Consuls.h.i.+p.]

_Men_. Nay, these are almost thoroughly persuaded; For though abundantly they lack discretion, Yet are they pa.s.sing cowardly. But I beseech you, What says the other troop?

_Mar_. They are _dissolved_: Hang 'em! [Footnote]

_They said, they were an hungry; sigh'd forth proverbs_;-- That _hunger broke stone walls_; that, _dogs_ must eat; That _meat was made for mouths_; THAT THE G.o.dS SENT NOT CORN FOR THE RICH MEN ONLY:--With these shreds They vented their complainings; which being answer'd, And a pet.i.tion granted them, _a strange one_, (To break the _heart of generosity_, _And make bold power look pale_,) they threw their caps As they would hang them on the horns o'the moon, _Shouting their emulation_.

[Footnote: 'The History of Henry VII.,' produced in the Historical Part of this work, but omitted here, contains the key to these readings.]

_Men_. What is granted them.

_Mar_. Five tribunes _to defend their vulgar wisdoms_, Of their own choice: One's Junius Brutus, Sicinius Velutus, and I know not--'Sdeath!

The rabble should have first unroof'd the city; Ere so prevail'd with me; _it will in time Win upon POWER, and throw forth greater themes_ For INSURRECTION'S arguing.

[Yes, surely it will. It cannot fail of it.]

_Men_. This is strange.

_Mar_. Go, get you _home_, you _fragments_! [_fragments_.]

[_Enter a Messenger_.]

_Mes_. Where's Caius Marcius?

_Mar_. Here; What's the matter?

_Mes_. The news is, Sir, the Volces are in arms.

_Mar_. I am glad on't; then we shall have means _to vent Our musty superfluity:_--See, our best elders.

[The procession from the Capitol is entering with two of the new officers of the commonwealth, and the two chief men of the army, with other senators.]

_First Sen_. Marcius, 'tis true, that you have lately told us; The Volsces are in arms.

_Mar_. They have a leader, Tullus Aufidius, that will put you to't.

I sin in envying _his n.o.bility_: And were I anything but what I am, I would wish me only he.

_Com_. You have fought together.

_Mar_. Were half to half the world by the ears, and _he Upon my party, I'd revolt, to make Only my wars with him_ [Hear, hear].

He is a lion.

That I am proud to _hunt_.