READ STUDY GUIDE: Act I, scenes ii-x |
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Act I, Scene iii:
Rome. An apartmnet in MARCIUS' house.
Rome. An apartmnet in MARCIUS' house.
| [Enter VOLUMNIA and VIRGILIA; they sit down on two low stools andsew.] |
| VOLUMNIA: |
| I pray you, daughter, sing, or express yourself in a more |
| comfortable sort; if my son were my husband, I should freelier |
| rejoice in that absence wherein he won honour than in the |
| embracements of his bed where he would show most love. When yet |
| he was but tender-bodied, and the only son of my womb; when youth |
| with comeliness pluck'd all gaze his way; when, for a day of |
| kings' entreaties, a mother should not sell him an hour from her |
| beholding; I,—considering how honour would become such a person; |
| that it was no better than picture-like to hang by th' wall if |
| renown made it not stir;—was pleased to let him seek danger |
| where he was to find fame. To a cruel war I sent him; from whence |
| he returned his brows bound with oak. I tell thee, daughter, I |
| sprang not more in joy at first hearing he was a man-child than |
| now in first seeing he had proved himself a man. |
| VIRGILIA: |
| But had he died in the business, madam? how then? |
| VOLUMNIA: |
| Then his good report should have been my son; I therein |
| would have found issue. Hear me profess sincerely,—had I a dozen |
| sons, each in my love alike, and none less dear than thine and my |
| good Marcius, I had rather had eleven die nobly for their country |
| than one voluptuously surfeit out of action. |
| [Enter a GENTLEWOMAN.] |
| GENTLEWOMAN: |
| Madam, the Lady Valeria is come to visit you. |
| VIRGILIA: |
| Beseech you, give me leave to retire myself. |
| VOLUMNIA: |
| Indeed you shall not. |
| Methinks I hear hither your husband's drum; |
| See him pluck Aufidius down by the hair; |
| As children from a bear, the Volsces shunning him: |
| Methinks I see him stamp thus, and call thus:— |
| 'Come on, you cowards! you were got in fear |
| Though you were born in Rome:' his bloody brow |
| With his mail'd hand then wiping, forth he goes, |
| Like to a harvest-man that's tasked to mow |
| Or all, or lose his hire. |
| VIRGILIA: |
| His bloody brow! O Jupiter, no blood! |
| VOLUMNIA: |
| Away, you fool! It more becomes a man |
| Than gilt his trophy: the breasts of Hecuba, |
| When she did suckle Hector, looked not lovelier |
| Than Hector's forehead when it spit forth blood |
| At Grecian swords contending.—Tell Valeria |
| We are fit to bid her welcome. |
| [Exit GENTLEWOMAN.] |
| VIRGILIA: |
| Heavens bless my lord from fell Aufidius! |
| VOLUMNIA: |
| He'll beat Aufidius' head below his knee, |
| And tread upon his neck. |
| [Re-enter GENTLEWOMAN, with VALERIA and her Usher.] |
| VALERIA: |
| My ladies both, good-day to you. |
| VOLUMNIA: |
| Sweet madam. |
| VIRGILIA: |
| I am glad to see your ladyship. |
| VALERIA: |
| How do you both? you are manifest housekeepers. What are |
| you sewing here? A fine spot, in good faith.—How does your |
| little son? |
| VIRGILIA: |
| I thank your ladyship; well, good madam. |
| VOLUMNIA: |
| He had rather see the swords and hear a drum than look upon his |
| schoolmaster. |
| VALERIA: |
| O' my word, the father's son: I'll swear 'tis a very pretty boy. |
| O' my troth, I looked upon him o' Wednesday, half an hour |
| together: has such a confirmed countenance. I saw him run after a |
| gilded butterfly; and when he caught it he let it go again; and |
| after it again; and over and over he comes, and up again; catched |
| it again; or whether his fall enraged him, or how 'twas, he did |
| so set his teeth and tear it; O, I warrant, how he mammocked it! |
| VOLUMNIA: |
| One on's father's moods. |
| VALERIA: |
| Indeed, la, 'tis a noble child. |
| VIRGILIA: |
| A crack, madam. |
| VALERIA: |
| Come, lay aside your stitchery; I must have you play the idle |
| huswife with me this afternoon. |
| VIRGILIA: |
| No, good madam; I will not out of doors. |
| VALERIA: |
| Not out of doors! |
| VOLUMNIA: |
| She shall, she shall. |
| VIRGILIA: |
| Indeed, no, by your patience; I'll not over the threshold till my |
| lord return from the wars. |
| VALERIA: |
| Fie, you confine yourself most unreasonably; come, you must go |
| visit the good lady that lies in. |
| VIRGILIA: |
| I will wish her speedy strength, and visit her with my prayers; |
| but I cannot go thither. |
| VOLUMNIA: |
| Why, I pray you? |
| VIRGILIA: |
| 'Tis not to save labour, nor that I want love. |
| VALERIA: |
| You would be another Penelope; yet they say all the yarn she spun |
| in Ulysses' absence did but fill Ithaca full of moths. Come; I |
| would your cambric were sensible as your finger, that you might |
| leave pricking it for pity.—Come, you shall go with us. |
| VIRGILIA: |
| No, good madam, pardon me; indeed I will not forth. |
| VALERIA: |
| In truth, la, go with me; and I'll tell you excellent news |
| of your husband. |
| VIRGILIA: |
| O, good madam, there can be none yet. |
| VALERIA: |
| Verily, I do not jest with you; there came news from him last |
| night. |
| VIRGILIA: |
| Indeed, madam? |
| VALERIA: |
| In earnest, it's true; I heard a senator speak it. Thus it |
| is:—the Volsces have an army forth; against whom Cominius the |
| general is gone, with one part of our Roman power: your lord and |
| Titus Lartius are set down before their city Corioli; they |
| nothing doubt prevailing, and to make it brief wars. This is |
| true, on mine honour; and so, I pray, go with us. |
| VIRGILIA: |
| Give me excuse, good madam; I will obey you in everything |
| hereafter. |
| VOLUMNIA: |
| Let her alone, lady; as she is now, she will but disease our |
| better mirth. |
| VALERIA: |
| In troth, I think she would.—Fare you well, then.—Come, |
| good sweet lady.—Pr'ythee, Virgilia, turn thy solemness out o' |
| door and go along with us. |
| VIRGILIA: |
| No, at a word, madam; indeed I must not. I wish you much mirth. |
| VALERIA: |
| Well then, farewell. |
| [Exeunt.] |
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