The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated) (782 page)

Five tribunes, to defend their vulgar wisdoms,

The people got to choose these representative: one of them is Junius Brutus,

Of their own choice: one's Junius Brutus,

one is Sicinius Velutus, and I don’t who the rest are. This is terrible!

Sicinius Velutus, and I know not.--'Sdeath!

The mob might as well as have taken all of the roofs in town,

The rabble should have first unroof'd the city

that’s what I think. The mob will eventually

Ere so prevail'd with me: it will in time

defeat the rich and powerful, and come up with bigger issues

Win upon power, and throw forth greater themes

for the rebels to debate.

For insurrection's arguing.

MENENIUS.

That is strange.

This is strange.

MARCIUS.

Oh, go home, you worthless people!

Go get you home, you fragments!

[Enter a MESSENGER, hastily.]

MESSENGER.

Where’s Caius Marcius?

Where's Caius Marcius?

MARCIUS.

I’m here, what’s the matter?

Here: what's the matter?

MESSENGER.

The news is, the Volscians [an Italian tribe south of Rome] are getting ready to attack us.

The news is, sir, the Volsces are in arms.

MARCIUS.

I’m glad of it. Now I’ll have a way to get rid of

I am glad on't: then we shall ha' means to vent

our extra stuff, and extra people.—Look, here come my favorite old men.

Our musty superfluity.--See, our best elders.

[Enter COMINIUS, TITUS LARTIUS, and other SENATORS; JUNIUS BRUTUS

and SICINIUS VELUTUS.]

FIRST SENATOR.

Marcius, you were right when you warned us recently about the Volscians—

Marcius, 'tis true that you have lately told us:--

Now they want to fight us.

The Volsces are in arms.

MARCIUS.

They have a leader,

They have a leader,

Tullus Aufidius, who is going to put up a good fight.  

Tullus Aufidius, that will put you to't.

I know it’s wrong, but I wish I worked for him,

I sin in envying his nobility;

and if I could be anyone but who I am,

And were I anything but what I am,

I would want to be him.

I would wish me only he.

COMINIUS.

You fought him before.

You have fought together.

MARCIUS.

If the world was upside down, and he

Were half to half the world by the ears, and he

was on my side, I’d switch sides, and only  

Upon my party, I'd revolt, to make

fight him.

Only my wars with him: he is a lion

He is a worthy opponent.

That I am proud to hunt.

FIRST SENATOR.

So, good Marcius,

Then, worthy Marcius,

you are now working for Cominius [a top general] while you fight this war.

Attend upon Cominius to these wars.

COMINIUS.

That’s what you promised.

It is your former promise.

MARCIUS.

Yes, you’re right,

Sir, it is;

and I’m keeping my word. Titus Lartius, you

And I am constant.--Titus Lartius, thou

will see me beat the leader of the Volscians yet again.

Shalt see me once more strike at Tullus' face.  

What, are not fighting? Staying home?

What, art thou stiff? stand'st out?

TITUS LARTIUS.

No, Caius Marcius.

No, Caius Marcius;

I’d use on of my crutches to stand up and I’ll fight with the other one,

I'll lean upon one crutch and fight with the other

rather than stay behind on this one.

Ere stay behind this business.

MENENIUS.

You’re true blue!

O, true bred!

FIRST SENATOR.

Come with us to the Capitol, where

Your company to the Capitol; where, I know,

our most important friends are waiting for us.

Our greatest friends attend us.

TITUS LARTIUS.

Lead on!

Lead you on.

C’mon Cominius; we have to do what you say,

Follow, Cominius; we must follow you;

because you deserve to be the boss.

Right worthy your priority.

COMINIUS.

You rock, Marcius!

Noble Marcius!

FIRST SENATOR.

Go home, get out of here!

Hence to your homes; be gone!

[To the crowd.]

[To the Citizens.]

MARCIUS.

No, let them come with us to war:

Nay, let them follow:

The Volscians have plenty of grain; bring these hungry, rat-like poor people

The Volsces have much corn; take these rats thither

to eat the Volscians’ food.—My dear rebels,

To gnaw their garners.--Worshipful mutineers,

you bravery is promising: come with us, please.

Your valour puts well forth: pray follow.

[Exeunt Senators, COM., MAR, TIT., and MENEN. Citizens steal

away.]

SICINIUS.

Man, did you ever see anyone as cocky as that Marcius?

Was ever man so proud as is this Marcius?

BRUTUS.

There’s no one like him.

He has no equal.

SICINIUS.

When the people chose us to represent them—

When we were chosen tribunes for the people,--

BRUTUS.

Did you see his face?

Mark'd you his lip and eyes?

SICINIUS.

No, but I heard his insults!

Nay, but his taunts!

BRUTUS.

If provoked, he would insult the gods.

Being mov'd, he will not spare to gird the gods.

SICINIUS.

He’d even make fun of the moon.

Bemock the modest moon.

BRUTUS.

This war is all he cares about, but for someone so violent, he is

The present wars devour him: he is grown

too proud for his own good—he’s going to do something stupid.

Too proud to be so valiant.

SICINIUS.

A jerk like that,

Such a nature,

if they have some success, they think they’re too good

Tickled with good success, disdains the shadow

for everyone. What I wonder about

Which he treads on at noon: but I do wonder

is how someone so insolent is going to feel about taking orders

His insolence can brook to be commanded

from Cominius.

Under Cominius.

BRUTUS.

He wants to be more famous—

Fame, at the which he aims,--

even though he already he is famous—and there’s no

In whom already he is well grac'd,--cannot

better way to get really famous than by

Better be held, nor more attain'd, than by

being the second in command, because if something goes wrong,

A place below the first: for what miscarries

people will blame the commander in chief, even if he did

Shall be the general's fault, though he perform

nothing wrong; and then

To th' utmost of a man; and giddy censure

Marcius will tell everyone, “If I had been

Will then cry out of Marcius 'O, if he

in charge, everything would have been better!”

Had borne the business!'

SICINIUS.

Besides, if things go well,

Besides, if things go well,

Everyone will give credit to Marcius  

Opinion, that so sticks on Marcius, shall

for Cominius’ success.

Of his demerits rob Cominius.

BRUTUS.

Yeah,

Come:

Marcius gets credit for half the great stuff that Cominius has done,

Half all Cominius' honours are to Marcius,

though Marcius didn’t earn it, and everything Cominius does wrong

Though Marcius earn'd them not; and all his faults

will make Marcius look good, even though

To Marcius shall be honours, though, indeed,

he doesn’t really deserve it.

In aught he merit not.

SICINIUS.

Let’s go find out

Let's hence and hear

how this war is going to be fought, and in what way,

How the dispatch is made; and in what fashion,

other than his usual bizarre methods, Marcius is going to

More than in singularity, he goes

plan this military action.

Upon this present action.

BRUTUS.

Let’s go.

Let's along.

[Exeunt.]

[Enter TULLUS AUFIDIUS and certain Vulscian SENATORS.]

FIRST SENATOR.

So, your opinion is, Aufidius,

So, your opinion is, Aufidius,

that the Romans are aware of what we’ve been discussing

That they of Rome are enter'd in our counsels

and know our plans.

And know how we proceed.

AUFIDIUS.

Isn’t that your opinion, too?

Is it not yours?

When have we ever talked about attacking Rome in this country

What ever have been thought on in this state,

and managed to pull it off before Rome

That could be brought to bodily act ere Rome

found out about it and foiled us? Just four days ago

Had circumvention? 'Tis not four days gone

I heard from a spy in Rome, and I quote:

Since I heard thence; these are the words: I think

(If I can find the letter—yes, here it is:)

I have the letter here; yes, here it is:

[Reads from the letter]

[Reads.]

“The Romans have massed an army, but I don’t know

'They have pressed a power, but it is not known

whether they intend to march east or west. The famine is bad,

Whether for east or west: the dearth is great;

the people are getting ready to revolt, and the rumor is