Page:The Palace of Pleasure, Volume 1 (1890).djvu/133

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CARIOLANUS. 3 I

great royaltie and magnificens, they would ingender perill to the citie, which dreame he declared to the Confuls. Then the Senate gaue order, that the fame (houlde be addrefled with great pompe and triumphe: whereunto through th'inftigacion of Accius, a greate nomber of the Volfcians resorted. But besore the plaies begunne, Tullius according to the compact agreed vpon, betwene him and Coriolanus, secretely repaired to the Confuls, and taking them a fyde, declared that he had to fay vnto them a matter touching the publique wealth of their citie, in these words. " I am sorced against my will to fignifie vnto you a matter, that toucheth the condition of mine owne fubiefts and countrie men. I come not to accufe them, as thoughe they had already admitted any thinge, but I come to giue you a premonition, left they mould perpetrate some occafion, contrary to the order of your Citie. The difpofi- tion of my countrie men, is more inconftant then I would wifh : which we haue felt, to our great lofle and decaie. The cause of oure fecurity at this prefent, is rather fuffered by your pacience, then by our defert. Here be at this inftant a great multitude of Vol fcians : Here be games prepared, and the citie throughlye bent to behold them. I do remember what was done vpon like occafion in this citie by the Remain youth : I tremble to thincke, what may be ramly attempted, whersore I thought good both for your owne fakes and for auoyding of mutual difpleafure, to soretel you of these things. And for mine owne part I purpose immediatlye to returne home, because I wil auoide the daunger and peril, that maye chaunce by my prefence." When he had spoken those words, he departed. The Confuls immediatly recompted the re- queft of Accius to the Senate : who more efteming the personage, from whence the fame did precede, then the matter that was spoken, determined to prouide a remedie for the fame, and immediatlye caused the Volfcians to auoide the citie, fending officers about, to commaund them to depart that night : vpon which sodain edict, at the first they began to marueile. And afterwards they conceiued great griefe and offence, for that their vnneighbourlye entertaign- ment. and as they were paffing out of the citie in a long traine, Tullius being vpon the top of the hill called Ferrentine, to waite for the people, as they pafled by, called vnto him the chiefe and


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