Page 2892 - Shakespeare - Vol. 3

To be full quit of those my banishers,
Stand I before thee here. Then if thou hast
A heart of wreak in thee, that wilt revenge
Thine own particular wrongs and stop those maims

Of shame seen through thy country, speed thee straight [90]
And make my misery serve thy turn. So use it
That my revengeful services may prove
As benefits to thee. For I will fight

Against my cankered country with the spleen
Of all the under fiends. But if so be [95]
Thou dar’st not this, and that to prove more fortunes
Th’ art tired, then, in a word, I also am

Longer to live most weary, and present
My throat to thee and to thy ancient malice;
Which not to cut would show thee but a fool, [100]
Since I have ever followed thee with hate,

Drawn tuns of blood out of thy country’s breast,
And cannot live but by thy shame, unless
It be to do thee service.

AUFIDIUS
O Martius, Martius!
Each word thou hast spoke hath weeded from my heart [105]

A root of ancient envy. If Jupiter
Should from yond cloud speak divine things,
And say. ‘’Tis true’, I’d not believe them more

Than thee, all-noble Martius. Let me twine
Mine arms about that body, whereagainst [110]
My grainèd ash an hundred times hath broke
And scarred the moon with splinters. Here I clip
The anvil of my sword, and do contest

As hotly and as nobly with thy love
As ever in ambitious strength I did [115]
Contend against thy valour. Know thou first,

I loved the maid I married; never man
Sighed truer breath. But that I see thee here,
Thou noble thing, more dances my rapt heart
Than when I first my wedded mistress saw [120]