Scene 1.1.3
The belly within the body
“There was a time when all the body’
members rebelled against the belly.” Menenius held his hands over his belly.
“It was accused of being idle. It was a gulf protected from the sea. It lends
no effort to the other labors of the body in its sight, hearing, smell, devise,
walking in mutual participation. The belly replied….”
“Aye, tell us what answer made the
belly?” The nurse called out.
“Sir. I shall tell you.” Menenius
replied. “With the smile that came not from the …The lungs do not smile but
with your belly I will make you laugh as well to speak too. It will speak to
the discontented parts of its receipts. Like the way you malign the Senate for
that….”
“They are not such as you said.”
Menenius defended the Senate.
“Your belly’s answer….” The nurse mocked
the Consul. “The kingly crowned head, the vigilant eyes, the counselor heart,
the arm our troopers, our ships the leg, the tongue the pilots. In this fabric,
if that they ~’
“What then?” The Consul stretched his
patience. “Before me, what then?”
The nurse looked to the intimidating
figure there. She felt the fear for her life then but her anger stood her
resolve to tell the Consul.
“The belly is the sink of the body….”
“What then?” The Consul snapped back. He
waited no more for the reply. Instead he spoke on his tale of the belly.
“I will tell you what then.” The Consul
drew in his breath. The air had become stale with the assembled but he needed
to speak. “Note me this, good friend.”
The Consul addressed them with a
personal greeting. He wanted to warm up to then. “Your most grave belly was
deliberate. Not rash like your accusations. He does answered back. True is it, my
incorporate friends that I receive the food first which you do live upon for I
am the store house and the shop of the body. You do remember I send it through
the rivers of blood, even to the court, the heart, the seat of the brain. And
even through the cranks and offices of man, be its strongest nerves and small
inferior veins. From me receive that natural competency whereby they live. Though
all at once cannot see what I do deliver out to each, yet I can make my audit
for you.”
“It was an answer?” The nurse frowned to
the Consul.
“The Senate of Rome is this good belly.
And you mutinous members; examine their counsels that their cares, digest
things rightful. It proceeds comes from them to you. And no way from
yourselves.” Menenius glared at the nurse who was instigator of the assembled.
“What do you think of that, the great toe of this assembly?”
“I the great toe! Why me the great toe?”
The nurse rebuked in contempt.
“For that being the one on the lowest,
baset, poorest, of this most wise rebellion, you have gone forth.” Menenius
sensed the winning tone of his voice. “Thou rascal, that runs worst in your
blood. Lead them all to win your vantage, but make you ready to battle front
you will bail yourself first.”
The crowd murmured to the words by the
wiser Consul. They looked to each other for counsel and made unknown their next
stand. It was a victory of sort for Menenius.
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