CORIOLANUS. Com. Men. Let him be call'd for. 1 Sen. He's right noble ; Call for Coriolanus. Re-enter Coriolanus. Off. He doth appear. Men. The senate, Coriolanus, are well pleas'd To make thee consul. Cor. My life, and services. I do owe them still It then remains, That you do speak to the people. Cor. I do beseech you, you, That I may pass this doing. Sic. Sir, the people Must have their voices; neither will they bate One jot of ceremony. Men. Put them not to't :Pray you, go fit you to the custom: and Take to you, as your predecessors have, Your honour with your form. It is a part Cor. Mark you that? Bru. As if I had received them for the hire Men. Do not stand upon't.- Sen. To Coriolanus come all joy and honour! As if he did contemn what he requested [about the corn, he himself stuck not to call us the many-headed multitude. 3 Cit. We have been called so of many; not that our heads are some brown, some black, some auburn, some bald, but that our wits are so diversely coloured: and truly I think, if all our wits were to issue out of one scull, they would fly east, west, north, south; and their consent of one direct way should be at once to all the points o'the compass." 2 Cit. Think you so? Which way, do you judge, my wit would fly? 3 Cit. Nay, your wit will not, so soon out as another man's will, 'tis strongly wedged up in a block-head: but if it were at liberty, 'twould, sure, southward. never a worthier man. Enter Coriolanus and Menenius. Here he comes, and in the gown of humility; mark his behaviour. We are not to stay all together, but to come by him where he stands, by ones, by twos, and by threes. He's to make his requests by particulars: wherein every one of us has a single honour, in giving him our own voices with our own tongues: therefore follow me, and I'll direct you how you shall go by him. All. Content, content. [Exeunt. Men. O sir, you are not right: have you not The worthiest men have done it? What must I say?— I got them in my country's service, when O me, the god's! Cor. Think upon me? hang 'em! Bru. Come, we'll inform them I would they would forget me, like the virtues Which our divines lose by them. Of our proceedings here: on the market-place, You'll mar all; [Exeunt. Men. I know they do attend us, I'll leave you: Pray you, speak to them, I pray you [Exit. Enter In wholesome manner. SCENE III.-The same. The Forum. several Citizens. 1 Cit. Once, if he do require our voices, we ought not to deny him. 2 Cit. We may, sir, if we will. 3 Cit. We have power in ourselves to do it, but it is a power that we have no power to do: for if he show us his wounds, and tell us his deeds, we are to put our tongues into those wounds, and speak for them; so, if he tell us his noble deeds, we must also tell him our noble acceptance of them. Ingratitude is monstrous: and for the multitude to be Ingrateful, were to make a monster of the multitude; of the which, we being members, should bring ourselves to be monstrous members. 1 Cit. And to make us no better thought of, a little help will serve: for once, when we stood up (1) Avarice. Cor. Well then, I pray, your price o'the consul- give him jɔy, and make him good friend to the ship? 1 Cit. The price is, sir, to ask it kindly. Cor. Kindly? Sir, I pray let me ha't: I have wounds to show you, sir; What say you? 2 Cit. You shall have it, worthy sir. Cor. A match, sir : 3 Cit. You have been a scourge to her enemies, you have been a rod to her friends; you have not, indeed, loved the common people. people! All. Amen, Amen.— [Exeunt Citizens. Men. You have stood your limitation; and the Endue you with the people's voice: Remains, There, Coriolanus. Sic. Repair to the senate-house. Men. I'll keep you company.-Will you along? Sic. Fare you well. Cor. You should account me the more virtuous [Exeunt Cor. and Menen. that I have not been common in my love. I will, He has it now; and by his looks, methinks, sir, flatter my sworn brother the people, to earn a 'Tis warm at his heart. dearer estimation of them; 'tis a condition they ac- Bru. With a proud heart he wore count gentle and since the wisdom of their choice His humble weeds: Will you dismiss the people? is rather to have my hat than my heart, I will practise the insinuating nod, and be off to them most counterfeitly; that is, sir, I will counterfeit the bewitchment of some popular man, and give it bountifully to the desirers. Therefore, beseech you, I may be consul. Better it is to die, better to starve, Here come more voices,— Indeed, I would be consul. $ C. He has done nobly, and cannot go with out any honest man's voice. 6 Cit. Therefore let him be consul: The gods (1) Over-look. Re-enter Citizens. Sic. How now, my masters? have you chose this man? 2 Cit. Not one amongst us save yourself, but He us'd us scornfully: he should have show'd us No; no man saw 'em. [Several speak. $ Cit. He said, he had wounds, which he could show in private; And with his hat, thus waving it in scorn, you Your most sweet voices-now you have left your voices, I have no further with you-Was not this Sic. Why, either, you were ignorant to see't? Біль Fast foe to the plebeii,' your voices might Sic. Tving him to aught; so, putting him to rage, Bru. Did you perceive, He did solicit you in free contempt, No heart among you? Or had you tongues, to cry Have you, Ere now, deny'd the asker? and now again, 3 Cit. He's not confirm'd, we may deny him yet. I'll have five hundred voices of that sound. 1 Cit. I twice five hundred, and their friends to piece 'em. Bru. Get you hence instantly; and tell those They have chose a consul, that will from them take Sic. Let them assemble; Lay Sic. to you, How youngly he began to serve his country, This was my speech, and I will speak't again ;- Not in this heat, sir, now. In soothing them, we nourish 'gainst our senate By mingling them with us, the honour'd number; O good, but most unwise patricians, why, Com. Well-on to the market-place. Cor. Whoever gave that counsel, to give forth The corn o'the store-house gratis, as 'twas us'd Sometime in Grecee, Men. I say, they nourish'd disobedience, fed Bru. Why, shall the people give One, that speaks thus, their voice? I'll give my reasons, More worthier than their voices. They know, the Which they have often made against the senate, Bru. 2 Sen. [Several speak. Weapons, weapons, weapons! [They all bustle about Coriolanus. What's like to be their words:-We did request it; Tribunes, patricians, citizens !-what ho!— We are the greater poll, and in true fear Call our cares, fears: which will in time break ope Come, enough. Bru. Enough, with over-measure. Cannot conclude, but by the yea and no To unstable slightness: purpose so barr'd, it follows, you, You that will be less fearful than discreet; Bru. He has said enough. Sic. He has spoken like a traitor, and shall an Sicinius, Brutus, Coriolanus, citizens ! Cit. Peace, peace, peace; stay, hold, peace! Sic. Sic. You are at point to lose your liberties: Fie, fie, fie! This is the way to kindle, not to quench. 1 Sen. To unbuild the city, and to lay all flat. Sic. What is the city, but the people? Cit. The people are the city. True, Bru. By the consent of all, we were establish'd You so remain. Sic. This deserves death. That seem like prudent helps, are very poisonous Where the disease is violent:-Lay hands upon him, And bear him to the rock. Cor. No; I'll die here. [Drawing his sword. There's some among you have beheld me fighting; Come, try upon yourselves what you have scen me. Men. Down with that sword;-Tribunes, withdraw a while. Bru. Lay hands upon him. Help, Marcius! help, You that be noble; help him, young, and old! Cit. Down with him, down with him! [In this mutiny, the Tribunes, the diles, and the People, are all beat in. Men. Go, get you to your house; be gone away, All will be naught else. 2 Sen. Cor. Get you gone. Stand fast; We have as many friends as enemies. (5) From whence criminals were thrown, and dashed to pieces. 2 R |