To one that would do thus. I am half through;
The one part suffer'd, the other will I do.
Enter three other Citizens.
Your voices for your voices I have fought;
Watch'd for your voices; for your voices, bear
Of wounds two dozen odd; battles thrice six
I have seen and heard of; for your voices have
Done many things, some less, some more: your
voices:
Indeed, I would be consul.
5 Cit. He has done nobly, and cannot go without any honest man's voice.
6 Cit. Therefore let him be consul: The gods give him joy, and make him good friend to the people! All. Amen, Amen.
Jove save thee, noble consul! [Exeunt Citizens.
Worthy voices!
Re-enter MENENIUS, with BRUTUS, and SICINIUS.
Men. You have stood your limitation; and the
tribunes
Endue you with the people's voice: Remains,
That, in the official marks invested, you
Anon do meet the senate.
Sic. The custom of request you have discharg'd:
The people do admit you; and are summon'd
To meet anon, upon your approbation.
Cor. Where? at the senate-house?
Sic.
There, Coriolanus.
Cor. May I then change these garments?
Sic.
You may, sir.
Cor. That I'll straight do; and, knowing myself
Repair to the senate-house.
Men. I'll keep you company. — - Will you along?
Bru. We stay here for the people.
Sic.
Fare you
well.
[Exeunt CORIOL. and. MENEN.
He has it now; and by his looks, methinks,
'Tis warm at his heart.
With a proud heart he wore His humble weeds: Will you dismiss the people: Re-enter Citizens.
Sic. How now, my masters? have you chose this man?
1 Cit. He has our voices, sir.
Bru. We pray the gods, he may deserve your loves. 2 Cit. Amen, sir: To my poor unworthy notice, He mock'd us, when he begg'd our voices. 3 Cit.
He flouted us down-right.
1 Cit. No, 'tis his kind of speech, he did not
mock us.
2 Cit. Not one amongst us save yourself, but says,
He us'd us scornfully: he should have show'd us
His marks of merit, wounds receiv'd for his country.
Sic. Why, so he did, I am sure.
Cit.
No; no man saw 'em.
[Several speak.
3 Cit. He said, he had wounds, which he could|
show in private;
And with his hat, thus waving it in scorn,
I would be consul, says he: aged custom,
But by your voices, will not so permit me;
Your voices therefore: When we granted that,
I thank you for your voices,
Sic. Why, either, were you ignorant to see't?
Or, seeing it, of such childish friendliness
To yield your voices?
Bru.
Could you not have told him,
As you were lesson'd, — When he had no power,
But was a petty servant to the state,
He was your enemy; ever spake against
Your liberties, and the charters that you bear
I' the body of the weal; and now, arriving
A place of potency, and sway o' the state,
If he should still malignantly remain
Fast foe to the plebeii 4, your voices might
Be curses to yourselves? You should have said,
That as his worthy deeds did claim no less
Than what he stood for; so his gracious nature
Would think upon you for your voices, and
Translate his malice towards you into love,
Standing your friendly lord.
Sic.
Thus to have said,
As you were fore-advis'd, had touch'd his spirit,
And try'd his inclination: from him pluck'd
Either his gracious promise, which you might,
As cause had call'd you up, have held him to;
Or else it would have gall'd his surly nature,
Which easily endures not article
Tying him to aught; so putting him to rage,
You should have ta'en the advantage of his choler,
And pass'd him unelected.
Did you perceive,
He did solicit you in free contempt,
When he did need your loves; and do you think,
That his contempt shall not be bruising to you,
When he hath power to crush? Why, had your bodies
No heart among you? Or had you tongues, to cry
Against the rectorship of judgment?
Sic.
Have you,
Ere now, deny'd the asker? and, now again,
On him, that did not ask, but mock, bestow
Your su'd-for tongues?
3 Cit. He's not confirm'd, we may deny him yet.
2 Cit. And will deny him:
I'll have five hundred voices of that sound.
1 Cit. I twice five hundred, and their friends to piece 'em.
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They have chose a consul, that will from them take
Their liberties; make them of no more voice
Than dogs, that are as often beat for barking,
As therefore kept to do so.
Sic.
Let them assemble;
And, on a safer judgment, all revoke
Your ignorant election: Enforce his pride,
And his old hate unto you: besides, forget not
With what contempt he wore the humble weed;
How in his suit he scorn'd you: but your loves,
Thinking upon his services, took from you
The apprehension of his present portance 5,
Which gibingly, ungravely he did fashion
After the inveterate hate he bears you.
More after our commandment, than as guided
By your own true affections: and that, your minds
Pre-occupy'd with what you rather must do
Than what you should, made you against the grain
To voice him consul: Lay the fault on us.
Bru. Ay, spare us not. Say, we read lectures to
you,
How youngly he began to serve his country,
How long continued: and what stock he springs of,
The noble house o' the Marcians; from whence came
That Ancus Marcius, Numa's daughter's son,
Who, after great Hostilius, here was king:
Of the same house Publius and Quintus were,
That our best water brought by conduits hither;
And Censorinus, darling of the people,
And nobly nam'd so, being censor twice,
Was his great ancestor.
One thus descended, That hath beside well in his person wrought To be set high in place, we did commend
To your remembrances: but you have found,
Scaling 6 his present bearing with his past,
That he's your fixed enemy, and revoke
Your sudden approbation.
Bru.
Say, you ne'er had done't,
(Harp on that still,) but by our putting on:
And presently, when you have drawn your number,
Repair to the Capitol.
Cit.
We will so almost all [Several speak.
Repent in their election.
[Exeunt Citizens.
Bru.
Let them go on;
This mutiny were better put in hazard,
Than stay, past doubt, for greater :
If, as his nature is, he fall in rage
With their refusal, both observe and answer
The vantage of his anger.
O good, but most unwise patricians, why,
You grave, but reckless senators, have you thus
Given Hydra here to choose an officer,
That with his peremptory shall, being but
The horn and noise o'the monsters, wants not spirit
To say, he'll turn your current in a ditch,
And make your channel his? If he have power,
Then vail your ignorance: if none, awake
Your dangerous lenity. If you are learned,
Be not as common fools; if you are not,
Let them have cushions by you. You are plebeians,
If they be senators: and they are no less,
When both your voices blended, the greatest taste
Most palates theirs. They choose their magistrate;
And such a one as he, who puts his shall,
His popular shall, against a graver bench
Than ever frown'd in Greece! By Jove himself,
It makes the consuls base: and my soul aches,
To know, when two authorities are up,
Neither supreme, how soon confusion
May enter 'twixt the gap of both, and take
The one by the other.
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Did not deserve corn gratis: being i' the war,
Their mutinies and revolts, wherein they show'd
Most valour, spoke not for them: The accusation
Which they have often made against the senate,
All cause unborn, could never be the native?
Of our so frank donation. Well, what then?
How shall this bosom multiplied digest
The senate's courtesy? Let deeds
What's like to be their words: - We did request it;
We are the greater poll3, and in true fear
They gave us our demands: — Thus we debase
The nature of our seats, and make the rabble
Call our cares, fears: which will in time break open
The locks o' the senate, and bring in the crows
To peck the eagles. ·
Men.
Come, enough.
Bru. Enough, with over-measure.
Cor.
You that will be less fearful than discreet; That love the fundamental part of state, More than you doubt the change of't; that prefer | A noble life before a long, and wish To jump 5 a body with a dangerous physick That's sure of death without it, at once pluck out The multitudinous tongue, let them not lick The sweet which is their poison: your dishonour Mangles true judgment, and bereaves the state Of that integrity which should become it; Not having the power to do the good it would For the ill which doth control it. Bru. He has said enough. Sic. He has spoken like a traitor, and shall answer As traitors do.
Cor. Thou wretch! despite o'erwhelm thee! -
What should the people do with these bald tribunes?
On whom depending, their obedience fails
To the greater bench: In a rebellion,
When what's not meet, but what must be, was law,
Then were they chosen; in a better hour,
2 Motive, no doubt, was Shakspeare's word.
3 Number.
4 Fear.
Risk.
Com. But now 'tis odds beyond arithmetick; And manhood is call'd foolery, when it stands Against a falling fabrick. Will you hence, Before the tag 7 return? whose rage doth rend Like interrupted waters, and o'erbear What they are us'd to bear.
Pray you, begone: I'll try whether my old wit be in request With those that have but little; this must be patch'd With cloth of any colour. Com.
Nay, come away. [Exeunt COR. Coм. and others. 1 Pat. This man has marr'd his fortune. Men. His nature is too noble for the world: He would not flatter Neptune for his trident. Or Jove for his power to thunder. His heart's his mouth:
What his breast forges, that his tongue must vent;
And, being angry, does forget that ever
He heard the name of death. [A Noise within.
Here's goodly work!
2 Pat.
I would they were a-bed!
Men. I would they were in Tyber! - What, the
vengeance,
Could he not speak them fair?
Re-enter BRUTUS and SICINIUS, with the Rabble.
Sic.
Where is this viper,
7 The lowest of the populace, tag, rag, and bobtail.
He shall, sure on't.
[Several speak together.
Sir,
Peace.
Men. Do not cry, havock, where you should but
It is the humane way: the other course
Will prove too bloody; and the end of it
Unknown to the beginning.
Sic.
Noble Menenius,
Be you then as the people's officer:
Sir, how comes it, that you Masters, lay down your weapons.
Have holp to make this rescue? Men.
As I do know the consul's worthiness,
So can I name his faults;
Sic.
Consul? What consul? In our first way.
Men. The consul Coriolanus.
Men.
Bru.
I'll bring him to you: —
Let me desire your company. [To the Senators.]
He must come,
Men. If, by the tribune's leave, and yours, good Or what is worst will follow.
I may be heard, I'd crave a word or two;
The which shall turn you to no further harm,
Than so much loss of time.
Sic.
Speak briefly then;
For we are peremptory, to despatch
This viperous traitor: to eject him hence,
Were but one danger; and, to keep him here,
Our certain death; therefore it is decreed,
He dies to-night.
Men.
Now the good gods forbid,
That our renowned Rome, whose gratitude
Towards her deserved 8 children is enroll'd
In Jove's own book, like an unnatural dam
Should now eat up her own!
Sic. He's a disease, that must be cut away.
Men. O, he's a limb, that has but a disease;
Mortal, to cut it off; to cure it, easy.
What has he done to Rome, that's worthy death?
Killing our enemies? The blood he hath lost,
(Which, I dare vouch, is more than that he hath,
By many an ounce,) he dropp'd it for his country:
And, what is left, to lose it by his country,
Were to us all, that do't, and suffer it,
A brand to the end o' the world.
Bru. Merely' awry: when he did love his country, Before you had worn it out.
I would have had you put your power well on,
Let go.
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