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SCENE 3.1

CORIOLANUS.

1 Cit. And to make us no better thought of, a little help will serve: for once, when we stood up 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 skull, 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.

2 Cit. Why that way?

3 Cit. To lose itself in a fog; where being three parts melted away with rotten dews, the fourth would return for conscience' sake, to help to get thee a wife.

2 Cit. You are never without your tricks:-You

may, you may.

3 Cit. Are you all resolved to give your voices? But that's no matter, the greater part carries it. I say, if he would incline to the people, there was never a worthier man.

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Cor. Pray you now, if it may stand with the tune of your voices, that I may be consul, I have here the customary gown.

3 Cit. You have deserved nobly of your country, and you have not deserved nobly.

Cor. Your enigma?

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.

Cor. You should account me the more virtuous, that I have not been common in my love. I will, sir, flatter my sworn brother the people, to earn a dearer estimation of them; 'tis a condition they account gentle and since the wisdom of their choice is rather to have my hat than my heart, I will practise the insinuating nod, and be off to them most witchment of some popular man, and give it bouncounterfeitly; that is, sir, I will counterfeit the betifully to the desirers. Therefore, beseech you, I may be consul.

4 Cit. We hope to find you our friend; and therefore give you our voices heartily.

3 Cit. You have received many wounds for your country.

Cor. I will not seal your knowledge with shewthem. I will make much of your voices, and so trouble you no further.

Enter CORIOLANUS and MENENIUS. Here he comes, and in the gown of humility; mark his behaviour. We are not to stay altogether, but to come by him where he stands, by ones, by twos, and by threes. He's to make his requests by parti-ing culars: 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.

[Exeunt. All. Content, content. Men. O sir, you are not right: have you not [known The worthiest men have done't? What must I say?

Cor.

I pray, sir,-Plague upon't! I cannot bring
My tongue to such a pace:-Look, sir;-my
wounds ;-

I got them in my country's service, when
Some certain of your brethren roar'd, and ran
From the noise of our own drums.
O me, the gods!
Men.
You must not speak of that; you must desire them
To think upon you.

Cor.
Think upon me? Hang 'em!
I would they would forget me, like the virtues
Which our divines lose by them.

Men.

You'll mar all; I'll leave you: Pray you, speak to them, I pray you, In wholesome manner.

Enter two Citizens.

Exit.

Bid them wash their faces,
Cor.
And keep their teeth clean.-So, here comes a
brace.

You know the cause, sir, of my standing here.
1 Cit. We do, sir; tell us what hath brought
[you to't.
Cor. Mine own desert.
Your own desert?
Ay, not

Mine own desire.

2 Cit.

Cor.

1 Cit.

Cor. No, sir:

How! not your own desire?

'Twas never my desire yet,

To trouble the poor with begging.

1 Cit. You must think, if we give you any thing, We hope to gain by you.

[ship?
Cor. Well then, I pray, your price o'the consul-
1 Cit. The price is, sir, to ask it kindly.
Cor.

Kindly?
Sir, I pray, let me ha't: I have wounds to shew you,
Which shall be yours in private.-Your good
[voice, sir;
What say you?
2 Cit.
You shall have it, worthy sir.

Both Cit. The gods give you joy, sir, heartily!
[Exeunt.

Cor. Most sweet voices!~
Better it is to die, better to starve,
Than crave the hire which first we do deserve.
Why in this wolfish gown should I stand here,
To beg of Hob and Dick, that do appear,
Their needless vouches? Custom calls me to't :-
What custom wills, in all things should we do't,
The dust on antique time would lie unswept,
And mountainous error be too highly heap'd
For truth to over-peer.-Rather than fool it so,
Let the high office and the honour go
To one that would do thus.-I am half through;
The one part suffer'd, the other will I do.
Enter three other Citizens.
Here come more voices,--
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.—
God save thee, noble consul!

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Sic. You may, sir. Cor. That I'll straight do; and, knowing myself Repair to the senate-house. [again, 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. Bru.

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 1 Cit. He has our voices, sir. [man? 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.

Certainly, [mock us. 1 Cit. No, 'tis his kind of speech, he did not 2 Cit. Not one amongst us, save yourself, but says,

He flouted us downright.

He us'd us scornfully: he should have shew'd us His marks of merit, wounds receiv'd for his Sic. Why, so he did, I am sure. [country. Cit. No; no man saw 'em. (Several speak.) 3 Cit. He said, he had wounds, which he could shew 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, Here was, I thank you for your voices,-thank you,-[voices, Your most sweet voices:-now you have left your I have no further with you :-Was not this mockery?

Sic. Why, either, you were 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, 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.

Bru.
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 braising 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

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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.

Sic.
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 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.

Čit. 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.

Sic.

To the Capitol:

Come; we'll be there before the stream o'the people;

And this shall seem, as partly 'tis, their own,
Which we have goaded onward.

ACT III.

SCENE I.-The same. A Street.

[Exeunt.

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1 Sen. Cor. Now, as I live, I will.-My nobler friends, I crave their pardons :

Not in this heat, sir, now.

For the mutable, rank-scented many, let them
Regard me as I do not flatter, and

Therein behold themselves: I say again,
In soothing them, we nourish 'gainst our senate
The cockle of rebellion, insolence, sedition,
Which we ourselves have plough'd for, sow'd and
scatter'd,

By mingling them with us, the honour'd number;
Who lack not virtue, no, nor power, but that
Which they have given to beggars.
Well, no more.

Men.

1 Sen. No more words, we beseech you.
Cor.
How! no more?

As for my country I have shed my blood,
Not fearing outward force, so shall my lungs
Coin words till their decay, against those meazels,
Which we disdain should tetter us, yet sought
The very way to catch them.

Bru.

You speak o'the people,

As if you were a god to punish, not A man of their infirmity.

Sic.

'Twere well,

What, what? his choler?

We let the people know't.

Men.

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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.

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 Greece,-

Men.

Well, well, no more of that. Cor. (Though there the people had more absolute power,)

say, they nourish'd disobedience, fed The ruin of the state.

Bru.

Why, shall the people give One, that speaks thus, their voice?

Cor.

I'll give my reasons, More worthier than their voices. They know, the

corn

Was not our recompence; resting well assur'd They ne'er did service for't: Being press'd to the

war,

Even when the navel of the state was touch'd,
They would not thread the gates: this kind of

service

Did not deserve corn gratis: being i'the war,
Their mutinies and revolts, wherein they shew'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 express

Confusion's near: I cannot speak :-You, tribunes
To the people,Coriolanus, patience:
Speak, good Sicinius.

Sic.

Hear me, people;-Peace. Cit. Let's hear our tribune:-Peace. Speak, speak, speak.

Sic. You are at point to lose your liberties: Marcius would have all from you; Marcius,

What's like to be their words :-We did request it; Whom late you have nam'd for consul.

We are the greater poll, 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 ope
The locks o'the senate, and bring in the crows
To peck the eagles.-
Men.

Come, enough.
Bru. Enough, with over-measure.
Cor.
No, take more:
What may be sworn by, both divine and human,
Seal what I end withal!-This double worship,-
Where one part does disdain with cause, the other
Insult without all reason; where gentry, title, wis-
Cannot conclude, but by the yea and no
Of general ignorance,-it must omit
Real necessities, and give way the while
To unstable slightness: purpose so barr'd, it follows,
Nothing is done to purpose: Therefore, beseech

you,

[dom,

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 a body with a dangerous physic,
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 an-
As traitors do.
[swer

Men.

Fy, fy, fy! 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 The people's magistrates.

Cit.

You so remain.

Men. And so are like to do.

Cor. That is the way to lay the city flat;
To bring the roof to the foundation;
And bury all, which yet distinctly ranges,
In heaps and piles of ruin.

Sic.
This deserves death.
Bru. Or let us stand to our authority,
Or let us lose it :-We do here pronounce,
Upon the part o'the people, in whose power
We were elected their's, Marcius is worthy
Of present death.
Sic.

Therefore, lay hold of him;
Bear him to the rock Tarpeian, and from thence
Into destruction cast him.
Bru.

Ediles, seize him.

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Men. Be that you seem, truly your country's
And temperately proceed to what you would
Thus violently redress.

And bear him to the rock.
Cor.

Bru. Sir, those cold ways, That seem like prudent helps, are very poisonous Where the disease is violent:-Lay hands upon [him, No; I'll die here. (Drawing his sword.) There's some among you have beheld me fighting; When what's not meet, but what must be, was law, Come, try upon yourselves what you have seen me.

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,

Then were they chosen; in a better hour,

Let what is meet, be said it must be meet,

And throw their power i' the dust.
Bru. Manifest treason.

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Re-enter BRUTUS, with the Ediles, and a rabble of You cannot tent yourself: Begone, 'beseech you.

Citizens.

Men. On both sides more respect.

Sic.
Here's he, that would
Take from you all your power.
Bru.
Seize him, Ædiles.
Cit. Down with him! down with him!
(Several speak.)
2 Sen.
Weapons, weapons, weapons
(They all bustle about Coriolanus.)
Tribunes, patricians, citizens!-what, ho!—
Sicinus, Brutus, Coriolanus, citizens!

Cit. Peace, peace, peace; stay, hold, peace!
Men. What is about to be?--I am out of breath;

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Men. The consul Coriolanus. Bru.

Cit. No, no, no, no, no.

He a consul!

Men. If, by the tribunes' leave, and yours, good people,

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 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.

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