He said, he had wounds, which he could show in

private;

"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,

Your most sweet voices:-now you have left your voices,

I have no further with you."- -Was not this. mockery?

Sic. Why, either, were you ignorant to see it,— Or, seeing it, of such childish friendliness To yield your voices?

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 bruising to you,
When he hath power to crush?

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?

1 Cit. He is not confirm'd, we may deny him yet. 3 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 them.

Bru. Get you hence instantly; and tell those friends,

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. Enforce his pride,

And his old hate unto you:
Say, you chose him

More after our commandment, than as guided

By your own true affections:

Lay the fault on us.

Bru. Ay, spare us not.

Say, you ne'er had done it,

(Harp on that still,) but by our putting on:

And presently, when you have drawn your number, Repair to the capitol.

All. We will; we will.

[Exeunt.

ACT THE THIRD..

SCENE I.

A Street in Rome.

Enter LICTORS, COMINIUS, CORIOLANUS, and
MENENIUS.

Cor. Tullus Aufidius then had made new head? So then the Volscians stand but as at first:

Ready, when time shall prompt them, to make road Upon us again.

Com. They are worn, lord consul, so,

That we shall hardly in our ages see

Their banners wave again.

Cor. Behold! these are the tribunes of the people, The tongues of the common mouth. I do despise

them;

For they do prank them in authority,

Against all noble sufferance.

Enter SICINIUS and BRUTUS.

Sic. Pass no further.

Cor. Ha!-what is that?

Bru. It will be dangerous to

Go on: no further.

Cor. What makes this change?

Men. The matter?

Com. Hath he not pass'd the nobles, and the com

mons?

Bru. Cominius, no.

Cor. Have I had children's voices?

Men. Tribunes, give way; he shall to the market, place.

Bru. The people are incens'd against him.

Cor. Are these your herd ?—

Must these have voices, that can yield them now, And straight disclaim their tongues ?-What are your offices?

You being their mouths, why rule you not their teeth ? Have you not set them on?

Men. Be calm, be calm.

Cor. It is a purpos'd thing, and grows by plot, To curb the will of the nobility.

Bru. Call't not a plot:

The people cry, you mock'd them; and, of late, When corn was given them gratis, you repin'd; Scandal'd the suppliants for the people; call'd them Time-pleasers, flatterers, foes to nobleness.

Cor. Why, this was known before.

Bru. Not to them all.

Cor. Have you inform'd them since?

Bru. How! I inform them!

Cor. You are like to do such business,

Bru. Not unlike,

Each way, to better yours.

Cor. Why then should I be consul? By yon clouds,

Let me deserve so ill as you, and make me
Your fellow tribune.

Men. Well, no more.—

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,

We let the people know't,

Men. What, what? his choler?
Cor. Choler!

Were I as patient as the midnight sleep,
By Jove, 'twould be my mind.

Sic. It is a mind,

That shall remain a poison where it is,
Not poison any further.

Cor. Shall remain ?

Hear you this triton of the minnows? mark you
His absolute shall ?-

Shall!

Com. Well,-on to the marketplace.

Cor. Whoever gave that counsel, to give forth The corn of the storehouse gratis, as 'twas us'd Sometime in Greece,—

Men. Well, well, no more of that.

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

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

Sic. He has spoken like a traitor, and shall answer As traitors do.

Cor. Thou wretch! despite o'erwhelm thee!

E

What should the people do with these bold 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,
Let what is meet, be said, it must be meet,

And throw their power i'the dust.

Bru. Manifest treason.

Sic. This a consul? no.

Bru. The ædiles, ho!-Let him be apprehended.

Sic. Go, call the people ;

In whose name, myself

Attach thee, as a traitorous innovator,

A foe to the public weal:

[Exit BRUTUS.

Enter BRUTUS, with the CITIZENS.

Obey, I charge thee,

And follow to thine answer.

[Laying hold on CORIOLANUS.

Cor. Hence, or I shall shake thy bones
Out of thy garments.

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 theirs, 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.

Cor. No; I'll die here.

[Drawing his Sword.

Men. Down with that sword;-Tribunes, with

draw awhile.

I pr'ythee, noble friend, home to thy house;
Leave us to cure this cause ;-for 'tis a sore
You cannot tent yourself: Begone, 'beseech you.
Com. Come, sir, along with us.

Cor. On fair ground