My words dif-bench'd you not?

Cor. No, fir: yet oft,

2 Off. He hath deferved worthily of his country: Than hear fay how I got them. And his afcent is not by fuch eafy degrees as thofe, Bru. Sir, I hope, who have been fupple and courteous to the people; bonnetted, without any further deed to heave them at all into their eftimation and report: but he hath fo planted his honours in their eyes, and his actions in their hearts, that for their tongues to be filent, and not confefs fo much, were a kind of ingrateful injury; to report otherwife, were a malice, that, giving itfelf the lye, would pluck reproof and rebuke from every car

When blows have made me stay, I fled from words, You footh'd not, therefore hurt not: But, you'r people,

that heard it.

Off. No more of him; he is a worthy man Make way, they are coming.

A Sennet. Enter the Patricians, and the Tribunes of
the people, Lifturs before them; Coriolanus, Mene-
mius, Cominius the Conful: Sicinius and Brutus, as
Tribunes, take their places by them felves.

Men. Having determin'd of the Volces, and
To fend for Titus Lartius, it remains,
As the main point of this our after-meeting,
To gratify his noble fervice, that

you,

I love them as they weigh.

[fun,

Men. Pray now, fit down,
Cor. I had rather have one fcratch my head i' the
When the alarum were ftruck, than idly fit
To hear my nothings moniter'd. Exit Coriolanus.

Men. Maiters o' the people,
Your multiplying fawn how can he flatter,
(That's thousand to one good one) when you now
fee,

He had rather venture all his limbs for honour,
Than one of his ears to hear it -Proceed Comi-
nius.

Com. I fhall lack voice: the deeds of Coriolanus
Should not be utter'd feebly.-It is held,
That valour is the chiefeft virtue, and
Moit dignifies the haver: if it be,

Hath thus food for his country: Therefore, pleafe The man I fpeak of cannot in the world

Moft reverend and grave elders, to defire

The prefent conful, and laft general

In our well-found fucceffes, to report

Be fingly counterpois'd. At fixteen years,
When Tarquin made a head for Rome 3, he fought
Beyond the mark of others: our then dictator,
Whom with all praife I point at, faw him fight,
When with his Amazonian + chin he drove
The briftled lips before him: he beftrid

| An o'er-preft Roman, and i' the conful's view
And truck him on his knee: in that day's feats,
Slew tinee oppofers; Tarquin's felf he met,
He prov'd beit nun i' the field, and for his meed
When he might act the woman in the fcene,
His pupil age

Was brow-bound with the oak.

Man enter'd thus, he waxed like a fea;
And, in the brunt of feventeen battles fince,
He lurch'd all fwords o' the garland. For this laft,
Before and in Corioli, let me tay,

I cannot fpeak him home: He ftopt the fliers;
And, by his rare example, made the coward
Turn terror into fport: as waves before
A vetfel under fal, fo men obey'd,

[ftamp)

And fell below his ften: his fword (death's
Where it did mark, it took; from face to foot
He was a thing of blood, whofe every motion
Was tim'd with dying cries: alone he enter'd
The mortal gate o' the city, which he painted
With thunlets deftiny; aidlets came off,
And with a fudden re-inforcement ftruck
Corioli, like a planet: Now all's his :
When by and by the din of war gan pierce
His ready fenfe: then ftraight his doubled fpirit
And to the battle came he; where he did
Re-quicken'd what in fleth was fatigate,
Run recking o'er the lives of men, as if
Twere a perpetual fpoil; and, 'till we call'd
Both field and city ours, he never tood

1 Bonneter, Fr. is, to pull off one's cap. 2 i. e. that is nothing to the purpose. 3 i. c. raifed a power to recover Rome. 4 i. e. his chin on which there was no beard. 5 The parts of women were, in Shakspeare's time, represented by the moil finooth-faced young men to be found among the players.

i. c. the gate was made the feene of death,

To

2 Cit. We may, fir, if we will.

Cit. We have power in ourfelves to do it, but it is a power that we have no power to do: for if be fhew us his wounds, and tell us his deeds, we are to put our tongues into thofe wounds, and speak for them; fo, if he tell us his noble deeds, we muft lefsjalfo tell him our noble acceptance of them. Ingra

Men. The fenate, Coriolanus, are well pleas'd

To make thee conful.

Cor. I do owe them ftill

My life, and fervices.

Men. It then remains,

That you do speak to the people.
C. I do betcech you,

Let me o'er-leap that culom: for I cannot

Put on the gown, ftand naked, and entreat them,
For my wounds' fake, to give their fuftrage: please

you,

That I may pafs 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 cuftom; and

Take to you, as your predeceffors have,
Your honour with your form.

Cor. It is a part

That I fhail biush in acting, and might well
Be taken from the people.

Bru. Mark you that?

Cor. To brag unto them,--Thus I did, and thus;
Shew them the unaking fears, which 1 fhould hide,
As if I had receiv'd them for the hire
Of their breath only :-

Men. Do not stand upon 't.

We recommend to you, tribunes of the people,
Our purpose to them ;--and to our noble conful
With we all joy and honour.

Sen. To Coriolanus come all joy and honour!
[Fhari. Cornets. Then Exeunt.
Manent Sicinius, and Brutus.
Bru. You fee how he intends to use the
people.
[them,
Sic. May they perceive his intent! He will require
As it he did contemn what he requested
Should be in them to give.

Bra. Come, we il inform them

Of our proceedings here: on the market place,
I know they do attend us.

SCENE

The Forum.

[Exeunt.

III.

Frter leven or eight Citizens.

titude is monftrous: and for the multitude to be in-
grateful, were to make a monster of the multitude;
of the which, we being members, should bring
ourfelves to be monitrous members.

1 Cit. And to make us no better thought of, a
little help will ferve: 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 call'd fo of many; not that our heads are fome brown, fome black, fome auburn, fome bald, but that our wits are fo diverfiy colour'd: and truly, I think, if all our wits were to iuc out of one fcull, they would fly east, welt, north, fouth; and their confent of one direct way thould be at once to all the points o' the compafs.

2 Cit. Think you fo? Which way, do you judge, my wit would fy?

3 Cit. Nay, your wit will not fo foon out as another man's will, 'tis ftrongly wedg'd up in a block-head: but if it were at liberty, 'twould, fure, fouthward.

2 Cit. Why that way?

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

2 Git. You are never without your tricks :You may, you may.

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

Enter Coriolanus, and Menenius.
Here he comes, and in the gown of humility;
mark his behaviour. We are not to ftay all to-
gether, but to come by him where he ftands, by
ones, by twos, and by threes. He's to make his
requests by particulars; wherein every one of us
has a fingle honour, in giving him our own voices
with our own tongues: therefore follow me, and
I'll direct you how you fhall go by him.
All. Content, content.
[known
Men. O fir, you are not right; Have you not
The worthieft men have done 't?

Men. O me, the gods

1 Git. Once, if he do require our voices, we ought You must not speak of that; you must defire them

net to deny him.

To think upon you.

And keep their teeth clean.-So, here comes a Why in this woolvith 2 gown fhould I stand here, brace.

You know the cause, firs, of my standing here.
1 Cit. We do, fir; tell us what hath brought
you to't.

Cor. Mine own defert.

2 Cit. Your own defert ?

Cor. Ay, not mine own defire.

1 Cit. How not your own defire?

Cor. No, fir; 'Twas never my defire yet

To trouble the poor with begging.

To beg of Hob, and Dick, that does appear,
Their needlefs vouches? Cuftom calls me to 't :-
What cuftom wilis, in all things fhould we do 't.
The duit on antique time would lie unfwept,
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 fuffer'd, the other will I do.
Enter three Citizens more.

1 Cit. You must think, if we give you any Here come more voices.— thing, we hope to gain by you.

Your voices; for your voices I have fought;

Cor. Well then, I pray, your price o' the con- Watch'd for your voices; for your voices bear

1 Cit. You have been a fcourge to her enemies, you have been a rod to her friends; you have not, indeed, loved the common people.

Cor. You thould account me the more virtuous, that I have not been common in my love. I will, fir, flatter my fworn brother the people, to earn a dearer eftimation of them; 'tis a condition they account gentle and fince the wifdom of their choice is rather to have my hat than my heart, I will practife the infinuating nod, and be off to them molt counterfeitly; that is, fir, I will counterfeit the bewitchment of fome popular man, and give it bountifully to the defirers. Therefore, befeech you, I may be conful.

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

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

Of wounds two dozen odd; battles thrice fix

I have feen, and heard of; for your voices, have
Done many things, fome lefs, fume more: your
Indeed, I would be conful.
[voices:

1 Cit. He has done nobly, and cannot go without any honeft man's voice.

2 Cit. Therefore let him be conful: The gods give him joy, and make him good friend to the people!

All. Amen, amen.-God fave thee, noble conful! [Exeunt

Cor. Worthy voices!

1 I will not strengthen or compleat your knowledge. The feal is that which gives authenticity to a writing.

21. c. this rough hirfute gown.

2 Cit. Amen, fir: To my poor unworthy notice,] He mock'd us, when he begg'd our voices.

3 Git. Certainly, he flouted us down-right.
1 Git. No, 'tis his kind of fpeech, he did not
mock us.

2 Cit. Not one amongst us, fave yourfelf, but fays,
He us'd us fcornfully: he should have shew'd us
His marks of merit, wounds receiv'd for his coun-
Sic. Why, fo he did, I am fure.
All. No, no man faw 'em.

[try.

Sic. Why, either, were you ignorant to fee 't

Or, feeing it, of fuch childith friendliness

To yield your voices?

Bru. Could you not have told him,

1 Cit. I twice five hundred, and their friends to
piece 'em.
[friends,-

Bru. Get you hence inftantly; and tell thofe
They have chofe a conful, 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 fo.

Sic. Let them affemble;

And, on a fafer judgement, all revoke
Your ignorant election: Enforce 3 his pride,
And his old hate unto you: befides, forget not
With what contempt he wore the humble weed;
How in his fuit he fcora'd you: but your loves,
Thinking upon his fervices, took from you
The apprehenfion of his prefent portance 4,
Which most gibingly, ungravely, he did fashion
After the inveterate hate he bears you.
Bru. Lay

A fault on us, your tribunes; that we labour'd,
(No impediment between) but that you must
Caft your election on him.

Sic. Say, you chofe him

More after our commandment, than as guided
By your own true affections: and that, your minds

As you were leflon'd,-When he had no power, Pre-occupy'd with what you rather muft do

But was a petty fervant to the flate,
He was your enemy; ever ipake against
Your liberties, and the charters that you hear
I the body of the weal: and now, arriving
A place of potency, and fway o' the ftate,
If he should still malignantly remain
Faft foe to the plebeii, your voices might
Be curfes to yourselves: You should have faid,
That, as his worthy deeds did claim no lefs
Than what he stood for; fo his gracious nature
Would think upon you for your voices, and
Tranflate his malice towards you into love,
Standing your friendly lord.

Sie. Thus to have faid,

As you were fore-advis'd, had touch'd his fpirit,
And try'd his inclination; from him pluck'd
Either his gracious promife, which you might,
As caufe had call'd you up, have held him to;
Or elfe it would have gall'd his furly nature,
Which easily endures not article,
Tying him to aught; fo, putting him to rage,
You should have taken the advantage of his choler,
And pafs'd him unelected.

Bru. Did you perceive,

He did folicit you in free contempt 2,
When he did need your loves; and do you think,
This his contempt fhall not be bruifing 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 judgement ?

Sic. Have you,

Ere now, deuy'd the afker? and, now again,
On him, that did not afk, but mock, bestow
Your fu'd-for tongues?

Than what you should, made you against the grain
To voice him conful: Lay the fault on us.

Bru. Ay, fpare us not. Say, we read lectures to
How youngly he began to ferve his country,
How long continued: and what stock he fprings of,
The noble houfe o' the Marcians; from whence

came

That Ancus Marcius, Numa's daughter's fon,
Who, after great Hoftilius, here was king:
Of the fame houfe Publius and Quintus were,
That our beft water brought by conduits hither;
And Cenforinus, darling of the people,
And noble nam'd fo, twice being cenfor,
Was his great ancestor.

Sic. One thus defcended,

That hath befide well in his person wrought
To be fet high in place, we did commend
To your remembrances: but you have found,
Scaling his prefent bearing with his part 5,
That he's your fixed enemy, and revoke
Your fudden approbation.

Bra. Say, you ne'er had done 't,
(Harp on that still) but by our putting on:
And prefently, when you have drawn your number,
Repair to the Capitel.

All. We will fo: almost all
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 refufal, both obferve and anfwer

The vantage of his anger 6.

Sic. To the Capitol, come;

We will be there before the stream o' the people;

3 Cit. He's not confirm'd, we may deny him yet. And this fhall feem, as partly 'tis, their own, Which we have goaded onward.

2 Cit. And will deny him:

I'll have five hundred voices of that found.

[Exeunt.

2 The metaphor is from men's fetting a bull-dog or maftiff 4 Falfly for treacherously. 5 Cuckle is a weed which Mefell is ufed in Pierce Plowman's Vifion to: a leper.