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 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.

Sic.

This is clean kam.9

Cor. I muse 4, my mother

Does not approve me further, who was wont
To call them wooden vassals, things created
To buy and sell with groats; to show bare heads
In congregations, to yawn, be still, and wonder,
When one but of my ordinance 5 stood up
To speak of peace, or war.
I talk of you;
Why did you wish me milder? Would you have me
[To VOLUMNIA.
False to my nature? Rather say, I play
The man I am.

Vol.

O, sir, sir, sir,

It honour'd him.

Men.

The service of the foot

Cor.

Vol. You might have been enough the man you

Tush, tush!
A good demand.
Vol. If it be honour in your wars, to seem
The same you are not, (which, for your best ends,

You adopt your policy,) how is it less or worse,
That it shall hold companionship in peace
With honour as in war; since that to both
It stands in like request?

Cor.

Why force you this?
Vol. Because that now it lies you on to speak
To the people; not by your own instruction,
Nor by the matter which your heart prompts you to,

But with such words that are but roted in
Your tongue, though but bastards, and syllables
Of no allowance, to your bosom's truth.
Now, this no more dishonours you at all,
Than to take in 6 a town with gentle words,
Which else would put you to your fortune, and
The hazard of much blood.

I would dissemble with my nature, where
My fortunes, and my friends, at stake, requir'd
I should do so in honour: I am in this,
Your wife, your son, these senators, the nobles;
And you will rather show our general lowts 7
How you can frown, than spend a fawn upon them,
For the inheritance of their loves, and safeguard
Of what that want might ruin.

Men.

Noble lady! Come, go with us; speak fair: you may salve so, Not what is dangerous present, but the loss Of what is past.

Vol. I pr'ythee, now, my son, Go to them, with this bonnet in thy hand; And thus far having stretch'd it, (here be with them,) Thy knee bussing the stones, (for in such business Action is eloquence, and the eyes of the ignorant More learned than the ears,) waving thy head, Which often thus correcting thy stout heart, That humble, as the ripest mulberry,

Now will not hold the handling: Or, say to them, Thou art their soldier, and being bred in broils, Hast not the soft way, which, thou dost confess, Were fit for thee to use, as they to claim,

6 Subdue.

7 Common clowns.

Com. I have been i' the market place: and, sir, 'tis fit

You make strong party, or defend yourself
By calmness, or by absence, all's in anger.
Men. Only fair speech.
Com.

I think, 'twill serve, if he

Can thereto frame his spirit. Vol.

He must, and will:

Pr'ythee now, say, you will, and go about it.
Cor. Must I go show them my unbarb'd sconce ? 8
Must I,

With my base tongue, give to my noble heart
A lie, that it must bear? Well, I will do't:
Yet were there but this single plot to lose,
This mould of Marcius, they to dust should grind it,
And throw it against the wind. To the market-

place:

You have put me now to such a part, which never I shall discharge to the life.

Com.

Come, come, we'll prompt you. Vol. I pr'ythee now, sweet son; as thou hast said, My praises made thee first a soldier, so, To have my praise for this, perform a part Thou hast not done before.

Cor.
Well, I must do't:
Away, my disposition, and possess me
Some harlot's spirit! My throat of war be turn'd,
Which quired with my drum, into a voice
That babies lulls asleep! The smiles of knaves
Tent 9 in my cheeks; and school-boys' tears take up
The glasses of my sight! A beggar's tongue
Make motion through my lips; and my arm'd
knees,

Who bow'd but in my stirrup, bend like his
That hath receiv'd an alms! I will not do't:
Lest I surcease to honour mine own truth,
And by my body's action, teach my mind

A most inherent baseness.
Vol.

At thy choice then :
To beg of thee, it is my more dishonour,
Than thou of them. Come all to ruin; let

Thy mother rather feel thy pride, than fear
Thy dangerous stoutness; for I mock at death
With as big heart as thou. Do as thou list.
Thy valiantness was mine, thou suck'dst it from me;
But owe thy pride thyself.

1 Own.

Sic. Make them be strong, and ready for this hint, When we shall hap to give't them.

Bru.

Go about it.
[Exit Edile.
Put him to choler straight: He hath been us'd
Ever to conquer, and to have his worth

Of contradiction: Being once chaf'd, he cannot
Be rein'd again to temperance; then he speaks
What's in his heart; and that is there, which looks

With us to break his neck.

Enter CORIOLANUS, MENENIUS, COMINIUS, Senators, and Patricians.

Sic. Well, here he comes. Men. Calmly, I do beseech you. Cor. Ay, as an ostler, that for the poorest piece Will bear the knave by the volume.- The honour'd

The promise that you made your mother?

Com.

I pray you,

Cor.

I'll know no further:

Know,

Let them pronounce the steep Tarpeian death,
Vagabond exile, flaying; Pent to linger
But with a grain a day, I would not buy
4 Of long standing.

3 Malice.

Their mercy at the price of one fair word; Nor check my courage for what they can give, To have't with saying, Good morrow.

Sic.

For that he has (As much as in him lies) from time to time Envied against the people, seeking means To pluck away their power; as now at last Given hostile strokes, and that not 6 in the presence Of dreaded justice, but on the ministers That do distribute it; In the name o' the people, And in the power of us the tribunes, we, Even from this instant, banish him our city; In peril of precipitation

From off the rock Tarpeian, never more

To enter our Rome's gates: I' the people's name, I say, it shall be so.

Cit.

It shall be so,

It shall be so; let him away: he's banish'd,
And so it shall be.

Com. Hear me, my masters, and my common
friends;

Sic. He's sentenc'd: no more hearing.
Com.

Let me speak: I have been consul, and can show from 7 Rome, Her enemies' marks upon me. I do love

My country's good, with a respect more tender,
More holy, and profound, than mine own life,
My dear wife's estimate 8, than if I would
Speak that

As reek o' the rotten fens, whose loves I prize
As the dead carcasses of unburied men
That do corrupt my air, I banish you;
And here remain with your uncertainty!
Let every feeble rumour shake your hearts!
Your enemies with nodding of their plumes,
Fan you into despair! have the power still
To banish your defenders; till, at length,
Your ignorance, (which finds not, till it feels,)
Making not reservation of yourselves,
(Still your own foes,) deliver you, as most
Abated captives, to some nation

That won you without blows! despising,
For you, the city, thus I turn my back:
There is a world elsewhere.

[Exeunt CORIOLANUS, COMINIUS, MENENIUS, Senators, and Patricians. Ed. The people's enemy is gone, is gone! Cit. Our enemy's banish'd! he is gone! Hoo! hoo!

[The people shout, and throw up their Caps. Sic. Go, see him out at gates, and follow him, As he hath follow'd you, with all despite ; Give him deserv'd vexation. Let a guard Attend us through the city.

Cit. Come, come, let us see him out at gates;

come:

Come. [Exeunt.

With many heads butts me away. Nay, mother,
Where is your ancient courage? you were us'd
To say, extremity was the trier of spirits;
That common chances common men could bear;
That, when the sea was calm, all boats alike
Show'd mastership in floating: fortune's blows,
When most struck home, being gentle wounded,

I'll do well yet. - Thou old and true Menenius,
Thy tears are salter than a younger man's,
And venomous to thine eyes.-My sometime general
I have seen thee stern, and thou hast oft bebeld
Heart-hard'ning spectacles; tell these sad women,
'Tis fond to wail inevitable strokes,
As 'tis to laugh at them. My mother, you wot
well,

My hazards still have been your solace and
Believe't not lightly, (though I go alone
Like to a lonely dragon, that his fen,
Makes fear'd, and talk'd of more than seen,) your son
Will, or exceed the common, or be caught
With cautelous 4 baits and practice.

Vol.
My first 5 son,
Whither wilt thou go? Take good Cominius
With thee a while: Determine on some course,
More than a wild exposture 6 to each chance
That starts i' the way before thee.

O the gods!

Cor.
Com. I'll follow thee a month, devise with thee
Where thou shalt rest, that thou mayst hear of us,
And we of thee: so if the time thrust forth

A cause for thy repeal, we shall not send
O'er the vast world, to seek a single man
And lose advantage, which doth ever cool
I' the absence of the needer.