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 tried his inclination; from him pluck'd
Either his gracious promise, which you might,
As cause had called 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 th' 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 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?
Have you,

Sic.
Ere now, denied the asker; and, now again,
Of him, that did not ask, but mock, bestow
Your sued-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. Ay, twice five hundred, and their friends to piece 'em.

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.
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,
Which most gibingly, ungravely, he did fashion
After the inveterate hate he bears you.
Bru.

Lay

For they do prank them in authority,

Against all noble sufferance.
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 noble, and the

common?

Bru. Cominius, no. Cor.

Have I had children's voices?

Sen. Tribuncs, give way: he shall to the market

place.

Bru. The people are incens'd against him.

Sic.

Or all will fall in broil.

Stop,

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:

Suffer't, and live with such as cannot rule,
Nor ever will be rul'd.

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 sithence?
Bru.
How! I inform them!
Com. You are like to do such business.
Bru.

Each way, to better yours.

Not unlike,

Cor. Why, then, should I be consul? By yond'

clouds,

Becomes not Rome; nor has Coriolanus
Deserv'd this so dishonour'd rub, laid falsely

I' the plain way of his merit.

Cor. Tell me of corn! This was my speech, and I will speak 't againMen. Not now, not now.

1 Sen.
Not in this heat, sir, now.
Cor. Now, as I live, I will.-My nobler friends,
I crave their pardons :-

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,

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 great'st 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,

I say, they nourish'd disobedience, fed

The ruin of the state.

Most valour, spoke not for them. Th' 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
What's like to be their words:-"We did request it;
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.

No, take more :

Come, enough. Bru. Enough, with over-measure. Cor. 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,

wisdom,

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,
You that will be less fearful than discreet,
That love the fundamental part of state,
More than you doubt the change on'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 th' 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,
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.

Enter Ediles, with a rabble of Citizens. Men. On both sides more respect.

Sic. Here's he, that would Take from you all your power.

Bru. That seem like prudent helps, are very poisonous Where the disease is violent.-Lay hands upon him, And bear him to the rock.

Cor.

No; I'll die here. [Drawing his sword. There's some among you have beheld me fighting: Come, try upon yourselves what you have seen me. Men. Down with that sword!-Tribunes, withdraw a while.

Bru. Lay hands upon him.
Men.

Help Marcius, help,
You that be noble; help him, young, and old!
Cit. Down with him! down with him!

[In this mutiny, the Tribunes, the Ædiles, and the People, are beat in.

Men. Go, get you to your house: be gone, away! All will be naught else.

2 Sen.

Com.

Get you gone.

Stand fast;

We have as many friends as enemies.

Com. But now 'tis odds beyond arithmetic ; And manhood is call'd foolery, when it stands Against a falling fabric.-Will you hence, Before the tag return? whose rage doth rend Like interrupted waters, and o'erbear What they are used to bear.

Men.

Pray you, be gone. 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 CORIOLANUS, COMINIUS, 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's 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,

That would depopulate the city, and

Be every man himself?

Men.

You worthy tribunes,—

Sic. He shall be thrown down the Tarpeian rock With rigorous hands: he hath resisted law, And therefore law shall scorn him further trial Than the severity of the public power, Which he so sets at nought.

1 Cit.

He shall well know,

The noble tribunes are the people's mouths, And we their hands.

Cit. He shall, sure on't.

Men. Sir, sir,

Sic. Peace!