Cornets. ACT III. SCENE I.-The same. A Street. Enter CORIOLANUS, MENENIUS, COMINIUS, TITUS LARTIUS, Senators, and Patricians. Cor. Tullus Aufidius then had made new head? Lart. He had, my lord; and that it was which caus'd Our swifter composition. Cor. So then the Volces 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. Saw you Aufidius? Lart. On safeguard he came to me; and did curse Against the Volces, for they had so vilely Yielded the town: he is retir'd to Antium. Lart. Cor. He did, my lord. How? what? Lart. How often he had met you, sword to sword: That of all things upon the earth he hated Your person most: that he would pawn his fortunes Be call'd your vanquisher. Cor. Lart. At Antium. At Antium lives he? Cor. I wish I had a cause to seek him there, To oppose his hatred fully.-Welcome home. [To LART. Enter SICINIUS and BRUTUS. Behold! these are the tribunes of the people, The tongues o' the common mouth. I do despise them; For they do prank them in authority, Against all noble sufferance. Sic. Cor. Ha! what is that? Pass no further. Bru. It will be dangerous to go on: no further. Men. The matter? Com. Hath he not pass'd the noble and the common? Bru. Cominius, no. Cor. Have I had children's voices? 1 Sen. Tribunes, give way; he shall to the market Must these have voices, that can yield them now, 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 it, 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 ?a How! I inform them a Sithence since. Com. You are like to do such business. Bru. Each way, to better yours. Not unlike, Cor. Why then should I be consul? By yon clouds, Let me deserve so ill as you, and make me Your fellow tribune. Sic. You show too much of that For which the people stir: If you will pass To where you are bound, you must inquire your way, Which you are out of, with a gentler spirit; Or never be so noble as a consul, Nor yoke with him for tribune. Men. Let's be calm. Com. The people are abus'd,-set on. This palt'ring 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 again;— 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 Which we ourselves have plough'd for, sow'd and scat ter'd, By mingling them with us, the honour'd number; Which they have given to beggars. Men. Well, no more. a This interposition of Cominius is according to the old copy. b Set on-stirred up. • Cookle-a weed amongst the corn. 1 Sen. No more words, we beseech you. Cor. How no more? As for my country I have shed my blood, Bru. You speak o' the people as if you were a god To punish; not a man of their infirmity. Sic. T were well we let the people know 't. Cor. Choler! Were I as patient as the midnight sleep, It is a mind Sic. Not poison any further. Cor. Shall remain ! Hear you this Triton of the minnows? mark you His absolute shall? Com. Cor. "T was from the canon. O good, but most unwise patricians, why, Shall! You grave, but reckless senators, have you thus 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, Let them have cushions by you. You are plebeians, When both your voices blended, the greatest taste VOL. X. a Vail-bow down. E And such a one as he, who puts his shall, May enter 'twixt the gap of both, and take Com. Well-on to the market-place. Cor. Whoever gave that counsel to give forth The corn o' the storehouse gratis, as 't was used 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. 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 recompense; 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 show'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 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 |