This was my speech, and I will speak't again;
Men. 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 scafter'd,
By mingling them with us, the honour'd number; Who lack not virtue, no, nor power, but that
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 péremptory 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 greatest 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 Grecec,-
Men. Well, well, no more of that. Cor. (Though there the people had more abso- lute power,)
I say, they nourish'd disobedience, fed The ruin of the state.
Which they have often made against the senate, All cause unborn, could never be the native1 Of our so frank donation. Well, what then? How shall this bosom multiplied digest The senate's courtesy? Let deeds express
Bru. Seize him, ædiles. Cit. Down with him, down with him!
[Several speak. Weapons, weapons, weapons! [They all bustle about Coriolanus.
What's like to be their words:-We did request it; Tribunes, patricians, citizens !-what ho!
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.
Bru. Enough, with over-measure. Cor.
Sicinius, Brutus, Coriolanus, citizens !
Cit. Peace, peace, peace; stay, hold, peace! Men. What is about to be?-I am out of breath; Confusion's near: I cannot speak :-You, tribunes To the people,-Coriolanus, patience:- Speak, good Sicinius.
Sic. Hear me, people ;-Peace. Cit. Let's near our tribune:-Peace. Speak, speak, speak.
Sic. You are at point to lose your liberties:
What may be sworn by, both divine and human, Seal what I end withal!-This double worship,-Marcius would have all from you; Marcius, Where one part does disdain with cause, the other Whom late you have nam'd for consul. Insult without all reason; where gentry, title, wis- Men. dom,
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 that will be less fearful than discreet; That love the fundamental part of state, More than you doubt the change of'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 the ill which doth control it.
Bru. He has said enough. Sic. He has spoken like a traitor, and shall an-
Fie, fie, fie! 1 Sen. To unbuild the city, and to lay all flat. Sic. What is the city, but the people? Cit.
This is the way to kindle, not to quench.
Bru. By the consent of all, we were establish'd The people's magistrates. Cit.
You so remain. Men. And so are like to do. Cor. That is the way to lay the city flat; To bring the roof to the foundation; And bury all, which yet distinctly ranges, In heaps and piles of ruins.
Therefore, lay hold of him; Bear him to the rock Tarpeian, and from thence Into destruction cast him. Bru.
Cit. Yield, Marcius, yield. Men.
Beseech you, tribunes, hear me but a word. JEdi. Peace, peace.
Men. Be that you seem, truly your country's friend,
And temperately proceed to what you would Thus violently redress.
Sir, those cold ways, That seem like prudent helps, are very poisonous Where the disease is violent :-Lay hands upon him, And bear him to the rock.
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, with draw 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 Ediles, and the People, are all beat in. Men. Go, get you to your house; be gone away, All will be naught else. 2 Sen. Cor.
Take up a brace of the best of them; yea, the two tribunes.
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 us'd to bear.
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 Cor. Com. 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 his 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. Here's goodly work!
Men. I would they were in Tyber!-What, the
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.
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.
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 renown'd Rome, whose gratitude Towards her deserved 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. Bru. Merely awry: when he did love his country, It honour'd him. Men.
The service of the foot Being once gangren'd, is it not then respected For what before it was? We'll hear no more:- Pursue him to his house, and pluck him thence; Lest his infection, being of catching nature, Spread further.
One word more, one word. This tiger-footed rage, when it shall find The harm of unscann'd swiftness, will, too late, Tie leaden pounds to his heels. Proceed by process; Lest parties (as he is belov'd) break out," And sack great Rome with Romans. Bru.
Have we not had a taste of his obedience? Our ædiles smote? ourselves resisted?-Come :- Men. Consider this ;-He has been bred i'the wars Since he could draw a sword, and is ill school'd In boulted language; meal and bran together He throws without distinction. Give me leave, I'll go to him, and undertake to bring him Where he shall answer, by a lawful form, (In peace) to his utmost peril. He shall sure on't." Noble tribunes, [Several speak together. It is the humane way: the other course Sir,- Will prove too bloody; and the end of it Peace. Unknown to the beginning. Noble Menenius,
1 Cit. He shall well know, The noble tribunes are the people's mouths, And we their hands.
Let me desire your company. [To the Senators.] That they combine not there.
He must come, Or what is worst will follow. 1 Sen.
Pray you, let's to him. [Exeunt. SCENE II-A room in Coriolanus's house. Enter Coriolanus, and Patricians.
Cor. Let them pull all about mine ears; present
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, That it shall hold companionship in peace You adopt your policy,) how is it less, or worse, 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 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 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. You might have been enough the man you Go to them, with this bonnet in thy hand;
With striving less to be so: Lesser had been The thwartings of your dispositions, if You had not show'd them how you were dispos'd, Ere they lack'd power to cross you. Cor.
And thus far having stretch'd it (here be with them,7 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, Men. Come, come, you have been too rough, Were fit for thee to use, as they to claim,
Enter Menenius, and Senators.
something too rough; In asking their good loves; but thou wilt frame You must return and mend it. Thyself, forsooth, hereafter theirs, so far 1 Sen. There's no remedy; As thou hast power, and person. Unless, by not so doing, our good city Men. This but done, Cleave in the midst, and perish. Even as she speaks, why, all their hearts were yours: Vol. For they have pardons, being ask'd, as free As words to Ettle purpose. Pr'ythee now,
Pray be counsell'd: I have a heart as little apt as yours, But yet a brain, that leads my use of anger, To better vantage.
Well said, noble woman:
Before he should thus stoop to the heard, but that The violent fit o'the time craves it as physic For the whole state, I would put mine armour on, Which I can scarcely bear.
Cor. What must I do? Men. Cor.
What then? what then?
Well, Men. Repent what you have spoke. Cor. For them?-I cannot do it to the gods; Must I then do't to them?
Vol. You are too absolute; Though therein you can never be too noble, But when extremities speak. I have heard you say Honour and policy, like unsever'd friends, I'the war do grow together: Grant that, and tell me In peace, what each of them by th' other lose, (2) Rank. (3) Urge. (5) Common clowns.
Go, and be rul'd: although, I know, thou hadst
This mould of Marcius, they to dust should grind it, And throw it against the wind.-To the marketplace:
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. Ipr'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 has not done before.
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 pipe Small as an eunuch, or the virgin voice That babies lulls asleep! The smiles of knaves Tent' 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.
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.
Cor. Pray, be content; Mother, I am going to the market-place; Chide me no more. I'll mountebank their loves, Cog their hearts from them, and come home belov'd Of all the trades in Rome. Look, I am going: Commend me to my wife. I'll return consul; Or never trust to what my tongue can do I'the way of flattery, further.
Vol. Do your will. [Exit. Com. Away, the tribunes do attend you: arm
To answer mildly; for they are prepar'd With accusations, as I hear, more strong Than are upon you yet.
Cor. The word is, mildly:-Pray you, let us go; Let them accuse me by invention, I Will answer in mine honour.
Cor. Well, mildly be it then; mildly. [Exeunt. SCENE III.-The same. The Forum. Enter
Sic. Assemble presently the people hither: And when they hear me say, It shall be so I'the right and strength o'the commons, be it either
For death, for fine, or banishment, then let them, If I say, fine, cry fine; if death, cry death; Insisting on the old prerogative And power i'the truth o'the cause. JEdi. I shall inform them. Bru. And when such time they have begun to cry, Let them not cease, but with a din confus'd Enforce the present execution
Of what we chance to sentence. Edi. Very well. Sic. Make them be strong, and ready for this hint, When we shall hap to giv'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
Sic. If you submit you to the people's voices, Allow their officers, and are content To suffer lawful censure for such faults As shall be prov'd upon you?
Cor. I am content, Men. Lo, citizens, he says, he is content: The warlike service he has done, consider; Think on the wounds his body bears, which show Like graves i'the holy church-yard.
Scars to move laughter only.
Consider further, That when he speaks not like a citizen, You find him like a soldier: Do not take His rougher accents for malicious sounds, But, as I say, such as become a soldier, Rather than envy you.
Cor. What is the matter, That being pass'd for consul with full voice, I am so dishonour'd, that the very hour You take it off again?
(4) Will bear being called a knave. (5) Injure.
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