10. That's a brave fellow; but he's vengeance proud, and loves not the common people.

2 Off. 'Faith, there have been many great men that have flattered the people, who ne'er loved them; and there be many that they have loved, they know not wherefore so that, if they love they know not why, they hate upon no better a ground: Therefore, for Coriolanus neither to care whether they love or hate him, manifests the true knowledge he has in their disposition; and, out of his noble carelessness, lets them plainly see't.

10. If he did not care whether he had their love, or no, he waved indifferently 'twixt doing them neither good, nor harm; but he seeks their hate with greater devotion than they can render it him; and leaves nothing undone, that may fully discover him their opposite. Now, to seem to affect the malice and dis pleasure of the propie, is as bad as that which he dislikes, to flatter them for their love..

20ff. He hath deserved worthily of his country: And his ascent is not by such easy degrees as those, who, having been supple and courteous to the people, bonnetted, without any further deed to heave them at all into their estimation and report: but he hath so planted his honours in their eyes, and his actions in their hearts, that for their tongues to be silent, and not confess so much, were a kind of ingrateful injury; to report otherwise, were a malice, that, giving itself the lie, would pluck reproof and rebuke from every ear that heard it.

10f. No more of him; he is a worthy man: Make way, they are coming.

A Sennet. Enter, with Lictors before them, Cominios the Consul, Menenius, Coriolanus, many other Sent tors, Sicinius and Brutus. The Senators take their places; the Tribunes take theirs also by themselves.

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

Hath thus stood for his country: Therefore, please you,
Most reverend and grave elders, to desire
The present consul, and last general
In our well-found successes, to report
A little of that worthy work perform'd
By Caius Marcius Coriolanus; whom
We meet here, both to thank, and to remember
With honours like himself.

1 Sen.

Speak, good Cominius: Leave nothing out for length, and make us think, Rather our state's defective for requital, Than we to stretch it out. Masters o'the people, We do request your kindest ears; and, after, Your loving motion toward the common body, To yield what passes here.

Sic.

We are convented Upon a pleasing treaty; and have hearts Inclinable to honour and advance The theme of our assembly.

Bru.

Which the rather

Your multiplying spawn how can he flatter,
(That's thousand to one good one,) when you now see,
He had rather venture all his limbs for honour,
Than one of his ears to hear it?-Proceed, Cominius.
Com. I shall lack voice: the deeds of Coriolanus
Should not be utter'd feebly.—It is held,

That valour is the chiefest virtue, and

Most dignifies the haver: if it be,

The man I speak of cannot in the world

Be singly counterpois'd. At sixteen years,
When Tarquin made a head for Rome, he fought
Beyond the mark of others: our then dictator,
Whom with all praise I point at, saw him fight,
When with his Amazonian chin he drove
The bristled lips before him: he bestrid
An o'er press'd Roman, and i'the consul's view
Slew three opposers: Tarquin's self be met,
And struck him on his knce: in that day's feats,
When he might act the woman in the scene,
He prov'd best man i'the field, and for his meed
Was brow-bound with the oak. His pupil age
Man-enter'd thus, he waxed like a sea;
And, in the brunt of seventeen battles since,
He lurch'd all swords o'the garland. For this last,
Before and in Corioli, let me say,

I cannot speak him home: He stopp'd the fliers;
And, by his rare example, made the coward
Turn terror into sport: as waves before

A vessel under sail, so men obey'd,

And fell below his stem: his sword (death's stamp)
Where it did mark, it took; from face to foot
He was a thing of blood, whose every motion
Was tim'd with dying cries: alone he enter'd
The mortal gate o'the city, which he painted
With shunless destiny, aidless came off,
And with a sudden re-inforcement struck
Corioli, like a planet : Now all's his :
When by and by the din of war 'gan pierce
His ready sense: then straight his doubled spirit
Re-quicken'd what in flesh was fatigate,
And to the battle came he; where he did
Run reeking o'er the lives of men, as if
"Twere a perpetual spoil: and, till we call'd
Both field and eity ours, he never stood
To ease his breast with panting.

Men.

Worthy man!

Mark you that?

Bru. Cor. To brag unto them,-Thus I did, and thus ;~~ Show them the unaching scars, which I should 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 consul Wish we all joy and honour.

Sen. To Coriolanus come all joy and honour!
[Flourish. Then exeunt Senators.
Bru. You see how he intends to use the people.
Sic. May they perceive his intent! He that will re-
quire them,

As if he did contemn what he requested
Should be in them to give.

Bru.
Come, we'll inform them
Of our proceedings here: on the market-place,
I know, they do attend us.

[Exeunt.

SCENE III-The same. The Forum. Enter seve ral citizens.

1 Cit. Once, if he do require r voices, we ought not to deny him.

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

3 Cit. We have power in ourselves to do it, but it is

a power that we have no power to do: for if he show us his wounds, and tell us his deeds, we are to put our tongues into those wounds, and speak for them; so, if he tell us his noble deeds, we must also tell him our noble acceptance of them. Ingratitude is monstrous: and for the multitude to be ingrateful, were to make a monster of the multitude; of the which, we being members, should bring ourselves to be monstrous

members.

1 Cit. And to make us no better thought of, a little help will serve: for once, when we stood up about

the corn, he himself stuck not to call us the manyheaded multitude.

3 Cit. We have been called so of many; not that our heads are some brown, some black, some auburn, some bald, but that our wits are so diversely coloured : and truly I think, if all our wits were to issue out of one skull, they would fly east, west, north, south; and their consent of one direct way should be at once to all the points of the compass.

2 Cit. Think you so? Which way, do you judge, my wit would fly?

3 Cit. Nay, your wit will not so soon out as another man's will, 'tis strongly wedg'd up in a block-head: but if it were at liberty, 'twould, sure, southward. 2 Cit. Why that way?

3 Cit. To lose itself in a fog; where, being three parts melted away with rotten dews, the fourth would return for conscience sake, to help to get thee a wife. 2 Cit. You are never without your tricks :-You may, you may.

3 Cit. Are you all resolved to give your voices? But that's no matter, the greater part carries it. I say, 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 stay all together, but to come by him where he stands, by ones, by twos, and by threes. He's to make his requests by particulars: wherein every one of us has a single honour, in giving him our own voices with our own tongues: therefore, follow me, and I'll direct you how you shall go by him. All. Content, content. [Exeunt.

Men. O, sir, you are not right: have you not known The worthiest men have done it?

Cor.

What must I say?I pray, sir,-Plague upon't! I cannot bring My tongue to such a pace:-Look, sir;-my wounds ;I got them in my country's service, when Some certain of your brethren roar'd, and ran From the noise of our own drums.

Men. O me, the gods! You must not speak of that; you must desire them To think upon you. Cor. Think upon me? Hang 'em! I would they would forget me, like the virtues

Which our divines lose by them.

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

Cor. You should account me the more virtuous, that I have not been common in my love. I will, sir. flatter my sworn brother the people, to earn a dearer estima tion of them; 'tis a condition they account gentle and since the wisdom of their choice, is rather to have my hat than my heart, I will practise the insinuating nod, and be off to them most counterfeitly; that is, sir, I will counterfeit the bewitchment of some popular man, and give it bountifully to the desirers. There fore, beseech you, I may be consul.

4 Cit. We hope to find you our friend; and there fore give you our voices heartily.

3 Cit. You have received many wounds for your

country.

Cor. I will not seal your knowledge with showing them. I will make much of your voices, and so trouble you no further.

Both Citizens. The gods give you joy, sir, heartily! [Exeunt,

Cor. Most sweet voices !-
Better it is to die, better to starve,

Than crave the hire which first we do deserve.
Why in this woolvish gown should I stand here,
To beg of Hob and Dick, that do appear,
Their needless vouches? Custom calls me to't:
What custom wills, in all things should we do't,
The dust on antique time would lie unswept,
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 suffer'd, the other will I do.

Enter three other Citizens.

Sic. How now, my masters? have you chose this man? 1 Cit. He has our voices, sir.

Bru. We pray the gods, he may deserve your loves. 2 Cit. Amen, sir: To my poor unworthy notice, He moek'd us, when he begg'd our voices.

3 Cit. Certainly, he flouted us down-right.

1 Cit. No, 'tis his kind of speech, he did not moek us. 2 Cit. Not ene amongst us, save yourself, but says, He us❜d us scornfully: he should have show'd us His marks of merit, wounds receiv'd for his country. Sic. Why, so he did, I am sure.

Cit.

No; no man saw 'em. [Several speak. 3 Cit. He said, he had wounds, which he could show

in private;

And with his hat, thus waving it in scorn,

I would be consul, says he: aged custom,
But by your voices, will not so permit me
Your voices therefore: When we granted that,
Here was,-I thank you for your voices,—thank you,—
Your most sweet voices :-now you have left your voices,
I have no further with you :-Was not this mockery?
Sic. Why, either, you were ignorant to see't?
Or, seeing it, of such chiklish friendliness

To yield your voices?

Bru.
Could you not have told him,
As you were lesson'd,-When he had no power,
But was a petty servant to the state,
He was your enemy; ever spake against
Your liberties, and the charters that you bear
Tthe body of the weal: and now, arriving
At place of poteney, and sway o'the state,
If he should still malignantly remain
Fast foe to the plebeii, your voices might
Re 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 tonch'd his spirit,
And tried his inclination; from him pluck'd
Either his gracious promise, which you might,
As cause had call'd you up, have held him to;
Or else it would have gall'd his surly nature,
Which easily endures not article

Sic. Have you,

Ere now, denied the asker? and, now again,
On 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. I 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 judgement, 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 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 Cast your election on him.

Sic

Say, you chose him More after our commandment, than as guided By your own true affections: and that, your minds Pre-occupied with what you rather must do, Than what you should, made you against the grain To voice him consul: Lay the fault on us.

Bru. Ay, spare us not. Say, we read lectures to you,
How youngly he began to serve his country,
How long continued: and what stock he springs of,
The noble house o'the Marcians; from whence came
That Ancus Marcius, Numa's daughter's son,
Who, after great Hostilius, here was king:
Of the same house Publius and Quintus were,
That our best water brought by conduits hither;
And Censorinus, darling of the people,
And nobly nam'd so, being censor twice,
Was his great ancestor.

Sic.
One thus descended,
That hath beside well in his person wrought
To be set high in place, we did commend
To your remembrances: but you have found,
Scaling his present bearing with his past,
That he's your fixed enemy, and revoke
Your sudden approbation.

Bru.

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

Cit.

Repent in their election.

We will so: almost all [Several speak. [Exeunt Citizens. Let them go on; This mutiny were better put in hazard,

Bru.