COR. Well then, I pray, your price o' the consulship?

1 CIT. The price is, to ask it kindly.

COR. Kindly! Sir, I pray, let me ha't: I have wounds to show you, which shall be yours in private. Your good voice, sir; what say you?

2 CIT. You shall ha't, worthy sir.

COR. A match, sir? There's in all two worthy voices begged:-I have your alms; adieu. 1 CIT. But this is something odd.

2 CIT. An 't were to give again, but 't is no [Exeunt the two Citizens.

matter.

COR. Your enigma?

1 Crr. 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 estimation 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 bountiful to the desirers. Therefore, beseech you, I be consul.

may

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.— Here come more voices,—

Enter three other Citizens.

Your voices! for your voices I have fought;
Watch'd for your voices; for your voices bear
Of wounds two dozen odd; battles thrice six
I have seen, and heard of; for your voices have
Done many things, some less, some more:
Your voices! Indeed, I would be consul.

1 Crг. He has done nobly, and cannot go without any honest man's voice.

2 Cir. Therefore let him be consul: the gods give him joy, and make him good friend to the people!

ALL. Amen, amen.consul!

COR. Worthy voices!

-God save thee, noble [Exeunt Citizens.

Remains that, in the official marks invested,
You anon do meet the senate.
COR.
Is this done?
SIC. The custom of request you have discharg❜d:
The people do admit you; and are summon'd
To meet anon, upon your approbation.
COR. Where? at the senate-house?
SIC.
There, Coriolanus.
COR. May I change these garments?
SIC.
You may, sir.
COR. That I'll straight do; and, knowing my-
self again,

Repair to the senate-house.

MEN. I'll keep you company.-Will you along?
BRU. We stay here for the people.
SIC.

Fare you well. [Exeunt CORIOL. and MENEN. He has it now; and by his looks, methinks, "Tis warm at 's heart.

the first has, "woolvish tongue," which has been emendated into "woolvish togue," "foolish toge," and "woolless togue;" the last a suggestion of Mr. Collier's indefatigable annotator; but the passage appears still open to controversy. Possibly, after all that has been written about it, the term "woolvish" may have been intended to apply to the mob, and not to the vestment, and the genuine reading be, "wolfish throng."

SIC. Why, either were you ignorant to see't, Or, seeing it, of such childish friendliness To yield your voices? BRU. Could you not have told him, 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 I' the body of the weal: and now, arriving

A place of potency, and sway o' the state,
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 call'd 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 the 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 bodies

your

No heart among you? or had you tongues to cry Against the rectorship of judgment?

SIC. Have you, ere now, denied the asker? And now again, of him that did not ask, but mock, Bestow your su❜d-for tongues?

[yet.

3 CIT. He's not confirm'd; we may deny him 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 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 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,] (1)
And nobly nam'd so, twice being censor,
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.

a

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.

CITIZENS. We will so: almost all repent in their election.

BRU. Let them go on;

[Exeunt Citizens.

Yielded the town: he is retir'd to Antium.
COR. Spoke he of me?
LART.

He did,

my lord. How? what?

COR.
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
To hopeless restitution, so he might
Be call'd your vanquisher.

COR.

LART. At Antium.

At Antium lives he?