Nothing is done to purpofe. Therefore, befeech you, More than you doubt the change of't; that prefer To vamp a body with a dangerous phyfick, Bru. H'as faid enough. Sic. H'as fpoken like a traitor, and fhall anfwer As traitors do. Cor. Thou wretch! Defpight o'erwhelm thee!What should the people do with thefe bald tribunes? On whom depending, their obedience fails To th' greater bench. In a rebellion, When what's not meet, but what muft be, was law, Let what is meet, be faid, it must be meet, Bru Manifeft treafon Sic. This a conful? no. Bru. The Ediles, ho! let him be apprehended. [Ædiles enter. Sic. Go call the people, in whose name myself. Cor. Hence, old goat! All. We'll furety him. [Laying bold on Coriolanus. Cor. Hence, rotten thing, or I shall shake thy bones Out of thy garments. Sis. Help me, citizens. Enter Enter a Rabble of Plebeians, with the Ediles. Men. On both fides, more respect. Sic. Here's he, that would take from you all your power, Bru. Seize him, Ediles. All. Down with him, down with him! 2 Sen. Weapons, weapons, weapons! [They all bustle about Coriolanus. Tribunes, patricians, citizens-what hoe Sicinius, Brutus, Coriolanus, citizens! All. Peace, peace, peace, ftay, hold, peace! Men. What is about to be?-I am out of breath; Confufion's near, I cannot speak.-You tribunes, Coriolanus, patience; fpeak, Sicinius. Sic. Hear me, people-peace. All. Let's hear our tribune; peace; fpeak, speak, fpeak. Sic. You are at point to lose your liberties: Marcius would have all from you: Marcius, Whom late you nam'd for conful. Men. Fy, fy, fy. This is the way to kindle, not to quench. Sen. To unbuild the city, and to lay all flat. Ail. True, the people are the city. Bru. By the confent of all, we were establish'd The people's magiftrates. All. You fo remain. Men. And fo are like to do. Cor. That is the way to lay the city flat; Sic. This deferves death. Bru. Or let us ftand to our authority, Sic. Therefore lay hold on him ; Bear him to th' rock Tarpeian, and from thence Into deftruction caft him. Bru. Ediles, feize him. All Ple. Yield, Marcius, yield. Men. Hear me one word; 'befeech you, tribunes, hear me but a word - Ediles. Peace, peace. Men. Be that you feem, truly your country's friends, And temp'rately proceed to what you would Thus violently redrefs. Bru. Sir, thofe cold ways, That feem like prudent helps, Where the difeafe is violent. And bear him to the rock. are very poisonous, Lay hands on him, [Cor. draws his Sword. Cor. No; I'll die here. There's fome among you have beheld me fighting, Come try upon yourselves, what you have feen me. Men. Down with that fword; tribunes, withdraw awhile. Bru. Lay hands upon him. Men. Help Marcius, help-you that be noble, help him young and old. All. Down with him. down with him. [Exeunt. [In this mutiny, the Tribunes, the Ediles, and the people are beat in. Men. Go, get you to your houfe; be gone, away, All will be naught elfe. 2 Sen. Get you gone. Com. Stand faft, we have as many friends as enemies. Sen. The gods forbid! I pr'ythee, noble friend, home to thy house, Men. For 'tis a fore, You cannot tent your felf; begone, 'beseech you. Men. I would, they were Barbarians, (as they are Though in Rome litter'd;) not Romans: (as they are not, Though calved in the porch o' th' capitol:) Begone, put not your worthy rage into your tongue, One time will owe another. Cor. On fair ground I could beat forty of them. Men. I could myself take up a brace o' th' best of them; yea, the two tribunes. Com. But now 'tis odds beyond arithmetick; Men. Pray you, be gone: I'll try, if my old wit be in request With thofe that have but little; this must be patcht Com. Come, away. [Exeunt Coriolanus and Cominius. 1 Sen. 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 breaft forges, that his tongue muft vent; And being angry, does forget that ever He heard the name of death. Here's goodly work. 2 Sen. I would they were a-bed. [A noife within. Men. I would, they were in Tyber.—What, the venCould he not speak 'em fair? [geance, Enter Brutus and Sicinius, with the rabble again. Sic. Where is this viper, That would depopulate the city, and Be every man himself? Men. You worthy tribunes. Sic. He fhall be thrown down the Tarpeian rock Which he fo fets at nought. 1 Cit. He fhall well know, the noble tribunes are The people's mouths, and we their hands. All. He hall, be fure on't. Men. Sir, Sir, Sis. Peace. Men. Men. Do not cry havock, where you should but hunt With modeft warrant. Sic. Sir, how comes it, you Have holp to make this refcue? As I do know the conful's worthinefs, So can Sic. Conful!-what conful! Bru. He conful!. All. No, no, no, no, no. Men. If by the tribunes leave, and yours, good people, I may be heard, I'd crave a word or two; The which thall turn you to no further harm, Sic. Speak briefly then, For we are peremptory to dispatch This viperous traitor; to eject him hence, (24) Men. Now the good gods forbid, That our renowned Rome, whofe gratitude Sic. He's a difeafe that must be cut away. What has he done to Rome, that's worthy death? Were but one danger, and to keep him here Our certain death;] This reading, which has obtain'd in the printed copies, deftroys that climax which evidently feems defign'd here, and flattens the fentiment. In my opinion, the tribune would fay, "To banish him, will be hazardous to us; to let him remain "at home, our certain deftruction. VOL. VI. T Were |