The Dramatic Works

To see inherited my very wishes,

I have lived

And the buildings of my fancy: only there
Is one thing wanting, which I doubt not, but
Our Rome will cast upon thee.

Cor.
Know, good mother,
I had rather be their servant in my way,
Than sway with them in theirs.
Com.
On, to the Capitol.
[Flourish. Cornets. Exeunt in state, as before.
The Tribunes remain.

Bru. All tongues speak of him, and the bleared sights

Are spectacled to see him: Your prattling nurse Into a rapture2 lets her baby cry,

While she chats him: the kitchen malkin' pins
Her richest lockram 'bout her reechy neck,
Clambering the walls to eye him: stalls, bulks,
windows,

Are smother'd up, leads fill'd, and ridges hors'd,
With variable complexions, all agreeing
In earnestness to see him: seld-shown flamens"
Do press among the popular througs, and puff
To win a vulgar station: our ve'd dames
Commit the war of white and damask, in
Their nicely-gawded cheeks, to the wanton spoil
Of Phoebus' burning kisses: such a pother,
As if that whatsoever god, who leads him,
Were slily crept into his human powers,
And gave him graceful posture.
Sic.

I warrant him consul.

Bru.

On the sudden,

Then our office may,

During his power, go sleep.

Sic. He cannot temperately transport his honours From where he should begin, and end; but will

Lose those that he hath won. Bru.

In that there's comfort. Sic. Doubt not the commoners, for whom we stane,

But they, upon their ancient malice, will
Forget, with the least cause, these his new honours;
Which that he'll give them, make as little question
As he is proud to do't.
Bru.
I heard him swear,
Were he to stand for consul, never would he
Appear i'the market-place, nor on him put
The napless vesture of humility;
Nor, showing (as the manner is) his wounds
To the people, beg their stinking breaths.
Sic.

'Tis right.
Bru. It was his word: O, he would miss it, rather
Than carry it, but by the suit o'the gentry to him,
And the desire of the nobles.
Sic.
I wish no better,
Than have him hold that purpose, and to put it
In execution.
Bru.
'Tis most like, he will.
Sic. It shall be to him then, as our good wills;
A sure destruction.

Bru.

So it must fall out

Bru.

Enter a Messenger.

What's the matter? Mess. You are sent for to the Capitol. 'Tis thought,

That Marcius shall be consul: I have seen
The dumb men throng to see him, and the blind
To hear him speak: The matrons flung their gloves,
Ladies and maids their scarfs and handkerchiefs,
Upon him as he pass'd: the nobles bended,
As to Jove's statue; and the commons made
A shower, and thunder, with their caps, and shouts :
I never saw the like.

Bru.
Let's to the Capitol ;
And carry with us ears and eyes for the time,
But hearts for the event.
Sic.
Have with you. [Exeunt.
SCENE II-The same.

The Capitol. Enter taco Officers, to lay cushions.

1 Off. Come, come, they are almost here: How many stand for consulships?

2 Off. Three, they say: but 'tis thought of every one, Coriolanus will carry it.

1 Off. 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 flatter'd the people, who ne'er lov'd them.

(5) Soiled with sweat and smoke.

(8) Common standing-place (10) Thread-bare.

(12) Provender.

and there be many that they have loved, they know | But tie him not to be their bedfellow.not wherefore: so that, if they love they know not Worthy Cominius, speak.-Nay, keep your place. why, they hate upon no better a ground: Therefore, [Coriolanus rises, and offers to go away. for Coriolanus neither to care wheth they love or 1 Sen. Sit, Coriolanus: never shame to hear hate him, manifests the true knowledge he has in What you have nobly done. their disposition; and out of his noble carelessness, Your honours' pardon; lets them plainly see't. I had rather have my wounds to heal again, Than hear say how I got them. Sir, I hope,

1 Off. If he did not care whether he had their love, or no, he waved indifferently 'twixt doing them neither good, nor harın; 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 aficet the malice and displeasure of the people, is as bad as that which he dislikes, to flatter them for their love.

Cor.

Bru.

My words disbench'd you not.
Cor.

No, sir: yet oft,
When blows have made me stay, I fled from words.
You sooth'd not, therefore hurt not: But, your
people,
I love them as they weigh.
Men.

Pray now, sit down.
Cor. I had rather have one scratch my head i'tho

Men.

sun,

2 Off. 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 When the alarum were struck, than idly sit them at all into their estimation and report: but he To hear my nothings monster'd. [Exit Coriolanus. hath so planted his honours in their eyes, and his Masters o'the people, actions in their hearts, that for their tongues to be Your multiplying spawn how can he flatter silent, and not confess so much, were a kind of in- (That's thousand to one good one,) when you now grateful injury; to report otherwise were a malice, that, giving itself the lie, would pluck reproof and rebuke from every ear that heard it.

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

A sennet. Enter, with Lictors before them, Co-
minius, the Consul, Menenius, Coriolanus, many
other Senators, Sicinius, and Brutus. The Sena-
tors 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,
Then do we 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

sce,

He had rather venture all his limbs for honour,
Than one of his cars 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 he met,
And struck him on his knee: 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 timed12 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 reinforcement 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 city ours, he never stood
To ease his breath with panting.

Men.

Worthy man!

1 Sen. He cannot but with measure fit the honours Which we devise him.

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
require them,

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

about the corn, he himself stuck not to call us the many-headed 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 scull, they would fly east, west, north, south; and their consent of one direct way should be at once to all the points o'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 wedged 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 god's You must not speak of that; you must desire them To think upon you. Cor.

Think upon me? hang 'em! Bru. Come, we'll inform them I would they would forget me, like the virtues Of our proceedings here: on the market-place, Which our divines lose by them. I know they do attend us. Men. You'll mar all; I'll leave you: Pray you, speak to them, I pray you SCENE III.-The same. The Forum. Enter In wholesome manner. [Exit.

several Citizens.

[Exeunt.

1 Cit. Once, if he do require our 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 (1) Avarice.

Cor. Well then, I pray, your price o'the consul- give him joy, and make him good friend to the ship?

1 Cit. The price is, sir, 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 have it, worthy sir. Cor. A match, sir :

There is in all two worthy voices begg'd:I have your alms; adieu.

1 Cil.

But this is something odd. 2 Cit. An'twere to give again,-But 'tis no matter. [Exeunt two Citizens.

Enter two other Citizens.

Cor. Pray you now, if it may stand with the tune of your voices, that I may be consul, I have here the customary gown.

3 Cit. You have deserved nobly of your country, and you have not deserved nobly.

Cor. Your enigma?

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 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 bountifully to the desirers. Therefore, beseech you, I may be consul.

4 Cit. We hope to find you our friend; and therefore 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 Cit. The gods give you joy, sir, heartily!

Cor. Most sweet voices!

[Exeunt.

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 offices 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.

Here come more voices,-
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
have seen and heard of; for your voices, have
Done many things, some less, some more: your
voices:
Indeed, I would be consul.

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

6 Cit. Therefore let him be consul: The gods (1) Over-look.

people!

All. Amen, Amen.God save thee, noble consul! Cor.

[Exeunt Citizens, Worthy voices !

us.

2 Cit. Not one 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.
Cil.

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:

mockery?

-Was not this

Sic. Why, either, you were ignorant to see't?
Or, seeing it, of such childish friendliness
To yield your voices?

Bru.
Could you not have told him,
As you were lesson'd,-When he had no power,
He was your enemy; ever spake against
But was a petty servant to the state,
I'the body of the weal: and now, arriving
Your liberties, and the charters that you bear
A place of potency, and sway o'the state,
If he should still malignantly remain

Have you,

Ere now, deny'd the asker? and now again,
On him, that did not ask, but mock, bestow
Your su'd-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 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 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-occupy'd 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) Plebeians, common people.
(3) Carriage.

(2) Object.

(4) Weighing.

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.

Bru.

We will so: almost all

[Several speak, [Exeunt Citizens.

Let them go on;

This mutiny were better put in hazard,
Than stay, past doubt, for greater:
If, as his nature is, he fall in rage
With their refusal, both observe and answer
The vantage of his anger.

Sic.
To the Capitol :
Come; we'll be there before the stream o'the people;
And this shall seem, as partly 'tis, their own,
Which we have goaded' onward.
[Exeunt.

(5) Incitation.

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The Dramatic Works, Volume 2