Ladies and maids their scarfs and handkerchiefs,
Upon him as he pass'd; the Nobles bended
As to Jove's ftatue; and the commons made
A fhower and thunder with their caps and fhouts:
I never faw the like.

Bru. Let's to the Capitol,

And carry with us ears and eyes for th' time,

But hearts for the event.

Sic. Have with you.

SCENE V. Changes to the Capitol.

Enter two Officers, to lay cushions.

[Exeunt.

1 Off. Come, come, they are almost here. How many ftand for Confulfhips?

2 Off. Three, they fay; 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 ; and there be many that they have loved, they know not wherefore; fo 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, manifefts the true knowledge he has in their difpofition, and out of his noble careleffnefs he lets them plainly fee't.

1 Off. "If he did not care whether he had their love "or no, he wav'd indifferently 'twixt doing them nei"ther good nor harm: but he feeks their hate with greater devotion than they can render it him; and "leaves nothing undone, that may fully discover him "their oppofite. Now to feem to affect the malice and difpleasure of the people, is as bad as that which he "diflikes, to flatter them for their love.

86

2 Off. He hath deferved worthily of his country: and his afcent is not by fuch eafy degrees as theirs who have been fupple and courteous to the people; bonnetted, without any further deed to heave them at all into their eftimation and report: but he hath fo planted his honours in their eyes, and his actions in their hearts, that

for

for their tongues to be filent,, and not confefs fo much, were a kind of ingrateful injury; to report otherwise, were a malice, that, giving itself the lye, would pluck reproof and rebuke from ev'ry ear that heard it.

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

SCENE VI..

Make

Enter the Patricians, and the Tribunes of the people, Liaors before them; Cariolanus, Menenius, Cominus the Conful: Sicinius, and Brutus take their places by themselves.

Men. Having determin'd of the Volfcians, and To fend for Titus Lartius, it remains,

As the main point of this our after-meeting,

To gratify his noble fervice, that

Hath thus ftood for his country. Therefore, please you,,

Most reverend and grave elders, to desire.

The prefent Conful and laft General,

In our well-found fucceffes, 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."

I Sen. Speak, good Cominius:

Leave nothing out for length, and make us think,
Rather our state's defective for requital,

Than that we ftretch it out. Mafters o' th' people,.
We do request your kindest ear; and, after,

Your loving motion toward the common body,
To yield what paffes here..

Sic. We are convented:

Upon a pleafing treaty; and have hearts

Inclinable to honour and advance

The theam of our † affembly.

Bru. Which the rather.

+He fhould have faid your affémbly. For till the Lex Attinia, (the author of which is fuppofed by Sigonius De vetere Italia jure] to have been contemporary with Quintus Metellus Macedonicus), the Tribunes had not the privilege of entering the fenate, but had feats placed for them near the door on the outfide of the house..

We fhall be blefs'd to do, if he remember
A kinder value of the people, than
He hath hitherto priz'd them at.
Men. That's off, that's off:

I would you rather had been filent: please you
To hear Cominius fpeak?

Bru. Moft willingly:

But yet my caution was more pertinent,
Than the rebuke you give it.

Men. He loves your people,

But tye him not to be their bed-fellow.
Worthy Cominius, fpeak.

[Coriolanus rifes, and offers to go away.

Nay, keep your place.

1 Sen. Sit, Coriolanus; never shame to hear What you have nobly done.

Cor. Your Honour's pardon:

I had rather have my wounds to heal again,
Than hear fay how I got them.

Bru. Sir, I hope

My words difbench'd you not?

Cor. No, Sir; yet oft,

When blows have made me stay, I fled from words.
You footh not, therefore hurt not: but your people,
I love them as they weigh..

Men. Pray now fit down.

Cor. I had rather have one scratch my head i' th' fun, When the alarum were ftruck, than idly fit

To hear my nothings monfter'd.

Men. Mafters of the people,

[Exit Coriolanus.

Your multiplying spawn how can he flatter,
That's thoufand to one good one, when you fee,

He had rather venture all his limbs for honour,
Than one of's ears to hear't? Proceed, Cominius.

Com. I fhall lack voice: the deeds of Coriolanus
Should not be utter'd feebly. It is held,
That valour is the chiefeft virtue, and
Moft dignifies the haver: if it be,

The man I fpeak of, cannot in the world
Be fingly counterpois'd. At fixteen years,
When Tarquin made a head for Rome, he fought
Beyond the mark of others our then Dictator,

Whom

Whom with all praife I point at, faw him fight,
When with his Amazonian chin he drove
The briftled lips before him: he bestrid

An o'er-prefs'd Roman, and i' th' Conful's view.
Slew three oppofers: Tarquin's felf he met,
And ftruck him on his knee: in that day's feats,
When he might act the woman in the scene,

He prov'd th' best man i' th' field, and for his meed
Was brow-bound with the oak. His pupil-age
Man-entred thus, he waxed like a sea;
And, in the brunt of feventeen battles fince,
He lurch'd all fwords o' th' garland.
Before and in Corioli, let me fay,

For this laft,

I cannot speak him home: he stopt the fliers,
And by his rare example made the coward
Turn terror into fport. As waves before
A veffel under fail, fo men obey'd,

And fell below his ftern: his fword, (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' th' city, which he painted
With fhunless destiny: aidless came off,
And with a fudden reinforcement ftruck
Corioli, like a planet. Nor's this all;
For by and by the din of war 'gain pierce
His ready fenfe, when ftraight his doubled fpirit
Requicken'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 flood
To ease his breaft with panting.

Men. Worthy man!

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

Com. Our fpoils he kick'd at,

And look'd upon things precious, as they were
The commod muck o' th' world: he covets lefs

Than Mifery † itfelf would give, rewards
His deeds with doing them, and is content
To spend his time-

tmifery, for avarice; because a mifer fignifies an avaricious.

Men.

Men. To end it, he's right noble.. Let him be called for..

Sen. Call Coriolanus...

Off. He doth appear.

Enter Coriolanus.

Men. The fenate, Coriolanus, are well pleas'd!

To make thee Conful.

Cor. I do owe them still:

My life and services.:

Men. It then remains,

That you do speak to the people..

Cor. I befeech you,

Let me o'erleap that custom; for I cannot
Put on the gown, ftand naked, and intreat them,
For my wounds' fake, to give their fuffrages.
Please you that I may pass this doing.

Sic. Sir, the people must have their voices,

Nor will they bate one jot of ceremony.

Men. Put them not to't: pray, fit you to the custom,, And take t'ye, as your predeceffors have,

Your honour with the form.

Cor. It is a part

That I shall blush in acting, and might well

Be taken from the people..

Bru. Mark you that ??

Cor. To brag unto them, Thus I did-and thus,Shew them the unaking scars, which I would hide,, As if I had receiv'd them for the hire

Of their breath only

Aen. Do not ftand upon't:

We recommend t'ye, Tribunes of the people,
Our purpose to them; and to our Noble Conful i

Wish we all joy and honour..

Sen. To Coriolanus come all joy and honour! ·

[Flourish Cornet. Then exeunt

Manet Sicinius and Brutus.

ン

Bru. You see how he intends to use the people.

Sic. May they perceive's intent ! he will require them, As if he did contemn what he requested. Should be in them to give.

Bru