Which we disdain should tetter us, yet feek
The very way to catch them.

Bru. You fpeak o' th' people, as you were a god
To punish, not a man of their infirmity.

Sic. 'Twere well, we let the people know't.

Men. What, what! his choler?

Cor. Choler! were I as patient as the midnight fleep, By Jove, 'twould be my mind.

Sic. It is a mind

That shall remain a poison where it is,

Not poison any further.

Cor. Shall remain ?

Hear you this Triton of the minnows? mark you
His abfolute hall?

Com. 'Twas from the canon.

Cor. Shall!

O good, but most unwife patricians, why,

You grave, but wreakless senators, have you thus
Given Hydra here to chufe an officer,

That with his peremptory hall, being but
The horn and noise o' th' monsters, wants not fpirit
To fay, he'll turn your current in a ditch,
And make your channel his? If he have power,
Then vail your ignorance; if none, awake
Your dangerous lenity: if you are learned,
Be not as common fools; if you are not,
Let them have cufhions by you. You're plebeians,
If they be fenators; and they are no lefs,

When, both your voices blended, the great'ft taste
Moft palates theirs. They chufe their magiftrate!
And fuch a one as he, who puts his fall,
His popular ball, against a graver bench
Than ever frown'd in Greece! By Jove himself,
It makes the confuls base; and my foul akes
To know, when two authorities are up,
Neither fupreme, how foon confufion
May enter 'twixt the gap of both, and take
The one by th' other.

Com. Well-On to th' market-place.

Cor. Who ever gave that counfel, to give forth

The

The corn o' th' ftorehouse, gratis, as 'twas us❜d

Sometime in Greece

Men. Well, well, no more of that.

Cor. Though there the people had more abfolute power I fay, they nourish'd difobedience, fed

The ruin of the ftate.

Bru. Why fhall the people give One, that speaks thus, their voice? Cor. I'll give my reasons,

More worthy than their voice. They know, the corn
Was not our recompence; refting assur'd,

They ne'er did service for't; being preft to th' war,
Even when the navel of the state was touch'd,
They would not thread the gates: this kind of fervice
Did not deferve corn gratis: Being i' th' war,
Their mutinies and revolts, wherein they fhew'd
Moft valour, fpoke not for them. Th' accufation,
Which they have often made against the Senate,
All caufe unborn, could never be the native
Of our fo frank donation. Well, what then?
How fhall this bofom-multiplied digeft
The Senate's courtefy? let deeds express,
What's like to be their words-We did requeft it-
We are the greater poll, and in true fear
They gave us our demands.-Thus we debafe
The nature of our feats, and make the rabble
Call our cares, fears; which will in time break ope
The locks o' th' Senate, and bring in the crows
To peck the eagles

Men Come, enough..

Bru. Enough, with over measure.

Cor. No, take more.

What may be sworn by, both divine and human,
Seal what I end withal!-This double worship,
Where one part does difdain with caufe, the other
Infult without all reafon; where gentry, title, wisdom,
Cannot conclude but by the yea and no

Of gen'ral ignorance, it muft omit

Real neceffities, and give way the while

T'unftable flightnefs; purpofe fo barr'd, it follows,

Nothing

Nothing is done to purpose. Therefore, I befeech
(You that will be lefs fearful than difcreet,
That love the fundamental part of state

More than you doubt the change of't; that prefer
A noble life before a long, and wish
To vamp a body with a dangerous phyfick,
That's fure of death without ;) at once pluck out
The multitudinous tongue, let them not lick
The sweet which is their poifon. Your dishonour
Mangles true judgment, and bereaves the ftate
Of that integrity which fhould become it:
Not having power to do the good it would,
For th' ill which doth controul it.

Bru. H' as faid enough.

Sic. H' as fpoken like a traitor, and shall answer
As traitors do.

Cor. Thou wretch! Defpight o'erwhelm thee!-
What should the people do with these bald tribunes?
On whom depending, their obedience fails
To th' greater bench. In a rebellion,

When what's not meet, but what must be, was law,
Then were they chosen; in a better hour,
Let what is meet, be faid, it must be meet,
And throw their power i' th' dust.

Bru. Manifest treason

Sic. This a conful? no.

Bru. The Ediles, ho! let him be apprehended.

you,

[Ædiles enter Sic. Go call the people, in whofe name myself Attach thee as a traiterous innovator: A foe to th' publick weal. Obey, I charge thee, And follow to thine anfwer.

Cor. Hence, old goat!

All. We'll furety him.

Com. Ag'd Sir, hands off.

[Laying bold on Coriolanus.

Cor. Hence, rotten thing, or I shall shake thy bones

Out of thy garments.

Sic. 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 buftle about Coriolanus.

Tribunes, patricians, citizens-what ho!-
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, speak. 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.

Sic. What is the city, but the people?

All. True, the people are the city.

Bru. By the confent of all, we were establish'd The people's magistrates.

All. You fo remain.

Men. And fo are like to do.

Cor. That is the way to lay the city flat;

To bring the roof to the foundation,

And bury all, which yet diftinctly ranges,
In heaps and piles of ruin.

Sic. This deferves death.

Bru. Or let us ftand to our authority,
Or let us lofe it; we do here pronounce,
Upon the part o' th' people, in whofe power
We were elected theirs, Marcius is worthy
Of present death.

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 redress.

Bru. Sir, thofe cold ways, That feem like prudent helps, Where the disease 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 Ædiles, 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.
Men. Shall it be put to that?

Sen. The Gods forbid !

I pr'ythee, noble friend, home to thy houfe,

Leave us to cure this cause.

Men. For 'tis a fore,

You cannot tent yourfelf; begone, 'befeech you.

Com. Come, Sir, along with us.

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.