Of that integrity which should become it;

Not having the power to do the good it would,
For the ill which doth control it.

Bru.

He has said enough.

Sic. He has spoken like a traitor, and shall an

swer

As traitors do.

Cor. Thou wretch! despite o'erwhelm thee!What should the people do with these bald tribunes? On whom depending, their obedience fails.

To the 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 said, it must be meet,

And throw their power i' the dust.

Bru. Manifest treason.

Sic.

This a consul? no.

Bru. The ædiles, ho!-Let him be apprehended. Sic. Go, call the people; [2 [Exit Brutus.] in whose name, myself

Attach thee, as a traitorous innovator,

A foe to the publick weal: Obey, I charge thee, And follow to thine answer.

Cor.

Sen. and Pat. We'll surety him.

Com.

Hence, old goat!

Aged sir, hands off.

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

bones

Out of thy garments.

Sic.

Help, ye citizens.

Re-enter Brutus, with the Ediles, and a rabble of

[Several speak.

Cit. Down with him, down with him!

2 Sen.

Weapons, weapons, weapons! [They all bustle about Coriolanus.

Tribunes, patricians, citizens!-what ho!-
Sicinius, Brutus, Coriolanus, citizens!

Cit. Peace, peace, peace; stay, hold, peace! Men. What is about to be?-I am out of breath; Confusion's near; I cannot speak:-You, tribunes To the people,-Coriolanus, patience:

Speak, good Sicinius.

Sic.

Hear me, people;-Peace.

Cit. Let's hear our tribune:- Peace. Speak, speak, speak.

Sic. You are at point to lose your liberties: Marcius would have all from you; Marcius,

Whom late you have nam'd for consul.

Men.

Fie, fie, fie!

This is the way to kindle, not to quench.
1 Sen. To unbuild the city, and to lay all flat.
Sic. What is the city, but the people?

Cit.

The people are the city.

True,

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

Cit.

You so remain.

Men. And so 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 distinctly ranges,
In heaps and piles of ruin.

Sic.

This deserves death.

Bru. Or let us stand to our authority,
Or let us lose it:-We do here pronounce,
Upon the part o' the people, in whose power
We were elected theirs, Marcius is worthy
Of present death.

Sic.

Therefore, lay hold of him; Bear him to the rock Tarpeian, and from thence Into destruction cast him.

Bru.

Ediles, seize him.

Hear me one word.

Cit. Yield, Marcius, yield.

Men.

Beseech you, tribunes, hear me but a word.

Edi. Peace, peace.

Men. Be that you seem, truly your country's'

friend,

And temperately proceed to what you would

Thus violently redress.

Bru.

Sir, those cold ways,

That seem like prudent helps, are very poisonous Where the disease is violent:-Lay hands upon him, And bear him to the rock.

Cor.

No; I'll die here.

[Drawing his sword.

There's some among you have beheld me fighting; Come, try upon yourselves what you have seen me.

Men. Down with that sword;-Tribunes, with

draw a-while.

Bru. Lay hands upon him.'

Men.

Help! help Marcius! help,

You that be noble; help him, young, and old!
Cit. Down with him, down with him!

[In this mutiny, the Tribunes, the Ediles,
and the people, are beat in.

Men. Go, get you to your house; be gone, away, All will be naught else.

2 Sen.

Cor.

Get you gone.

Stand fast;

We have as many friends as enemies.

Men. Shall it be put to that?

1 Sen.

The gods forbid!

I pr'ythee, noble friend, home to thy house;

Leave us to cure this cause.

For 'tis a sore upon us,

Men. You cannot tent yourself: Begone, 'beseech you. Com. Come, sir, along with us.

Cor. I would they were barbarians, (as they are, Though in Rome litter'd,) not Romans, (as they are not,

Though calv'd i' the porch o' the Capitol,)—

Men.

Be gone;

Put not your worthy rage into your tongue;
One time will owe another.

Cor.

I could beat forty of them.

Men..

On fair ground,

I could myself

Take up a brace of the best of them; yea, the two

tribunes.

Com. But now 'tis odds beyond arithmetick;
And manhood is call'd foolery, when it stands
Against a falling fabrick.-Will you hence,
Before the tag return? whose rage doth rend
Like interrupted waters, and o'erbear
What they are us'd to bear.

.Men.

Pray you, be gone:

I'll try whether my old wit be in request

With those that have but little; this must be patch'd With cloth of any colour.

Com.

Nay, come away.

[Exeunt Coriolanus, Cominius, and Others.

1 Pat. 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 his power to thunder. His heart's his mouth:

What his breast forges, that his tongue must vent; And, being angry, does forget that ever

He heard the name of death.

Here's goodly work!

2 Pat.

[A noise within.

I would they were a-bed!

Men. I would they were in Tiber!—What, the

vengeance,

Could he not speak them fair?

Re-enter Brutus and Sicinius, with the rabble.

Sic. He shall be thrown down the Tarpeian rock