For what before it was

Bru. We'll hear no more.
Pursue him to his house, and pluck him thence,
Left his infection, being of catching nature,
Spread further.

Wien. One word more, ''hear me one word:
This tiger-footed rage, when it shall find
The harm of unscann'd swiftness, will (too late)
Tye leaden pounds to’s heels. Proceed by process,
Left parties (as he is belov’d) break out,
And sack great Rome with Romans.

Bru. If 'twere fo

Sic. What do ye talk ?
Have we not had a taste of his obedience?
Our Ædiles smote, our selves resisted ? come

Men. Consider this; he hath been bred i'th' wars
Since he could draw a sword, and is ill-school'd
In boulted language, meal and bran together
He throws without distinction. Give me leave,
I'll go to him, and undertake to bring him
Where he shall answer by a lawful form,
In peace, to his utmost peril.

i Sen. Noble Tribunes,
It is the humane way: the other course
Will prove too bloody, and the end of it
Unknown to the beginning.
Sic. Noble Menenius,

then as the people's officer. Masters, lay down your weapons.

Bru. Go not home.

Sic. Meet on the Forum ; we'll attend you there,
Where if you bring not Martius, we'll proceed
In our first way.

Men. "I'll go and bring him to you.
Let me desire your company; he muft come,

[To the Senators. Or what is worst will follow, i Sen. Pray let's to him.

[Exeunt. 9 one word : 1 I'll bring

SCENE

Be you

The House of Coriolanus.

Enter Coriolanus with Nobles.
Cor. L

Death on the wheel, or at wild horses heels,
Or pile ten hills on the Tarpeian rock,
That the precipitation might down stretch
Below the beam of sight, yet will I still
Be thus to them.

Enter Volumnia.
Noble. You do the nobler.

Cor. I mufe, my mother
Does not approve me further, who was wont
To call them woollen vaffals, things created
To buy and sell with groats, to Thew bare heads
In congregations, yawn, be still, and wonder,
When one but of my ordinance stood up
To speak of peace, or war ; (I talk of you) (To his Mother.
Why did you wish me milder? wou'd you have me
False to my nature? rather say, I ? 'play
Truly the man' I am.

Vol. Oh, Sir, Sir, Sir,
I would have had you put your power well on,
Before you had worn it out.

. Cor. 3/Why, let it go

Vol. You might have been enough the man you are,
With striving less to be so. Leffer had been
The 4'thwartings of your s'disposition, if
You had not shew'd them how you were dispos'd
Ere they lack'd power to cross you.

Cor. Let them hang.
Vol. Ay, and burn too.

Enter 2 play the man 4 things that thwart ... old edit. Theob. emend. 5 dispositions,

3 Let it go.

Entir Menenius with the Senators. Men. Come, come, you've been too rough, something You must return, and mend it.

[too rough:
Sen. There's no remedy,
Unless, by not so doing, our good city
Cleave in the midit, and perish.

Vol. Pray be counsellid;
I have a heart as little apt as yours,
But yet a brain that leads my use of anger
To better vantage.

Men. Well said, noble woman:
Before he should thus stoop 'co th' herd,' but that
The violent fit o'th' times craves it as physick
For the whole ftate, I'd put mine armour on,
Which I can scarcely bear.

Cor. What must I do?
Men. Return to th' Tribunes.
Cor. Well, what then? what then?
Men. Repent what you have spoke.

Cor. For them? I cannot do it for the Gods,
Must I then do't to them?

Vol. You are too absolute,
Tho' therein you can never be too noble,
But when extremities speak. I've heard you say,
Honour and policy, like unsever'd friends,
l'th' war do grow together : grant that, and tell me,
In peace what each of them by ch' other loses,
That they combine not there?

Cor Tush, tuh-
Men. A good demand.

Vol. If it be honour in your wars, to feem
The same you are not, which for your best ends
You call your policy: how is’t less or worse
That it shall hold companionship in peace
With honour, as in war, since that to both
It stands in like request ?
Vol. V.

K
6 to th' heart, ... old edit. Theob. emend.

Cor

Cor. Why force you this?

Vol. Because it lies on you to speak to th' people:
Not by your own instruction, nor by th' matter
Which your heart prompts you to, but with such words
But roated ? ' on your tongue; bastards, and syllables
Of no allowance to your bosom's truth.
Now, this no more dishonours you at all,
Than to take in a town with gentle words,
Which else would put you to your fortune, and
The hazard of much blood.
I wouid dissemble with my nature, where
My fortunes and my friends at stake requir'd
I should do so in honour. I'm in this
Your Wife, your Son, these Senators, the Nobles;
And you will rather shew our general lowts,
How you can frown, than spend a fawn upon 'em,
For the inheritance of their loves, and safeguard
Of what that want might ruin.

Men. Noble Lady!
Come go with us, speak fair: you may falve so
Not what is dangerous present, but the loss
Of what is paft.

Vol. I pr’ythee now, my son,
Go to them, with this bonnet in thy hand,
And thus far having stretch'd it (here be with them)
Thy knee bussing the stones ; (for in such business
Action is eloquence, and the eyes of th' ignorant
More learned than the ears) waving thy * 'hand,
Which soften, thus, correcting thy stout heart
Now humble as the ripest mulberry,
That will not hold the handling ; ''say to them,
Thou are their soldier, and being bred in broils
Haft not the soft way, which thou doft confess
Were fit for thee to use, as them to claim,
In asking their good loves, but thou wilt frame
Thy self (forsooth) hereafter theirs so far,

As 7 in 8 head, which often , .. old edit, Warb, emend. 9 or say

I they

As thou hast power and person.

Men. This but done,
Ev'n as she speaks, why, all their hearts were yours:
For they have pardons, being ask'd, as free,
As words to little purpose.

Vol. Proythee now,
Go and be rul'd: altho' I know thou'dít rather
Follow thine enemy in a fiery gulf
Than flatter him in a bower.

Enter Cominius.
Here is Cominius.

Com. I have been i' th' market-place, and, Sir, 'tis fit
You have strong party, or defend your self
By calmness, or by absence : all's in anger.
Men. Only fair speech.

Com. I think 'twill ferve, if he
Can thereto frame his spirit.

Vol. He must and will :
Pr’ythee now, say you will, and go

about it.
Cor. Must I go Thew them my unbarbed sconce?
Must my base tongue give to my noble heart
A lie, that it must bear? well, I will do't :
Yet were there but this single 2 'pelc to lose,
This mould of Martius ; they to duft should grind it,
And throw't against the wind. To th' market-place!
You've put me now to such a part, which never
I shall discharge to th' life.

Com. Come, come, we'll prompt you.
Vol. Ay, pr’ythee now, sweet fon; as thou hast said
My praises made thee first a soldier ; fo
To have my praise for this, perform a part
Thou hast not done before.

Cor. Well, I must do’t :
Away, my disposition, and possess me
Some harlor's fpirit! my throat of war be turn'd,
Which quired with my drum, into a pipe
Small as an eunuch's, or the virgin voice
K 2

That