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 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 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, COM INIUS the Conful, MENENIUS, CORIOLANUS, many other Senators, SICINIUS and BRUTUS. The Senators take their places; the Tribunes take theirs alfo by themselves.

MEN. Having determin'd of the Volces, and To fend 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,
Moft reverend and grave elders, to defire
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.

1 SEN. Speak, good Cominius:

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

Than we to ftretch it out. Mafters o' the people,

We do request your kindeft ears; 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 theme of our affembly.

BRU. Which the rather

We shall 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 gave it.

MEN. He loves your people;

But tie him not to be their bedfellow.—

Worthy Cominius, fpeak. Nay, keep your place.

[CORIOLANUS rifes, and offers to go away.

1 SEN. Sit, Coriolanus; never fhame to hear What you have nobly done.

COR. Your honours' pardon;

I had rather have my wounds to heal again,

Than hear say how I got them.

BRU. Sir, I hope,

My words dif-bench'd you not.

COR. No, fir: yet oft,

When blows have made me stay, I fled from words. You footh'd 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' the fun,

When the alarum were ftruck, than idly fit

To hear my nothings monfter'd.

MEN. Masters o' the people,

[Exit CORIOLAnus.

Your multiplying fpawn how can he flatter,

(That's thousand to one good one,) when you now fee, He had rather venture all his limbs for honour,

Than one of his ears to hear it ?-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 speak 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 with all praise I point at, faw him fight,
When with his Amazonian chin he drove
The bristled lips before him: he beftrid
An o'er-prefs'd Roman, and i' the conful's view
Slew three opposers: 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 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 fince,

He lurch'd all fwords o' the garland. For this last,
Before and in Corioli, let me fay,

I cannot speak him home: He ftopp'd the fliers
And, by his rare example, made the coward
Turn terror into sport: as waves before

A veffel under fail, fo men obey'd,

;

And fell below his ftem: his fword (death's ftamp)
Where it did mark, it took; from face to foot
He was a thing of blood, whofe every motion
Was tim'd with dying cries: alone he enter❜d

The mortal gate o' the city, which he painted
With fhunless destiny; aidlefs came off,
And with a fudden re-enforcement ftruck
Corioli, like a planet: Now all's his :
When by and by the din of war 'gan pierce
His ready fense: 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 breast with panting.

MEN. Worthy man!

I SEN. He cannot but with measure fit the honours Which we devife him.

COм. Our fpoils he kick'd at;

And look'd upon things precious, as they were
The common muck o' the world: he covets lefs
Than misery itself would give; rewards

His deeds with doing them; and is content
To spend the time, to end it.

MEN. He's right noble;

Let him be call'd for.

I SEN. Call for Coriolanus.

OFF. He doth appear.

Re-enter CORIOLANUS.

MEN. The fenate, Coriolanus, are well pleas'd

To make thee conful.

COR. I do owe them ftill

My life, and fervices.

MEN. It then remains,

That you do fpeak to the people.

COR. I do befeech you,

Let me o'er-leap that cuftom; for I cannot

Put on the gown, ftand naked, and entreat them,

For my wounds' fake, to give their fuffrage: please

you,

That I may pass this doing.

Sic. Sir, the people

Must have their voices; neither will they bate

One jot of ceremony.

MEN. Put them not to't:

Pray you, go fit you to the cuftom; and

Take to you, as your predeceffors have,
Your honour with your form.

COR. It is a part

That I fhall 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 Show them the unaking scars which I should hide, As if I had receiv'd them for the hire

Of their breath only :

MEN. Do not ftand upon't.

We recommend to you, tribunes of the people,
Our purpose to them ;-and to our noble conful
With we all joy and honour.

SEN. To Coriolanus come all joy and honour!

[Flourish. Then Exeunt SENATORS.

BRU. You fee 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.

Of

BRU. Come, we'll inform them

our proceedings here: on the market-place,

I know, they do attend us.

VOL. V.

[Exeunt.

I