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.

[Exeunt.

Enter two Oficers, to lay cushions. 1 Of. Come, come, they are almost here ; how many

2 Of. Three they say ; bụe 'tis thought of every one, Coriolanus will carry it.

1 of. 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 Hatter'd the people, who ne'er lov'd them, and there be many that they have loved they know not wherefore ; so 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, manifests the true knowJedge he has in their disposition, and out of his noble s 'carelessness he let's them plainly see't.

i Off. If he did not care whether he had their love or no, he waved indifferently 'twixt doing them neither good, nor harm: but he seeks their hate with greater devotion than they can render it him; and leaves nothing undone, that may fully discover him their opposite. Now to seem to affect the malice and displeasure of the people, is as bad as that which he didikes, to flatter them for their love.

2 Off. He hath deserved worthily of his country: and his ascent is not by such easy degrees as 'theirs' who have been supple and courteous to the people bonneted, without any further deed to heave them at all into their

estima5 carelessness lets

6 those

6

cstimation 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 confess so much, were a kind of ingrateful injury ; to report otherwise, were a malice that, giving it self the lie, would pluck reproof and rebuke from ev'ry ear that heard it.

i Off. No more of him, he is a worthy man : make way, they are coming. S C E 'N E

VI.

3 1

Enter the Patricians, and the Tribunes of the People,

Liztors before them; Coriolanus, Menenius, Cominius
the Consúl: Sicinius and Brutus take their places by
themselves.

Men. Having determin'd of the Volscians, and
To send for Titus Lartius, it remains,
As the main point of this our after-meeting,
To gratifie his noble service, that
Hath thus stood for his country. Therefore, please you,
Most reverend and grave elders, to desire
The present Consul,

and last General
In our well-found successes, to report
A little of that worthy work perform'd
By Caius Martius Coriolanns; whom
We''meer' 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 state's defective for requital
s 'Than that we stretch'it out. Masters o'th' people,
We do request your kindest ear, and after,
Your loving motion toward the common body,
To 9'yield to what' paffes here.

Sic. We are convented
Upon a pleasing treaty, and have hearts
Inclinable to honour and advance

: Than we to stretch yield what

7 met

The theam of our assembly.

Bru. Which the rather
We shall be blest 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 silent : please you
To hear Cominius speak ?

Bru. Most willingly :
But yet my caution was more pertinent
Than the rebuke you give.

Man. He loves your people,
But tye him not to be their bedfellow :
Worthy Cominius, speak.

[Coriolanus rises and offers to go away. Nay, keep your place.

i 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 dis-bench'd you not.

Cor. No, Sir; yet oft,
When blows have made me stay, I Aed from words.
You footh not, therefore hurt not : but your people
I love them as they weigh.

Min. Pray now, sit down.

Cor. I had rather have one scratch my head i'th' sun,
When the alarum were ftruck, than idly fit
To hear my nothings monster'd. [Exit Coriolanus.

Mlen. Mafters of the people,
Your multiplying spawn how can he fatter,
That's thousand to one good one, when you
He had rather venture all his limbs for honour,
Than one of's ears to hear'? Proceed, Cominius.

Com. I shall lack voice : the deeds of Coriolanus
Should not be utter'd feebly. It is held

That

see

That valour is the chiefest virtue, and
Moft dignifies the haver: if it be,
The man I speak of cannot in the world
Be singly counter-pois'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, saw him fight,
When with his Amazonian chin he drove
The bristled lips before him : he bestrid
An o'er-prest Roman, and i'th' Consul's view
Slew three opposers : Tarquin's self he met,
And struck him on his knee : in that day's feats,
When he might act the woman in the scene,
He prov'd best man i'ch' 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 seventeen battels since,
He lurcht all swords o'th' garland. For this last,
Before, and in Corioli, let me fay
I cannot speak him home: he stopt the fliers,
And by his rare example made the coward
Turn terror into sport. As waves before
A vessel under fail, fo men obey'd,
And fell below his stern: his sword (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 gate o'th' city, which he mortal painted!
With shunless destiny : aidless came off,
And with a sudden re-enforcement struck
Corioli

, like a planet. ? /Nor's this all ;
For by and by the din of war 'gan pierce
His ready sense, when straight his doubled spirit
Requicken’d what in felh was fatigate,
And to the battel came he; where he did
Run reeking o'er the lives of men, as if

'Twere 1 The mortal Gate o'th' City, which he painted 2 Nor all's this ;

'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 3 'fill the honours Which we devise him.

Com. 4 'All our spoils he kick'd at,
And look'd upon things precious, as they were
The common muck o'th' world: he covets less
Than misery it self would give, rewards
His deeds with doing them, and his content
To spend his time to end it.

Men. He's right noble,
Let him be call'd for.

Sen. Call Coriolanus.
Off. He doth appear.

Enter Coriolanus.
Men. The Senate, Coriolanus, are well pleas'd
To make thee Conful.

Cor. I do owe them ftill
My life, and services.

Men. It then remains
That you do speak to th' people.

Cor. I beseech you,
Let me o'er-leap that custom ; for I cannot
Put on the gown, stand naked, and entreat them,
For my wounds sake, to give their suffrages:
Please you that I may s 'over-pass this doing.

Sic. O 'Sir, but the people too 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 predecessors have,
Your honour with 7 'the form.

Cor. It is a part
That I shall blush in acting, and might well
Be taken from the people.

Bru. 3 fit

5 pass

6 Sir, the people must 7 your

4 Our