Auf. The town is ta'en! (True sword to sword,) I'll potch8 at him some way; Or wrath, or craft, may get him. 1 Sol. He's the devil. Auf. Bolder, though not so subtle: My valor's poison'd, With only suffering stain by him; for him 1 Sol. Twill be deliver'd back on good con- My hate to Marcius: where I find him, were it dition. Auf. Condition! I would I were a Roman; for I cannot, What good condition can a treaty find I' the part that is at mercy? Five times, Marcius, At home upon my brother's guard, even there Wash my fierce hand in his heart. Go you to the ACT II. SCENE I.-Rome. A public Place. Enter MENENIUS, SICINIUS, and BRUTUS. Men. The augurer tells me, we shall have news to-night. Bru. Good or bad? Men. Not according to the prayer of the people, for they love not Marcius. Sic. Nature teaches beasts to know their friends. Men. Ay, to devour him; as the hungry plebeians would the noble Marcius. Bru. He's a lamb indeed, that baes like a bear. Men. He's a bear indeed, that lives like a lamb. You two are old men; tell me one thing that I shall ask you. Both Trib. Well, sir. Men. In what enormity is Marcius poor, that you two have not in abundance? Bru. He's poor in no one fault, but stored with all. Sic. Especially in pride. Bru. And topping all others in boasting. Men. This is strange now: Do you two know how you are censured here in the city, I mean of us o' the right hand file? Do you? Both Trib. Why, how are we censured? Men. Because you talk of pride now,-Will you not be angry? Both Trib. Well, well, sir, well. Men. Why, 'tis no great matter: for a very little thief of occasion will rob you of a great deal of patience give your disposition the reins, and be angry at your pleasures; at the least, if you take it as a pleasure to you, in being so. You blame Marcius for being proud? Bru. We do it not alone, sir. Men. I know, you can do very little alone; for your helps are many; or else your actions would grow wondrous single: your abilities are too infant like, for doing much alone. You talk of pride: O, that you could turn your eyes towards the napes of your necks, and make but an interior survey of your good selves! O, that you could! Bru. What then, sir? Men. Why, then you should discover a brace of unmeriting, proud, violent, testy magistrates, (alias fools,) as any in Rome. Sic. Menenius, you are known well enough too. Men. I am known to be a humorous patrician, and one that loves a cup of hot wine with not a drop of allaying Tyber in't; said to be something imperfect, in favoring the first complaint: hasty, and tinder-like, upon too trivial motion: one that converses more with the buttock of the night, than ↑ Whereas. with the forehead of the morning. What I think I utter; and spend my malice in my breath: Meeting two such weals-men' as you are, (I cannot call you Lycurguses,) if the drink you gave me, touch my palate adversely, I make a crooked face at it. I cannot say, your worships have delivered the matter well, when I find the ass in compound with the major part of your syllables: and though I must be content to bear with those that say you are reverend grave men; yet they lie deadly, that tell, you have good faces. If you see this in the map of my microcosm, follows it, that I am known well enough too? What harm can your bisson conspectuities glean out of this character, if I be known well enough too? Bru. Come, sir, come; we know you well enough. Men. You know neither me, yourselves, nor any thing. You are ambitious for poor knaves' caps and legs; you wear out a good wholesome forenoon, in hearing a cause between an orange wife and a fosset-seller; and then rejourn the controversy of three-pence to a second day of audience. -When you are hearing a matter between party and party, if you chance to be pinched with the colic, you make faces like mummers; set up the bloody flag against all patience; and, in roaring for a chamber-pot, dismiss the controversy bleeding, the more entangled by your hearing: all the peace you make in their cause, is, calling both the parties knaves: You are a pair of strange ones. Bru. Come, come, you are well understood to be a perfecter giber for the table, than a necessary bencher in the Capitol. Men. Our very priests must become mockers, if they shall encounter such ridiculous subjects as you are. When you speak best unto the purpose, it is not worth the wagging of your beards; and your beards deserve not so honorable a grave, as to stuff a botcher's cushion, or to be entombed in an ass's pack-saddle. Yet you must be saying, Marcius is proud; who, in a cheap estimation, is worth all your predecessors, since Deucalion; though, peradventure, some of the best of them were hereditary hangmen. Good e'en to your worships: more of your conversation would infect my brain, being the herdsmen of the beastly plebeians: I will be bold to take my leave of you. [BRU. and SIC. retire to the back of the Scene. Enter VOLUMNIA, VIRGILIA, and VALERIA, &c. How now, my as fair as noble ladies, (and the moon, were she earthly, no nobler,) whither do you follow your eyes so fast? Vol. Honorable Menenius, my boy Marcius approaches: for the love of Juno, let's go. Men. Ha! Marcius coming home Poke, push. Waited for. 1 Statesmen. Blind. Vol. Ay, worthy Menenius; and with most pros- | Wouldst thou have laugh'd, had I come coffin'd perous approbation. Men. Take my cap, Jupiter, and I thank thee:Hoo! Marcius coming home? Two Ladies. Nay, 'tis true. Vol. Look, here's a letter from him: the state hath another, his wife another; and, I think, there's one at home for you. Men. I will make my very house reel to-night: -A letter for me? Vir. Yes, certain, there's a letter for you; I saw it. Men. A letter for me? It gives me an estate of seven years' health; in which time I will make a lip at the physician: the most sovereign prescription in Galen is but empiricutic, and to this preservative, of no better report than a horse-drench. Is he not wounded? he was wont to come home wounded. Vir. O, no, no, no. Vol. O, he is wounded, I thank the gods for't. Men. So do I too, if it be not too much:-Brings 'a victory in his pocket?-The wounds become him. Val. On's brows, Menenius: he comes the third time home with the oaken garland. Men. Has he disciplined Aufidius soundly? Vol. Titus Lartius writes,-They fought together, but Aufidius got off. Men. And 'twas time for him too, I'll warrant him that: an he had staid by him, I would not have been so fidiused for all the chests in Corioli, and the gold that's in them. Is the senate possessed of this? Vol. Good ladies, let's go :-Yes, yes, yes: the senate has letters from the general, wherein he gives my son the whole name of the war: he hath in this action outdone his former deeds doubly. Val. In troth, there's wondrous things spoke of him. Men. Wondrous? Ay, I warrant you, and not without his true purchasing. Vir. The gods grant them true! Men. True? I'll be sworn they are true:Where is he wounded?-God save your good worships! [To the Tribunes, who come forward.] Marcius is coming home: he has more cause to be proud. Where is he wounded? Vol. I' the shoulder, and i' the left arm: There will be large cicatrices to show the people, when he shall stand for his place. He received in the repulse of Tarquin, seven hurts i' the body. Men. One in the neck, and two in the thigh,there's nine that I know. Vol. He had, before this last expedition, twentyfive wounds upon him. Men. Now it's twenty-seven: every gash was an enemy's grave: [A Shout and Flourish.] Hark! the trumpets. Vol. These are the ushers of Marcius: before him He carries noise, and behind him he leaves tears; Death, that dark spirit, in's nervy arm doth lie; Which being advanced, declines; and then men die. A Sennet3 Trumpets sound. Enter COMINIUS and TITUS LARTIUS; between them, CORIOLANUS, crowned with an oaken Garland; with Captains, Soldiers, and a Herald. home, That weep'st to see me triumph? Ah, my dear, Men. Now the gods orown thee! Vol. I know not where to turn:-0 welcome home; And welcome, general;-And you are welcome all. Men. A hundred thousand welcomes: I could weep, And I could laugh; I am light, and heavy: Wel Are spectacled to see him: Your prattling nurse Into a rapture lets her baby cry, While she chats him: the kitchen malkin5 pins Are smother'd up, leads fill'd, and ridges hors'd I warrant him consul. Bru. On the sudden, During his power, go sleep. Then our office may, Sic. He cannot temperately transport his honors From where he should begin and end; but will Her. Know, Rome, that all alone Marcius did Lose those that he hath won. fight Within Corioli' gates: where he hath won, With fame a name to Caius Marcius; these In honor follows, Coriolanus: Welcome to Rome, renowned Coriolanus! [Flourish. All. Welcome to Rome, renowned Coriolanus! Cor. No more of this, it does offend my heart; Pray now, no more. Look, sir, your mother. Com. Cor. You have, I know, petition'd all the gods For my prosperity. Vol. O! [Kneels. Nay, my good soldier, up; My gentle Marcius, worthy Caius, and By deed-achieving honor newly nam'd, What is it? Coriolanus, must I call thee? But O, thy wife Cor. My gracious silence, hail! Bru. But they, upon their ancient malice, will Bru. Bru. It was his word: O, he would miss it, rather Than carry it, but by the suit o' the gentry to To him, or our authorities. For an end, Of no more soul, nor fitness for the world, I never saw the like. Bru. Have with you. [Exeunt. SCENE II.-The Capitol. Enter two Officers, to lay Cushions. 1 Off. Come, come, they are almost here: How many stand for consulships? 2 Off. Three, they say: but 'tis thought of every one, Coriolanus will carry it. 1 Off. 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 flatter'd the people,who ne'er loved 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 knowledge he has in their disposition; and out of his noble carelessness, lets them plainly see't. 1 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 dislikes, 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 those, who, having been supple and courteous to the people, bonneted without any further deed to heave them at all into their estimation and report: but he hath so planted his honors in their eyes, and his actions in their hearts, that for their tongues to be silent, and not confess so 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, COMINIUS, the Consul, MENENIUS, CORIOLANUS, many other Senators, SICINIUS, and BRUTUS. The Senators take their places; the Tribunes take theirs also by themselves. Men. Having determin'd of the Volces, and To send for Titus Lartius, it remains, • Provender. Inform. Took off caps. Most reverend and grave elders, to desire We shall be bless'd to do, if he remember That's off, that's off;5 Most willingly: Than the rebuke you gave it. Men. He loves your people; But tie him not to be their bedfellow. Worthy Cominius, speak.-Nay, keep your place. [CORIOLANUS rises, and offers to go away. 1 Sen. Sit, Coriolanus: never shame to hear What you have nobly done. Your honors' pardon; I had rather have my wounds to heal again, Than hear say how I got them. Cor. Bru. My words disbench'd you not. Cor. Sir, I hope, No, sir; yet oft When blows have made me stay, I fled from words. You sooth'd not, therefore hurt not: But your I love them as they weigh. people, Men. Cor. I had rather have i' the sun, Pray now, sit down. one scratch my head When the alarum were struck, than idly sit Men. [Exit CORIOLANUS. Masters o' the people, Your multiplying spawn how can he flatter, (That's thousand to one good one,) when you now He had rather venture all his limbs for honor, Than one of his ears to hear it?-Proceed, Cominius. see, Com. I shall lack voice: the deeds of Coriolanus I cannot speak him home. He stopp'd the fliers; He was a thing of blood, whose every motion Worthy man! 1 Sen. He cannot but with measure fit the honors Which we devise him. Com. Our spoils he kick'd at; And look'd upon things precious, as they were The common muck o' the world; he covets less Than misery itself would give; rewards His deeds with doing them, and is content To spend the time to end it. Men. Let him be call'd for. 1 Sen. Off. He doth appear. He's right noble; Call for Coriolanus. Mark you that? Cor. To brag unto them-thus I did, and thus ;Show them the unaching scars which I should hide, As if I had receiv'd them for the hire Do not stand upon't.We recommend to you, tribunes of the people, Our purpose to them;-and to our noble consul Wish we all joy and honor. Sen. To Coriolanus come all joy and honor! As if he did contemn what he requested Bru. Come, we'll inform them 1 Cit. Once, if he do require our voices, we ought not to deny him. 2 Cit. We may, sir, if we will. 3 Cit. We have power in ourselves to do it, but it is a power that we have no power to do: for if he show us his wounds, and tell us his deeds, we are to put our tongues into those wounds, and speak for them; so, if he tell us his noble deeds, we must also tell him our noble acceptance of them. Ingratitude is monstrous: and for the multitude to be ingrateful, were to make a monster of the multitude; of the which, we being members, should bring ourselves to be monstrous members. 1 Cit. And to make us no better thought of, a 1 Avarice. • Wearied. little help will serve: for once, when we stood up about the corn, he himself stuck not to call us the many-headed multitude. 3 Cit. We have been called so of many; not that our heads are some brown, some black, some auburn, some bald, but that our wits are so diversely colored and truly I think, if all our wits were to issue out of one skull, they would fly east, west, north, south; and their consent of one direct way should be at once to all the points o' the compass. 2 Cit. Think you so? Which way, do you judge, my wit would fly? 3 Cit. Nay,, your wit will not so soon out as another man's will, 'tis strongly wedged up in a blockhead: but if it were at liberty, 'twould, sure, southward. 2 Cit. Why that way? 3 Cit. To lose itself in a fog; where being three parts melted away with rotten dews, the fourth would return for conscience sake to help to get thee a wife. 2 Cit. You are never without your tricks :- You may, you may. 3 Cit. Are you all resolved to give your voices? But that's no matter, the greater part carries it. I say, if he would incline to the people, there was never a worthier man. Enter CORIOLANUS and MENENIUS. Here he comes, and in the gown of humility: mark his behavior. We are not to stay altogether, but to come by him where he stands, by ones, by twos, and by threes. He's to make his requests by particulars: wherein every one of us has a single honor, in giving him our own voices with our own tongues: therefore, follow me, and I'll direct you how you shall go by him. All. Content, content. [Exeunt. Men. O sir, you are not right; have you not known The worthiest men have done it? Cor. What must I say?— I pray, sir,-Plague upon't! I cannot bring wounds; I got them in my country's service, when Men. Cor. Think upon me? Hang 'em! I would they would forget me, like the virtues Which our divines lose by them. Men. You'll mar all; I'll leave you: pray you, speak to them, I pray you, In wholesome manner. [Exit. 1 Cit. Cor. No, sir: Your own desert? Ay, not How! not your own desire? 'Twas never my desire yet, To trouble the poor with begging. 1 Cit. You must think, if we give you any thing, We hope to gain by you. Cor. Well then, I pray, your price o' the consulship? 1 Cit. The price is, sir, to ask it kindly. Cor. Kindly? Sir, I pray let me ha't: I have wounds to show you, Which shall be yours in private.-Your good voice, sir; What say you? Enter two other Citizens. Cor. Pray you now, if it may stand with the tune of your voices, that I may be consul, I have here the customary gown. 3 Cit. You have deserved nobly of your country, and you have not deserved nobly. Cor. Your enigma? 3 Cit. You have been a scourge to her enemies, you have been a rod to her friends; you have not, indeed, loved the common people. Cor. You should account me the more virtuous, that I have not been common in my love. I will, sir, flatter my sworn brother the people, to earn a dearer estimation of them; 'tis a condition they account gentle: and since the wisdom of their choice is rather to have my hat than my heart, I will practise the insinuat. nod, and be off to them most counterfeitly; that is, sir, I will counterfeit the bewitchment of some popular man, and give it bountifully to the desirers. Therefore, beseech you, I may be consul. 4 Cit. We hope to find you our friend; and therefore give you our voices heartily. 3 Cit. You have received many wounds for your country. Cit. mock us. He used us scornfully: he should have show a us Cor. I will not seal your knowledge with show-1 ing them. I will make much of your voices, and so trouble you no further. Both Čit. The gods give you joy, sir, heartily! Cor. Most sweet voices ! [Exeunt. Better it is to die, better to starve, Your most sweet voices:-now you have left your voices, have no further with you: mockery? -Was not this Sic. Why, either, were you ignorant to see't? Bru. Could you not have told him, Their needless vouches? Custom calls me to't:-I' To one that would do thus.-I am half through; Enter three other Citizens. Here come more voices,- Sic. The custom of request you have discharged: There, Coriolanus. You may, sir. Cor. That I'll straight do; and, knowing myself again, Sic. Repair to the senate-house. Sic. How now, my masters? have you chose this 1 Cit. He has ou voices, sir. As you were fore-advis'd, had touch'd his spirit, Tying him to aught; so, putting him to rage, Bru. No heart among you? Or had you tongues, to cry And, on a safer judgment, all revoke Lay A fault on us, your tribunes; that we labor'd |
