Cor.

Worthy voices !

Re-enter MENENIUS, with BRUTUS, and SICINIUS.

Men. You have stood your limitation; and the tribunes Endue you with the people's voice remains

That, in th' official marks invested, you

Anon do meet the senate.

Cor.

Is this done?

Sic. The custom of request you have discharg'd: The people to admit you; and are summon'd

To meet anon upon your approbation.

Cor. Where? at the senate-house?
Sic.

There, Coriolanus.

Cor. May I change these garments ?
Sic. You may, sir.

Cor. That I'll straight do; and, knowing myself again, Repair to the senate-house.

Men. I'll keep you company.—Will you along?
Bru. We stay here for the people.

Sic. Fare you well.-[Exeunt CORIOL. and MENEN. He has it now; and by his looks, methinks, 'Tis warm at 's heart.

Bru.

With a proud heart he wore His humble weeds. Will you dismiss the people? Re-enter Citizens.

Sic. How now, my masters! have you chose this man? 1 Cit. He has our voices, sir.

Bru. We pray the gods he may deserve your loves. 2 Cit. Amen, sir. To my poor unworthy notice, He mock'd us when he begg'd our voices.

3 Cit.

He flouted us down-right.

Certainly,

1 Cit. No, 't is his kind of speech: he did not mock us. 2 Cit. Not one amongst us, save yourself, but says, He us'd us scornfully: he should have show'd us His marks of merit, wounds receiv'd for 's country. Sic. Why, so he did, I am sure.

All.

No, no; no man saw 'em. 3 Cit. He said, he had wounds, which he could show

in private ;

And with his hat thus waving it in scorn,

"I would be consul," says he: "aged custom,
But by your voices, will not so permit me;
Your voices therefore." When we granted that,
Here was, "I thank you for your voices,-thank you,-

Your most sweet voices:-now you have left your voices,
I have no farther with you."-Was not this mockery?
Sic. Why, either, were you ignorant to see 't,
Or, seeing it, of such childish friendliness

To yield your voices?

Bru.
Could you not have told him,
As you were lesson'd, when he had no power,
But was a petty servant to the state,
He was your enemy; ever spake against
Your liberties, and the charters that you bear
I' the body of the weal: and now, arriving
A place of potency, and sway i' the state,
If he should still malignantly remain
Fast foe to the plebeii, your voices might
Be curses to yourselves. You should have said,
That, as his worthy deeds did claim no less
Than what he stood for, so his gracious nature
Would think upon you for your voices, and
Translate his malice towards you into love,
Standing your friendly lord.

Sic.
Thus to have said,
As you were fore-advis'd, had touch'd his spirit,
And tried his inclination; from him pluck'd
Either his gracious promise, which you might,
As cause had called you up, have held him to,
Or else it would have gall'd his surly nature,
Which easily endures not article

Tying him to aught; so, putting him to rage,
You should have ta'en th' advantage of his choler,
And pass'd him unelected.

Bru.
Did you perceive,
He did solicit you in free contempt,

When he did need your loves, and do you think,
That his contempt shall not be bruising to you,

When he hath power to crush? Why, had your bodies
No heart among you? or had you tongues to cry
Against the rectorship of judgment?

Sic.

Have you,

Ere now, denied the asker; and, now again,
Of1 him, that did not ask, but mock, bestow
Your sued-for tongues?

3 Cit. He's not confirmed; we may deny him yet.
2 Cit. And will deny him:

I'll have five hundred voices of that sound.

1 Cit. Ay, twice five hundred, and their friends to piece 'em.

Bru. Get you hence instantly, and tell those friends, They have chose a consul that will from them take Their liberties; make them of no more voice

Than dogs, that are as often beat for barking,
As therefore kept to do so.

Sic.
Let them assemble;
And, on a safer judgment, all revoke
Your ignorant election.

Enforce his pride,

And his old hate unto you: besides, forget not
With what contempt he wore the humble weed;
How in his suit he scorn'd you; but your loves,
Thinking upon his services, took from you
The apprehension of his present portance,
Which most gibingly, ungravely, he did fashion
After the inveterate hate he bears you.

Bru.
Lay
A fault on us, your tribunes; that we labour'd
(No impediment between) but that you must
Cast your election on him.

Sic.
Say, you chose him
More after our commandment, than as guided
By your own true affections; and that, your minds,
Pre-occupy'd with what you rather must do,

Than what you should, made you against the grain
To voice him consul. Lay the fault on us.

Bru. Ay, spare us not. Say, we read lectures to you, How youngly he began to serve his country.

How long continued, and what stock he springs of,
The noble house o' the Marcians: from whence came
That Ancus Marcius, Numa's daughter's son,

Who, after great Hostilius, here was king.
Of the same house Publius and Quintus were,
That our best water brought by conduits hither;
And Censorinus, darling of the people,1

And nobly nam'd so, twice being censor,
Was his great ancestor.

Sic.
One thus descended,
That hath beside well in his person wrought
To be set high in place, we did commend
To your remembrances; but you have found,

1 This line was added by Pope.

Scaling his present bearing with his past,
That he's your fixed enemy, and revoke
Your sudden approbation.

Bru.

Say, you ne'er had done 't, (Harp on that still) but by our putting on;

And presently, when you have drawn your number, Repair to the Capitol.

All.

We will so almost all

[Exeunt Citizens.

Let them go on:

Repent in their election.
Bru.

This mutiny were better put in hazard,
Than stay, past doubt, for greater.

If, as his nature is, he fall in rage

With their refusal, both observe and answer
The vantage of his anger.

Sic.

To the Capitol :

Come, we 'll be there before the stream o' the people;
And this shall seem, as partly 't is, their own,
Which we have goaded onward.

[Exeunt.

ACT III.

SCENE I.-The Same. A Street.

Cornets. Enter CORIOLANUS, MENENIUS, COMINIUS, TITUS LARTIUS, Senators, and Patricians.

Cor. Tullus Aufidius, then, had made new head? Lart. He had, my lord; and that it was, which caus'd Our swifter composition.

Cor. So then, the Volsces stand but as at first; Ready, when time shall prompt them, to make road Upon us again.

Com. They are worn, lord consul, so, That we shall hardly in our ages see Their banners wave again.

Cor.

Saw you Aufidius?

Lart. On safe-guard he came to me; and did curse Against the Volsces, for they had so vilely

Yielded the town: he is retir'd to Antium.

Cor. Spoke he of me?

Lart.

Cor.

He did, my lord.

How? what?

Lart. How often he had met you, sword to sword; That of all things upon the earth he hated

Your person most; that he would pawn his fortunes To hopeless restitution, so he might

Be call'd your vanquisher.

Cor.

Lart. At Antium.

At Antium lives he?

Cor. I wish, I had a cause to seek him there, To oppose his hatred fully.-Welcome home.

[TO LARTIUS.

Enter SICINIUS and BRUTUS. Behold! these are the tribunes of the people,

The tongues o' the common mouth. I do despise them, For they do prank them in authority,

Against all noble sufferance.

Sic.

Cor Ha! what is that?

Pass no farther.

Bru. It will be dangerous to go on: no farther.
Cor. What makes this change?

Men.

The matter?

Com. Hath he not pass'd the nobles, and the commons?

Bru. Cominius, no.

Cor.

Have I had children's voices?

Sen. Tribunes, give way: he shall to the market-place. Bru. The people are incens'd against him.

Sic.

Or all will fall in broil.

Cor.

Stop,

Are these your herd ?— Must these have voices, that can yield them now, And straight disclaim their tongues ?-What are your

offices?

You being their mouths, why rule you not their teeth? Have you not set them on?

Men.

Be calm, be calm.

Cor. It is a purpos'd thing, and grows by plot,

To curb the will of the nobility:

Suffer 't, and live with such as cannot rule,

Nor ever will be rul'd.

Bru.

Call 't not a plot.

The people cry, you mock'd them; and, of late,
When corn was given them gratis, you repin'd;
Scandal'd the suppliants for the people, call'd them
Time-pleasers, flatterers, foes to nobleness.
Cor. Why, this was known before.