Remains, that, in the official marks invested,
You anon do meet the senate.

Cor.

Is this done?

Sic. The custom of request you have discharg'd: The people do 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, 'T is warm at his 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 and worthy notice, He mock'd us when he begg'd our voices.

3 Cit.

He flouted us downright.

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 used us scornfully: he should have show'd us His marks of merit, wounds receiv'd for his country. Sic. Why, so he did, I am sure.

Cit. No, no; no man saw 'em. [Several speak.

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 further 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 o' 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 call'd 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 the 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?

Have you,

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

3 Cit. He's not confirm'd, we may deny him yet.
2 Cit. And will deny him:

I'll have five hundred voices of that sound,

1 Cit. I 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-occupied 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,] a
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,
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.

Cit. We will so: almost all repent in their election. [Several speak. Exeunt Citizens.

Bru. Let them go on;

This mutiny were better put in hazard,

a The line in brackets is not in the original, but was supplied by Pope. Something is clearly wanting to connect with "twice being censor ;" and Plutarch tells us who was "nobly named:" -"Censorinus also came of that family, that was so surnamed because the people had chosen him censor twice."

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.