Com. But now 'tis odds beyond arithmetic; Pray you, be gone: Nay, come away. [Exeunt Cor. Com. and others. 1 Pat. This man has marr'd his fortune. Men. His nature is too noble for the world: He would not flatter Neptune for his trident, Or Jove for his power to thunder. His heart's his mouth: What his breast forges, that his tongue must vent; 2 Pat. [A noise within. I would they were a-bed! Men. I would they were in Tyber!-What, the vengeance, Could he not speak them fair? Re-enter Brutus and Sicinius, with the Rabble. Sic. Where is this viper, That would depopulate the city, and Be every man himself? Men. You worthy tribunes,Sic. He shall be thrown down the Tarpeian rock With rigorous hands; he hath resisted law, And therefore law shall scorn him further trial Than the severity of the public power, Which he so sets at nought. For we are peremptory to despatch Men. Now the good gods forbid, That our renown'd Rome, whose gratitude Sic. He's a disease, that must be cut away. The service of the foot Being once gangren'd, is it not then respected For what before it was? Bru. We'll hear no more :Pursue him to his house, and pluck him thence; Lest his infection, being of catching nature, Spread further. Men. One word more, one word. This tiger-footed rage, when it shall find Sic. What do ye talk? If it were i Have we not had a taste of his obedience? Our ædiles smote? ourselves resisted?-Come: .. Men. Consider this ;-He has been bred i'the wars Since he could draw a sword, and is ill school'd In boulted language; meal and bran together He throws without distinction Give me leave, I'll go to him, and undertake to bring him Where he shall answer, by a lawful form, (In peace) to his utmost peril. 1 Sen. Noble tribunes, [Several speak together. It is the humane way: the other course Sir,-Will prove too bloody; and the end of it Peace. Unknown to the beginning. Nobie Menenius, 1 Cit. He shall well know, The noble tribunes are the people's mouths, And we their hands. Cit. Men. Sic. He shall sure on't." Men. Do not cry, havoc,' where you should but hunt With modest warrant. Sic. Sir, how comes it, that you Have holp to make this rescue? Men. Hear me speak : As I do know the consul's worthiness, So can I name his faults: : Men. I'll bring him to you: (4) Deserving. (5) Quite awry. (6) Absolutely (7) Inconsiderate haste. (8) Finely sifted." Let me desire your company. [To the Senators. ]| That they combine not there. He must come, Or what is worst will follow. 1 Sen. Pray you, let's to him. [Exeunt. SCENE_ II—Â room in Coriolanus's house. Enter Coriolanus, and Patricians. Cor. Let them pull all about mine ears; present Let go. Cor. Men. Tush, tush! Cor. I would dissemble with my nature, where Men. Vol. I pr'ythee now, my son, Vol. You might have been enough the man you Go to them, with this bonnet in thy hand; are, With striving less to be so: Lesser had been Vol. Ay, and burn too. Let them hang. Enter Menenius, and Senators. And thus far having stretch'd it (here be with them, Men. Come, come, you have been too rough, Were fit for thee to use, as they to claim, In asking their good loves; but thou wilt frame You must return and mend it. Thyself, forsooth, hereafter theirs, so far I Sen. There's no remedy; As thou hast power, and person. Unless, by not so doing, our good city Men. This but done, Cleave in the midst, and perish. Even as she speaks, why, all their hearts were yours: Vol. Pray be counsell'd: For they have pardons, being ask'd, as free I have a heart as little apt as yours, As words to little purpose. But yet a brain, that leads my use of Pr'ythee now, To better vantage. Men anger, Well said, noble woman: Before he should thus stoop to the heard, but that Cor. What must I do? Cor. What then? what then? Return to the tribunes. Well, Vol. Vol. Go, and be rul'd: although, I know, thou nades Follow thine enemy in a fiery gulf, Enter Cominius. Com. I have been i'the market-place: and, is You make strong party, or defend yourself I think, 'twill serve, if ne Can thereto frame his spirit. He must and will:- With my base tongue, give to my noble heart. (6) Unshaven head. This mould of Marcius, they to dust should grind it, And throw it against the wind.-To the marketplace: You have put me now to such a part, which never I shall discharge to the life. Com. Come, come, we'll prompt you. Vol. Ipr'ythee now, sweet son; as thou hast said, My praises made thee first a soldier, so, To have my praise for this, perform a part, Thou has not done before. Cor. Well, I must do't: Away, my disposition, and possess me Some harlot's spirit! My throat of war be turn'd, Which quired with my drum, into a pipe Small as an eunuch, or the virgin voice That babies lulls asleep! The smiles of knaves Tent' in my cheeks; and school-boys' tears take up The glasses of my sight! A beggar's tongue Make motion through my lips; and my arm'd knees, Who bow'd but in my stirrup, bend like his That hath receiv'd an alms!-I will not do't: Lest I surcease to honour mine own truth, And, by my body's action, teach my mind A most inherent baseness. Vol. At thy choice then: To beg of thee, it is my more dishonour, Than thou of them. Come all to ruin; let Thy mother rather feel thy pride, than fear Thy dangerous stoutness; for I mock at death With as big heart as thou. Do as thou list. Thy valiantness was mine, thou suck'dst it from me; But owe thy pride thyself. Cor. Vol. yourself To answer mildly; for they are prepar'd With accusations, as I hear, more strong Cor. The word is, mildly:-Pray you, let us go; Men. Ay, but mildly. Cor. Well, mildly be it then; mildly. [Exeunt. SCENE III.-The same. The Forum. Sicinius and Brutus. Enter Sic. Assemble presently the people hither: And when they hear me say, It shall be so the right and strength o'the commons, be it either For death, for fine, or banishment, then let them, Of what we chance to sentence. Bru. Go about it.[Exit Edile Put him to choler straight: He hath been us'd Ever to conquer, and to have his worth Of contradiction: Being once chaf'd, he cannot Enter Coriolanus, Menenius, Cominius, Senators, and Patricians. Sic. Well, here he comes. Keep Rome in safety, and the chairs of justice Men. A noble wish. Amen, amen! Must all determine here? Sic. I do demand, If you submit you to the people's voices, Allow their officers, and are content To suffer lawful censure for such faults As shall be prov'd upon you? Cor. I am content. Men. Lo, citizens, he says, he is content : The warlike service he has done, consider; Think on the wounds his body bears, which show Like graves i'the holy church-yard. Cor. Scars to move laughter only. Scratches with briars Men. Consider further, That when he speaks not like a citizen, You find him like a soldier: Do not take His rougher accents for malicious sounds, But, as I say, such as become a soldier, Rather than envy' you. Com. Well, well, no more. Cor. What is the matter, (4) Will bear being called a knave. (5) Injure Scene I. Sic. Answer to us. Cor. Say then: 'tis true, I ought so. CORIOLANUS. Bru. There's no more to be said, but he is banish'd, Sic. We charge you, that you have contriv'd to As enemy to the people, and his country: take From Rome all season'd' office, and to wind For which, you are a traitor to the people. Men. Nay; temperately: Your promise. Mark you this, people? We need not put new matter to his charge: Serv'd well for Rome,- But since he hath What do you prate of service? Bru. I talk of that, that know it. You? The promise that you made your mother? Cor. Men. Com. I pray you, Cor. I'll know no further: It shall be so. It shall be so, it shall be so. As reek o'the rotten fens, whose loves I prize [Exeunt Coriolanus, Cominius, Menenius, hoo! [The People shout, and throw up their caps. Know Let them pronounce the steep Tarpeian death, For that he has From off the rock Tarpeian, never more To enter our Rome gates: I'the people's name, It shall be so; let him away: he's banish'd, Com. Hear me, my masters, and my common Sie. He's sentenc'd: no more hearing. come: let us see him out at gates, [Exeunt. ACT IV. Before a gate of the SCENE I-The same. city. Enter Coriolanus, Volumnia, Virgilia Menenius, Cominius, and several young Pa tricians. Cor. Come, leave your tears; a brief farewell:- With many heads butts me away.-Nay, mother, I shall be lov'd when I am lack'd. Nay, mother, 216 Thy tears are salter than a younger man's, And venemous to thine eyes.-My sometime general, I have seen thee stern, and thou hast oft beheld Heart-hard'ning spectacles; tell these sad women "Tis fond' to wail inevitable strokes, As 'tis to laugh at them.-My mother, you wot well, My hazards still have been your solace: and Believ't not lightly (though I go alone Like to a lonely dragon, that his fen son Was not a man my father? Hadst thou foxship Makes fear'd, and talk'd of more than seen,) your To banish him that struck more blows for Rome, Will, or exceed the common, or be caught With cautelous' baits and practice. My first son, Vol. Whither wilt thou go? Take good Ccminius With thee a while: Determine on some course, More than a wild exposture to each chance That starts i'the way before thee. Cor. O the gods! Com. I'll follow thee a month, devise with thee Where thou shalt rest, that thou may'st hear of us, And we of thee: so, if the time thrust forth A cause for thy repeal, we shall not send O'er the vast world, to seek a single man; And lose advantage, which doth ever cool' I'the absence of the needer. Cor. Fare ye well:Thou hast years upon thee; and thou art too full Of the wars' surfeits, to go rove with one That's yet unbruis'd bring me but out at gate.Come, my sweet wife, my dearest mother, and My friends of noble touch,' when I am forth, Bid me farewell, and smile. I pray you, come. While I remain above the ground, you shall Hear from me still; and never of me aught But what is like me formerly. Men. That's worthily As any ear can hear.-Come, let's not weep.If I could shake off but one geven years From these old arms and legs, by the good gods, I'd with thee every foot. Cor. Come. Give me thy hand: [Exeunt. SCENE II-The same. A street near the gate. Enter Sicinius, Brutus, and an Ædile. Sic. Bid them all home; he's gone, and we'll no further. The nobility are vex'd, who, we see, have sided Bru. Now we have shown our power, Let us seem humbler after it is done, Than when it was a doing. Bid them home: Sic. Dismiss them home. [Exit Edile. Enter Volumnia, Virgilia, and Menenius. Here comes his mother. Let's not meet her. Sic. They say, she's mad. Bru. Keep on your way. Why? They have ta'en note of us: Vol. 0, you're well met: The hoarded plague o'the gods Requite your love! (1) Foolish. (2) Insidious. Vol. Anger's my meat; I sup upon myself, And so shall starve with feeding.-Come, let's go Leave this faint puling, and lament as I do, In anger, Juno-like. Come, come, come. Men. Fie, fie, fie! [Exeunt. SCENE III-A highway between Rome and Antium. Enter a Roman and a Volce, meeting. Rom. I know you well, and you know me; your name, I think, is Adrian.' Vol. It is so, sir; truly, I have forgot you. Rom. I am a Roman; and my services are, as you are, against them: Know you me yet? Vol. Nicanor? No. (3) Noblest. (5) True metal. |