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Sic.

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] nobly named so,

Twice being [by the people chosen] censor,
Was his great ancestor.

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.

261

Say, you ne'er had done 'tHarp on that still-but by our putting on:

And presently, when you have drawn your num

ber,

Repair to the Capitol.

Citizens.

We will so: almost all

Repent in their election. [Exeunt Citizens.
Let them go on;

Bru.

This mutiny were better put in hazard,

270

duits. Censorinus came of that familie, that was so surnamed because the people had chosen him censor twice." Publius and Quintus and Censorinus were not the ancestors of Coriolanus, but his descendants. Caius Martius Rutilius did not obtain the name of Censorinus till the year of Rome 487; and the Marcian waters were not brought to the city by acqueducts till the year 613, near 350 years after the death of Coriolanus. Shakespeare confounded the ancestors and posterity of Coriolanus together.-H. N. H. 257-259. Vide Preface.-I. G.

Sic.

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.

To the Capitol, come:

We will be there before the stream o' the peo-
ple;

And this shall seem, as partly 'tis, their own,
Which we have goaded onward.

[Exeunt.

Cornets.

ACT THIRD

SCENE I

Rome. A street.

Enter Coriolanus, Menenius, all the Gentry, Cominius, Titus Lartius, and other Senators.

Cor. Tullus Aufidius then had made new head? Lart. He had, my lord; and that it was which caused

Our swifter composition.

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

road

Upon's again.

Com.

Cor.

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

Saw you Aufidius?

10

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

Cor.

That of all things upon the earth he hated
Your person most; that he would pawn his for-

tunes

To hopeless restitution, so he might

Be call'd your vanquisher.

Lart. At Antium.

At Antium lives he?

To oppose his hatred fully.

Welcome home. 20

Cor. I wish I had a cause to seek him there,

Sic.

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.

Cor. Ha! what is that?

Pass no further.

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

Men. The matter?

Com. Hath he not pass'd the noble and the com

mon?

Bru. Cominius, no.

Cor.

Have I had children's voices? 30

First Sen. Tribunes, give way; he shall to the mar

[blocks in formation]

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 purposed thing, and grows by plot, To curb the will of the nobility:

Bru.

Suffer 't, and live with such as cannot rule, 40
Nor ever will be ruled.

Call 't not a plot:
The people cry you mock'd them; and of late,
When corn was given them gratis, you repined,
Scandal'd the suppliants for the people, call'd
them

Time-pleasers, flatterers, foes to nobleness.
Cor. Why, this was known before.

Not to them all.

Bru.
Cor. Have you inform'd them sithence?
Bru.

How! I inform them!

Not unlike,

Com. You are like to do such business.

Bru.

Each way, to better yours.

Cor. Why then should I be consul? By yond

Sic.

clouds,

Let me deserve so ill as you, and make me
Your fellow tribune.

You show too much of that

For which the people stir: if you will pass

50

48-49. “Not unlike," etc.; that is, likely to provide better for the security of the commonwealth than you (whose business it is) will do. To which the reply is pertinent, "Why, then, should I be consul?"-H. N. H.

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