Bru.

Sic.

Repent in their election.

[Exeunt Citizens.

Let them go on;

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.

To the Capitol, come:

We will be there before the stream o' the people;
And this shall seem, as partly 'tis, their own,
Which we have goaded onward.

ACT THIRD.

Scene I.

Rome. A street.

[Exeunt.

Cornets. 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;

Com.

Cor.

Ready, when time shall prompt them, to make road
Upon's again.

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

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 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;
That of all things upon the earth he hated
Your person most; that he would pawn his fortunes
To hopeless restitution, so he might

Cor.

Be call'd your vanquisher.

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.

20

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 common?
Bru. Cominius, no.

Cor.

Have I had children's voices?

30

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

place.

Bru. The people are incensed against him.

Sic.

Or all will fall in broil.

Stop,

Cor.

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 purposed 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 ruled.

Bru.

Call 't not 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.

Bru.

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

40

Not to them all.

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

Sic.

You show too much of that
For which the people stir: if you will pass

51

To where you are bound, you must inquire your way,
Which you are out of, with a gentler spirit;

Or never be so noble as a consul,

Nor yoke with him for tribune.

Men.

Let's be calm.

Com. The people are abused; set on. This paltering

Cor.

Becomes not Rome; nor has Coriolanus
Deserved this so dishonour'd rub, laid falsely
I' the plain way of his merit.

Tell me of corn!

This was my speech, and I will speak 't again— Men. Not now, not now.

First Sen.

Not in this heat, sir, now.

Cor. Now, as I live, I will. My nobler friends,
I crave their pardons :

For the mutable, rank-scented many, let them
Regard me as I do not flatter, and

Therein behold themselves: I say again,

In soothing them, we nourish 'gainst our senate
The cockle of rebellion, insolence, sedition,

60

70

Which we ourselves have plough'd for, sow'd and

scatter'd,

By mingling them with us, the honour'd number;
Who lack not virtue, no, nor power, but that
Which they have given to beggars.

Well, no more.

How! no more!

Men.
First Sen. No more words, we beseech you.
Cor.
As for my country I have shed my blood,
Not fearing outward force, so shall my lungs
Coin words till their decay against those measles,
Which we disdain should tetter us, yet sought
The very way to catch them.

Bru.

You speak o' the people, 80

As if you were a god to punish, not
A man of their infirmity.

Sic.

Cor.

Com.

Cor.

Were I as patient as the midnight sleep,
By Jove, 'twould be my mind!

It is a mind

That shall remain a poison where it is,
Not poison any further.

Shall remain !

Hear you
this Triton of the minnows? mark you
His absolute' shall'?

'Twas from the canon.

'Shall'! 90

O good, but most unwise patricians! why,
You grave but reckless senators, have you thus
Given Hydra here to choose an officer,

That with his peremptory shall,' being but

The horn and noise o' the monster's, wants not spirit
Το say he'll turn your current in a ditch,

And make your channel his? If he have power,
Then vail your ignorance; if none, awake
Your dangerous lenity. If you are learn'd,
Be not as common fools; if you are not,

ΙΟΟ

Let them have cushions by you. You are plebeians,
If they be senators: and they are no less,
When, both your voices blended, the great'st taste
Most palates theirs. They choose their magistrate;
And such a one as he, who puts his 'shall,'

His popular shall,' against a graver bench
Than ever frown'd in Greece. By Jove himself,
It makes the consuls base! and my soul aches