Only for bearing burdens, and sore blows
For sinking under them.

Sic.

This, as you say, suggested At some time when his soaring insolence Shall teach the people, (which time shall not want, If he be put upon't; and that's as easy, As to set dogs on sheep,) will be his fire To kindle their dry stubble; and their blaze Shall darken him forever.

Bru.

Enter a Messenger.

What's the matter?

Mess. You are sent for to the Capitol. 'Tis thought That Marcius shall be consul. I have seen The dumb men throng to see him, and the blind To hear him speak; matrons flung gloves, Ladies and maids their scarfs and handkerchiefs, Upon him as he passed; the nobles bended, As to Jove's statue; and the commons made A shower, and thunder, with their caps and shouts. I never saw the like.

Bru.

Let's to the Capitol; And carry with us ears and eyes for the time, But hearts for the event.

Sic.

Have with you.

[Exeunt.

SCENE II.

The same. The Capitol.

Enter two Officers, to lay cushions.

1 Off. Come, come, they are almost here. How many stand for consulships?

2 Off. Three, they say; but 'tis thought of every one, Coriolanus will carry it.

1 Off. That's a brave fellow; but he's vengeance proud, and loves not the common people.

2 Off. 'Faith, there have been many great men that have flattered the people, who ne'er loved them, and there be many that they have loved, they know not wherefore; so that, if they love they know not why, they hate upon no better a ground. Therefore, for Coriolanus neither to care whether they love or hate him, manifests the true knowledge he has in their disposition; and, out of his noble carelessness, lets them plainly see't.

1 Off. If he did not care whether he had their love, or no, he waved indifferently 'twixt doing them neither good,

nor harm; but he seeks their hate with greater devotion than they can render it him; and leaves nothing undone, that may fully discover him their opposite. Now, to seem to affect the malice and displeasure of the people, is as bad as that which he dislikes, to flatter them for their love.

2 Off. He hath deserved worthily of his country; and his ascent is not by such easy degrees as those, who, having been supple and courteous to the people, bonnetted, without any further deed to have them at all into their estimation and report; but he hath so planted his honors in their eyes, and his actions in their hearts, that for their tongues to be silent, and not confess so much, were a kind of ingrateful injury. To report otherwise were a malice, that, giving itself the lie, would pluck reproof and rebuke from every ear that heard it.

1 Off. No more of him; he is a worthy man. they are coming.

Make way,

A Sennet. Enter, with Lictors before them, COMINIUS, the Consul, MENENIUS, CORIOLANUS, many other Senators, SICINIUS and BRUTUS. The Senators take their places; the Tribunes take theirs also by themselves.

Men. Having determined of the Volces, and

To send for Titus Lartius, it remains,

As the main point of this our after-meeting,

To gratify his noble service, that

Hath thus stood for his country. Therefore, please you, Most reverend and grave elders, to desire

The present consul, and last general

In our well-found successes, to report

A little of that worthy work performed
By Caius Marcius Coriolanus; whom

We meet here, both to thank, and to remember
With honors like himself.

1 Sen.

Speak, good Cominius.
Leave nothing out for length, and make us think,
Rather our state's defective for requital,

Than we to stretch it out. Masters o' the people,
We do request your kindest ears; and, after,
Your loving motion toward the common body,
To yield what passes here.

We are convented

Sic.
Upon a pleasing treaty; and have hearts

Inclinable to honor and advance
The theme of our assembly.

Bru.

Which the rather

We shall be blessed to do, if he remember
A kinder value of the people, than
He hath hereto prized them at.
Men.

That's off, that's off;

I would you rather had been silent. Please you
To hear Cominius speak?

Most willingly:

Bru.
But, yet my caution was more pertinent,
Than the rebuke you give it.

Men.

He loves your people;

But tie him not to be their bedfellow.—
Worthy Cominius, speak.-Nay, keep your place.

[CORIOLANUS rises and offers to go away.

1 Sen. Sit, Coriolanus; never shame to hear What you have nobly done.

Cor.

Your honors' pardon; I had rather have my wounds to heal again,

Than hear say how I got them.

Bru.

Sir, I hope

My words disbenched you not,
Cor.
No, sir; yet oft,
When blows have made me stay, I fled from words.
You soothed not, therefore hurt not; but your people,
I love them as they weigh.

Men.

Pray now, sit down. Cor. I had rather have one scratch my head i' the sun, When the alarum were struck, than idly sit

To hear my nothings monstered. [Exit CORIOLANUS. Masters o' the people,

Men.

Your multiplying spawn how can he flatter,
(That's thousand to one good one,) when you now see,
He had rather venture all his limbs for honor,

Than one of his ears to hear it? - Proceed, Cominius.
Com. I shall lack voice; the deeds of Coriolanus
Should not be uttered feebly.-—It is held
That valor is the chiefest virtue, and

Most dignifies the haver; if it be,

The man I speak of cannot in the world
Be singly counterpoised. At sixteen years,
When Tarquin made a head for Rome, he fought
Beyond the mark of others; our then dictator,
Whom with all praise I point at, saw him fight,
When with his Amazonian chin he drove
The bristled lips before him; he bestrid
An o'er-pressed Roman, and i' the consul's view
Slew three opposers; Tarquin's self he met,

And struck him on his knee. In that day's feats,
When he might act the woman in the scene,
He proved best man i' the field, and for his meed
Was brow-bound with the oak. His pupil age
Man-entered thus, he waxed like a sea;
And, in the brunt of seventeen battles since,
He lurched all swords o' the garland. For this last,
Before and in Corioli, let me say,

I cannot speak him home. He stopped the fliers;
And, by his rare example, made the coward
Turn terror into sport; as waves before

A vessel under sail, so men obeyed,

And fell below his stem; his sword (death's stamp)
Where it did mark, it took: from face to foot
He was a thing of blood, whose every motion
Was timed with dying cries: alone he entered
The mortal gate o' the city, which he painted
With shunless destiny, aidless came off,
And with a sudden reinforcement struck
Corioli, like a planet: now all's his.
When by-and-by the din of war 'gan pierce
His ready sense; then straight his doubled spirit
Requickened what in flesh was fatigate,
And to the battle came he; where he did
Run reeking o'er the lives of men, as if
"Twere a perpetual spoil; and, 'till we called
Both field and city ours, he never stood
To ease his breast with panting.

Men.

Worthy man!

1 Sen. He cannot but with measure fit the honci Which we devise him.

Com.
Our spoils he kicked at;
And looked upon things precious, as they were
The common muck o' the world; he covets less
Than misery itself would give; rewards

His deeds with doing them; and is content
To spend the time, to end it.

Men. The senate, Coriolanus, are well pleased

Cor.

My life and services.
Men.

I do owe them still

It then remains,

I do beseech you,

That you do speak to the people.

Cor.

Let me o'erleap that custom; for I cannot

Put on the gown, stand naked, and entreat them,
For my wounds' sake, to give their suffrage. Please you,
That I may pass this doing.

Sic.

Sir, the people

Must have their voices; neither will they bate
One jot of ceremony.

Men.
Put them not to't;
Pray you, go fit you to the custom; and
Take to you, as your predecessors have,
Your honor with your form.

Cor.

It is a part

That I shall blush in acting, and might well

Be taken from the people.

Bru.

Mark you that?

Cor. To brag unto them,- thus I did, and thus;Show them the unaching scars which I should hide, As if I had received them for the hire

Of their breath only,

Men.
Do not stand upon't.-
We recommend to you, tribunes of the people,
Our purpose to them; and to our noble consul
Wish we all joy and honor.

Sen. To Coriolanus come all joy and honor!
[Flourish. Then exeunt Senators
B. You see how he intends to use the people.

Sic. May they perceive his intent! He will require them, As if he did contemn what he requested

Should be in them to give.

Bru.

Come, we'll inform them

[Exeunt.

Of our proceedings here; on the market-place,
I know, they do attend us.

SCENE III. The same. The Forum.

Enter several Citizens.

1 Cit. Once, if he do require our voices, we ought not to deny him.

2 Cit. We may, sir, if we will.

3 Cit. We have power in ourselves to do it, but it is a power that we have no power to do; for if he show us his