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Than have him hold that purpose, and to put it
In execution.

Bru. Tis moft like, he will.

Sic. It fhall be to him then, as our good will's, A fure deftruction.

Bru. So it must fall out

To him, or our authorities. For an end,
We must fuggeft the people, in what hatred

He still hath held them; that to's power he would
Have made them mules, filenc'd their Pleaders, and
Difproperty'd their freedoms, holding them,
In human action and capacity,

Of no more foul nor fitnefs for the world,
Than camels in their war; who have their provender
Only for bearing burthens, and fore blows

For finking under them.

Sic. This, as you fay, fuggefted

At fome time when his foaring infolence -
Shali reach the people, which time fhall not want,
If he be put upon't; and that's as ealy,

As to fet dogs on fheep, will be the fire
To kindle their dry stubble; and their blaze
Shall darken him for ever.

Enter a Messenger.

Bru. What's the matter?

Mef. You're fent for to the Capitol. 'Tis thought, That Marcius fhall be Conful; I have feen

The dumb men throng to fee him, and the blind
To hear him fpeak; the Matrons flung their gloves,
Ladies and Maids their fearfs and handkerchiefs,
Upon him as he pafs'd; the Nobles bended,

As to Jove's Statue; and the Commons made
A fhower and thunder with their caps and fhouts :
I never faw the like.

Bra. Let's to the Capitol,

And

And carry with us ears and eyes for th' time,

But hearts for the event.

Sic. Have with you.

SCENE

[Exeunt.

V

off.

*

Changes to the Capitol.

Enter two Officers, to lay cufbiens.

YOME, come, they are almoft here. How many ftand for Confulfhips?

COM
C

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

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 flatter'd 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, manifefts the true knowledge he has in their dif pofition, and out of his noble careleffnefs lets them plainly fee't.

1 Off. If he did not care whether he had their love or no, 'he way'd indifferently 'twixt doing them neither good, nor harm; but he feeks their hate with greater devotion than they can render it him; and leaves nothing undone, that may fully difcover him their oppofite. Now to feem to affect the malice and difpleature of the People, is as bad as That, which he diflikes, to flatter them for their love.

-carry with us ears and eyes, &c.] That is, let us obferve what paffes, but keep our hearts fixed on our defign of

M m 2

crushing Coriolanus.

he way'd] That is; be would wave indifferently.

2 Off.

2 Off. He hath deferved worthily of his Country, and his afcent is not by fuch eafy degrees as thofe, who have been fupple and courteous to the People, bonnetted, without any further deed to heave them at all into their eftimation and report; but he hath fo planted his honours in their eyes, and his actions in their hearts, that for their tongues to be filent, and not confefs fo much, were a kind of ingrateful injury; to report otherwise, were a malice, that, giving itself the lie, would pluck reproof and rebuke front every ear that heard it.

1 Off. No more of him, he is a worthy man. Make way, they are coming.

SCENE VI.

Enter the Patricians, and the Tribunes of the People, Litors before them; Coriolanus, Menenius, Cominius the Conful: Sicinius and Brutus take their places by themfelves.

Men. Having determin'd of the Volfcians, and To fend for Titus Lartius, it remains,

As the main point of this our after-meeting,

To gratify his noble fervice, that

Hath thus ftood for his Country. Therefore, please

you,

Moft reverend and grave Elders, to defire
The prefent Conful, and last General
In our well-found fucceffes, to report
A little of that worthy work perform'd
By Caius Marcius Coriolanus; whom

We meet here, both to thank and to remember
With honours like himfelf.

2

Jupple and courteous to the people, bonnetted,] The fenfe, I think, requires that we fhould read, unbonnetted. Who have

rifen only by pulling off their bats to the people. Bonnetted may relate to people, but not without harfhnefs.

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. Matters o' th' People,
We do request your kindest ear; and, after,
Your loving motion toward the common Body,
To yield what paffes here.

Sic. We are convented

Upon a pleafing Treaty; and have hearts
Inclinable to honour and advance
The Theam of our Affembly

Bru. Which the rather

We fhall be bleft to do, if he remember
A kinder value of the People, than
He hath hitherto priz'd them at.

5

Men. That's off, that's off.

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

Bru. Moft willingly;

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

Men. He loves your People,

But tye him not to be their bed-fellow.
Worthy Cominius, fpeak.

[Coriolanus rifes, and offers to go away.

Nay, keep your place.
1 Sqn. Sit, Coriolanus; never fhame to hear

3 Your loving motion toward the common Body.] Your kind interpofition with the common people. + The Theam of our Assembly.] Here is a fault in the expreflion: And had it affected our Author's knowledge of nature, I fhould have adjudged it to his tranfcribers or editors; but as it affects only his knowledge in hiftory, I fuppofe it to be his own. He fhould have faid your Affembly.

For 'till the Lex Attinia (the author of which is fuppofed by Sigonius, [De Vetere Italiæ Jure] to have been contemporary with Quintus Metellus Macedonicus, the Tribunes had not the privilege of entering the Senate, but had feats placed for them near the door on the outfide of the house.

WARBURTON.

5 That's off, that's off.] That is, that is nothing to the purpose. M m 3 What

What you have nobly done.

Cor. Your Honours' pardon.

I had rather have my wounds to heal again,
Than hear fay, how I got them.

Bru. Sir, I hope,

My words dif-bench'd you not?
Cor: No, Sir; yet oft,

When blows have made me ftay, I fled from words.
You footh not, therefore hurt not; but your people,
I love them as they weigh.-

Men. Pray now, fit down.

Cor. I had rather have one fcratch my head i'th' Sun, When the Alarum were ftruck, than idly fit

To hear my Nothings monster'd.

Men. Mafters of the People,

[Exit Coriolanus.

Your multiplying spawn how can he flatter,
That's thoufand to one good one? when you fee,
He had rather venture all his limbs for honour,
Than one of's ears to hear't. Proceed, Cominius. !
Com. I fhall lack voice; the Deeds of Coriolanus:
Should not be utter'd feebly. It is held,
That valour is the chiefeft virtue, and
Moft dignifies the Haver; if it be,

The Man, I fpeak of, cannot in the world
Be fingly counter-pois'd. At fixteen years,
*When 7 arquin made a head for Rome, he fought
Beyond the mark of others; our then Dictator,
Whom with all praise I point at, faw him fight,
When with his Amazonian chin he drove
The bristled lips before him; he bestrid
An o'er-preft Roman, and i'th' Conful's view
Slew three Oppofers; Tarquin's felf he met,

6-bow car le flatter,] The
reafoning of Menenius is this:
How can he be expected to prac-
ife flattery to others, who ab-
hors it fo much, that he cannot
hear it even when offered to him-

felf.

• When Tarquin made a beau

for Rome,- When Tarquin, who had been expelled, railed a power to recover Rome.

And

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