310

Being once gangrened, is 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

The harm of unscann'd swiftness, will too late

Tie leaden pounds to's heels. Proceed by pro

cess;

Lest parties, as he is beloved, break out,

And sack great Rome with Romans.

Bru.

Sic. What do ye talk?

If it were so,—

Have we not had a taste of his obedience?
Our ædiles smote ? ourselves resisted? Come.
Men. Consider this: he has been bred i̇' the

wars

Since he could draw a sword, and is ill school'd
In bolted 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.

First Sen.

Noble tribunes,

It is the humane way: the other course

Will prove too bloody; and the end of it

Unknown to the beginning.

304. clean kam, utterly 305. Merely, absolutely. crooked. 322. bolted, sifted.

320

Sic.

Noble Menenius,

Be you then as the people's officer.
Masters, lay down your weapons.

Bru.

330

Go not home.

Sic. Meet on the market-place. We'll attend

you there :

Where, if you bring not Marcius, we'll proceed
In our first way.

Men.

I'll bring him to you.

[To the Senators] Let me desire your company:

he must come,

Or what is worst will follow.

First Sen.

Pray you, let's to him.

[Exeunt.

SCENE II. A room in Coriolanus's house.

Enter CORIOLANUS with Patricians.

Cor. Let them pull all about mine ears; pre

sent me

Death on the wheel or at wild horses' heels,

Or pile ten hills on the Tarpeian rock,
That the precipitation might down stretch
Below the beam of sight; yet will I still
Be thus to them.

A Patrician.

You do the nobler.

Cor. I muse my mother

Does not approve me further, who was wont
To call them woollen vassals, things created
To buy and sell with groats, to show bare heads
In congregations, to yawn, be still and wonder,
When one but of my ordinance stood up
To speak of peace or war.

5. beam of sight, range of the eye.

7. muse, wonder.

ΤΟ

Enter VOLUMNIA.

I talk of you:

Why did you wish me milder? would you have me
False to my nature?
Rather say I play

The man I am.

Vol.

O, sir, sir, sir,

I would have had you put your power well on,
Before you had worn it out.

Cor.

Let go.

Vol. You might have been enough the man

you are,

With striving less to be so: lesser had been

The thwartings of your dispositions, if

You had not show'd them how ye were disposed
Ere they lack'd power to cross you.

Cor.

Vol. Ay, and burn too.

Let them hang.

Enter MENENIUS and Senators.

Men. Come, come, you have been too rough,

something too rough;

You must return and mend it.

First Sen.

Unless, by not so doing, our good city

There's no remedy;

Pray, be counsell'd:

Cleave in the midst, and perish.

Vol.

I have a heart as little apt as yours,
But yet a brain that leads my use of anger
To better vantage.

24. Ay, and burn too. The Folios give this speech to Volumnia; but modern editors, arguing that she is advising patience, take it from her. Yet her point of view is quite clear. She despises and hates

the plebeians as much

20

30

as

Coriolanus can, but she would choose her own time to show her wrath. Cf. 11. 29 and 62. Cf. also Menenius in iii. 1. 262 for a similar attitude.

In asking their good loves, but thou wilt frame
Thyself, forsooth, hereafter theirs, so far

As thou hast power and person.

Men.

This but done,

Even as she speaks, why, their hearts were yours;
For they have pardons, being ask'd, as free

As words to little purpose.

Vol.

Prithee now,

Go, and be ruled: although I know thou hadst

rather

Follow thine enemy in a fiery gulf

Than flatter him in a bower. Here is Cominius.

Enter COMINIUS.

Com. I have been i' the market-place; and, sir,
'tis fit

You make strong party, or defend yourself
By calmness or by absence: all's in anger.
Men. Only fair speech.

Com.

I think 'twill serve, if he

Can thereto frame his spirit.

Vol.

He must, and will. Prithee now, say you will, and go about it.

Cor. Must I go show them my unbarbed sconce? Must I with base tongue give my noble heart A lie that it must bear ?

Well, I will do 't:

Yet, were there but this single plot to lose,

This mould of Marcius, they to dust should grind it And throw't against the wind. To the market

place!

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. I prithee now, sweet son, as thou hast said

90

100

99. unbarbed sconce head 102. this single plot, my

without a helmet.

single person.

My praises made thee first a soldier, so,
To have my praise for this, perform a part
Thou hast 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 schoolboys' 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 received 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.

Pray, be content:

Mother, I am going to the market-place;
Chide me no more. I'll mountebank their loves,
Cog their hearts from them, and come home

beloved

110

120

130