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 darling of the people,
And nobly nam'd so, being censor twice,
Was his great ancestor.

Sic.
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.

Say, you ne'er had done't (Harp on that still), but by our putting on: And presently, when you have drawn your number,

Repair to the Capitol.

Čit. We will so almost all [Several speak. Repent in their election. [Exeunt Citizens. Let them go on;

Bru.

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.

Sic.

To the Capitol :

Come; we'll be there before the stream o'the

people;

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

ACT III.

SCENE I. The same. A Street.

[Exeunt.

Cornets. Enter CORIOLANUS, MENENIUS, COMINIUS,
TITUS LARTIUS, Senators, and Patricians.
Cor. Tullus Aufidius then had made new head?
Lart. He had, my lord; and that it was, which
caus'd

Our swifter composition.

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

Upon us again.

Com.

They are worn, lord consul, so,

That we shall hardly in our ages see
Their banners wave again.

Cor.

Saw you Aufidins?

Lart. On safeguard he came to me; and did

curse

Against the Volces, for they had so vilely
Yielded the town: he is retir'd to Antium.
Cor. Spoke be 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

Be call'd your vanquisher.

Cor.

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. [To LARTIUS.

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.

Sic.

Bru.

Pass no further.

Cor. Ha! what is that?

It will be dangerous to

Cor.

Men.

What makes this change?

The matter?

Go on no further.

Com. Hath he not pass'd the nobles, and the

commons?

Bru. Cominius, no.

Cor.

Have I had children's voices?

1 Sen. Tribunes, give way; he shall to the

market-place.

Bru. The people are incens'd against him.
Sic.

Or all will fall in broil.

Cor. VOL. VI.

Stop,

Are these your herd ?

X

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 purpos'd thing, and grows by plot, To curb the will of the nobility:

Suffer it, and live with such as cannot rule,
Nor ever will be rul'd.

Call't not a plot :

Bru. The people cry, you mock'd them: and, of late, When corn was given them gratis, you repin'd; Scandal'd the suppliants for the people; call'd

them

Not to them all.

Time-pleasers, flatterers, foes to nobleness.
Cor. Why, this was known before.
Bru.
Cor. Have you inform'd them since?
Bru.

How! I inform them!

Cor. You are like to do such business.

Bru.

Each way to better yours.

Not unlike,

Cor. Why then should I be consul? By yon 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
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.

Let's be calm.

Men.
Com. The people are abus'd:-Set on.-This

palt'ring

Becomes not Rome; nor has Coriolanus

Deserv'd this so dishonour'd rub, laid falsely F the plain way of his merit.

Cor.

Tell me of corn! This was my speech, and I will speak't again;Men. Not now, not now.

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

but that

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

Men.

Well, no more.

How, no more?

1 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 meazels,

Which we disdain should tetter us, yet sought
The very way to catch them.

Bru.
As if you were a god to punish, not

A man of their infirmity.

Sic.

We let the people know't,
Men.

Cor. Choler!

Were I as patient as the midnight sleep,

You speak o' the people,

'Twere well,

What, what? his choler?

It is a mind,

Shall remain !

'Twas from the canon.

Shall!

By Jove, 'twould be my mind.

Sic.

That shall remain a poison where it is,

Not poison any further.

Cor.

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

Com.
Cor.

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 monsters, wants not
spirit

To 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 learned,
Be not as common fools; if you are not,
Let them have cushions by you. You are ple-
beians,

If they be senators: and they are no less,
When, both your voices blended, the greatest

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 akes,
To know, when two authorities are up,
Neither supreme, how soon confusion

May enter 'twixt the gap of both, and take
The one by the other.

Com.

Well-on to the market-place. Cor. Whoever gave that counsel, to give forth The corn o' the storehouse gratis, as 'twas us'd Sometime in Greece,-

Men.

Well, well, no more of that. Cor. (Though there the people had more absolute power)

I say, they nourish'd disobedience, fed

The ruin of the state.

Bru.

Why, shall the people give

One, that speaks thus, their voice?

Cor.

I'll give my reasons, More worthier than their voices. They know,

the corn

Was not our recompense; resting well assur'd They ne'er did service for't: Being press'd to the wat,

Even when the navel of the state was touch'd, That would not thread the gates: this kind of

service

Did not deserve corn gratis: being i' the war,
Their mutinies and revolts, wherein they show'd
Most valour, spoke not for them: The accusation
Which they have often made against the senate,
All cause unborn, could never be the native
Of our so frank donation. Well, what then?
How shall this bosom multiplied digest
The senate's courtesy? Let deeds express
What's like to be their words:-We did request it?