Only there's one thing wanting, which I doubt not, But our Rome will cast upon thee.

Cor.

Know, good mother,

I had rather be their servant in my way,

Than sway with them in theirs.

Com.

On, to the Capitol ! [Flourish. Cornets. Exeunt in state, as before. The Tribunes remain.

Bru. All tongues speak of him, and the bleared sights
Are spectacled to see him: your prattling nurse
Into a rapture' lets her baby cry

While she cheers2 him: the kitchen malkin3 pins
Her richest lockram* 'bout her reechy neck,

Clambering the walls to eye him: stalls, bulks, windows,
Are smother'd up, leads fill'd, and ridges hors'd
With variable complexions, all agreeing

In earnestness to see him: seld-shown flamens
Do press among the popular throngs, and puff
To win a vulgar station: our veil'd dames
Commit the war of white and damask, in
Their nicely-gauded cheeks, to the wanton spoil
Of Phoebus' burning kisses: such a pother,
As if that whatsoever god, who leads him,
Were slily crept into his human powers,
And gave him graceful posture.

Sic.

I warrant him consul.

Bru.

On the sudden

Then our office may,

During his power, go sleep.

Sic. He cannot temperately transport his honours From where he should begin, and end; but will Lose those he hath won.

Bru.

In that there's comfort.

Sic. Doubt not, the commoners, for whom we stand, But they, upon their ancient malice, will

Forget, with the least cause, these his new honours; Which that he'll give them, make I as little question As he is proud to do 't.

Bru.

I heard him swear,

Were he to stand for consul, never would he

Appear i' the market-place, nor on him put

1 Fit. 2 chats: in f. e. 3 The diminutive of Mall or Mary-used

66

as wench." It also means a mop, a clout. A kind of cheap linen. 5 Smoky, dirty.

The napless vesture of humility;

Nor, showing (as the manner is) his wounds
To the people, beg their stinking breaths.

Sic.

'T is right.

Bru. It was his word. O! he would miss it, rather Than carry it but by the suit o' the gentry to him, And the desire of the nobles.

Sic.
I wish no better,
Than have him hold that purpose, and to put it
In execution.

Bru.

'T is most like, he will.

Sic. It shall be to him, then, at our good wills, A sure destruction.

Bru.

So it must fall out

To him, or our authorities, for an end.

We must suggest the people, in what hatred

He still hath held them; that to his power he would Have made them mules, silenc'd their pleaders, and Dispropertied their freedoms; holding them,

In human action and capacity,

Of no more soul, nor fitness for the world,

Than camels in the war; who have their provand
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 touch' 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 for ever.

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 pass'd; 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;

1 teach in f. e.

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 't is 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 wav'd 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, bonneted, without any farther deed to have them at all into their estimation and report: but he hath so planted his honours 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. Make way, they are coming.

A Sennet. Enter, with Lictors before them, COMINIUS the Consul, MENENIUS, CORIOLANUS, many other Sena

tors, SICINIUS and BRUTUS. The Senators take their places; the Tribunes take theirs also by themselves. Men. Having determin'd of the Volsces, 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 perform'd
By Caius Marcius Coriolanus; whom

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

Sic.

We are convented

Upon a pleasing treatise1; and have hearts
Inclinable to honour and advance

The theme of our assembly.

Bru.

Which the rather

We shall be prest2 to do, if he remember
A kinder value of the people, than

He hath hereto priz'd them at.

Men.

That's off, that's off:

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

Bru.

But yet my caution was more pertinent,

Than the rebuke you give it.

Men.

Most willingly;

He loves your people;

But tie him not to be their bed-fellow.—

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 honours' pardon:

I had rather have my wounds to heal again,

1 treaty in f. e. 2 blest: in f. e.

Than hear say how I got them.

Bru.

Sir, I hope,

No, sir: yet oft,

My words dis-bench'd you not.
Cor.
When blows have made me stay, I fled from words.
You sooth'd 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.

Men.

[Exit.

Masters of the people,

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 honour,

Than one on's ears to hear it ?-Proceed, Cominius.
Com. I shall lack voice: the deeds of Coriolanus
Should not be utter'd feebly.-It is held,

That valour is the chiefest virtue, and
Most dignifies the haver: if it be,

The man I speak of cannot in the world
Be singly counterpois'd. 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 prov'd best man i' the field; and for his meed
Was brow-bound with the oak. His pupil age
Man-enter'd thus, he waxed like a sea;

And in the brunt of seventeen battles since,

He lurch'd' all swords of the garland. For this last,
Before and in Corioli, let me say,

I cannot speak him home: he stopp'd the fliers,
And by his rare example made the coward
Turn terror into sport. As weeds before

A vessel under sail, so men obey'd,

And fell below his stem: his sword, death's stamp,
Where it did mark, it took: from face to foot

1 Gained by an easy victory.