Bru.

Enter MESSENGER.

What's the matter?

Mes. 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
I never saw the like.

Bru.

caps

and shouts :

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 knowlege 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, bonneted, without any farther 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. Make way; they are coming.

1 Adversary.

2 Took off their caps.

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 perform'd
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,1
To yield what passes here.

Sic.

We are convented

Upon a pleasing treaty; and have hearts

i. e. your kind interposition with the common people.

Inclinable to honor and advance

The theme of our assembly.

Bru.

Which the rather

We shall be bless'd 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?

Bru.

Most willingly:

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

Bru.

them.

Sir, I hope,

No, sir: yet oft,

My words disbench'd you not.

Cor.

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.

1 That is nothing to the purpose.

Men.

Pray now, sit down.

Cor. I had rather have one scratch my head i̇' the

sun,

When the alarum were struck, than idly sit

To hear my nothings monster'd.

Men.

[Exit Coriolanus. Masters o' 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 honor,

Than one of his ears to hear it? Proceed, Comi

nius.

Com. I shall lack voice: the deeds of Coriolanus Should not be utter'd 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 1 he drove
The bristled lips before him: he bestrid
An o'erpress'd 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

1 i. e. without a beard.