As for my Country I have fhed my blood, Bru. You fpeak o' th' people, as you were a God To punish, not a man of their infirmity. Sic. 'Twere well, we let the people know't. Cor. Choler! were I as patient as the midnight sleep, By Jove, 'twould be my mind. Sic. It is a mind That shall remain a poison where it is, Not poifon any further. Cor. Shall remain ? Hear you this Triton of the minnows? mark you Com. 'Twas from the canon. Cor. Shall! O good, but most unwife Patricians, why, *You grave, but reckless Senators, have you thus Given Hydra here to chufe an officer, That with his peremptory fhall, being but The horn and noise o' th' monfters, wants not spirit When, both your vioces blended, the great'st taste You grave, but Wreckless Senators,-] We fhould read, i. e. Carelefs. It makes the Confuls base; and my foul akes May enter 'twixt the gap of Both, and take Com. Well-On to th' market-place. Cor. Who ever gave that counfel, to give forth. The corn o'th lore-house, gratis, as 'twas usid Sometime in Greece: Men. Well, well, no more of that, [Power: Cor. Though there the People had more abfolute I fay, they nourish'd difobedience, fed The ruin of the State. Bru. Why fhall the people give One, that speaks thus, their voice? Cor. I'll give my reasons, More worthy than their voice. They know, the corn They ne'er did fervice for't; being preft to th' war, They gave us our demands.-Thus we debase The nature of our Seats, and make the rabble Men. Come, enough. Bru. Enough, with over measure. Cor. Cor. No, take more; What may be fworn by. Both Divine and Human Real neceffities, and give way the while . T'unstable slightness; purpose fo barr'd, it follows, More than you doubt the change of't; that prefer To vamp a body with a dangerous phyfic, Not having power to do the good it would, Bru. H'as faid enough. Sic. H'as fpoken like a traitor, and fhall anfwer As traitors do. Cor. Thou wretch! Defpight o'erwhelm thee!What should the people do with these bald Tribunes? On whom depending, their obedience fails. To th' greater bench. In a Rebellion, When what's not meet, but what muft be, was law, Let what is meet, be faid, it must be law, Bru. Manifeft treafon Sic. This a Conful? no. Bru. The Ediles, ho! let him be apprehended. C 6 [Ediles enter. Sic. Sic. Go, call the people, in whofe name myself Attach thee as a traiterous innovator: A foe to th' public weal. Obey, I charge thee, Cor. Hence, old goat! All. We'll furety him. Com. Ag'd Sir, hands off. [Laying hold on Cori. Cor. Hence, rotten thing, or I shall shake thy bones Out of thy garments. Sic. Help me, citizens. Men. Enter a Rabble of Plebeians, with the Ediles. Sic. Here's he, that would take from all your power. Bru. Seize him, Ediles. All. Down with him, down with him! 2 Sen. Weapons, weapons, weapons! you [They all bustle about Coriolanus. Tribunes, Patricians, Citizens-what ho! Sicinius, Brutus, Coriolanus, citizens ! All. Peace, peace, peace, ftay, hold, peace! Men. What is about to be?—I am out of breath; Confufion's near, I cannot speak,-You Tribunes, Coriolanus, patience; fpeak, Sicinius. Sic. Hear me, people-peace. All. Let's hear our Tribune; peace; speak, speak, speak. Sic. You are at point to lose your liberties: Marcius would have all from you: Marcius, Whom late you nam'd for Conful. Men. Fie, fie, fie. This is the way to kindle, not to quench. Bru. Bru. By the consent of all, we were establish'd The people's magiftrates. All. You fo remain. Men. And fo are like to do. Cor. That is the way to lay the city flat; Sic. This deferves death. Bru. Or let us ftand to our Authority, Sic. Therefore lay hold on him; Bear him to th' rock Tarpeian, and from thence Bru. Ediles, feize him. All Ple. Yield, Marcius, yield. Men. Hear me one word; 'befeech you, Tribunes, hear me but a word Ediles. Peace, peace. Men. Be that you seem, truly your Country's friends, And temp'rately proceed to what you would Thus violently redrefs. Bru. Sir, thofe cold ways, That feem like prudent helps, are very poisonous, Where the difeafe is violent. Lay hands on him, And bear him to the rock. Cor. No; I'll die here. [Coriolanus draws his fword. There's fome among you have beheld me fighting, Come, try upon yourselves, what you have feen me. Men. Down with that fword; Tribunes, withdraw a while. Bru. Lay hands upon him. Men. Help Marcius, helphelp him young and old. -you that be noble, All. |