Indeed, I would be consul.

5 Cit. He has done nobly, and cannot go without any honest man's voice.

6 Cit. Therefore let him be consul: The gods give

him joy, and make him good friend to the people!

All. Amen, amen.

God save thee, noble consul!

Cor, Worthy voices!

[Exeunt Citizens.

Enter MENENIUS, with BRUTUS, and SICINIUS.

Men. You have stood your limitation; and the tribunes

Endue you with the people's voice: Remains,

That, in the official marks invested, you

Anon do meet the senate.

Cor. Is this done?

Sic. The custom of request you have discharg'd:

The people do admit you; and are summon'd

To meet anon, upon your approbation.

Cor. Where? at the senate-house?

Sic. There, Coriolanus.

Cor. May I change these garments ?

Sic. You may, sir.

Cor. That I'll straight do; and, knowing myself again,

Repair to the senate-house.

Men. I'll keep you company. Will you along?

Bru. We stay here for the people.

Sic. Fare you well.

[Exeunt Cor. and MEN.

-He has it now; and, by his looks, methinks,

'Tis warm at his heart.

Bru. With a proud heart he wore

His humble weeds: Will you dismiss the people?

Re-enter Citizens.

Sic. How now, my masters? have you chose this man?

1 Cit. He has our voices, sir.

Bru. We pray the gods, he may deserve your loves.

2 Cit. Amen, sir: To my poor unworthy notice,

He mock'd us, when he begg'd our voices.

3 Cit. Certainly, he flouted us down-right.

1 Cit. No, 'tis his kind of speech, he did not mock us.

2 Cit. Not one amongst us, save yourself, but says

He us'd us scornfully: he should have show'd us

His marks of merit, wounds receiv'd for his country.

Sic. Why, so he did, I am sure.

Cit. No; no man saw 'em.

[Several speak.

16

VOL. VII.

L

3 Cit. He said, he had wounds, which he could show

[in private;

And with his hat, thus waving it in scorn,
I would be consul, says he: aged custom,
But by your voices, will not so permit me ;
Your voices therefore: When we granted that,
Here was, I thank you for your voices, thank you,-
Your most sweet voices:-now you have left your voices,
I have no further with you:- Was not this mockery?
Sic. Why, either, you were ignorant to see't?

Or, seeing it, of such childish friendliness
To yield your voices ?

Bru. Could you not have told him,
As you were lesson'd,-When he had no power,
But was a petty servant to the state,
He was your enemy; ever spake against
Your liberties, and the charters that you bear
I'the body of the weal: and now, arriving
At place of potency, and sway o'the state,
If he should still malignantly remain
Fast foe to the plebeii, your voices might
Be curses to yourselves: You should have said,
That, as his worthy deeds did claim no less
Than what he stood for; so his gracious nature
Would think upon you for your voices, and
Translate his malice towards you into love,
Standing your friendly lord.

Sic. Thus to have said,
As you were fore-advis'd, had touch'd his spirit,
And try'd his inclination; from him pluck'd
Either his gracious promise, which you might,
As cause had call'd you up, have held him to ;
Or else it would have gall'd his surly nature,
Which easily endures not article

Tying him to aught; so, putting him to rage,
You should have ta'en the advantage of his choler,
And pass'd him unelected.

Bru. Did you perceive,

He did solicit you in free contempt,3

When he did need your loves; and do you think,
That his contempt shall not be bruising to you,
When he hath power to crush? Why, had your bodies

No heart among you? Or had you tongues, to cry

[2] Did you want knowledge to discern it? JOHNSON.

[3] That is, with contempt open and unrestrained. JOHNSON.

Against the rectorship of judgment ?

Sic. Have you,

Ere now, deny'd the asker? and, now again,
On him, that did not ask, but mock, bestow
Your su'd-for tongues ?*

3 Cit. He's not confirm'd, we may deny him yet.

2 Cit. And will deny him:

I'll have five hundred voices of that sound.

1 Cit. I twice five hundred, and their friends to piece 'em. Bru. Get you hence instantly; and tell those friends,

They have chose a consul, that will from them take
Their liberties; make them of no more voice
Than dogs, that are as often beat for barking,
As therefore kept to do so.

Sic. Let them assemble ;

And, on a safer judgment, all revoke
Your ignorant election: Enforce his pride,
And his old hate unto you: besides, forget not
With what contempt he wore the humble weed;
How in his suit he scorn'd you but your loves,
Thinking upon his services, took from you
The apprehension of his present portance,
Which gibingly, ungravely he did fashion
After the inveterate hate he bears you.

Bru. Lay

A fault on us, your tribunes; that we labour'd (No impediment between) but that you must Cast your election on him.

Cic. Say, you chose him

More after our commandment, than as guided
By your own true affections: and that, your minds
Pre-occupy'd with what you rather must do,
Than what you should, made you against the grain
To voice him consul: Lay the fault on us.

Bru. Ay, spare us not. Say, we read lectures to you,
How youngly he began to serve his country,
How long continued: and what stock he springs of,
The noble house o'the Marcians; from whence came
That Ancus Marcius, Numa's daughter's son,
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,

[4] Your voices that hitherto have been solicited. [5] Object his pride, and enforce the objection.

STEEVENS.
JOHNSON.

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 don't,
(Harp on that still,) but by our putting on :
And presently, when you have drawn your number,

Repair to the Capitol.

Cit. We will so: almost all

Repent in their election.

Bru. Let them go on;

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.

[Exeunt.

SCENE 1.The same. A Street. Cornets. Enter CORIOLA

NUS, MENENIUS, COMINIUS, TITUS LARTIUS, Senators, and Patricians.

Coriolanus.

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 Aufidius?

[6] That is, weighing his past and present behaviour. JOHNSON."

[7] Mark, catch, and improve the opportunity, which his hasty anger will afford

JOHNSON.

Lart. On safe-guard 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 he of me?

Lart. He did, my lord.

Cor. 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. At Antium lives he?

Lart. At Antium.

Cor. I wish I had a cause to seek him there,

To oppose his hatred fully.---- Welcome home. [TO LART.

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. Pass no further.

Cor. Ha! what is that?

Bru. It will be dangerous to

Go on: no further.

Cor. What makes this change?

Men. The matter?

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

Bru. Cominius, no.

Cor. Have I had children's voices ?

Sen. Tribunes, give way; he shall to the market-place.
Bru. The people are incens'd against him.

Sic. Stop,

Or all will fall in broil.

Cor. Are these your herd ?

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 ?9

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,

[8] Plume, deck, dignify themselves. JOHNSON.

[9] The metaphor is from man's setting a mastiff upon any one. WARBURTON

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