Bru. What's the matter?
Mess. You are sent for to the Capitol. 'Tis thought[2898][2899]
That Marcius shall be consul:[2898]
I have seen the dumb men throng to see him and[2898] 250
The blind to hear him speak: matrons flung gloves,[2898][2900]
Ladies and maids their scarfs and handkerchers,[2901]
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: 255
I never saw the like.
Bru. 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.[2902]
First Off. Come, come, they are almost here. How
many stand for consulships?
Sec. Off. Three, they say: but 'tis thought of every
one Coriolanus will carry it.
First Off. That's a brave fellow; but he's vengeance 5
proud, and loves not the common people.
Sec. 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 10
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.[2903]
First Off. If he did not care whether he had their love 15
or no, he waved indifferently 'twixt doing them neither good[2904]
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 20
as that which he dislikes, to flatter them for their love.
Sec. Off. He hath deserved worthily of his country: and
his ascent is not by such easy degrees as those who, having[2905]
been supple and courteous to the people, bonneted, without[2906]
any further deed to have them at all into their estimation[2906][2907] 25
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 30
every ear that heard it.
First Off. No more of him; he's a worthy man: make[2908]
way, they are coming.
A sennet. Enter, with Lictors before them, Cominius the Consul,
Menenius, Coriolanus, Senators, Sicinius and Brutus. The
Senators take their places; the Tribunes take their place by themselves.
Coriolanus stands.[2909]
Men. Having determined of the Volsces and[2910][2911]
To send for Titus Lartius, it remains,[2911] 35
As the main point of this our after-meeting,
To gratify his noble service that[2912]
Hath thus stood for his country: therefore, please you,[2912]
Most reverend and grave elders, to desire
The present consul, and last general[2913] 40
In our well-found successes, to report[2913]
A little of that worthy work perform'd
By Caius Marcius Coriolanus; whom[2914]
We met here, both to thank and to remember[2915]
With honours like himself.
First Sen. Speak, good Cominius: 45
Leave nothing out for length, and make us think
Rather our state's defective for requital[2916]
Than we to stretch it out. [To the Tribunes] Masters o' the people,[2917]
We do request your kindest ears, and after,[2918]
Your loving motion toward the common body, 50
To yield what passes here.[2919][2920]
Men. That's off, that's off;[2920]
I would you rather had been silent. Please you[2920]
To hear Cominius speak?[2920]
Men. He loves your people;[2920]
But tie him not to be their bedfellow.[2920]
Worthy Cominius, speak. [Coriolanus offers to go away.][2920][2926]
Nay, keep your place.[2920]
First Sen. Sit, Coriolanus; never shame to hear[2927]
What you have nobly done.
Cor. Your honours' pardon:[2928] 65
I had rather have my wounds to heal again
Than hear say how I got them.
Cor. No, sir: yet oft,[2930]
When blows have made me stay, I fled from words.
You sooth'd not, therefore hurt not: but your people,[2931] 70
I love them as they weigh.[2932]
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[2933]
To hear my nothings monster'd. [Exit.[2934]
Men. Masters of the people,
Your multiplying spawn how can he flatter—[2935] 75
That's thousand to one good one—when you now see[2936]
He had rather venture all his limbs for honour
Than one on's ears to hear it? Proceed, Cominius.[2937]
Com. I shall lack voice: the deeds of Coriolanus
Should not be utter'd feebly. It is held[2938] 80
That valour is the chiefest virtue and[2939]
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 85
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[2940]
The bristled lips before him: he bestrid[2941]
An o'er-press'd Roman, and i' the consul's view 90
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
Was brow-bound with the oak. His pupil age[2942] 95
Man-enter'd thus, he waxed like a sea;[2943]
And, in the brunt of seventeen battles since,
He lurch'd all swords of the garland. For this last,[2944]
Before and in Corioli, let me say,
I cannot speak him home: he stopp'd the fliers; 100
And by his rare example made the coward
Turn terror into sport: as weeds before[2945]
A vessel under sail, so men obey'd,
And fell below his stem: his sword, death's stamp,[2946]
Where it did mark, it took; from face to foot[2947] 105
He was a thing of blood, whose every motion[2947]
Was timed with dying cries: alone he enter'd[2948]
The mortal gate of the city, which he painted[2949]
With shunless destiny; aidless came off,[2950]
And with a sudden re-enforcement struck 110
Corioli like a planet: now all's his:[2951]
When, by and by, the din of war gan pierce[2952]
His ready sense; then straight his doubled spirit[2953]
Re-quicken'd what in flesh was fatigate,
And to the battle came he; where he did 115
Run reeking o'er the lives of men, as if[2954][2955]
'Twere a perpetual spoil: and till we call'd[2954]
Both field and city ours, he never stood
To ease his breast with panting.[2956]
Men. Worthy man!
Com. Our spoils he kick'd at,
And look'd upon things precious, as they were
The common muck of the world: he covets less[2960]
Than misery itself would give; rewards[2961][2962]
His deeds with doing them, and is content[2961] 125
To spend the time to end it.[2963]
First Sen. Call Coriolanus.[2965]
Off. He doth appear.
Re-enter Coriolanus.[2966]
Men. The senate, Coriolanus, are well pleased[2967]
To make thee consul.[2967]
Cor. I do owe them still[2967] 130
My life and services.[2967]
Men. It then remains[2967]
That you do speak to the people.[2967]
Cor. I do beseech you,[2968]
Let me o'erleap that custom, for I cannot
Put on the gown, stand naked, and entreat them,
For my wounds' sake, to give their suffrage: please you[2969][2970] 135
That I may pass this doing.[2969]
Bru. Mark you that?
Cor. To brag unto them, thus I did, and thus;[2978]
Show them the unaching scars which I should hide,[2978][2979] 145
As if I had received them for the hire
Of their breath only!
Men. Do not stand upon't.
We recommend to you, tribunes of the people,[2980]
Our purpose to them: and to our noble consul[2981]
Wish we all joy and honour. 150
Senators. To Coriolanus come all joy and honour!
[Flourish of cornets. Exeunt all but Sicinius and Brutus.[2982]
Bru. You see how he intends to use the people.
Sic. May they perceive's intent! He will require them,[2983]
As if he did contemn what he requested
Should be in them to give.
Bru. Come, we'll inform them 155
Of our proceedings here: on the market-place,[2984]
I know, they do attend us. [Exeunt.[2985]
Scene III. The same. The Forum.
Enter seven or eight Citizens.[2986]
First Cit. Once, if he do require our voices, we ought[2987]
not to deny him.
Sec. Cit. We may, sir, if we will.
Third Cit. We have power in ourselves to do it, but it
is a power that we have no power to do: for if he show us 5
his wounds and tell us his deeds, we are to put our tongues[2988]
into those wounds and speak for them; so, if he tell us his[2989]
noble deeds, we must also tell him our noble acceptance of
them. Ingratitude is monstrous: and for the multitude to
be ingrateful, were to make a monster of the multitude; of 10
the which we being members, should bring ourselves to be
monstrous members.
First Cit. And to make us no better thought of, a little
help will serve; for once we stood up about the corn, he[2990]
himself stuck not to call us the many-headed multitude.[2991] 15
Third Cit. We have been called so of many; not that
our heads are some brown, some black, some auburn, some[2992]
bald, but that our wits are so diversely coloured: and truly
I think, if all our wits were to issue out of one skull, they[2993]
would fly east, west, north, south, and their consent of one 20
direct way should be at once to all the points o' the compass.[2994]
Sec. Cit. Think you so? Which way do you judge my
wit would fly?
Third Cit. Nay, your wit will not so soon out as another
man's will; 'tis strongly wedged up in a block-head; but if[2995] 25
it were at liberty, 'twould, sure, southward.[2996]
Sec. Cit. Why that way?
Third Cit. To lose itself in a fog; where being three
parts melted away with rotten dews, the fourth would return[2997]
for conscience sake, to help to get thee a wife. 30
Sec. Cit. You are never without your tricks: you may,
you may.[2998]
Third Cit. Are you all resolved to give your voices? But
that's no matter, the greater part carries it. I say, if he would[2999]
incline to the people, there was never a worthier man. 35
Enter Coriolanus in a gown of humility, with Menenius.[3000]
Here he comes, and in the gown of humility: mark his behaviour.
We are not to stay all together, but to come by him[3001]
where he stands, by ones, by twos, and by threes. He's to[3002]
make his requests by particulars; wherein every one of us[3003]
has a single honour, in giving him our own voices with our 40
own tongues: therefore follow me, and I'll direct you how
you shall go by him.
All. Content, content. [Exeunt Citizens.[3004]
Men. O sir, you are not right: have you not known
The worthiest men have done 't?
Cor. What must I say?—[3005] 45
'I pray, sir,'—Plague upon 't! I cannot bring[3005]
My tongue to such a pace. 'Look, sir, my wounds!
I got them in my country's service, when
Some certain of your brethren roar'd and ran
From the noise of our own drums.'[3006]
Men. O me, the gods![3007] 50
You must not speak of that: you must desire them[3007]
To think upon you.[3007]
Cor. Think upon me! hang 'em!
I would they would forget me, like the virtues[3008]
Which our divines lose by 'em.[3008][3009]
Men. You'll mar all:
I'll leave you: pray you, speak to 'em, I pray you, 55
In wholesome manner. [Exit.[3010]
Cor. Bid them wash their faces,
And keep their teeth clean. [Re-enter two of the Citizens.]
So, here comes a brace.
Re-enter a third Citizen.[3011]