[Scene II.]
Enter two Officers, to lay Cuſhions, as it were,
in the Capitoll.
1. Off.
Come, come, they are almoſt here: how many
ſtand for Conſulſhips?
2. Off.
Three, they ſay: but 'tis thought of euery one,
Coriolanus will carry it.
1. Off.
That's a braue fellow: but hee's vengeance
prowd, and loues not the common people.
2. Off.
'Faith, there hath beene many great men that
haue flatter'd the people, who ne're loued them; and there
be many that they haue loued, they know not wherefore:
ſo that if they loue they know not why, they hate vpon
no better a ground. Therefore, for Coriolanus neyther to
care whether they loue, or hate him, manifeſts the true
knowledge he ha's in their diſpoſition, and out of his No-
ble careleſneſſe lets them plainely ſee't.
1. Off.
If he did not care whether he had their loue, or
no, hee waued indifferently, 'twixt doing them neyther
good, nor harme: but hee ſeekes their hate with greater
deuotion, then they can render it him; and leaues nothing
vndone, that may fully diſcouer him their oppoſite. Now
to ſeeme to affect the mallice and diſpleaſure of the Peo-
ple, is as bad, as that which he diſlikes, to flatter them for
their loue.
2. Off.
Hee hath deſerued worthily of his Countrey,
and his aſſent is not by ſuch eaſie degrees as thoſe, who
hauing beene ſupple and courteous to the People, Bon-
netted, without any further deed, to haue them at all into
their eſtimation, and report: but hee hath ſo planted his
Honors in their Eyes, and his actions in their Hearts, that
for their Tongues to be ſilent, and not confeſſe ſo much,
were a kinde of ingratefull Iniurie: to report otherwiſe,
were a Mallice, that giuing it ſelfe the Lye, would plucke
reproofe and rebuke from euery Eare that heard it.
1. Off.
No more of him, hee's a worthy man: make
way, they are comming.
A Sennet. Enter the Patricians, and the Tribunes of
the People, Lictors before them: Coriolanus, Mene-
nius, Cominius the Conſul: Scicinius and Brutus
take their places by themſelues: Corio-
lanus ſtands.
Menen.
Hauing determin'd of the Volces,
And to ſend for Titus Lartius: it remaines,
As the maine Point of this our after-meeting,
To gratifie his Noble ſeruice, that hath
Thus ſtood for his Countrey. Therefore pleaſe you,
Moſt reuerend and graue Elders, to deſire
The preſent Conſull, and laſt Generall,
In our well-found Succeſſes, to report
A little of that worthy Worke, perform'd
By Martius Caius Coriolanus: whom
We met here, both to thanke, and to remember,
With Honors like himſelfe.
1. Sen.
Speake, good Cominius:
Leaue nothing out for length, and make vs thinke
Rather our ſtates defectiue for requitall,
Then we to ſtretch it out. Maſters a'th'People,
We doe requeſt your kindeſt eares: and after
Your louing motion toward the common Body,
To yeeld what paſſes here.
Scicin.
We are conuented vpon a pleaſing Treatie, and
haue hearts inclinable to honor and aduance the Theame
of our Aſſembly.
Brutus.
Which the rather wee ſhall be bleſt to doe, if
he remember a kinder value of the People, then he hath
hereto priz'd them at.
Menen.
That's off, that's off: I would you rather had
been ſilent: Pleaſe you to heare Cominius ſpeake?
Brutus.
Moſt willingly: but yet my Caution was
more pertinent then the rebuke you giue it.
Menen.
He loues your People, but tye him not to be
their Bed-fellow: Worthie Cominius ſpeake.
Coriolanus riſes, and offers to goe away.
Nay, keepe your place.
Senat.
Sit Coriolanus: neuer ſhame to heare
What you haue Nobly done.
Coriol.
Your Honors pardon:
I had rather haue my Wounds to heale againe,
Then heare ſay how I got them.
Brutus.
Sir, I hope my words dis-bench'd you not?
Coriol.
No Sir: yet oft,
When blowes haue made me ſtay, I fled from words.
You ſooth'd not, therefore hurt not: but your People,
I loue them as they weigh—
Menen.
Pray now ſit downe.
Corio.
I had rather haue one ſcratch my Head i'th'Sun,
When the Alarum were ſtrucke, then idly ſit
To heare my Nothings monſter'd. Exit Coriolanus
Menen.
Maſters of the People,
Your multiplying Spawne, how can he flatter?
That's thouſand to one good one, when you now ſee
He had rather venture all his Limbes for Honor,
Then on ones Eares to heare it. Proceed Cominius.
Com.
I ſhall lacke voyce: the deeds of Coriolanus
Should not be vtter'd feebly: it is held,
That Valour is the chiefeſt Vertue,
And moſt dignifies the hauer: if it be,
The man I ſpeake of, cannot in the World
Be ſingly counter-poys'd. At ſixteene yeeres,
When Tarquin made a Head for Rome, he fought
Beyond the marke of others: our then Dictator,
Whom with all prayſe I point at, ſaw him fight,
When with his Amazonian Shinne he droue
The brizled Lippes before him: he beſtrid
An o're-preſt Roman, and i'th'Conſuls view
Slew three Oppoſers: Tarquins ſelfe he met,
And ſtrucke him on his Knee: in that dayes feates,
When he might act the Woman in the Scene,
He prou'd beſt man i'th'field, and for his meed
Was Brow-bound with the Oake. His Pupill age
Man-entred thus, he waxed like a Sea,
And in the brunt of ſeuenteene Battailes ſince,
He lurcht all Swords of the Garland: for this laſt,
Before, and in Corioles, let me ſay
I cannot ſpeake him home: he ſtopt the flyers,
And by his rare example made the Coward
Turne terror into ſport: as Weeds before
A Veſſell vnder ſayle, ſo men obey'd,
And fell below his Stem: his Sword, Deaths ſtampe,
Where it did marke, it tooke from face to foot:
He was a thing of Blood, whoſe euery motion
Was tim'd with dying Cryes: alone he entred
The mortall Gate of th'Citie, which he painted
With ſhunleſſe deſtinie: aydeleſſe came off,
And with a ſudden re-inforcement ſtrucke
Carioles like a Planet: now all's his,
When by and by the dinne of Warre gan pierce
His readie ſence: then ſtraight his doubled ſpirit
Requickned what in fleſh was fatigate,
And to the Battaile came he, where he did
Runne reeking o're the liues of men, as if'twere
A perpetuall ſpoyle: and till we call'd
Both Field and Citie ours, he neuer ſtood
To eaſe his Breſt with panting.
Menen.
Worthy man.
Senat.
He cannot but with meaſure fit the Honors
which we deuiſe him.
Com.
Our ſpoyles he kickt at,
And look'd vpon things precious, as they were
The common Muck of the World: he couets leſſe
Then Miſerie it ſelfe would giue, rewards his deeds
With doing them, and is content
To ſpend the time, to end it.
Menen.
Hee's right Noble, let him be call'd for.
Senat.
Call Coriolanus.
Off.
He doth appeare.
Enter Coriolanus.
Menen.
The Senate, Coriolanus, are well pleas'd to make
thee Conſull.
Corio.
I doe owe them ſtill my Life, and Seruices.
Menen.
It then remaines, that you doe ſpeake to the
People.
Corio.
I doe beſeech you,
Let me o're-leape that cuſtome: for I cannot
Put on the Gowne, ſtand naked, and entreat them
For my Wounds ſake, to giue their ſufferage:
Pleaſe you that I may paſſe this doing.
Scicin.
Sir, the People muſt haue their Voyces,
Neyther will they bate one iot of Ceremonie.
Menen.
Put them not too't:
Pray you goe fit you to the Cuſtome,
And take to you, as your Predeceſſors haue,
Your Honor with your forme.
Corio.
It is a part that I ſhall bluſh in acting,
And might well be taken from the People.
Brutus.
Marke you that.
Corio.
To brag vnto them, thus I did, and thus
Shew them th'vnaking Skarres, which I ſhould hide,
As if I had receiu'd them for the hyre
Of their breath onely.
Menen.
Doe not ſtand vpon't:
We recommend to you Tribunes of the People
Our purpoſe to them, and to our Noble Conſull
Wiſh we all Ioy, and Honor.
Senat.
To Coriolanus come all ioy and Honor.
Flouriſh Cornets.
Then Exeunt. Manet Sicinius and Brutus.
Bru.
You ſee how he intends to vſe the people.
Scicin.
May they perceiue's intent: he wil require them
As if he did contemne what he requeſted,
Should be in them to giue.
Bru.
Come, wee'l informe them
Of our proceedings heere on th'Market place,
I know they do attend vs.