[Scene III.]
Enter ſeuen or eight Citizens.
1. Cit.
Once if he do require our voyces, wee ought
not to deny him.
2. Cit.
We may Sir if we will.
3. Cit.
We haue power in our ſelues to do it, but it is
a power that we haue no power to do: For, if hee ſhew vs
his wounds, and tell vs his deeds, we are to put our ton-
gues into thoſe wounds, and ſpeake for them: So if he tel
vs his Noble deeds, we muſt alſo tell him our Noble ac-
ceptance of them. Ingratitude is monſtrous, and for the
multitude to be ingratefull, were to make a Monſter of
the multitude; of the which, we being|members, ſhould
bring our ſelues to be monſtrous members.
1. Cit.
And to make vs no better thought of a little
helpe will ſerue: for once we ſtood vp about the Corne,
he himſelfe ſtucke not to call vs the many-headed Multi-
tude.
3. Cit.
We haue beene call'd ſo of many, not that our
heads are ſome browne, ſome blacke, ſome Abram, ſome
bald; but that our wits are ſo diuerſly Coulord; and true-
ly I thinke, if all our wittes were to iſſue out of one Scull,
they would flye Eaſt, Weſt, North, South, and their con-
ſent of one direct way, ſhould be at once to all the points
a'th Compaſſe.
2. Cit.
Thinke you ſo? Which way do you iudge my
wit would flye.
3. Cit.
Nay your wit will not ſo ſoone out as another
mans will, 'tis ſtrongly wadg'd vp in a blocke-head: but
if it were at liberty, 'twould ſure Southward.
2 Cit.
Why that way?
3 Cit.
To looſe it ſelfe in a Fogge, where being three
parts melted away with rotten Dewes, the fourth would
returne for Conſcience ſake, to helpe to get thee a Wife.
2 Cit.
You are neuer without your trickes, you may,
you may.
3 Cit.
Are you all reſolu'd to giue your voyces? But
that's no matter, the greater part carries it, I ſay. If hee
would incline to the people, there was neuer a worthier
man.
Enter Coriolanus in a gowne of Humility, with
Menenius.
Heere he comes, and in the Gowne of humility, marke
his behauiour: we are not to ſtay altogether, but to come
by him where he ſtands, by ones, by twoes, & by threes.
He's to make his requeſts by particulars, wherein euerie
one of vs ha's a ſingle Honor, in giuing him our own voi-
ces with our owne tongues, therefore follow me, and Ile
direct you how you ſhall go by him.
All.
Content, content.
Men.
Oh Sir, you are not right: haue you not knowne
The worthieſt men haue done't?
Corio.
What muſt I ſay, I pray Sir?
Plague vpon't, I cannot bring
My tougne to ſuch a pace. Looke Sir, my wounds,
I got them in my Countries Seruice, when
Some certaine of your Brethren roar'd, and ranne
From th'noiſe of our owne Drummes.
Menen.
Oh me the Gods, you muſt not ſpeak of that,
You muſt deſire them to thinke vpon you.
Coriol.
Thinke vpon me? Hang 'em,
I would they would forget me, like the Vertues
Which our Diuines loſe by em.
Men.
You'l marre all,
Ile leaue you: Pray you ſpeake to em, I pray you
In wholſome manner. Exit
Enter three of the Citizens.
Corio.
Bid them waſh their Faces,
And keepe their teeth cleane: So, heere comes a brace,
You know the cauſe (Sir) of my ſtanding heere.
3 Cit.
We do Sir, tell vs what hath brought you too't.
Corio.
Mine owne deſert.
2 Cit.
Your owne deſert.
Corio.
I, but mine owne deſire.
3 Cit.
How not your owne deſire?
Corio.
No Sir, 'twas neuer my deſire yet to trouble the
poore with begging.
3 Cit.
You muſt thinke if we giue you any thing, we
hope to gaine by you.
Corio.
Well then I pray, your price a'th'Conſulſhip.
1 Cit.
The price is, to aske it kindly.
Corio.
Kindly ſir, I pray let me ha't: I haue wounds to
ſhew you, which ſhall bee yours in priuate: your good
voice Sir, what ſay you?
2 Cit.
You ſhall ha't worthy Sir.
Corio.
A match Sir, there's in all two worthie voyces
begg'd: I haue your Almes, Adieu.
3 Cit.
But this is ſomething odde.
2 Cit.
And'twere to giue againe: but 'tis no matter.
Exeunt. Enter two other Citizens.
Coriol.
Pray you now, if it may ſtand with the tune
of your voices, that I may bee Conſull, I haue heere the
Cuſtomarie Gowne.
1. You haue deſerued Nobly of your Countrey, and
you haue not deſerued Nobly.
Coriol.
Your Ænigma.
1. You haue bin a ſcourge to her enemies, you haue
bin a Rod to her Friends, you haue not indeede loued the
Common people.
Coriol.
You ſhould account mee the more Vertuous,
that I haue not bin common in my Loue, I will ſir flatter
my ſworne Brother the people to earne a deerer eſtima-
tion of them, 'tis a condition they account gentle: & ſince
the wiſedome of their choice, is rather to haue my Hat,
then my Heart, I will practice the inſinuating nod, and be
off to them moſt counterfetly, that is ſir, I will counter-
fet the bewitchment of ſome popular man, and giue it
bountifull to the deſirers: Therefore beſeech you, I may
be Conſull.
2. Wee hope to finde you our friend: and therefore
giue you our voices heartily.
1. You haue receyued many wounds for your Coun-
trey.
Coriol.
I wil not Seale your knowledge with ſhewing
them. I will make much of your voyces, and ſo trouble
you no farther.
Both.
The Gods giue you ioy Sir heartily.
Coriol.
Moſt ſweet Voyces:
Better it is to dye, better to ſterue,
Then craue the higher, which firſt we do deſeure.
Why in this Wooluiſh tongue ſhould I ſtand heere,
To begge of Hob and Dicke, that does appeere
Their needleſſe Vouches: Cuſtome calls me too't.
What Cuſtome wills in all things, ſhould we doo't?
The Duſt on antique Time would lye vnſwept,
And mountainous Error be too highly heapt,
For Truth to o're-peere. Rather then foole it ſo,
Let the high Office and the Honor go
To one that would doe thus. I am halfe through,
The one part ſuffered, the other will I doe.
Enter three Citizens more.
Heere come moe Voyces.
Your Voyces? for your Voyces I haue fought,
Watcht for your Voyces: for your Voyces, beare
Of Wounds, two dozen odde: Battailes thrice ſix
I haue ſeene, and heard of: for your Voyces,
Haue done many things, ſome leſſe, ſome more:
Your Voyces? Indeed I would be Conſull.
1. Cit.
Hee ha's done Nobly, and cannot goe without
any honeſt mans Voyce.
2. Cit.
Therefore let him be Conſull: the Gods giue
him ioy, and make him good friend to the People.
All.
Amen, Amen. God ſaue thee, Noble Conſull.
Corio.
Worthy Voyces.
Enter Menenius, with Brutus and Scicinius.
Mene.
You haue ſtood your Limitation:
And the Tribunes endue you with the Peoples Voyce,
Remaines, that in th'Officiall Markes inueſted,
You anon doe meet the Senate.
Corio.
Is this done?
Scicin.
The Cuſtome of Requeſt you haue diſcharg'd:
The People doe admit you, and are ſummon'd
To meet anon, vpon your approbation.
Corio.
Where? at the Senate-houſe?
Scicin.
There, Coriolanus.
Corio.
May I change theſe Garments?
Scicin.
You may, Sir.
Cori.
That Ile ſtraight do: and knowing my ſelfe again,
Repayre toth'Senate-houſe.
Mene.
Ile keepe you company. Will you along?
Brut.
We ſtay here for the People.
Scicin.
Fare you well. Exeunt Coriol. and Mene.
He ha's it now: and by his Lookes, me thinkes,
'Tis warme at's heart.
Brut.
With a prowd heart he wore his humble Weeds:
Will you diſmiſſe the People?
Enter the Plebeians.
Scici.
How now, my Maſters, haue you choſe this man?
1. Cit.
He ha's our Voyces, Sir.
Brut.
We pray the Gods, he may deſerue your loues.
2. Cit.
Amen, Sir: to my poore vnworthy notice,
He mock'd vs, when he begg'd our Voyces.
3. Cit.
Certainely, he flowted vs downe-right.
1. Cit.
No, 'tis his kind of ſpeech, he did not mock vs.
2. Cit.
Not one amongſt vs, ſaue your ſelfe, but ſayes
He vs'd vs ſcornefully: he ſhould haue ſhew'd vs
His Marks of Merit, Wounds receiu'd for's Countrey.
Scicin.
Why ſo he did, I am ſure.
All.
No, no: no man ſaw 'em.
3. Cit.
Hee ſaid hee had Wounds,
Which he could ſhew in priuate:
And with his Hat, thus wauing it in ſcorne,
I would be Conſull, ſayes he: aged Cuſtome,
But by your Voyces, will not ſo permit me.
Your Voyces therefore: when we graunted that,
Here was, I thanke you for your Voyces, thanke you
Your moſt ſweet Voyces: now you haue left your Voyces,
I haue no further with you. Was not this mockerie?
Scicin.
Why eyther were you ignorant to ſee't?
Or ſeeing it, of ſuch Childiſh friendlineſſe,
To yeeld your Voyces?
Brut.
Could you not haue told him,
As you were leſſon'd: When he had no Power,
But was a pettie ſeruant to the State,
He was your Enemie, euer ſpake againſt
Your Liberties, and the Charters that you beare
I'th'Body of the Weale: and now arriuing
A place of Potencie, and ſway o'th'State,
If he ſhould ſtill malignantly remaine
Faſt Foe toth'Plebeij, your Voyces might
Be Curſes to your ſelues. You ſhould haue ſaid,
That as his worthy deeds did clayme no leſſe
Then what he ſtood for: ſo his gracious nature
Would thinke vpon you, for your Voyces,
And tranſlate his Mallice towards you, into Loue,
Standing your friendly Lord.
Scicin.
Thus to haue ſaid,
As you were fore-aduis'd, had toucht his Spirit,
And try'd his Inclination: from him pluckt
Eyther his gracious Promiſe, which you might
As cauſe had call'd you vp, haue held him to;
Or elſe it would haue gall'd his ſurly nature,
Which eaſily endures not Article,
Tying him to ought, ſo putting him to Rage,
You ſhould haue ta'ne th'aduantage of his Choller
And paſs'd him vnelected.
Brut.
Did you perceiue,
He did ſollicite you in free Contempt,
When he did need your Loues: and doe you thinke,
That his Contempt ſhall not be bruſing to you,
When he hath power to cruſh? Why, had your Bodyes
No Heart among you? Or had you Tongues, to cry
Againſt the Rectorſhip of Iudgement?
Scicin.
Haue you, ere now, deny'd the asker:
And now againe, of him that did not aske, but mock,
Beſtow your ſu'd-for Tongues?
3. Cit.
Hee's not confirm'd, we may deny him yet.
2. Cit.
And will deny him:
Ile haue fiue hundred Voyces of that ſound.
1. Cit.
I twice fiue hundred, & their friends, to piece 'em.
Brut.
Get you hence inſtantly, and tell thoſe friends,
They haue choſe a Conſull, that will from them take
Their Liberties, make them of no more Voyce
Then Dogges, that are as often beat for barking,
As therefore kept to doe ſo.
Scici.
Let them aſſemble: and on a ſafer Iudgement,
All reuoke your ignorant election: Enforce his Pride,
And his old Hate vnto you: beſides, forget not
With what Contempt he wore the humble Weed,
How in his Suit he ſcorn'd you: but your Loues,
Thinking vpon his Seruices, tooke from you
Th'apprehenſion of his preſent portance,
Which moſt gibingly, vngrauely, he did faſhion
After the inueterate Hate he beares you.
Brut.
Lay a fault on vs, your Tribunes,
That we labour'd (no impediment betweene)
But that you muſt caſt your Election on him.
Scici.
Say you choſe him, more after our commandment,
Then as guided by your owne true affections, and that
Your Minds pre-occupy'd with what you rather muſt do,
Then what you ſhould, made you againſt the graine
To Voyce him Conſull. Lay the fault on vs.
Brut.
I, ſpare vs not: Say, we read Lectures to you,
How youngly he began to ſerue his Countrey,
How long continued, and what ſtock he ſprings of,
The Noble Houſe, o'th'Martians: from whence came
That Ancus Martius, Numaes Daughters Sonne:
Who after great Hoſtilius here was King,
Of the ſame Houſe Publius and Quintus were,
That our beſt Water, brought by Conduits hither,
And Nobly nam'd, ſo twice being Cenſor,
Was his great Anceſtor.
Scicin.
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 haue found,
Skaling his preſent bearing with his paſt,
That hee's your fixed enemie; and reuoke
Your ſuddaine approbation.
Brut.
Say you ne're had don't,
(Harpe on that ſtill) but by our putting on:
And preſently, when you haue drawne your number,
Repaire toth'Capitoll.
All.
We will ſo: almoſt all repent in their election.
Exeunt Plebeians.
Brut.
Let them goe on:
This Mutinie were better put in hazard,
Then ſtay paſt doubt, for greater:
If, as his nature is, he fall in rage
With their refuſall, both obſerue and anſwer
The vantage of his anger.
Scicin.
Toth'Capitoll, come:
We will be there before the ſtreame o'th'People:
And this ſhall ſeeme, as partly 'tis, their owne,
Which we haue goaded on-ward. Exeunt.