Bru. Aediles, seize him!

Cit. Yield, Marcius, yield !
Men. Hear me one word!

Beseech you, tribunes, hear me but a word!
Aed. Peace, peace!

Men. Be that you seem, truly your country's friend,
And temperately proceed to what you would
Thus violently redress.

Bru. Sir, those cold ways,

That seem like prudent helps, are very poisonous Where the disease is violent.

Lay hands upon him,

And bear him to the rock.
Cor. No; I'll die here! [Drawing his sword.
There's some among you have beheld me fighting;
Come, try upon yourselves, what you have seen me.
Men. Down with that sword! -Tribunes, withdraw
a while.

Bru. Lay hands upon him!

Men. Help! help Marcius! help,

You that be noble; help him, young, and old!
Cit. Down with him, down with him!

[In this mutiny, the Tribunes, the Дediles, and the people, are all beat in. Men. Go, get you to your house; be gone, away! All will be naught else.

Sic. He's a disease, that must be cut away.
Men. O, he's a limb, that has but a disease;
Mortal, to cut it off; to cure it, easy.
What has he done to Rome, that's worthy death?
Killing our enemies? The blood he hath lost,
(Which, I dare vouch, is more than that he hath,
By many an ounce,) he dropp'd it for his country:
And, what is left, to lose it by his country,
Were to us all, that do't, and suffer it,

A brand to the end o'the world.

Sic. This is clean kam.

Why did you wish me milder? Would
False to my nature? Rather say, I play
The man I am.

Vol. 0, sir, sir, sir,

you

have me

I would have had you put your power well ou,
Before you had worn it out.
Cor. Let go.

Vol. You might have been enough the man you are,
With striving less to be so: lesser had been
The thwartings of your dispositions, if
You had not show'd them how you were dispos'd,

Bru. Merely awry. When he did love his country, Ere they lack'd power to cross you.

It honour'd him.

Men. The service of the foot

Being once gangren'd, is not then respected

For what before it was?

Bru. We'll hear no more:

Pursue him to his house, and pluck him thence;

Lest his infection, being of catching nature,
Spread further.

Men. One word more, one word!

This tiger-footed rage, when it shall find

The harm of unscann'd swiftness, will, too late,

Tie leaden pounds to his heels. Proceed by process;
Lest parties (as he is belov'd) break out,
And sack great Rome with Romans.

Bru. If it were so,

Cor. Let them hang.

Vol. Ay, and burn too.

Enter MENENIUS, and Senators.

Men. Come, come, you have been too rough, some-
thing too rough;

You must return, and mend it.

Sic. Meet on the market-place.-We'll attend you
there:

Where, if you bring not Marcius, we'll proceed
In our first way.

Men. I'll bring him to you:

1 Sen. There's no remedy;

Unless, by not so doing, our good city
Cleave in the midst, and perish.

Vol. Pray be counsel'd:

I have a heart as little apt as yours,

But yet a brain, that leads my use of anger
To better vantage.

Men. Well said, noble woman;

Before he should thus stoop to the herd, but that
The violent fit o'the time craves it as physic
For the whole state, I would put mine armour on,
Which I can scarcely bear.

Cor. What must I do?

Men. Return to the tribunes.
Cor. Well,

What then? what then?

Men. Repent what you have spoke

Cor. For them?-I cannot do it to the gods;
Must I then do't to them?

Vol. You are too absolute;

Though therein you can never be too noble,

But when extremities speak. I have heard you say,
Honour and policy, like unsever'd friends,
I'the war do grow together: grant that, and tell me,
peace, what each of them by th' other lose,
That they combine not there.

In

Cor. Tush, tush!

Men. A good demand.

Vol. If it be honour, in your wars, to seem
The same you are not, (which, for your best ends,
Yo adopt your policy,) how is it less, or worse,
That it shall hold companionship in peace

Let me desire your company. [To the Senators.] With honour, as in war; since that to both

He must come,

Or what is worst will follow.

1 Sen.. Pray you, let's to him!

It stands in like request?

Cor. Why force you this?

[Exeunt. Vol. Because that now it lies you on to speak
To the people; not by your own instruction,
Nor by the matter which your heart prompts you to,
But with such words that are but roted in

SCENE II. A room in CORIOLANUS's house.

Enter CORIOLANUS, and Patricians.

Cor. Let them pull all about mine ears; present me Your tongue, though but bastards, and syllables
Death on the wheel, or at wild horses' heels;
Or pile ten hills on the Tarpeian rock,
That the precipitation might down stretch
Below the beam of sight, yet will I still
Be thus to them.

Of no allowance, to your bosom's truth.
Now, this no more dishonours you at all,
Than to take in a town with gentle words,
Which else would put you to your fortune, and

The hazard of much blood.

I would dissemble with my nature, where
My fortunes, and my friends, at stake, requir'd
I should do so in honour: I am in this,
Your wife, your son, these senators, the nobles;
And you will rather show our general lowts
(low you can frown, than spend a fawn upon them,
For the inheritance of their loves, and safeguard
Of what that want might ruin.

Men. Noble lady!

Come, go with us; speak fair: you may salve so,

0

A

Not what is dangerous present, but the loss
Of what is past.

Vol. I pr'ythee now, my son,

Go to them, with this bonnet in thy hand;
And thus far having stretch'd it, (here be with them,)
Thy knee bussing the stones, (for in such business
Action is eloquence, and the eyes of the ignorant,
More learned than their ears,) waving thy head,
Which often, thus, correcting thy stout heart,
That humble, as the ripest mulberry,

Now will not hold the handling: or, say to them,
Thou art their soldier, and being bred in broils,
Hast not the soft way, which, thou dost confess,
Were fit for thee to use, as they to claim,
In asking their good loves; but thou wilt frame
Thyself, forsooth, hereafter theirs, so far
As thou hast power and person.

Men. This but done,

Even as she speaks, why, all their hearts were yours;
For they have pardous, being ask'd, as free

As words to little purpose.

Vol. Pr'ythee, now,

Enter SICINIUS and BRUtus.

Bru. In this point charge him home, that he affects
Tyrannical power: if he evade us there,

Go, and be rul'd: although, I know, thou had'st rather Enforce him with his envy to the people;
Follow thine enemy in a fiery gulph,

Than flatter him in a bower. Here is Cominius.

Enter COMINIUS.

And that the spoil, got on the Antiates,
Was ne'er distributed.-

Enter an Aedile.

Com. I have been i'the market-place: and, sir, What, will he come?

'tis fit

You make strong party, or defend yourself

By calmness, or by absence; all's in anger.
Men. Only fair speech.

Com. I think, 'twill serve, if he

Can thereto frame his spirit.

Vol. He must, and will:

Pr'ythee, now, say, you will, and go about it.

Cor. Must I go show them my unbarb'd sconce?

Must [

With my base tongue give to my noble heart

A lie, that it must bear? Well, I will do't:

Yet were there but this single plot to lose,

Aed. He's coming.

Bru. How accompanied?

Aed. With old Menenius, and those senators That always favour'd him.

Sic. Have you a catalogue

Of all the voices that we have procur'd,
Set down by the poll?

Aed. I have; 'tis ready, here.

Sic. Have you collected them by tribes?
ded. I have.

Sic. Assemble presently the people hither:
And when they hear me say, It shall be so
I'the right and strength o'the commons, be it either

This mould of Marcius, they to dust should grind it, For death, for fine, or banishment, then let them,
And throw it against the wind.

place:

To the market

You have put me now to such a part, which never

I shall discharge to the life.

Com. Come, come, we'll prompt you.

If I say, fine, cry fine; if death, cry death;
Insisting on the old prerogative
And
i'the truth o'the cause.
power
Aed. I shall inform them.

Vol. I pr'ythee now, sweet son; as thou hast said, Let them not cease, but with a din confus'd

Bru. And when such time they have begun to cry,

My praises made thee first a soldier, so,

To have my praise for this, perform a part
Thou hast not done before.

Cor. Well, I must do't:

Away, my disposition, and possess me

Some harlot's spirit! My throat of war be turn'd,
Which quired with my drum, into a pipe
Small as an eunuch, or the virgin voice
That babies lulls asleep! The smiles of knaves
Tent in my cheeks; and school-boys' tears take up
The glasses of my sight! A beggar's tongue
Make motion through my lips; and my arm'd knees,
Who bow'd but in my stirrop, bend like, his
That hath receiv'd an alms! I will not do't:
Lest I surccase to honour mine own truth,
And, by my body's action, teach my mind
A most inherent baseness.

Vol. At thy choice then:

To beg of thee, it is my more dishonour,
Than thou of them. Come all to ruin; let
Thy mother rather feel thy pride, than fear
Thy dangerous stoutness: for I mock at death
With as big heart as thou. Do as thou list.

Thy valiantness was mine, thou suck'dst it from me;
But owe thy pride thyself.

Cor. Pray, be content;

Enforce the present execution

Of what we chance to sentence.

Aed. Very well.

Sic. Made them be strong, and ready for this hint, When we shall hap to give't them.

Bru. Go about it.

[Exit Aedile.

Put him to choler straight: he hath been us'd
Ever to conquer, and to have his worth

Of contradiction. Being once chaf'd, he cannot
Be rein'd again to temperance; then he speaks
With us to break his neck.
What's in his heart; and that is there, which looks

Enter CORIOLANUS, MENENIUS, COMINIUS, Senators,
and Patricians.

Sic. Well, here he comes.

Men. Calmly, I do beseech you.

Cor. Ay, as an ostler, that for the poorest piece Will bear the knave by the volume.

Re-enter Aedile, with Citizens.

Sic. Draw near, ye people!

Envied against the people, seeking means
To pluck away their power; as now at last

Aed. List to your tribunes; audience. Peace, I say! Given hostile strokes, and that not in the presence
Cor. First, hear me speak.
Of dreaded justice, but on the ministers
That do distribute it; in the name o'the people,

Both Tri. Well, say - Peace, ho!

Cor. Shall I be charg'd no further than this present? And in the power of us the tribunes, we,

you submit
you to the people's voices,
Allow their officers, and are content

To suffer lawful censure for such faults
As shall be prov'd upon you?

Cor. I am content.

Men. Lo, citizens, he says, he is content:
The warlike service he has done, consider;
Think on the wounds his body bears, which show
Like graves i'the holy churchyard.

Cor. Scratches with briars,
Scars to move laughter only.
Men. Consider further,

That when he speaks not like a citizen,
You find him like a soldier. Do not take
His rougher accents for malicious sounds,
But, as I say, such as become a soldier,
Rather than envy you.

Com. Well, well, no more.

Cor. What is the matter,

That being pass'd for consul with full voice,

I am so dishonour'd, that the very hour

You take it off again?

Sic. Answer to us.

Cor. Say then: 'tis true, I ought so.

Even from this instant, banish him our city;
In peril of precipitation

From off the rock Tarpeian, never more
To enter our Rome gates. I'the people's name,
I say, it shall be so.

Cit. It shall be so,

It shall be so! let him away! he's banish'd,
And so it shall be.

Com. Hear me, my masters, and my common
friends;-

Sic. He's sentenc'd: no more hearing.
Com. Let me speak!

I have been consul, and can show from Rome,
Her enemies' marks upon me. I do love
My country's good, with a respect more tender,
More holy, and profound, than mine own life,
My dear wife's estimate, her womb's increase,
And treasure of my loins: then if I would
Speak that-

Sic. We know your drift. Speak what?
Bru. There's no more to be said, but he is banish'd,
As enemy to the people, and his country:
It shall be so.

Cit. It shall be so, it shall be so!"

Cor. You common cry of curs! whose breath I hate As reek o'the rotten fens, whose loves I prize

Sic. We charge you, that you have contriv'd to take As the dead carcasses of unburied men

From Rome all season'd office, and to wind

Yourself into a power tyrannical;

For which, you are a traitor to the people.
Cor. How! Traitor?

Men. Nay, temperately! Your promise!

Cor. The fires i'the lowest hell fold in the people!
Call me their traitor! - Thou injurious tribune!
Within thine eyes sat twenty thousand deaths,
In thy hands clutch'd as many millions, in
Thy lying tongue both numbers, I would say,
Thou liest, unto thee, with a voice as free,
As I do pray the gods.

Sic. Mark you this, people?

Cit. To the rock with him; to the rock with him!
Sic. Peace!

We need not put new matter to his charge:
What you have seen him do, and heard him speak,
Beating your officers, cursing yourselves,
Opposing laws with strokes, and here defying
Those whose great power must try him; even this,
So criminal, and in such capital kind,
Deserves the extremest death.

That do corrupt my air, I banish you;
And here remain with your uncertainty!
Let every feeble rumour shake your
hearts!
Your enemies, with nodding of their plumes,
Fan you into despair! Have the power still
To banish your defenders; till, at length,
Your ignorance, (which finds not, till it feels,)
Making not reservation of yourselves,
(Still your own foes,) deliver you, as most
Abated captives, to some nation
That won you without blows! Despising,
For you, the city, thus I turn my back:
There is a world elsewhere.

their cups.

[Exeunt Coriolanus, Cominius, Menenius,
Senators, and Patricians.
Aed. The people's enemy is gone, is gone!
Cit. Our enemy's banish'd! he is gone! Hoo! hoo!
[The People shout, and throw up
Sic. Go, see him out at gates, and follow him,
As he hath follow'd you, with all despite;
Give him deserv'd vexation. Let a guard
Attend us through the city.

City. Come, come, let us see him out at gates;
come!

The gods preserve our noble tribunes! — Come!

IV.

АСТ
SCENE I.-The same. Before the gate of the city.
Enter CORIOLANUS, VOLUMNIA, VIRGILIA, MENENIUS,
COMINIUS, and several young Patricians.
Cor. Come, leave your tears; a brief farewell! –

the beast

With many heads butts me away. Nay, mother,
Where is your ancient courage? you were us'd
To say, extremity was the trier of spirits;
That common chances common men could bear;
That, when the sea was calm, all boats alike
Show'd mastership in floating: fortune's blows,

Ar

11

H

།

When most struck home, being gentle wounded,

craves

A noble cunning you were us'd to load me
With precepts, that would make invincible
The heart that conn'd them.

Vir. O heavens! O heavens!

Cor. Nay, I pr'ythee, woman,

Vol. Now the red pestilence strike all trades in Rome,
And occupations perish!

Cor. What, what, what!

I shall be lov'd, when I am lack'd. Nay, mother,
Resume that spirit, when you were won't to say,
If you had been the wife of Hercules,

Six of his labours you'd have done, and sav'd
Your husband so much sweat.- Cominius,
Droop not; adieu!-Farewell, my wife! my mother!
I'll do well yet. Thou old and true Menenius,
Thy tears are salter, than a younger man's,
And venomous to thine eyes. My sometime general,
I have seen thee stern, and thou hast oft beheld
Heart-hard'ning spectacles; tell these sad women,
'Tis fond to wail inevitable strokes,

As 'tis to laugh at them. My mother, you wot well,
My hazards still have been your solace: and
Believe't not lightly, (though I go alone,

Like to a lonely dragon, that his fen

Vol. O, you're well met! The hoarded plague o'the gods

Requite your love!

Men. Peace peace! be not so loud.

Vol. If that I could for weeping, you should hear,Nay, and you shall hear some.-Will you be gone? [To Brutus.

Vir. You shall stay too. [To Sicin.] I would, I had
the power

To say so to my husband.
Sic. Are you mankind?

Vol. Ay, fool; is that a shame?-Note but this fool.-
Was not a man my father? Hadst thou foxship
To banish him that struck more blows for Rome,
Than thou hast spoken words?

Sic. O blessed heavens!

Vol. More noble blows, than ever thou wise words; And for Rome's good.-I'll tell thee what ;-yet go!Nay, but thou shalt stay too: I would my son

Makes fear'd, and talk'd of more than seen,) your son Were in Arabia, and thy tribe before him,

Will, or exceed the common, or be caught
With cautelous baits and practice.

Vol. My first son,

Whither wilt thou go? Take good Cominius

With thee a-while: determine on some course,
More than a wild exposture to each chance
That starts i'the way before thee.

Cor. O the gods!

Com. I'll follow thee a month, devise with thee
Where thou shalt rest, that thou may'st hear of us,
And we of thee: so, if the time thrust forth

A cause for thy repeal, we shall not send
O'er the vast world, to seek a single man;
And lose advantage, which doth ever cool
I'the absence of the needer.

Cor. Fare ye well!

Thou hast years upon thee; and thou art too full

Of the wars' surfeits, to go rove with one

His good sword in his hand.

Sic. What then?

Vir. What then?

Vol. I would he had? 'Twas you incens'd the rabble :
Cats, that can judge as fitly of his worth,

As I can of those mysteries which heaven
Will not have earth to know.

Bru. Pray, let us go!

Vol. Now, pray, sir, get you gone!

You have done a brave deed. Ere you go, hear this:

That's yet unbruis'd: bring me but out at gate.-As far as doth the Capitol exceed

Come, my sweet wife, my dearest mother, and
My friends of noble touch, when I am forth,
Bid me farewell, and smile. I pray you, come!
While I remain above the ground, you shall
Hear from me still: and never of me aught
But what is like me formerly.

Men. That's worthily

As any ear can hear. Come, let's not weep!-
II could shake off but one seven years
From these old arms and legs, by the good gis,
I'd with thee every foot.

Cor. Give me thy hand!-
Come!

The meanest house in Rome; so far, my son,
(This lady's husband here, this, do you see,)
Whom you have banish'd, does exceed you all.
Bru. Well, well, we'll leave you.
Sic. Why stay we to be baited
With one that wants her wits?
Vol. Take my prayers with you!—

I would the gods had nothing else to do,

[Exeunt Tribunes.
But to confirm my curses! Could I meet them
But once a day, it would unclog my heart
Of what lies heavy to't.

[Exeunt. Men. You have told them home,

SCENE III.A highway between Rome and Antium.
Enter a Roman and a Volce, meeting.
Rom. I know you well, sir, and you know me: your
name, I think, is Adrian.

Vol. It is so, sir; truly, I have forgot you.
Rom. I am a Roman; and my services are, as you

[Exit Aedile. are, against them. Know you me yet?