Bru.

Did you perceive,

He did solicit you in free contempt,

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
Against the rectorship of judgement?

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 judgement, 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.

Sic. 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,

And nobly nam'd so, being censor twice,
Was his great ancestor.

One thus descended,

Sic.
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 done'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 [several speak.

Repent in their election.

Bru.

[Exeunt Citizens.

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.

[Exeunt.

ACT III. SCENE I.

The Same. A Street.

Corncts. Enter CORIOLANUS, MENENIUS, COMINIUS, TITUS LARTIUS, Senators, and Patricians.

Cor. 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 's again.

Com.

They are worn, lord consul, so,

That we shall hardly in our ages see

Their banners wave again.

.

Cor.

Saw you Aufidius?

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.

Cor.

He did, my lord.

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 Lartius.

Enter SICINIUS, and BRUTUS.

Behold! these are the tribunes of the people,
The tongues o' the common mouth.

them;

For they do prank them in authority 33,
Against all noble sufferance.

Sic.

Cor. Ha! what is that?

Bru.

I do despise

Pass no further.

It will be dangerous to

What makes this change?

The matter?

Go on: no further.

Cor.

Men.

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

mons?

Bru. Cominius, no.

Cor.

Have I had children's voices?

1 Sen. Tribunes, give way; he shall to the market

Are these your herd?

Must these have voices, that can yield them now,

And straight disclaim their tongues?-What are your

offices?