To know, when two authorities are up,
Neither fupream, how foon confufion

May enter 'twixt the gap of both, and take
The one by th' other.

on to th' market-place.

Cor. Whoever gave that counsel, to give forth The corn o' th' ftorehouse gratis, as 'twas us'd Sometime in Greece.

Men. Well, well, no more of that.

Cor. Though there the people had more abfolute power; I fay, they nourish'd difobedience, fed.

The ruin of the state.

Bru. Shall th' people give,

One that speaks thus, their voice?

Cor. I'll give my reafons,

More worthy than their voice. They know the corn
Was not their recompence, refting well affur'd
They ne'er did service for't; being preft to th' war,
Even when the navel of the ftate was touch'd,
They would not thread the gates: this kind of fervice
Did not deferve corn gratis. Being i'th' war,
Their mutinies and revolts, wherein they fhew'd
Moft valour, fpoke not for them. Th' accufation
Which they have often made against the Senate,
All caufe unborn, could never be the native
Of our fo frank donation. Well, what then?
How fhall this bofom multiplied digeft
The Senate's courtefie? let deeds exprefs
What's like to be their words - we did request it
We are the greater pall, and in true fear
They gave us our demands. Thus we debafe

འ

The nature of our feats, and make the rabble
Call our cares, fears; which will in time break ope
The locks o'th' Senate, and bring in the crows

To peck the eagles

Men. Come, enough, enough.

Bru. Enough, with over measure,

Cor. No, take more.

What may be fworn by, both divine and human,

Scal

Seal what I end withal! This double worship,
Where one part does difdain with caufe, the other
Infult without all reason; where gentry, title, wisdom,
Cannot conclude but by the yea and no

Of gen'ral ignorance, it muft omit

Real neceffities, and gave way the while

T' unstable slightness; purpose fo barr'd, it follows Nothing is done to purpose. Therefore, 'befeech you, (You that will be less fearful than discreet,

That love the fundamental part of state
More than you do the change of't; that prefer
A noble life before a long, and wish

To vamp a body with a dangerous phyfick,
That's fure of death without,) at once pluck out
The multitudinous tongue, let them not lick
The sweet which is their poifon. Your difhonour
Mangles true judgment, and bereaves the state
Of that integrity which fhould become it:
Not having power to do the good it would
For th' ill which doth controul it.

Bru. H'as faid enough.

Sic. H'as fpoken like a traitor, and shall answer As traitors do.

Cor. Thou wretch! defpight o'er-whelm thee! What should the people do with these bald Tribunes? On whom depending, their obedience fails

To th' greater bench. In a rebellion,

When what's not meet, but what muft be, was law,
Then were they chofen; in a better hour,
Let what is meet, be faid, That must be law,

And throw their power i'th' duft.

Bru. Manifeft treafon

Sic. This a Conful? no.

Bru. The Adiles, ho! let him be apprehended.
Sic. Go, call the people, in whose name my self
Attach thee as a traiterous innovator:

A foe to th' publick weal. Obey I charge thee,
And follow to thine answer.

Cor. Hence, old goat!
All. We'll furety him.

Laying held on Coriolanus.

Com. Hold, aged Sir, hands off.

Cor. Hence, rotten thing, or I fhall shake thy bones

Out of thy garments.

Sic. Help me, citizens.

SCENE II.

Enter a Rabble of Plebeians with the Ædiles.

Men. On both fides more refpect.

Sic. Here's he, that would take from you all your powers Bru. Seize him, Ediles.

All. Down with him, down with him!

2 Sen. Weapons, weapons, weapons!

[They all buffle about Coriolanus.

Tribunes, Patricians, Citizens-what hoe-
Sicinius, Brutus, Coriolanus, Citizens !

All. Peace, peace, peace, ftay, hold, peace!
Men. What is about to be?I am out of breath;
Confufion's near. I cannot fpeak.You Tribunes,
Coriolanus, patience; fpeak, Sicinius.

Sic. Hear me, people-peace,

All. Let's hear our Tribune: peace, ho! fpeak, fpeak, speak.

Sic. You are at point to lose your liberties:

Martius would have all from

you: Martius,

Whom late you nam'd for Conful.

Men. Fie, fie, fie,

This is the way to kindle, not to quench.

Sen. To unbuild the city, and to lay all flat.
Sic. What is the city, but the people?

All. True, the people are the city.

Bru. By the confent of all, we were establish'd

The people's magiftrates.

All. You fo remain.

Men. And fo are like to do.

Cor. That is the way to lay the city flat;

To bring the roof to the foundation,

And bury all, which yet diftinetly ranges,
In heaps and piles of ruin.

Sic. This deferves death.

Bru. Or let us ftand to our authority, Or let us lofe it; we do here pronounce, VOL. VII.

L

Upon

Upon the part o'th' people, in whose power
We were elected theirs, Martius is worthy
Of prefent death.

Sic. Therefore lay hold on him;

Bear him to th' rock Tarpeian, and from thence
Into deftruction caft him.

Bru. Ediles, feize him.

All Ple. Yield, Martius, yield.

Men. Hear me one word, 'befeech you, Ye Tribunes, hear me but a word

Ediles. Peace, peace.

Men. Be that you seem, truly your country's friends, And temp'rately proceed to what you would

Thus violently redress.

Bru. Sir, thefe cold ways,

That feem like prudent helps, are very poisonous,
Where the disease is violent. Lay hands on him,
And bear him to the rock.

Cor. No, I'll die here ;

[Drawing his Sword.

There's fome among you have beheld me fighting,

Come try upon your felves what you have seen me.

Mon. Down with that fword; Tribunes, withdraw a while,

Bru. Lay hands upon him.

Men. Help, help Martius, help,

You that be noble, help him young and old.

All. Down with him, down with him.

[In this mutiny, the Tribunes, the Ædiles, and the People are beat in.

SCENE

III.

Men. Go, get you to your houfe; be gone, away,

All will be naught elfe.

2 Sen. Get you gone, away!

Com, Stand faft, we have as many friends as enemies.
Men. Shall it be put to that?

Sen. The Gods forbid !

I pr'ythee, noble friend, home to thy houfe,
Leave us to cure this cafe.

Men. For 'tis a fore

You cannot tent your felf; begone, 'befeech you.

Com

Com. Come, Sir, along with us.

Men. I would they were Barbarians, as they are, Though in Rome litter'd; not Romans, as they are not, Though calved in the porch o'th' Capitol :

Be

gone, be gone, put not your worthy rage Into your tongue, one time will owe another.

Cor. On fair ground I could beat forty of them.
Men. I could my felf, I think, take up a brace
O' th' best of them, yea, even the two Tribunes.
Com. But now 'tis odds beyond arithmetick,
And manhood is call'd fool'ry when it flands
Against a falling fabrick. Will you hence,
Before the tag return, whofe rage doth rend
Like interrupted waters, and o'erbear
What they are us'd to bear?

Men. Pray you be gone :

I'll try if my old wit be in request

With those that have but little; this must be patcht
With cloth of any colour.

Com. Come away. [Exeunt Coriolanus and Cominius.

SCENE IV.

I Sen. This man has marr'd his fortune.
Men. His nature is too noble for the world:
He would not flatter Neptune for his trident,

Or Jove for's power to thunder: his heart's his mouth?
What his breaft forges, that his tongue muft vent;

And being angry, does forget that ever

He heard the name of death.

Here's goodly work.

2 Sen. I would they were a-bed.

[A noife withins

Men. I would they were in Tyber. What the vengeance, Could he not speak 'em fair?

Enter Brutus and Sicinius, with the rabble again. Sic. Where is this viper,

That would depopulate the city, and

Be every man himself?

Men. You worthy Tribunes.

Sic. He fhall be thrown down the Tarpeian rock
With rigorous hands; he hath refifted law,
And therefore law fhall fcorn him further tryal

L 2

Than