I would you rather had been silent: Please you To hear Cominius speak? Bru. Most willingly: But yet my caution was more pertinent, Than the rebuke you give it. Men. He loves your people: But tie him not to be their bedfellow. Worthy Cominius, speak.-Nay, keep your place. [COR. rises, and offers to go away. 1 Sen. Sit, Coriolanus: never shame to hear What you have nobly done. Cor. Your honours' pardon; I had rather have my wounds to heal again, Than hear say how I got them. Bru. Sir, I hope, No, sir: yet oft, When blows have made me stay, I fled from words. You sooth'd not, therefore hurt not: But, your people, I love them as they weigh. Men. i' the sun, When the alarum were struck, than idly sit Men. Your multiplying spawn how can he flatter (That's thousand to one good one), when you now see, He had rather venture all his limbs for honour, Than one of his ears to hear it ?-Proceed, Cominius, Com. I shall lack voice: the deeds of Corio- Should not be utter'd feebly. It is held, The bristled lips before him; he bestrid And fell below his stem: his sword (death's stamp) Where it did mark, it took; from face to foot Men. Worthy man! 1 Sen. He cannot but with measure fit the honours Which we devise him. Com. Our spoils he kick'd at; And look'd upon things precious, as they were The common muck o' the world; he covets less Than misery itself would give; rewards His deeds with doing them; and is content To spend the time, to end it. Men. Let him be call'd for. 1 Sen. Off. He doth appear. He's right noble; Call Coriolanus. Re-enter CORIOLANUS. Men. The senate, Coriolanus, are well pleas'd To make thee consul. Cor. My life, and services. I do owe them still It then remains, That you do speak to the people. Cor. do beseech you, Let me o'erleap that custom; for I cannot Put on the gown, stand naked, and entreat them, For my wounds' sake, to give their suffrage: please you, That I may pass this doing. Sic. Sir, the people Must have their voices: neither will they bate One jot of ceremony. Men. Put them not to't: Pray you go fit you to the custom and It is a part Cor. Bru. Mark you that? Cor. To brag unto them,-Thus I did, and thus; Show them the unaching scars which I should hide, As if I had receiv'd them for the hire Of their breath only : Men. Do not stand upon 't.We recommend to you, tribunes of the people, Our purpose to them; and to our noble consul Wish we all joy and honour. Sen. To Coriolanus come all joy and honour! [Flourish. Then exeunt Senators. Bru. You see how he intends to use the people. Sic. May they perceive his intent! He will require them, As if he did contemn what he requested Bru. Come, we'll inform them Of our proceedings here: on the market-place, I know, they do attend us. [Exeunt. SCENE III. The same. The Forum. Enter several Citizens. 1 Cit. Once, if he do require our voices, we ought not to deny him. 2 Cit. We may, sir, if we will. 3 Cit. We have power in ourselves to do it, but it is a power that we have no power to 'do; for if he show us his wounds, and tell us his deeds, we are to put our tongues into those wounds, and speak for them; so, if he tell us his noble deeds, we must also tell him our noble acceptance of them. Ingratitude is monstrous: and for the multitude to be ingrateful, were to make a monster of the multitude; of the which, we being members, should bring ourselves to be monstrous members. 1 Cit. And to make us no better thought of, a little help will serve: for once we stood up about the corn, he himself stuck not to call us the many-headed multitude. 3 Cit. We have been called so of many; not that our heads are some brown, some black, some auburn, some bald, but that our wits are so diversely coloured and truly I think, if all our wits were to issue out of one scull, they would fly east, west, north, south; and their consent of one direct way should be at once to all points o' the compass. 2 Cit. Think you so? Which way, do you judge, my wit would fly? 3 Cit. Nay, your wit will not so soon out as another man's will, 'tis strongly wedged up in a blockhead: but if it were at liberty, 'twould, sure, southward. 2 Cit. Why that way? 3 Cit. To lose itself in a fog; where being three parts melted away with rotten dews, the fourth would return for conscience sake, to help to get thee a wife. 2 Cit. You are never without your tricks :You may, you may. 3 Cit. Are you all resolved to give your voices? But that's no matter, the greater part carries it. I say, if he would incline to the people, there was never a worthier man. Enter CORIOLANUS and MENENIUS. Here he comes, and in the gown of humility; mark his behaviour. We are not to stay altogether, but to come by him where he stands, by ones, by twos, and by threes. He's to make his requests by particulars: wherein every one of us has a single honour, in giving him our own voices with our own tongues: therefore follow me, and I'll direct you how you shall go by him. All. Content, content. [Exeunt. Men. O sir, you are not right: have you not known The worthiest men have done it? Cor. What must I say?I pray, sir,-Plague upon't! I cannot bring My tongue to such a pace:-Look, sir!-my wounds! I got them in my country's service, when. Some certain of your brethren roar'd, and ran From the noise of our own drums. Men. O me, the gods! You must not speak of that; you must desire them Think upon me? Hang 'em! I would they would forget me, like the virtues Which our divines lose by them. Men. You'll mar all; I'll leave you: 'Pray you, speak to them, I pray you, In wholesome manner. Cor. [Exit. Enter two Citizens. Bid them wash their faces, And keep their teeth clean.-So, here comes a brace. You know the cause, sir, of my standing here. 1 Cit. We do, sir; tell us what hath brought you to't. Cor. Mine own desert. |