Men. I would they were in Tiber!-What, the vengeance, Could he not speak them fair? Re-enter BRUTUS and SICINIUS, with the rabble. Sic. He shall be thrown down the Tarpeian rock With rigorous hands; he hath resisted law, And therefore law shall scorn him further trial Than the severity of the publick power, Which he so sets at nought. Men. Do not cry, havock, where you should but As I do know the consul's worthiness, So can I name his faults: -- Sic. VOL. XI. Consul!-what consul? G Men. The consul Coriolanus. Bru. Cit. No, no, no, no, no. He a consul! Men. If, by the tribunes' leave, and yours, good people, I may be heard, I'd crave a word or two; The which shall turn you to no further harm, Sic. Speak briefly then; For we are peremptory, to despatch This viperous traitor: to eject him hence, Were but one danger; and, to keep him here, He dies to-night. · Men. Sic. He's a disease, that must be cut away. Were to us all, that do't, and suffer it, A brand to the end o' the world. Sic. This is clean, kam". Bru. Merely awry: When he did love his country, It honour'd him. Men. The service of the foot Being once gangren'd, is not then respected Bru. We'll hear no more: Pursue him to his house, and pluck him thence; 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. Sic. What do ye talk? If it were so, Have we not had a taste of his obedience? Our ædiles smote? ourselves resisted?—Come: Men. Consider this;-He has been bred i' the wars Since he could draw a sword, and is ill school'd In boulted language; meal and bran together He throws without distinction. Give me leave, I'll go to him, and undertake to bring him Where he shall answer, by a lawful form, (In peace) to his utmost peril. 1 Sen. Noble tribunes, It is the humane way: the other course Be Sic. Noble Menenius, you then as the people's officer:Masters, lay down your weapons. Bru. Go not home. 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 : Let me desire your company. [To the Senators.] He A Room in Coriolanus's House. Enter CORIOLANUS, and Patricians. Cor. Let them pull all about mine ears; present me 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. Enter VOLUMNIA. 1 Pat. You do the nobler. Cor. I muse, my mother Does not approve me further, who was wont To speak of peace, or war, I talk of you; [To Volumnia. Why did you wish me milder? Would you have me False to my nature? Rather say, I play I would have had you put your power well on, * 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 Ere they lack'd power to cross you. Cor. Vol. Ay, and burn too. .) Let them hang. Enter MENENIUS, and Senators. Men. Come, come, you have been too rough, some thing too rough; You must return, and mend it. There's no remedy; 1 Sen. Unless, by not so doing, our good city Cleave in the midst, and perish. |