The cockle of rebellion, infolence, fedition,

Which we our felves have plow'd for, fow'd and featter'd,

By mingling them with us, the honour'd number:
Who lack not Virtue, no, nor Power, but that
Which we have given to beggars.

Men. Well, no more

Sen. No more words, we beseech you
Cor. How!
no more!

As for my Country I have shed my blood,
Not fearing outward force; fo fhall my lungs
Coin words 'till their decay, against those measles,
Which we disdain fhould tetter us, yet feek
The very way to catch them.

Bru. You fpeak o'th people, as you were a God
To punish, not a man of their infirmity.

Sic. 'Twere well, we let the people know't.

Men. What, what! his choler?

Cor. Choler! were I as patient as the midnight sleep, By Jove, 'twould be my mind.

Sic. It is a mind

That fhall remain a poison where it is,

Not poifon any further.

Cor. Shall remain?

Hear you this Triton of the minnows? mark you

His abfolute fall?

Com. 'Twas from the canon.

Cor. Shall!

O good, but moft unwife Patricians, why,

You grave, but wreaklefs Senators, have you thus
Given Hydra here to chufe an officer,

That with his peremptory fhall, being but

The horn and noife o'th' monfters, wants not fpirit
To fay, he'll turn your current in a ditch,
And make your channel his? If he have power,
Then vail your ignorance; if none, awake
Your dangerous lenity: if you are learned,
Be not as common fools; if you are not,

Let them have cushions by you. You're Plebeians,
If they be Senators; and they are no lefs,

When,

When, both your voices blended, the great'ft tafte
Moft palates theirs. They chuse their magiftrate!
And fuch a one as he, who puts his fall,

His popular fall, against a graver Bench
Than ever frown'd in Greece! By Jove himself,
It makes the Confuls bafe; and my foul akes
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.

Com. Well On to th' market-place.
Cor. Who ever 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. Why fhall the people give
One, that speaks thus, their voice?

Cor. I'll give my reasons,

More worthy than their voice. They know, the corn Was not our recompence; refting affur'd,

They ne'er did fervice for't; being preft to th' war,
Even when the navel of the State 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, spoke not for them. Th' accufation,
Which they have often made against the Senate,
All cause 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 requeft it-
We are the greater poll, and in true fear
They gave us our demands. Thus we debase
The nature of our Seats, and make the rabble

Call our cares, fears; which will in time break ope

The

The locks o'th' Senate, and bring in the crows
To peck the eagles
Men. Come, enough.

Bru. Enough, with over measure.
Cor. No, take more.

What may be worn by, both divine and human,
Seal what I end withal!This double worship,
Where one part does difdain with cause, the other
Infult without all reafon; where gentry, title, wisdom,
Cannot conclude but by the yea and no
Of gen'ral ignorance, it muft omit

Real neceffities, and give way the while
T'unftable flightnefs; purpofe fo barr'd, it follows,
Nothing is done to purpose. Therefore, beseech you,
(You that will be lefs fearful than difcreet,
That love the fundamental part of State

More than you doubt the change of't; that prefer
A noble life before a long, and with

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 spoken like a traitor, and shall answer As traitors do.

Cor. Thou wretch! Defpight o'erwhelm 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 chosen; in a better hour,

Let what is meet, be faid, it must be meet,

And throw their Power i'th' duft.

Bru. Manifeft treafon

Sic. This a Conful? no.

Bru.

Bru. The Ædiles, ho! let him be apprehended.
[Ediles enter.
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.

Com. Ag'd Sir, hands off.

[Laying bold on Coriolanus,

Cor. Hence, rotten thing, or I shall shake thy bones Out of thy garments.

Sic. Help me, citizens.

Enter a Rabble of Plebeians, with the Ædiles.

Men. On both fides, more respect.

Sic. Here's he, that would take from you all your

power.

Bru. Seize him, Ediles.

All. Down with him, down with him!

2 Sen. Weapons, weapons, weapons!

[They all buftle about Coriolanus.

Tribunes, Patricians, Citizens

Sicinius, Brutus, Coriolanus, citizens!

what hoen

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,

peace.

Coriolanus, patience; fpeak, Sicinius.

Sic. Hear me, people

All. Let's hear our Tribune; peace; speak, speak,

speak.

Sic. You are at point to lofe your liberties: Marcius would have all from you: Marcius, 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

4

The people's magistrates.

All. You fo remain.

Men. And fo are like to do.

Cor. That is the way to lay the city flat 3
To bring the roof to the foundation,
And bury all, which yet diftinctly ranges,
In heaps and piles of ruin.

Sic. This deserves death..

Bru. Or let us ftand to our Authority,
Or let us lofe it; we do here pronounce,
Upon the part o'th' people, in whose power
We were elected theirs, Marcius is worthy
Of present death.

Sic. Therefore lay hold on him;

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

Bru. Ediles, seize him.

All Ple. Yield, Marcius, yield.

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

Ediles. Peace, peace.

A

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

Thus violently redrefs.

Bru. Sir, thofe cold ways, That feem like prudent helps, Where the disease is violent. And bear him to the Rock.

are very poisonous,
Lay hands on him,
Cor: draws his Sword.

Cor. No; I'll-dye here.vat dels 500 There's fome among you have beheld me fighting, Come try upon your felves, what you have feen me. Men. Down with that fword; Tribunes, withdraw a while.

Bru. Lay hands upon him.

Men. Help Marcius, help you that be noble, help him young and old.

All. Down with him, down with him.

[Exeunt. [In this mutiny, the Tribunes, the Ediles, and the people are beat in.

Men.