Bru. Let's to the Capitol,

And carry with us ears and eyes for th' time,

But hearts for the event.

Sic. Have with you.

1 Off

SCENE V.

The CAPITOL.

Enter two Officers, to lay cushions.

[Exeunt.

Ome, come, they are almost here; how many

and for Confulships?

2 Off. Three they fay; but 'tis thought of every one, Coriolanus will carry it.

1 Off. That's a brave fellow, but he's vengeance proud, and loves not the common people.

2 Off. 'Faith, there have been many great men that have flatter'd the people, who ne'er lov'd them, and there be many that they have loved they know not wherefore; fo that if they love they know not why, they hate upon no better a ground. Therefore, for Coriolanus neither to care whether they love, or hate him, manifefts the true knowledge he has in their difpofition, and out of his noble 5 careleffness he let's them plainly fee't.

1 Of. If he did not care whether he had their love or no, he waved indifferently 'twixt doing them neither good, nor harm: but he feeks their hate with greater devotion than they can render it him; and leaves nothing undone, that may fully discover him their oppofite. Now to feem to affect the malice and difpleasure of the people, is as bad as that which he dislikes, to flatter them for their love.

2 Off. He hath deferved worthily of his country: and his afcent is not by fuch eafy degrees as 'theirs who have been fupple and courteous to the people bonneted, without any further deed to heave them at all into their eftima

5 cartleffness lets

6 thofe

eftimation and report: but he hath fo planted his honours in their eyes, and his actions in their hearts, that for their tongues to be filent, and not confefs fo much, were a kind of ingrateful injury; to report otherwife, were a malice that, giving it felf the lie, would pluck reproof and rebuke from ev'ry ear that heard it.

I Off. No more of him, he is a worthy man: make way, they are coming.

Enter the Patricians, and the Tribunes of the People, Lictors before them; Coriolanus, Menenius, Cominius the Conful: Sicinius and Brutus take their places by themfelves.

Therefore, please you,

Men. Having determin'd of the Volfcians, and
To fend for Titus Lartius, it remains,
As the main point of this our after-meeting,
To gratifie his noble service, that
Hath thus ftood for his country.
Moft reverend and grave elders, to defire
The present Conful, and laft General
In our well-found fucceffes, to report
A little of that worthy work perform'd
By Caius Martius Coriolanns; whom

We 7'meet here, both to thank, and to remember
With honours like himself.

1 Sen. Speak, good Cominius:

Leave nothing out for length, and make us think
Rather our state's defective for requital

Than that we ftretch it out. Mafters o' th' people,
We do request your kindest ear, and after,
Your loving motion toward the common body,
To'yield to what paffes here.

Sic. We are convented

Upon a pleafing treaty, and have hearts

Inclinable to honour and advance

H 4

The

7 met

2 Than we to stretch

yield what

1

The theam of our affembly.

Bru. Which the rather

We fhall be bleft to do, if he remember
A kinder value of the people, than
He hath hitherto priz'd them at.

Men. That's off, that's off:

I would you rather had been filent: please you
To hear Cominius speak?

Bru. Moft willingly:

But yet my caution was more pertinent
Than the rebuke you give.

Man. He loves your people,

But tye him not to be their bedfellow :
Worthy Cominius, speak.

[Coriolanus rifes and offers to go away.

Nay, keep your place.

1 Sen. Sit, Coriolanus; never shame to hear What you have nobly done.

Cor. Your Honour's pardon:

I had rather have my wounds to heal again,

Than hear fay how I got them.

Bru. Sir, I hope

My words dif-bench'd you not.

Cor. No, Sir; yet oft,

When blows have made me stay, I fled from words.
You footh not, therefore hurt not: but your people
I love them as they weigh.

Men. Pray now, fit down.

Cor. I had rather have one fcratch my head i' th' fun, When the alarum were ftruck, than idly fit

To hear my nothings monfter'd.

Men. Mafters of the people,

[Exit Coriolanus.

fee

Your multiplying fpawn how can he flatter,
That's thousand to one good one, when you
He had rather venture all his limbs for honour,
Than one of's ears to hear't? Proceed, Cominius.
Com. I fhall lack voice: the deeds of Coriolanus
Should not be utter'd feebly. It is held

That

That valour is the chiefeft virtue, and
Moft dignifies the haver: if it be,
The man I fpeak of cannot in the world
Be fingly counter-pois'd. At fixteen years,
When Tarquin made a head for Rome, he fought
Beyond the mark of others: our then Dictator,
Whom with all praise I point at, faw him fight,
When with his Amazonian chin he drove
The briftled lips before him: he bestrid
An o'er-preft Roman, and i' th' Conful's view
Slew three oppofers: Tarquin's felf he met,
And ftruck him on his knee: in that day's feats,
When he might act the woman in the scene,
He prov'd beft man i'th' field, and for his meed
Was brow-bound with the oak. His pupil-age
Man-entred thus, he waxed like a sea,

And in the brunt of feventeen battels fince,
He lurcht all fwords o' th' garland. For this last,
Before, and in Corioli, let me fay

I cannot speak him home: he ftopt the fliers,
And by his rare example made the coward
Turn terror into fport. As waves before
A veffel under fail, fo men obey'd,

And fell below his ftern: his fword (death's ftamp)
Where it did mark, it took from face to foot:
He was a thing of blood, whofe every motion
Was tim❜d with dying cries; alone he enter'd
1/The gate o' th' city, which he mortal painted
With fhunless destiny: aidlefs came off,
And with a fudden re-enforcement ftruck
Corioli, like a planet. Nor's this all ;`
For by and by the din of war 'gan pierce
His ready fenfe, when ftraight his doubled fpirit
Requicken'd what in flesh was fatigate,
And to the battel came he; where he did
Run reeking o'er the lives of men, as if

1 The mortal Gate o'th' City, which he painted 2 Nor all's this;

"Twere

'Twere a perpetual fpoil; and 'till we call'd
Both field and city ours, he never stood
To ease his breaft with panting.

Men. Worthy man!

1 Sen. He cannot but with meafure 'fill the honours Which we devife him.

Com. All our fpoils he kick'd at,

And look'd upon things precious, as they were
The common muck o' th' world: he covets lefs
Than mifery it felf would give, rewards
His deeds with doing them, and his content
To spend his time to end it.

Men. He's right noble,

Let him be call'd for.

Sen. Call Coriolanus.

Off. He doth appear.

Enter Coriolanus.

Men. The Senate, Coriolanus, are well pleas'd To make thee Conful.

Cor. I do owe them ftill

My life, and fervices.

Men. It then remains

That you do fpeak to th' people.

Cor. I beseech you,

Let me o'er-leap that cuftom; for I cannot
Put on the gown, ftand naked, and entreat them,
For my wounds fake, to give their fuffrages:
Please you that I may over-pafs` this doing.

Sic.Sir, but the people too muft' have their voices,

Nor will they bate one jot of ceremony.

Men. Put them not to't: pray fit you to the cuftom, And take t'ye, as your predeceffors have,

Your honour with 7 'the form.

Cor. It is a part

That I fhall blush in acting, and might well

Be taken from the people.

Bru.

3 fit 4 Our

5 país

6 Sir, the people muft 7 your