That babies lulls afleep! the fmiles of knaves
Tent in my cheeks, and fchool-boys tears take up
The glaffes of my fight! a beggar's tongue

Make motion through my lips, and my arm'd knees
Which bow'd but in my itirrup, bend like his
That hath receiv'd an alms! I will not do't,
Left I furceafe to honour mine own truth,
And by my body's action teach my mind
A moft inherent bafeness.

Vol. At thy choice then :

To beg of thee, it is my more difhonour,
Than thou of them. Come all to ruin, let
Thy mother rather feel thy pride, than fear
Thy dangerous ftoutnefs: for I mock at death
With as big heart as thou. Do as thou lift.

Thy valiantnefs was mine, thou fuck'dft it from me :
But own thy pride thy felf.

Cor. Pray be content:

Mother, I'm going to the market-place:

Chide me no more.

I'll mountebank their loves,

Cog their hearts from them, and come home belov'd

Of all the trades in Rome.

Look, I am going: Commend me to my wife. I'll return Conful,

Or never trust to what my tongue can do

I' th' way of flattery further.

Vol. Do your will.

[Exit Volumnia.

Com. Away, the Tribunes do attend you: arm Your felf to anfwer mildly: for they're prepar'd With accufations, as I hear, more strong

Than are upon you yet.

Cor. The word is, mildly.

Pray you, let us go.

Let them accufe me by invention: I

Will anfwer in mine honour.

Men. Ay, but mildly.

Cor. Well, mildly be it then, mildly.

[Exeunt.

SCENE

Bru. IN

N this point charge him home, that he affects Tyrannic power: if he evade us there, Inforce him with his envy to the people,

And that the spoil got on the Antiates

Was ne'er diftributed. What, will he come?

Enter an Edile.

Ed. He's coming.

Bru. How accompanied?

Ed. With old Menenius, and those senators

That always favour'd him.

Sic. Have you a catalogue

Of all the voices that we have procur'd,

Set down by th' poll?

Ed. I have; 'tis ready, here.

Sic. Have you collected them by tribes?
Ed. I have.

Sic. Affemble prefently the people hither,
And when they hear me fay, It shall be so,
Pth' right and firength o' th' Commons; be it either
For death, for fine, or banishment, then let them,
If I fay fine, cry, Fine! if death, cry, Death!
Infifting on the old prerogative

And power i' th' truth o' th' caufe.

Ed. I will inform them.

Bru. And when fuch time they have begun to cry,
Let them not cease, but with a din confus'd
Inforce the prefent execution

Of what we chance to fentence.

Ed. Very well.

K 3

Sic.

Sic. Make them be strong, and ready for this hint, When we fhall hap to give't them.

Bru. Go about it.

Put him to choler ftraight, he hath been us'd
Ever to conquer, and to have 'no' word

[Exit Edile.

Of contradiction. Being once chaf'd, he cannot
Be rein'd again to temp'rance; then he fpeaks

What's in his heart; and that is there, which works
With us to break his neck.

Enter Coriolanus, Menenius, and Cominius, with Senators,

Sic. Well, here he comes.

Men. Calmly I do beseech you.

Cor. Ay, as an oftler, that for the pooreft piece Will bear the knave by th' volume: the honour'd Gods Keep Rome in fafety, and the chairs of justice Supply with worthy men, plant love amongst you, Throng our large temples with the fhews of peace,

And not our streets with war!

1 Sen. Amen, amen.

Men. A noble wish.

Enter the Edile with the Plebeians.

Sic. Draw near, ye people.

Ed. Lift to your Tribunes: audience;

Peace, I fay.

Cor. First, hear me speak.

Both Tri. Well, fay: peace, ho.

Cor. Shall I be charg❜d no further than this present? Muft all determine here?

If

Sic. I do demand,

you fubmit

submit you to the people's voices,
Allow their officers, and are content
To fuffer lawful cenfure for fuch faults
As fhall be prov'd upon you?

Cor. I am content.

3 his

4 looks

Men.

5 Through... old edit. Warb. emend.

Men. Lo, citizens, he fays he is content:
The warlike service he has done, confider;
Think on the wounds his body bears, which fhew
Like graves i' th' holy church-yard.

Cor. Scratches with briars, fcars to move laughter only.
Men. Confider further :

That when he speaks not like a citizen,
You find him like a foldier; do not take
His rougher accents` for malicious founds:
But, as I fay, fuch as become a foldier,
Rather than envy you.

Com. Well, well, no more.

Cor. What is the matter,

That being paft for Conful with full voice,
I'm fo difhonour'd, that the very hour
You take it off again?

Sic. Answer to us.

Cor. Say then 'tis true, I ought fo.

Sic. We charge you, that you have contriv'd to take From Rome all feafon'd office, and to wind

Your felf unto a power tyrannical,

For which you are a traitor to the people.
Cor. How? traitor?

Men. Nay, temperately your promise.

Cor. The fires i'th' lowest hell fold in the people!
Call me their traitor! thou injurious Tribune!
Within thine eyes fate twenty thousand deaths,
In thy hands clutch'd as many millions, in
Thy lying tongue both numbers; I would fay,
Thou lieft, unto thee, with a voice as free,
As I do pray the Gods

Sic. Mark you this, people?

All. To th' rock with him.

Sic. Peace:

We need not put new matter to his charge:

What you have seen him do, and heard him speak,
Beating your officers, curfing your felves,

K 4

6 actions... old edit. Theob. emend.

Oppofing

Oppofing laws with ftroaks, and here defying
Those whofe great power must try him, even this
So criminal, and in fuch capital kind,
Deferves th' extreameft death.

Bru. But fince he hath

Serv'd well for Rome

Cor. What do you prate of fervice?
Bru. I talk of that, that know it.

Cor. You?

Men. Is this the promise that you made your mother?
Com. Know, I pray you

Cor. I'll know no further:

Let them pronounce the fteep Tarpeian death.
Vagabond, exile, fleaing, pent to linger
But with a grain a-day, I would not buy
Their mercy at the price of one fair word,
Nor check my courage for what they can give,
To have't with faying, Good-morrow.

Sic. For that he has

(As much as in him lyes) from time to time
Envy'd against the people, feeking means
To pluck away their power; has now at laft
Giv'n hoftile ftroaks, and that 7 'not only in prefence
Of dreaded justice, but on the minifters

That do diftribute it; in the name o'th' people

And in the power of us the Tribunes, we

(Ev'n from this inftant) banish him our city,

In peril of precipitation

From off the rock Tarpeian, never more

To enter our Rome's gates. I' th' people's name,

I fay it fhall be fo.

All. It fhall be fo, it fhall be fo; let him

He's banish'd, and it fhall be fo.

away:

Com. Hear me, my mafters, and my common friendsSic. He's fentenc'd: no more hearing.

Com. Let me fpeak:

I have been Conful, and can fhew

Her enemies marks upon me. I do love

for Rome

My

7 not in the

8 from... old edit. Thoob, emend.