The same. The Capitol.

First Officer

for consulships?

Second Officer

Coriolanus will carry it.

First Officer

loves not the common people.

Second Officer

flattered the people, who ne'er loved them; and there

be many that they have loved, they know not

wherefore: so 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 manifests the true knowledge he has in their

disposition; and out of his noble carelessness lets

them plainly see't.

First Officer

he waved indifferently 'twixt doing them neither

good nor harm: but he seeks their hate with greater

devotion than can render it him; and leaves

nothing undone that may fully discover him their

opposite. Now, to seem to affect the malice and

displeasure of the people is as bad as that which he

dislikes, to flatter them for their love.

Second Officer

ascent is not by such easy degrees as those who,

having been supple and courteous to the people,

bonneted, without any further deed to have them at

an into their estimation and report: but he hath so

planted his honours in their eyes, and his actions

in their hearts, that for their tongues to be

silent, and not confess so much, were a kind of

ingrateful injury; to report otherwise, were a

malice, that, giving itself the lie, would pluck

reproof and rebuke from every ear that heard it.

First Officer

are coming.

MENENIUS

To send for Titus Lartius, it remains,

As the main point of this our after-meeting,

To gratify his noble service that

Hath thus stood for his country: therefore,

please you,

Most reverend and grave elders, to desire

The present consul, and last general

In our well-found successes, to report

A little of that worthy work perform'd

By Caius Marcius Coriolanus, whom

We met here both to thank and to remember

With honours like himself.

First Senator

Leave nothing out for length, and make us think

Rather our state's defective for requital

Than we to stretch it out.

Masters o' the people,

We do request your kindest ears, and after,

Your loving motion toward the common body,

To yield what passes here.

SICINIUS

Upon a pleasing treaty, and have hearts

Inclinable to honour and advance

The theme of our assembly.

BRUTUS

We shall be blest to do, if he remember

A kinder value of the people than

He hath hereto prized them at.

MENENIUS

I would you rather had been silent. Please you

To hear Cominius speak?

BRUTUS

But yet my caution was more pertinent

Than the rebuke you give it.

MENENIUS

But tie him not to be their bedfellow.

Worthy Cominius, speak.

Nay, keep your place.

First Senator

What you have nobly done.

CORIOLANUS

I had rather have my wounds to heal again

Than hear say how I got them.

BRUTUS

My words disbench'd you not.

CORIOLANUS

When blows have made me stay, I fled from words.

You soothed not, therefore hurt not: but

your people,

I love them as they weigh.

MENENIUS

CORIOLANUS

When the alarum were struck than idly sit

To hear my nothings monster'd.

MENENIUS

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 on's ears to hear it? Proceed, Cominius.

COMINIUS

Should not be utter'd feebly. It is held

That valour is the chiefest virtue, and

Most dignifies the haver: if it be,

The man I speak of cannot in the world

Be singly counterpoised. At sixteen 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, saw him fight,

When with his Amazonian chin he drove

The bristled lips before him: be bestrid

An o'er-press'd Roman and i' the consul's view

Slew three opposers: Tarquin's self he met,

And struck him on his knee: in that day's feats,

When he might act the woman in the scene,

He proved best man i' the field, and for his meed

Was brow-bound with the oak. His pupil age

Man-enter'd thus, he waxed like a sea,

And in the brunt of seventeen battles since

He lurch'd all swords of the garland. For this last,

Before and in Corioli, let me say,

I cannot speak him home: he stopp'd the fliers;

And by his rare example made the coward

Turn terror into sport: as weeds before

A vessel under sail, so men obey'd

And fell below his stem: his sword, death's stamp,

Where it did mark, it took; from face to foot

He was a thing of blood, whose every motion

Was timed with dying cries: alone he enter'd

The mortal gate of the city, which he painted

With shunless destiny; aidless came off,

And with a sudden reinforcement struck

Corioli like a planet: now all's his:

When, by and by, the din of war gan pierce

His ready sense; then straight his doubled spirit

Re-quicken'd what in flesh was fatigate,

And to the battle came he; where he did

Run reeking o'er the lives of men, as if

'Twere a perpetual spoil: and till we call'd

Both field and city ours, he never stood

To ease his breast with panting.

MENENIUS

First Senator

Which we devise him.

COMINIUS

And look'd upon things precious as they were

The common muck of 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.

MENENIUS

Let him be call'd for.

First Senator

Officer

MENENIUS

To make thee consul.

CORIOLANUS

My life and services.

MENENIUS

That you do speak to the people.

CORIOLANUS

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.

SICINIUS

Must have their voices; neither will they bate

One jot of ceremony.

MENENIUS

Pray you, go fit you to the custom and

Take to you, as your predecessors have,

Your honour with your form.

CORIOLANUS

That I shall blush in acting, and might well

Be taken from the people.

BRUTUS

CORIOLANUS

Show them the unaching scars which I should hide,

As if I had received them for the hire

Of their breath only!

MENENIUS

We recommend to you, tribunes of the people,

Our purpose to them: and to our noble consul

Wish we all joy and honour.

Senators

BRUTUS

SICINIUS

As if he did contemn what he requested

Should be in them to give.

BRUTUS

Of our proceedings here: on the marketplace,

I know, they do attend us.