Men. A hundred thousand welcomes: I could weep, And I could laugh; I am light, and heavy: Wel come: A curse begin at very root of his heart, That is not glad to see thee!-You are three, That Rome should dote on: yet, by the faith of men, We have some old crab-trees here at home, that will not Be grafted to your relish. Yet welcome, warriors: We call a nettle, but a nettle; and The faults of fools, but folly. Ere in our own house I do shade my head, The good patricians must be visited; From whom I have received not only greetings, But with them change of honours. Vol. To see inherited my very wishes, I have lived And the buildings of my fancy: only there Cor. Know, good mother, On, to the Capitol. Com. [Flourish. Cornets. Exeunt in state, as before. The Tribunes remain. Bru. All tongues speak of him, and the bleared sights Are spectacled to see him: Your prattling nurse While she chats him; the kitchen malkint pins Her richest lockram* 'bout her reechy + neck, Clambering the walls to eye him: stalls, bulks, windows, Are smother'd up, leads fill'd, and ridges hors'd, In earnestness to see him: seldt-shown flamens Sic. I warrant him consul. Bru. On the sudden, Then our office may, During his power, go sleep. Sic, He cannot temperately transport his honours From where he should begin, and end; but will Lose those that he hath won. Bru. In that there's comfort. Sic. Doubt not the commoners, for whom we stand, But they, upon their ancient malice, will Forget, with the least cause, these his new honours; Bru. Nor, showing (as the manner is) his wounds Sic. 'Tis right. Bru. It was his word: O, he would miss it, rather Than carry it, but by the suit o'the gentry to him, And the desire of the nobles. Sic. I wish no better, Than have him hold that purpose, and to put it Bru. 'Tis most like, he will. Sic. It shall be to him then, as our good wills; A sure destruction. Bru. So it must fall out To him, or our authorities. For an end, We must suggest the people, in what hatred He still hath held them; that, to his power, he would Of no more soul, nor fitness for the world, Than camels in their war; who have their provand + Only for bearing burdens, and sore blows For sinking under them. Sic. This, as you say, suggested At some time when his soaring insolence Shall teach the people (which time shall not want, If he be put upon't; and that's as easy, As to set dogs on sheep), will be his fire To kindle their dry stubble; and their blaze Bru. Enter a Messenger. What's the matter? Mess. You are sent for to the Capitol. 'Tis thought, That Marcius shall be consul: I have seen The dumb men throug to see him, and the blind Upon him as he pass'd: the nobles bended, A shower, and thunder, with their caps, and shouts : Bru. Let's to the Capitol; And carry with us ears and eyes for the time, Sic. Have with you. [Exeunt. SCENE II. The same. The Capitol. Enter two Officers, to lay cushions. 1 Off. Come, come, they are almost here: How many stand for consulships? 2 Off. Three, they say: 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 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. 1 Off. If he did not care whether he had their love, or no, he waved indifferently 'twixt doing them neither good, nor harm; but he seeks their hate with greater devotion than they can render it him; and leaves nothing undone, that may fully discover himtheir 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. 2 Off. He hath deserved worthily of his country! And his ascent is not by such easy degrees as those, who, having been supple and courteous to the people, bonnetted t, without any further deed to heave them at all 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. 1 Off. No more of him; he is a worthy man: Make way, they are coming. A sennet. Enter, with Lictors before them, Cominius, the Consul, Menenius, Coriolanus, many other Senators, Sicinius and Brutus. The Sena tors take their places; the Tribunes take theirs also by themselves. Mert. Having determin'd of the Volces, and 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 By Caius Marcius Coriolanus; whom We meet here, both to thank, and to remember Speak, good Cominius: 1 Sen. * Adversary. + Took off caps. |