Cor. Why then should I be Conful? by yond clouds, Let me deferve fo ill as you, and make me Your Fellow-tribune.

Sic. You fhew too much of that,

For which the people ftir; if you will pafs
To where you're bound, you must enquire your way
Which you are out of, with a gentler fpirit;
Or never be fo noble as a Conful,

Nor yoke with him for Tribune.

Men. Let's be calm.

Com. The people are abus'd.Set on ;-
paltring (14)

Becomes not Rome: nor has Coriolanus
Deferv'd this fo difhonour'd rub, laid falfly
I' th' plain way of his merit.

Cor. Tell me of corn!

This was my fpeech, and I will speak't again
Men. Not now, not now.

Sen. Not in this heat, Sir, how.
Cor. Now as I live, I will

21

this

As for my noble friends, I crave their pardons
But for the mutable rank-scented many,
Let them regard me, as I do not flatter,
And there behold themfelves: I fay again,
In foothing them, we nourish 'gainft our Senate
The cockle of rebellion, infolence, fedition,
Which we ourselves have plow'd for, fow'd and scatter'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

10.

Well, no more

Sen. No more words, we beseech you

(14) The people are abus'd fet on;] This is pointed, as if the Senfe were, the People are fet on by the Tribunes: but I don't take that to be the Poet's Meaning. Cominius makes a fingle Reflexion, and then bids the Train fet forward, as again afterwards. ut b..

Well, On to th' Market-place. T

And fo in Jubus Cæfar;

Set on, and leave no Ceremony out.

៨.

Cdr.

As for my country I have fhed my blood,
Not fearing outward force; fo fhall my lungs.
Coin words 'till their decay, againft thofe measles,
Which we disdain fhould tetter us, yet

to catch them.'

The very way to

feek

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 fleep, By Jove, 'twould be my mind.

Sic. It is a mind

That shall remain à poison where it is,

Not poifon any further.

Cor. Shall remain ?

Hear you this Triton of the minnows? mark you
His abfolute ball?

Com. 'Twas from the canon.

Cor. Shall!

O good, but moft unwife Patricians, why,

You grave, but wreaklefs Senators, have you thus
Giv'n Hydra here to chufe an officer,

That with his peremptory ball, being but

The horn and noife o'th' monfters, wants not fpirit To fay, he'll turn your current in a ditch,

And

nd 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, both your voices blended, the greatest tafte
Moft palates theirs. They chufe their magiftrate!
And fuch a one as he, who puts his fall,
His popular fall, againft a graver bench
That 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 fuprcam, 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' ftore-house, gratis, as 'twas us'd Sometime in Greece test of sa

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 Statesb £ rtky Dod Bru. Why fhall the people gives

13

19

One, that fpeaks thus, their voice dombau lum
Cor. I give my reafons,rona doido 339
More worthy than their voice. They know, the corn
Was not our recompence; refting affur'd, and t
They ne'er did fervice for't; being preft to th' war,
Ev'n when the navel of the State was touch'd, 4:
They would not thread the gates this kind of fervice
Did not deferve corn gratis: Being i'th war,i
Their mutinies and revolts, wherein they fhew'd
Moft valour, fpoke not for them.Th accufation,
Which they have oft made against the Senate,
All caufe unborn, could never be the nativen
Of our fo frank donation. Well, what then?
How fhall this bofom-multiplied digeft
The Senate's courtesy let deeds exprefs,

What's like to be their words “We did request it→ "We are the greater poll, and in true fear

They gave us our demands." Thus we debafe The nature of our feats, and make the rabble

Call our cares, fe

fears; which will in time break ope The locks o'th' Senate, and bring in the crows To peck the eagles.

Men. Come, enough..

Bru. Enough, with over meafureling vols
Cor. No, take more. \ !

What may be fworn by, both divine and human,
Seal what I end withal!This double worship,
Where one part does disdain with cause, the other
Infalt without all reafon; where gentry, title, wifdom,
Cannot

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 purpofe. Therefore, befeech you,
(You that will be lefs fearful than difcreet,
That love the fundamental part of ftate

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 fweet 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 controll it.

Sat. H'as fpoken like a traitor, and fhall anfwer As traitors do.it more

Cor: Thou wretch Defpight o'erwhelm thee! What should the people do with these bald Tribunes? On whom depending, their obedience fails URY TA To th' greater bench. In a rebellion, o suo 19 When what's not meet, but what must be, was law Then were they chofen in a better hour, Let what is meet, be faid, it must be meet, And throw their Power i'th duft 913 Bru. Manifeft treafon memah

Sic. This a Conful? no. 222

SW »

Bru. The Ediles; ho let him be apprehended.D

[Ediles Enter. Sic. Go, call the people, in whofe name myself Attach thee as a traiterous innovator: 9.00 A foe to the public weak: Obey, I charge thee, And follow to thine anfwer: [Laying bold in Coriolanus. Cor. Hence, old goatodemowi od yom i AW All We'll furety him.-- indow one landw } ? Com. Ag'd Sir, hands offpubsob finq wo 915. W toy arada molsar lis frontra 1.Com.

31

Cor. Hence, rotten thing, or I fhall fhake thy bones Out of thy garments.

Sic. Help me, citizens..

Enter a Rabble of Plebeians, with the Ediles.

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 bustle about Coriolanus. Tribunes, Patricians, Citizens what ho! Sicinius, Brutus, Coriolanus, citizens!)

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, Coriolanus, patience; fpeak, Sicinius,

Sic. Hear me, people-peace.

All. Let's hear our Tribune; peace; fpeak, fpeak, 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. Fy, fy, fy..

This is the way to kindle not to quench.

Sen. To unbuild the city, and to lay all Hat.
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 people's magiftrates.

All. You fo remain.

Men. And fo are like to do.

Cor. That is the way to lay the city flat;
To bring the roof to the foundation,

And bury all, which yet diftinctly ranges,
In heaps and piles of ruin.

Sic. This deferves 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 whofe power

We