3 Cit. To lose itself in a fog; where being three parts melted away with rotten dews, the fourth would return for conscience' sake, to help to get thee a wife. 2 Cit. You are never without your tricks:-You may, you may.1

3. Cit. Are you all resolved to give your voices? But that's no matter; the greater part carries it. I say, if he would incline to the people, there was never a worthier man.

Enter CORIOLANUS and MEnenius.

Here he comes, and in the gown of humility; mark his behavior. We are not to stay all together, but to come by him where he stands, by ones, by twos, and by threes. He's to make his requests by particulars; wherein every one of us has a single honor, in giving him our own voices with our own tongues. Therefore follow me, and I'll direct you how you shall go by him.

All. Content, content.

[Exeunt. Men. O sir, you are not right; have you not known The worthiest men have done it?

Cor.

What must I say?

I pray, sir,-plague upon't! I cannot bring

My tongue to such a pace. Look, sir;—my wounds!

I got them in my country's service, when

Some certain of your brethren roared, and ran

From the noise of our own drums.

Men.

O me, the gods!

You must not speak of that; you must desire them

To think upon you.

Cor.

Think upon me! hang 'em!

I would they would forget me, like the virtues

Which our divines lose by them.2

1 The force of this colloquial phrase appears to be, "You may divert yourself as you please at my expense."

2 "I wish they would forget me, as they do the virtuous precepts which our divines preach to them." This is another amusing instance of anachronism.

Men.

You'll mar all;

[Exit.

I'll leave you. Pray you, speak to them, I pray you, In wholesome manner.

Cor.

Enter two Citizens.

Bid them wash their faces,

And keep their teeth clean.-So, here comes a brace. You know the cause, sir, of my standing here.

1 Cit. We do, sir; tell us what hath brought

'Twas never my desire yet,

To trouble the poor with begging.

1 Cit. You must think, if we give you any thing, We hope to gain by you.

Cor. Well, then, I pray, your price o' the consulship? 1 Cit. The price is, sir, to ask it kindly.

Cor.

Sir, I

Kindly?

pray let me ha't; I have wounds to show you, Which shall be yours in private.-Your good voice, sir ; What say you?

2 Cit. You shall have it, worthy sir.

Cor. A match, sir ;

There is in all two worthy voices begged.

alms; adieu.

I have your alms;

1 Cit.

But this is something odd.

[Exeunt two Citizens.

2 Cit. An 'twere to give again,-but 'tis no matter.

of

Enter two other Citizens.

Cor. Pray you now, if it may stand with the tune your voices, that I may be consul, I have here the

3 Cit. You have deserved nobly of your country, and you have not deserved nobly.

Cor. Your enigma.

3 Cit. You have been a scourge to her enemies, you have been a rod to her friends; you have not, indeed, loved the common people.

Cor. You should account me the more virtuous, that I have not been common in my love. I will, sir, flatter my sworn brother, the people, to earn a dearer estimation of them. 'Tis a condition they account gentle; and since the wisdom of their choice. is rather to have my hat than my heart, I will practise the insinuating nod, and be off to them most counterfeitly that is, sir, I will counterfeit the bewitchment of some popular man, and give it bountifully to the desirers. Therefore, beseech you, I may be consul.

4 Cit. We hope to find you our friend; and therefore give you our voices heartily.

3 Cit. You have received many wounds for your country.

Cor. I will not seal1 your knowledge with showing them. I will make much of your voices, and so trouble you no further.

Both Cit. The gods give you joy, sir, heartily! [Exeunt.

Cor. Most sweet voices!

Better it is to die, better to starve,

Than crave the hire which first we do deserve.
Why in this wolvish gown should I stand here,
To beg of Hob and Dick,3 that do appear,
Their needless vouches? Custom calls me to't.-
What custom wills, in all things should we do't,
The dust on antique time would lie unswept,

1 I will not strengthen or complete your knowledge. The seal is that which ratifies or completes a writing.

2 Thus the second folio. The first folio reads "wolvish tongue," apparently an error of the press for toge; the same mistake having occurred in Othello, where "tongued consuls" is printed for "toged consuls." By a wolvish gown Coriolanus means a deceitful one.

3 Hob and Dick were names of frequent occurrence among the common people in Shakspeare's time, and generally used to signify a peasant or low person.

And mountainous error be too highly heaped
For truth to overpeer. Rather than fool it so,
Let the high office and the honor go

To one that would do thus.—I am half through;
The one part suffered, the other will I do.

Enter three other Citizens.

Here come more voices.

Your voices; for your voices I have fought;
Watched for your voices; for your voices, bear
Of wounds two dozen odd; battles thrice six
I have seen, and heard of; for your voices, have1
Done many things, some less, some more; your voices;
Indeed, I would be consul.

5 Cit. He has done nobly, and cannot go without any honest man's voice.

6 Cit. Therefore, let him be consul. The gods give him joy, and make him good friend to the people! All. Amen, amen.

God save thee, noble consul!

Cor.

[Exeunt Citizens. Worthy voices!

Re-enter MENENIUS, with BRUTUS and SICINIUS.

Men. You have stood your limitation; and the tribunes

Endue you with the people's voice. Remains

That, in the official marks invested, you

Anon do meet the senate.

Cor.

Is this done?

Sic. The custom of request you have discharged. The people do admit you; and are summoned

To meet anon, upon your approbation.

Cor. Where? at the senate-house?

I've seen, and you have heard of; for your voices
Done many things," &c.

Coriolanus seeming now in earnest to petition for the consulate.

Sic.

There, Coriolanus.

You may, sir.

Cor. May I change these garments?

Sic.

Cor. That I'll straight do; and, knowing myself

again,

Repair to the senate-house.

Men. I'll keep you company.-Will you along?
Bru. We stay here for the people.

Sic.

Fare you well.

[Exeunt CORIOL. and MENEN.

He has it now; and by his looks, methinks, 'Tis warm at his heart.

Bru.

With a proud heart he wore

His humble weeds. Will you dismiss the people?

Re-enter Citizens.

Sic. How now, my masters? have you chose this man?

1 Cit. He has our voices, sir.

Bru. We pray the gods he may deserve your loves. 2 Cit. Amen, sir. To my poor, unworthy notice, He mocked us, when he begged our voices.

3 Cit.

He flouted us downright.

Certainly,

1 Cit. No, 'tis his kind of speech; he did not

mock us.

2 Cit. Not one amongst us, save yourself, but says, He used us scornfully; he should have showed us His marks of merit, wounds received for his country. Sic. Why, so he did, I am sure.

Cit.

No; no man saw 'em. [Several speak. 3 Cit. He said he had wounds, which he could

show in private;

And with his hat, thus waving it in scorn,
I would be consul, says he: aged custom,1

1

1 The Romans (as Warburton observes) had but lately changed the regal for the consular government; for Coriolanus was banished the eighteenth year after the expulsion of the kings. Plutarch, as we have before seen, led the Poet into the error concerning this aged custom.