Where it did mark, it took; from face to foot
He was a thing of blood, whose every motion
Was tim'd with dying cries: alone he enter'd
The mortal gate o' the city, which he painted
With shunless destiny; aidless came off,
And with a sudden re-enforcement 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.

Men.

Worthy man!

1 Sen. He cannot but with measure fit the honours

Which we devise him.

Com.

Our spoils he kick'd at;

And look'd upon things precious, as they were The common muck o' 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.

Men. The senate, Coriolanus, are well pleas'd

To make thee consul.

Let me o'er-leap that custom; for I cannot

Put on the gown, stand naked, and entreat them, For my wounds' sake, to give their suffrage: please

Pray you, go fit you to the custom; and

Take to you, as your predecessors have,
Your honour with your form.

Cor.

It is a part

That I shall blush in acting, and might well

Be taken from the people.

Bru.

Mark you that?

Cor. To brag unto them,-Thus I did, and

thus;

Show them the unaching scars which I should hide,

As if I had receiv'd them for the hire

Of their breath only:

Men.

Do not stand upon't.—

We recommend to you, tribunes of the people,

Our

purpose

to them; and to our noble consul

Wish we all joy and honour.

Sen. To Coriolanus come all joy and honour!

[Flourish. Then Exeunt Senators.

Bru. You see how he intends to use the people.

Sic. May they perceive's intent! He will require

them,

As if he did contemn what he requested

Should be in them to give.

Bru.

Come, we'll inform them

[Exeunt.

Of our proceedings here: on the market-place,

I know, they do attend us.

SCENE III.

THE SAME. THE FORUM,

Enter several Citizens.

1 Cit. Once, if he do require our voices, we ought not to deny him.

2 Cit. We may, sir, if we will.

3 Cit. We have power in ourselves to do it, but it is a power that we have no power to do: for if he show us his wounds, and tell us his deeds, we are to put our tongues into those wounds, and speak for them; so, if he tell us his noble deeds, we must also tell him our noble acceptance of them. Ingratitude is monstrous: and for the multitude to be ingrateful, were to make a monster of the multitude; of the which, we being members, should bring ourselves to be monstrous members.

1 Cit. And to make us no better thought of, a little help will serve: for once, when we stood up about the corn, he himself stuck not to call usthe many-headed multitude.

3 Cit. We have been call'd so of many; not that our heads are some brown, some black, some auburn, some bald, but that our wits are so diversly colour'd: and truly I think, if all our wits were to issue out of one skull, they would fly east, west, north, south; and their consent of one direct way should be at once to all the points o' the compass.

2 Cit. Think you so? Which way, do you judge, my wit would fly?

3 Cit. Nay, your wit will not so soon out as another man's will, 'tis strongly wedg'd up in a block-head: but if it were at liberty, 'twould, sure, southward.

2 Cit. Why that way?

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.

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 behaviour. 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

honour, 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't?

Cor.

What must I say?

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

My tongue to such a pace:-Look, sir;——my

I

wounds;

got them in my country's service, when Some certain of your brethren roar'd, 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.

Men.

You'll mar all;

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

Cor.

[Exit.

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 you

to't.

Cor. Mine own desert.