Page images
PDF
EPUB

Bru.

Which the rather

We shall be bless'd to do, if he remember

A kinder value of the people, than

He hath hereto priz'd them at.

Men.

That's off, that's off;

I would you rather had been silent: Please you
To hear Cominius speak?

[blocks in formation]

But tie him not to be their bedfellow.—

Worthy Cominius, speak.-Nay, keep your place. [Coriolanus rises, and offers to go away.

1 Sen. Sit, Coriolanus; never shame to hear What you have nobly done.

Cor.

[ocr errors]

Your honours' pardon;

I had rather have my wounds to heal again,

Than hear say how I got them.

Bru.

My words dis-bench'd you not.

Cor.

Sir, I hope,

No, sir: yet oft,

When blows have made me stay, I fled from words. You sooth'd not, therefore hurt not: But, your

people,

I love them as they weigh.

Men.

Pray now, sit down.

Cor. I had rather have one scratch my head i' the

[merged small][ocr errors]

When the alarum were struck, than idly sit

To hear my nothings monster'd. [Exit Coriolanus. 26 Masters o' the people,

Men.

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 of his ears to hear it?-Proceed, Comi

nius.

Com. I shall lack voice: the deeds of Coriolanus 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 counterpois'd. 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 27 he drove
The bristled lips before him: he 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 28,
He prov'd 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 o' 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 waves 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 tim'd with dying cries: alone he enter'd
29 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 ho

nours

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

7

His deeds with doing them; and is content

To spend the time, to end it.

[blocks in formation]

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

[blocks in formation]

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 you, That I may pass this doing.

[blocks in formation]

Pray you, go fit you to the custom; and

Take to you, as your predecessors have,

Your honour with your form.

It is a part

Cor.
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 unaking scars which I should hide, As if I had receiv'd them for the hire

Of their breath only:

Men.

Our

[ocr errors][merged small]

We recommend to you, tribunes of the people, 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. 30 We have power in ourselves to do it, but it is a power that we have no power to do: for if he

« PreviousContinue »