The Tragedy Of Coriolanus

1 Enter seven or eight Citizens.
2 FIRST CITIZEN.
3 Once, if he do require our voices, we ought not to deny him.
4 SECOND CITIZEN.
5 We may, sir, if we will.
6 THIRD CITIZEN.
7 We have power in ourselves to do it, but it is a power that we have no
8 power to do; for, if he show us his wounds and tell us his deeds, we
9 are to put our tongues into those wounds and speak for them. So, if he
10 tell us his noble deeds, we must also tell him our noble acceptance of
11 them. Ingratitude is monstrous, and for the multitude to be ingrateful
12 were to make a monster of the multitude, of the which we being members,
13 should bring ourselves to be monstrous members.
14 FIRST CITIZEN.
15 And to make us no better thought of, a little help will serve; for once
16 we stood up about the corn, he himself stuck not to call us the
17 many-headed multitude.
18 THIRD CITIZEN.
19 We have been called so of many; not that our heads are some brown, some
20 black, some auburn, some bald, but that our wits are so diversely
21 coloured; and truly I think if all our wits were to issue out of one
22 skull, they would fly east, west, north, south, and their consent of
23 one direct way should be at once to all the points o’ th’ compass.
24 SECOND CITIZEN.
25 Think you so? Which way do you judge my wit would fly?
26 THIRD CITIZEN.
27 Nay, your wit will not so soon out as another man’s will; ’tis strongly
28 wedged up in a blockhead. But if it were at liberty, ’twould, sure,
29 southward.
30 SECOND CITIZEN.
31 Why that way?
32 THIRD CITIZEN.
33 To lose itself in a fog, where being three parts melted away with
34 rotten dews, the fourth would return for conscience’ sake, to help to
35 get thee a wife.
36 SECOND CITIZEN.
37 You are never without your tricks. You may, you may.
38 THIRD CITIZEN.
39 Are you all resolved to give your voices? But that’s no matter; the
40 greater part carries it. I say, if he would incline to the people,
41 there was never a worthier man.
42 Enter Coriolanus in a gown of humility, with Menenius.
43 Here he comes, and in the gown of humility. Mark his behaviour. We are
44 not to stay all together, but to come by him where he stands, by ones,
45 by twos, and by threes. He’s to make his requests by particulars,
46 wherein everyone of us has a single honour in giving him our own voices
47 with our own tongues. Therefore follow me, and I’ll direct you how you
48 shall go by him.
49 ALL.
50 Content, content.
51 [_Exeunt._]
52 MENENIUS.
53 O sir, you are not right. Have you not known
54 The worthiest men have done’t?
55 CORIOLANUS.
56 What must I say?
57 “I pray, sir”—plague upon’t! I cannot bring
58 My tongue to such a pace. “Look, sir, my wounds!
59 I got them in my country’s service when
60 Some certain of your brethren roared and ran
61 From th’ noise of our own drums.”
62 MENENIUS.
63 O me, the gods!
64 You must not speak of that. You must desire them
65 To think upon you.
66 CORIOLANUS.
67 Think upon me! Hang ’em!
68 I would they would forget me, like the virtues
69 Which our divines lose by ’em.
70 MENENIUS.
71 You’ll mar all.
72 I’ll leave you. Pray you speak to ’em, I pray you,
73 In wholesome manner.
74 [_Exit Menenius._]
75 CORIOLANUS.
76 Bid them wash their faces
77 And keep their teeth clean.
78 Enter three of the Citizens.
79 So, here comes a brace.
80 You know the cause, sirs, of my standing here.
81 THIRD CITIZEN.
82 We do, sir. Tell us what hath brought you to’t.
83 CORIOLANUS.
84 Mine own desert.
85 SECOND CITIZEN.
86 Your own desert?
87 CORIOLANUS.
88 Ay, but not mine own desire.
89 THIRD CITIZEN.
90 How, not your own desire?
91 CORIOLANUS.
92 No, sir, ’twas never my desire yet to trouble the poor with begging.
93 THIRD CITIZEN.
94 You must think if we give you anything, we hope to gain by you.
95 CORIOLANUS.
96 Well then, I pray, your price o’ th’ consulship?
97 FIRST CITIZEN.
98 The price is to ask it kindly.
99 CORIOLANUS.
100 Kindly, sir, I pray, let me ha’t. I have wounds to show you, which
101 shall be yours in private.—Your good voice, sir. What say you?
102 SECOND CITIZEN.
103 You shall ha’ it, worthy sir.
104 CORIOLANUS.
105 A match, sir. There’s in all two worthy voices begged. I have your
106 alms. Adieu.
107 THIRD CITIZEN.
108 But this is something odd.
109 SECOND CITIZEN.
110 An ’twere to give again—but ’tis no matter.
111 [_Exeunt two citizens._]
112 Enter two other Citizens.
113 CORIOLANUS.
114 Pray you now, if it may stand with the tune of your voices that I may
115 be consul, I have here the customary gown.
116 FOURTH CITIZEN.
117 You have deserved nobly of your country, and you have not deserved
118 nobly.
119 CORIOLANUS.
120 Your enigma?
121 FOURTH CITIZEN.
122 You have been a scourge to her enemies; you have been a rod to her
123 friends. You have not indeed loved the common people.
124 CORIOLANUS.
125 You should account me the more virtuous that I have not been common in
126 my love. I will, sir, flatter my sworn brother, the people, to earn a
127 dearer estimation of them; ’tis a condition they account gentle. And
128 since the wisdom of their choice is rather to have my hat than my
129 heart, I will practise the insinuating nod and be off to them most
130 counterfeitly. That is, sir, I will counterfeit the bewitchment of some
131 popular man and give it bountiful to the desirers. Therefore, beseech
132 you, I may be consul.
133 FIFTH CITIZEN.
134 We hope to find you our friend, and therefore give you our voices
135 heartily.
136 FOURTH CITIZEN.
137 You have received many wounds for your country.
138 CORIOLANUS.
139 I will not seal your knowledge with showing them. I will make much of
140 your voices and so trouble you no farther.
141 BOTH CITIZENS.
142 The gods give you joy, sir, heartily.
143 [_Exeunt citizens._]
144 CORIOLANUS.
145 Most sweet voices!
146 Better it is to die, better to starve,
147 Than crave the hire which first we do deserve.
148 Why in this wolvish toge should I stand here
149 To beg of Hob and Dick that does appear
150 Their needless vouches? Custom calls me to’t.
151 What custom wills, in all things should we do’t?
152 The dust on antique time would lie unswept
153 And mountainous error be too highly heaped
154 For truth to o’erpeer. Rather than fool it so,
155 Let the high office and the honour go
156 To one that would do thus. I am half through;
157 The one part suffered, the other will I do.
158 Enter three Citizens more.
159 Here come more voices.
160 Your voices! For your voices I have fought;
161 Watched for your voices; for your voices bear
162 Of wounds two dozen odd. Battles thrice six
163 I have seen and heard of; for your voices have
164 Done many things, some less, some more. Your voices!
165 Indeed, I would be consul.
166 SIXTH CITIZEN.
167 He has done nobly, and cannot go without any honest man’s voice.
168 SEVENTH CITIZEN.
169 Therefore let him be consul. The gods give him joy, and make him good
170 friend to the people!
171 ALL THREE CITIZENS.
172 Amen, amen. God save thee, noble consul.
173 [_Exeunt citizens._]
174 CORIOLANUS.
175 Worthy voices!
176 Enter Menenius with Brutus and Sicinius.
177 MENENIUS.
178 You have stood your limitation, and the Tribunes
179 Endue you with the people’s voice. Remains
180 That in th’ official marks invested, you
181 Anon do meet the Senate.
182 CORIOLANUS.
183 Is this done?
184 SICINIUS.
185 The custom of request you have discharged.
186 The people do admit you, and are summoned
187 To meet anon upon your approbation.
188 CORIOLANUS.
189 Where? At the Senate House?
190 SICINIUS.
191 There, Coriolanus.
192 CORIOLANUS.
193 May I change these garments?
194 SICINIUS.
195 You may, sir.
196 CORIOLANUS.
197 That I’ll straight do and, knowing myself again,
198 Repair to th’ Senate House.
199 MENENIUS.
200 I’ll keep you company.—Will you along?
201 BRUTUS.
202 We stay here for the people.
203 SICINIUS.
204 Fare you well.
205 [_Exeunt Coriolanus and Menenius._]
206 He has it now; and by his looks, methinks,
207 ’Tis warm at his heart.
208 BRUTUS.
209 With a proud heart he wore
210 His humble weeds. Will you dismiss the people?
211 Enter the Pebleians.
212 SICINIUS.
213 How now, my masters, have you chose this man?
214 FIRST CITIZEN.
215 He has our voices, sir.
216 BRUTUS.
217 We pray the gods he may deserve your loves.
218 SECOND CITIZEN.
219 Amen, sir. To my poor unworthy notice,
220 He mocked us when he begged our voices.
221 THIRD CITIZEN.
222 Certainly, he flouted us downright.
223 FIRST CITIZEN.
224 No, ’tis his kind of speech. He did not mock us.
225 SECOND CITIZEN.
226 Not one amongst us, save yourself, but says
227 He used us scornfully. He should have showed us
228 His marks of merit, wounds received for’s country.
229 SICINIUS.
230 Why, so he did, I am sure.
231 ALL.
232 No, no. No man saw ’em.
233 THIRD CITIZEN.
234 He said he had wounds, which he could show in private,
235 And with his hat, thus waving it in scorn,
236 “I would be consul,” says he; “aged custom,
237 But by your voices, will not so permit me;
238 Your voices therefore.” When we granted that,
239 Here was “I thank you for your voices. Thank you.
240 Your most sweet voices! Now you have left your voices,
241 I have no further with you.” Was not this mockery?
242 SICINIUS.
243 Why either were you ignorant to see’t
244 Or, seeing it, of such childish friendliness
245 To yield your voices?
246 BRUTUS.
247 Could you not have told him
248 As you were lessoned? When he had no power,
249 But was a petty servant to the state,
250 He was your enemy, ever spake against
251 Your liberties and the charters that you bear
252 I’ th’ body of the weal; and, now arriving
253 A place of potency and sway o’ th’ state,
254 If he should still malignantly remain
255 Fast foe to th’ plebeii, your voices might
256 Be curses to yourselves. You should have said
257 That as his worthy deeds did claim no less
258 Than what he stood for, so his gracious nature
259 Would think upon you for your voices, and
260 Translate his malice towards you into love,
261 Standing your friendly lord.
262 SICINIUS.
263 Thus to have said,
264 As you were fore-advised, had touched his spirit
265 And tried his inclination; from him plucked
266 Either his gracious promise, which you might,
267 As cause had called you up, have held him to;
268 Or else it would have galled his surly nature,
269 Which easily endures not article
270 Tying him to aught. So putting him to rage,
271 You should have ta’en th’ advantage of his choler
272 And passed him unelected.
273 BRUTUS.
274 Did you perceive
275 He did solicit you in free contempt
276 When he did need your loves, and do you think
277 That his contempt shall not be bruising to you
278 When he hath power to crush? Why, had your bodies
279 No heart among you? Or had you tongues to cry
280 Against the rectorship of judgment?
281 SICINIUS.
282 Have you ere now denied the asker, and now
283 Again, of him that did not ask but mock,
284 Bestow your sued-for tongues?
285 THIRD CITIZEN.
286 He’s not confirmed.
287 We may deny him yet.
288 SECOND CITIZEN.
289 And will deny him.
290 I’ll have five hundred voices of that sound.
291 FIRST CITIZEN.
292 I twice five hundred, and their friends to piece ’em.
293 BRUTUS.
294 Get you hence instantly, and tell those friends
295 They have chose a consul that will from them take
296 Their liberties, make them of no more voice
297 Than dogs that are as often beat for barking
298 As therefore kept to do so.
299 SICINIUS.
300 Let them assemble
301 And, on a safer judgment, all revoke
302 Your ignorant election. Enforce his pride
303 And his old hate unto you. Besides, forget not
304 With what contempt he wore the humble weed,
305 How in his suit he scorned you; but your loves,
306 Thinking upon his services, took from you
307 Th’ apprehension of his present portance,
308 Which most gibingly, ungravely, he did fashion
309 After the inveterate hate he bears you.
310 BRUTUS.
311 Lay
312 A fault on us, your tribunes, that we laboured,
313 No impediment between, but that you must
314 Cast your election on him.
315 SICINIUS.
316 Say you chose him
317 More after our commandment than as guided
318 By your own true affections, and that your minds,
319 Preoccupied with what you rather must do
320 Than what you should, made you against the grain
321 To voice him consul. Lay the fault on us.
322 BRUTUS.
323 Ay, spare us not. Say we read lectures to you,
324 How youngly he began to serve his country,
325 How long continued, and what stock he springs of,
326 The noble house o’ th’ Martians, from whence came
327 That Ancus Martius, Numa’s daughter’s son,
328 Who, after great Hostilius here was king,
329 Of the same house Publius and Quintus were,
330 That our best water brought by conduits hither;
331 And Censorinus, that was so surnamed,
332 And nobly named so, twice being censor,
333 Was his great ancestor.
334 SICINIUS.
335 One thus descended,
336 That hath beside well in his person wrought
337 To be set high in place, we did commend
338 To your remembrances; but you have found,
339 Scaling his present bearing with his past,
340 That he’s your fixed enemy, and revoke
341 Your sudden approbation.
342 BRUTUS.
343 Say you ne’er had done’t—
344 Harp on that still—but by our putting on.
345 And presently when you have drawn your number,
346 Repair to th’ Capitol.
347 ALL.
348 We will so. Almost all
349 Repent in their election.
350 [_Exeunt Plebeians._]
351 BRUTUS.
352 Let them go on.
353 This mutiny were better put in hazard
354 Than stay, past doubt, for greater.
355 If, as his nature is, he fall in rage
356 With their refusal, both observe and answer
357 The vantage of his anger.
358 SICINIUS.
359 To th’ Capitol, come.
360 We will be there before the stream o’ th’ people,
361 And this shall seem, as partly ’tis, their own,
362 Which we have goaded onward.
363 [_Exeunt._]