ACT II
SCENE  II The same. The Capitol.


 [Enter two Officers, to lay cushions]

First Officer Come, come, they are almost here. How many stand
 for consulships?

Second Officer Three, they say: but 'tis thought of every one
 Coriolanus will carry it.

First Officer That's a brave fellow; but he's vengeance proud, and
 loves not the common people.

Second Officer Faith, there had been many great men that have
 flattered the people, who ne'er loved them; and there
 be many that they have loved, they know not
 wherefore: so that, if they love they know not why,
 they hate upon no better a ground: therefore, for
 Coriolanus neither to care whether they love or hate
 him manifests the true knowledge he has in their
 disposition; and out of his noble carelessness lets
 them plainly see't.

First Officer If he did not care whether he had their love or no,
 he waved indifferently 'twixt doing them neither
 good nor harm: but he seeks their hate with greater
 devotion than can render it him; and leaves
 nothing undone that may fully discover him their
 opposite. Now, to seem to affect the malice and
 displeasure of the people is as bad as that which he
 dislikes, to flatter them for their love.

Second Officer He hath deserved worthily of his country: and his
 ascent is not by such easy degrees as those who,
 having been supple and courteous to the people,
 bonneted, without any further deed to have them at
 an into their estimation and report: but he hath so
 planted his honours in their eyes, and his actions
 in their hearts, that for their tongues to be
 silent, and not confess so much, were a kind of
 ingrateful injury; to report otherwise, were a
 malice, that, giving itself the lie, would pluck
 reproof and rebuke from every ear that heard it.

First Officer No more of him; he is a worthy man: make way, they
 are coming.

 [A sennet. Enter, with actors before them, COMINIUS
 the consul, MENENIUS, CORIOLANUS, Senators,
 SICINIUS and BRUTUS. The Senators take their
 places; the Tribunes take their Places by
 themselves. CORIOLANUS stands]

MENENIUS Having determined of the Volsces and
 To send for Titus Lartius, it remains,
 As the main point of this our after-meeting,
 To gratify his noble service that
 Hath thus stood for his country: therefore,
 please you,
 Most reverend and grave elders, to desire
 The present consul, and last general
 In our well-found successes, to report
 A little of that worthy work perform'd
 By Caius Marcius Coriolanus, whom
 We met here both to thank and to remember
 With honours like himself.

First Senator Speak, good Cominius:
 Leave nothing out for length, and make us think
 Rather our state's defective for requital
 Than we to stretch it out.

 [To the Tribunes]

       Masters o' the people,
 We do request your kindest ears, and after,
 Your loving motion toward the common body,
 To yield what passes here.

SICINIUS We are convented
 Upon a pleasing treaty, and have hearts
 Inclinable to honour and advance
 The theme of our assembly.

BRUTUS Which the rather
 We shall be blest to do, if he remember
 A kinder value of the people than
 He hath hereto prized them at.

MENENIUS That's off, that's off;
 I would you rather had been silent. Please you
 To hear Cominius speak?

BRUTUS Most willingly;
 But yet my caution was more pertinent
 Than the rebuke you give it.

MENENIUS He loves your people
 But tie him not to be their bedfellow.
 Worthy Cominius, speak.

 [CORIOLANUS offers to go away]

    Nay, keep your place.

First Senator Sit, Coriolanus; never shame to hear
 What you have nobly done.

CORIOLANUS Your horror's pardon:
 I had rather have my wounds to heal again
 Than hear say how I got them.

BRUTUS Sir, I hope
 My words disbench'd you not.

CORIOLANUS No, sir: yet oft,
 When blows have made me stay, I fled from words.
 You soothed not, therefore hurt not: but
 your people,
 I love them as they weigh.

MENENIUS Pray now, sit down.

CORIOLANUS I had rather have one scratch my head i' the sun
 When the alarum were struck than idly sit
 To hear my nothings monster'd.

 [Exit]

MENENIUS Masters of the people,
 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 on's ears to hear it? Proceed, Cominius.

COMINIUS 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 counterpoised. 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 he drove
 The bristled lips before him: be 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,
 He proved 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 of 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 weeds 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 timed with dying cries: alone he enter'd
 The mortal gate of the city, which he painted
 With shunless destiny; aidless came off,
 And with a sudden reinforcement 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.

MENENIUS Worthy man!

First Senator He cannot but with measure fit the honours
 Which we devise him.

COMINIUS Our spoils he kick'd at,
 And look'd upon things precious as they were
 The common muck of 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.

MENENIUS He's right noble:
 Let him be call'd for.

First Senator Call Coriolanus.

Officer He doth appear.

 [Re-enter CORIOLANUS]

MENENIUS The senate, Coriolanus, are well pleased
 To make thee consul.

CORIOLANUS I do owe them still
 My life and services.

MENENIUS It then remains
 That you do speak to the people.

CORIOLANUS I do beseech you,
 Let me o'erleap 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.

SICINIUS Sir, the people
 Must have their voices; neither will they bate
 One jot of ceremony.

MENENIUS Put them not to't:
 Pray you, go fit you to the custom and
 Take to you, as your predecessors have,
 Your honour with your form.

CORIOLANUS It is apart
 That I shall blush in acting, and might well
 Be taken from the people.

BRUTUS Mark you that?

CORIOLANUS To brag unto them, thus I did, and thus;
 Show them the unaching scars which I should hide,
 As if I had received them for the hire
 Of their breath only!

MENENIUS 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.

Senators To Coriolanus come all joy and honour!

 [Flourish of cornets. Exeunt all but SICINIUS
 and BRUTUS]

BRUTUS You see how he intends to use the people.

SICINIUS May they perceive's intent! He will require them,
 As if he did contemn what he requested
 Should be in them to give.

BRUTUS Come, we'll inform them
 Of our proceedings here: on the marketplace,
 I know, they do attend us.

 [Exeunt]




 CORIOLANUS


ACT II