The Tragedy of Coriolanus — Act 2 Scene 2

Enter two Officers, to lay Cushions, as it were,in the Capitoll.

1. Off.Come, come, they are almost here: how manystand for Consulships?

2. Off.Three, they say: but 'tis thought of euery one,Coriolanus will carry it.

1. Off.That's a braue fellow: but hee's vengeanceprowd, and loues not the common people.

2. Off.'Faith, there hath beene many great men thathaue flatter'd the people, who ne're loued them; and therebe many that they haue loued, they know not wherefore:so that if they loue they know not why, they hate vponno better a ground. Therefore, for Coriolanus neyther tocare whether they loue, or hate him, manifests the trueknowledge he ha's in their disposition, and out of hisNoble carelesnesse lets them plainely see't.

1. Off.If he did not care whether he had their loue, orno, hee waued indifferently, 'twixt doing them neythergood, nor harme: but hee seekes their hate with greaterdeuotion, then they can render it him; and leaues nothingvndone, that may fully discouer him their opposite. Nowto seeme to affect the mallice and displeasure of the People,is as bad, as that which he dislikes, to flatter them fortheir loue.

2. Off.Hee hath deserued worthily of his Countrey,and his assent is not by such easie degrees as those, whohauing beene supple and courteous to the People, Bonnetted,without any further deed, to haue them at all intotheir estimation, and report: but hee hath so planted hisHonors in their Eyes, and his actions in their Hearts, thatfor their Tongues to be silent, and not confesse so much,were a kinde of ingratefull Iniurie: to report otherwise,were a Mallice, that giuing it selfe the Lye, would pluckereproofe and rebuke from euery Eare that heard it.

1. Off.No more of him, hee's a worthy man: makeway, they are comming.

A Sennet. Enter the Patricians, and the Tribunes ofthe People, Lictors before them: Coriolanus,Menenius, Cominius the Consul: Scicinius andBrutus take their places by themselues:Coriolanus stands.

Menen.Hauing determin'd of the Volces,And to send for Titus Lartius: it remaines,As the maine Point of this our after-meeting,

To gratifie his Noble seruice, that hathThus stood for his Countrey. Therefore please you,Most reuerend and graue Elders, to desireThe present Consull, and last Generall,In our well-found Successes, to reportA little of that worthy Worke, perform'dBy Martius Caius Coriolanus: whomWe met here, both to thanke, and to remember,With Honors like himselfe.

1. Sen.Speake, good Cominius:Leaue nothing out for length, and make vs thinkeRather our states defectiue for requitall,Then we to stretch it out. Masters a'th'People,We doe request your kindest eares: and afterYour louing motion toward the common Body,To yeeld what passes here.

Scicin.We are conuented vpon a pleasing Treatie, andhaue hearts inclinable to honor and aduance the Theameof our Assembly.

Brutus.Which the rather wee shall be blest to doe, ifhe remember a kinder value of the People, then he hathhereto priz'd them at.

Menen.That's off, that's off: I would you rather hadbeen silent: Please you to heare Cominius speake?

Brutus.Most willingly: but yet my Caution wasmore pertinent then the rebuke you giue it.

Menen.He loues your People, but tye him not to betheir Bed-fellow: Worthie Cominius speake.Coriolanus rises, and offers to goe away.Nay, keepe your place.

Senat.Sit Coriolanus: neuer shame to heareWhat you haue Nobly done.

Coriol.Your Honors pardon:I had rather haue my Wounds to heale againe,Then heare say how I got them.

Brutus.Sir, I hope my words dis-bench'd you not?

Coriol.No Sir: yet oft,When blowes haue made me stay, I fled from words.You sooth'd not, therefore hurt not: but your People,I loue them as they weigh—

Menen.Pray now sit downe.

Corio.I had rather haue one scratch my Head i'th'Sun,When the Alarum were strucke, then idly sitExit CoriolanusTo heare my Nothings monster'd.

Menen.Masters of the People,Your multiplying Spawne, how can he flatter?That's thousand to one good one, when you now seeHe had rather venture all his Limbes for Honor,Then on ones Eares to heare it. Proceed Cominius.

Com.I shall lacke voyce: the deeds of CoriolanusShould not be vtter'd feebly: it is held,That Valour is the chiefest Vertue,And most dignifies the hauer: if it be,The man I speake of, cannot in the WorldBe singly counter-poys'd. At sixteene yeeres,When Tarquin made a Head for Rome, he foughtBeyond the marke of others: our then Dictator,Whom with all prayse I point at, saw him fight,When with his Amazonian Shinne he droueThe brizled Lippes before him: he bestridAn o're-prest Roman, and i'th'Consuls viewSlew three Opposers: Tarquins selfe he met,And strucke him on his Knee: in that dayes feates,When he might act the Woman in the Scene,He prou'd best man i'th'field, and for his meedWas Brow-bound with the Oake. His Pupill ageMan-entred thus, he waxed like a Sea,And in the brunt of seuenteene Battailes since,He lurcht all Swords of the Garland: for this last,Before, and in Corioles, let me sayI cannot speake him home: he stopt the flyers,And by his rare example made the CowardTurne terror into sport: as Weeds beforeA Vessell vnder sayle, so men obey'd,And fell below his Stem: his Sword, Deaths stampe,Where it did marke, it tooke from face to foot:He was a thing of Blood, whose euery motionWas tim'd with dying Cryes: alone he entredThe mortall Gate of th'Citie, which he paintedWith shunlesse destinie: aydelesse came off,And with a sudden re-inforcement struckeCarioles like a Planet: now all's his,When by and by the dinne of Warre gan pierceHis readie sence: then straight his doubled spiritRequickned what in flesh was fatigate,And to the Battaile came he, where he didRunne reeking o're the liues of men, as if 'twereA perpetuall spoyle: and till we call'dBoth Field and Citie ours, he neuer stoodTo ease his Brest with panting.

Menen.Worthy man.

Senat.He cannot but with measure fit the Honorswhich we deuise him.

Com.Our spoyles he kickt at,And look'd vpon things precious, as they wereThe common Muck of the World: he couets lesseThen Miserie it selfe would giue, rewards his deedsWith doing them, and is contentTo spend the time, to end it.

Menen.Hee's right Noble, let him be call'd for.

Senat.Call Coriolanus.

Off.He doth appeare.

Enter Coriolanus.

Menen.The Senate, Coriolanus, are well pleas'd to makethee Consull.

Corio.I doe owe them still my Life, and Seruices.

Menen.It then remaines, that you doe speake to thePeople.

Corio.I doe beseech you,Let me o're-leape that custome: for I cannotPut on the Gowne, stand naked, and entreat themFor my Wounds sake, to giue their sufferage:Please you that I may passe this doing.

Scicin.Sir, the People must haue their Voyces,Neyther will they bate one iot of Ceremonie.

Menen.Put them not too't:Pray you goe fit you to the Custome,And take to you, as your Predecessors haue,Your Honor with your forme.

Corio.It is a part that I shall blush in acting,And might well be taken from the People.

Brutus.Marke you that.

Corio.To brag vnto them, thus I did, and thusShew them th'vnaking Skarres, which I should hide,As if I had receiu'd them for the hyreOf their breath onely.

Menen.Doe not stand vpon't:We recommend to you Tribunes of the PeopleOur purpose to them, and to our Noble ConsullWish we all Ioy, and Honor.

Senat.To Coriolanus come all ioy and Honor.

Flourish Cornets.Then Exeunt. Manet Sicinius and Brutus.

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

Scicin.May they perceiue's intent: he wil require themAs if he did contemne what he requested,Should be in them to giue.

Bru.Come, wee'l informe themOf our proceedings heere on th' Market place,I know they do attend vs.