Part 29

Here come more voices. Your voices! For your voices I have fought; Watched for your voices; for your voices bear Of wounds two dozen odd. Battles thrice six I have seen and heard of; for your voices have Done many things, some less, some more. Your voices! Indeed, I would be consul.

SIXTH CITIZEN. He has done nobly, and cannot go without any honest man’s voice.

SEVENTH CITIZEN. Therefore let him be consul. The gods give him joy, and make him good friend to the people!

ALL THREE CITIZENS. Amen, amen. God save thee, noble consul.

[_Exeunt citizens._]

CORIOLANUS. Worthy voices!

Enter Menenius with Brutus and Sicinius.

MENENIUS. You have stood your limitation, and the Tribunes Endue you with the people’s voice. Remains That in th’ official marks invested, you Anon do meet the Senate.

CORIOLANUS. Is this done?

SICINIUS. The custom of request you have discharged. The people do admit you, and are summoned To meet anon upon your approbation.

CORIOLANUS. Where? At the Senate House?

SICINIUS. There, Coriolanus.

CORIOLANUS. May I change these garments?

SICINIUS. You may, sir.

CORIOLANUS. That I’ll straight do and, knowing myself again, Repair to th’ Senate House.

MENENIUS. I’ll keep you company.—Will you along?

BRUTUS. We stay here for the people.

SICINIUS. Fare you well.

[_Exeunt Coriolanus and Menenius._]

He has it now; and by his looks, methinks, ’Tis warm at his heart.

BRUTUS. With a proud heart he wore His humble weeds. Will you dismiss the people?

Enter the Pebleians.

SICINIUS. How now, my masters, have you chose this man?

FIRST CITIZEN. He has our voices, sir.

BRUTUS. We pray the gods he may deserve your loves.

SECOND CITIZEN. Amen, sir. To my poor unworthy notice, He mocked us when he begged our voices.

THIRD CITIZEN. Certainly, he flouted us downright.

FIRST CITIZEN. No, ’tis his kind of speech. He did not mock us.

SECOND CITIZEN. Not one amongst us, save yourself, but says He used us scornfully. He should have showed us His marks of merit, wounds received for’s country.

SICINIUS. Why, so he did, I am sure.

ALL. No, no. No man saw ’em.

THIRD CITIZEN. He said he had wounds, which he could show in private, And with his hat, thus waving it in scorn, “I would be consul,” says he; “aged custom, But by your voices, will not so permit me; Your voices therefore.” When we granted that, Here was “I thank you for your voices. Thank you. Your most sweet voices! Now you have left your voices, I have no further with you.” Was not this mockery?

SICINIUS. Why either were you ignorant to see’t Or, seeing it, of such childish friendliness To yield your voices?

BRUTUS. Could you not have told him As you were lessoned? When he had no power, But was a petty servant to the state, He was your enemy, ever spake against Your liberties and the charters that you bear I’ th’ body of the weal; and, now arriving A place of potency and sway o’ th’ state, If he should still malignantly remain Fast foe to th’ plebeii, your voices might Be curses to yourselves. You should have said That as his worthy deeds did claim no less Than what he stood for, so his gracious nature Would think upon you for your voices, and Translate his malice towards you into love, Standing your friendly lord.

SICINIUS. Thus to have said, As you were fore-advised, had touched his spirit And tried his inclination; from him plucked Either his gracious promise, which you might, As cause had called you up, have held him to; Or else it would have galled his surly nature, Which easily endures not article Tying him to aught. So putting him to rage, You should have ta’en th’ advantage of his choler And passed him unelected.

BRUTUS. Did you perceive He did solicit you in free contempt When he did need your loves, and do you think That his contempt shall not be bruising to you When he hath power to crush? Why, had your bodies No heart among you? Or had you tongues to cry Against the rectorship of judgment?

SICINIUS. Have you ere now denied the asker, and now Again, of him that did not ask but mock, Bestow your sued-for tongues?

THIRD CITIZEN. He’s not confirmed. We may deny him yet.

SECOND CITIZEN. And will deny him. I’ll have five hundred voices of that sound.

FIRST CITIZEN. I twice five hundred, and their friends to piece ’em.

BRUTUS. Get you hence instantly, and tell those friends They have chose a consul that will from them take Their liberties, make them of no more voice Than dogs that are as often beat for barking As therefore kept to do so.

SICINIUS. Let them assemble And, on a safer judgment, all revoke Your ignorant election. Enforce his pride And his old hate unto you. Besides, forget not With what contempt he wore the humble weed, How in his suit he scorned you; but your loves, Thinking upon his services, took from you Th’ apprehension of his present portance, Which most gibingly, ungravely, he did fashion After the inveterate hate he bears you.

BRUTUS. Lay A fault on us, your tribunes, that we laboured, No impediment between, but that you must Cast your election on him.

SICINIUS. Say you chose him More after our commandment than as guided By your own true affections, and that your minds, Preoccupied with what you rather must do Than what you should, made you against the grain To voice him consul. Lay the fault on us.

BRUTUS. Ay, spare us not. Say we read lectures to you, How youngly he began to serve his country, How long continued, and what stock he springs of, The noble house o’ th’ Martians, from whence came That Ancus Martius, Numa’s daughter’s son, Who, after great Hostilius here was king, Of the same house Publius and Quintus were, That our best water brought by conduits hither; And Censorinus, that was so surnamed, And nobly named so, twice being censor, Was his great ancestor.

SICINIUS. One thus descended, That hath beside well in his person wrought To be set high in place, we did commend To your remembrances; but you have found, Scaling his present bearing with his past, That he’s your fixed enemy, and revoke Your sudden approbation.

BRUTUS. Say you ne’er had done’t— Harp on that still—but by our putting on. And presently when you have drawn your number, Repair to th’ Capitol.

ALL. We will so. Almost all Repent in their election.

[_Exeunt Plebeians._]

BRUTUS. Let them go on. This mutiny were better put in hazard Than stay, past doubt, for greater. If, as his nature is, he fall in rage With their refusal, both observe and answer The vantage of his anger.

SICINIUS. To th’ Capitol, come. We will be there before the stream o’ th’ people, And this shall seem, as partly ’tis, their own, Which we have goaded onward.

[_Exeunt._]

ACT III

SCENE I. Rome. A street

Cornets. Enter Coriolanus, Menenius, all the Gentry, Cominius, Titus Lartius and other Senators.

CORIOLANUS. Tullus Aufidius then had made new head?

LARTIUS. He had, my lord, and that it was which caused Our swifter composition.

CORIOLANUS. So then the Volsces stand but as at first, Ready, when time shall prompt them, to make road Upon’s again.

COMINIUS. They are worn, lord consul, so That we shall hardly in our ages see Their banners wave again.

CORIOLANUS. Saw you Aufidius?

LARTIUS. On safeguard he came to me, and did curse Against the Volsces, for they had so vilely Yielded the town. He is retired to Antium.

CORIOLANUS. Spoke he of me?

LARTIUS. He did, my lord.

CORIOLANUS. How? What?

LARTIUS. How often he had met you sword to sword; That of all things upon the earth he hated Your person most; that he would pawn his fortunes To hopeless restitution, so he might Be called your vanquisher.

CORIOLANUS. At Antium lives he?

LARTIUS. At Antium.

CORIOLANUS. I wish I had a cause to seek him there, To oppose his hatred fully. Welcome home.

Enter Sicinius and Brutus.

Behold, these are the tribunes of the people, The tongues o’ th’ common mouth. I do despise them, For they do prank them in authority Against all noble sufferance.

SICINIUS. Pass no further.

CORIOLANUS. Ha? What is that?

BRUTUS. It will be dangerous to go on. No further.

CORIOLANUS. What makes this change?

MENENIUS. The matter?

COMINIUS. Hath he not passed the noble and the common?

BRUTUS. Cominius, no.

CORIOLANUS. Have I had children’s voices?

FIRST SENATOR. Tribunes, give way. He shall to the marketplace.

BRUTUS. The people are incensed against him.

SICINIUS. Stop, Or all will fall in broil.

CORIOLANUS. Are these your herd? Must these have voices, that can yield them now And straight disclaim their tongues? What are your offices? You being their mouths, why rule you not their teeth? Have you not set them on?

MENENIUS. Be calm, be calm.

CORIOLANUS. It is a purposed thing, and grows by plot, To curb the will of the nobility. Suffer’t, and live with such as cannot rule Nor ever will be ruled.

BRUTUS. Call’t not a plot. The people cry you mocked them; and, of late, When corn was given them gratis, you repined, Scandaled the suppliants for the people, called them Timepleasers, flatterers, foes to nobleness.

CORIOLANUS. Why, this was known before.

BRUTUS. Not to them all.

CORIOLANUS. Have you informed them sithence?

BRUTUS. How? I inform them?

COMINIUS. You are like to do such business.

BRUTUS. Not unlike, each way, to better yours.

CORIOLANUS. Why then should I be consul? By yond clouds, Let me deserve so ill as you, and make me Your fellow tribune.

SICINIUS. You show too much of that For which the people stir. If you will pass To where you are bound, you must inquire your way, Which you are out of, with a gentler spirit, Or never be so noble as a consul, Nor yoke with him for tribune.

MENENIUS. Let’s be calm.

COMINIUS. The people are abused, set on. This palt’ring Becomes not Rome, nor has Coriolanus Deserved this so dishonoured rub, laid falsely I’ th’ plain way of his merit.

CORIOLANUS. Tell me of corn? This was my speech, and I will speak’t again.

MENENIUS. Not now, not now.

FIRST SENATOR. Not in this heat, sir, now.

CORIOLANUS. Now, as I live, I will. My nobler friends, I crave their pardons. For The mutable, rank-scented many, let them Regard me, as I do not flatter, and Therein behold themselves. I say again, In soothing them we nourish ’gainst our senate The cockle of rebellion, insolence, sedition, Which we ourselves have ploughed for, sowed, and scattered By mingling them with us, the honoured number, Who lack not virtue, no, nor power, but that Which they have given to beggars.

MENENIUS. Well, no more.

FIRST SENATOR. No more words, we beseech you.

CORIOLANUS. How? No more? As for my country I have shed my blood, Not fearing outward force, so shall my lungs Coin words till their decay against those measles Which we disdain should tetter us, yet sought The very way to catch them.

BRUTUS. You speak o’ th’ people As if you were a god to punish, not A man of their infirmity.

SICINIUS. ’Twere well We let the people know’t.

MENENIUS. What, what? His choler?

CORIOLANUS. Choler? Were I as patient as the midnight sleep, By Jove, ’twould be my mind.

SICINIUS. It is a mind That shall remain a poison where it is, Not poison any further.

CORIOLANUS. “Shall remain”? Hear you this Triton of the minnows? Mark you His absolute “shall”?

COMINIUS. ’Twas from the canon.

CORIOLANUS. “Shall”? O good but most unwise patricians, why, You grave but reckless senators, have you thus Given Hydra leave to choose an officer, That with his peremptory “shall,” being but The horn and noise o’ th’ monster’s, wants not spirit To say he’ll turn your current in a ditch And make your channel his? If he have power, Then vail your ignorance; if none, awake Your dangerous lenity. If you are learned, Be not as common fools; if you are not, Let them have cushions by you. You are plebeians, If they be senators; and they are no less When, both your voices blended, the great’st taste Most palates theirs. They choose their magistrate, And such a one as he, who puts his “shall,” His popular “shall,” against a graver bench Than ever frowned in Greece. By Jove himself, It makes the consuls base! And my soul aches To know, when two authorities are up, Neither supreme, how soon confusion May enter ’twixt the gap of both and take The one by th’ other.

COMINIUS. Well, on to th’ marketplace.

CORIOLANUS. Whoever gave that counsel to give forth The corn o’ th’ storehouse gratis, as ’twas used Sometime in Greece—

MENENIUS. Well, well, no more of that.

CORIOLANUS. Though there the people had more absolute power, I say they nourished disobedience, fed The ruin of the state.

BRUTUS. Why shall the people give One that speaks thus their voice?

CORIOLANUS. I’ll give my reasons, More worthier than their voices. They know the corn Was not our recompense, resting well assured They ne’er did service for’t. Being pressed to th’ war, Even when the navel of the state was touched, They would not thread the gates. This kind of service Did not deserve corn gratis. Being i’ th’ war, Their mutinies and revolts, wherein they showed Most valour, spoke not for them. Th’ accusation Which they have often made against the Senate, All cause unborn, could never be the native Of our so frank donation. Well, what then? How shall this bosom multitude digest The senate’s courtesy? Let deeds express What’s like to be their words: “We did request it; We are the greater poll, and in true fear They gave us our demands.” Thus we debase The nature of our seats and make the rabble Call our cares fears, which will in time Break ope the locks o’ th’ Senate and bring in The crows to peck the eagles.

MENENIUS. Come, enough.

BRUTUS. Enough, with over-measure.

CORIOLANUS. No, take more! What may be sworn by, both divine and human, Seal what I end withal! This double worship— Where one part does disdain with cause, the other Insult without all reason, where gentry, title, wisdom Cannot conclude but by the yea and no Of general ignorance—it must omit Real necessities and give way the while To unstable slightness. Purpose so barred, it follows Nothing is done to purpose. Therefore, beseech you— You that will be less fearful than discreet, That love the fundamental part of state More than you doubt the change on’t, that prefer A noble life before a long, and wish To jump a body with a dangerous physic That’s sure of death without it—at once pluck out The multitudinous tongue; let them not lick The sweet which is their poison. Your dishonour Mangles true judgment and bereaves the state Of that integrity which should become’t, Not having the power to do the good it would For th’ ill which doth control’t.

BRUTUS. ’Has said enough.

SICINIUS. ’Has spoken like a traitor, and shall answer As traitors do.

CORIOLANUS. Thou wretch, despite o’erwhelm thee! What should the people do with these bald tribunes, On whom depending, their obedience fails To th’ greater bench. In a rebellion, When what’s not meet but what must be was law, Then were they chosen. In a better hour, Let what is meet be said it must be meet, And throw their power i’ th’ dust.

BRUTUS. Manifest treason.

SICINIUS. This a consul? No.

BRUTUS. The aediles, ho! Let him be apprehended.

Enter an Aedile.

SICINIUS. Go call the people;

[_Exit Aedile._]

in whose name myself Attach thee as a traitorous innovator, A foe to th’ public weal. Obey, I charge thee, And follow to thine answer.

CORIOLANUS. Hence, old goat.

ALL PATRICIANS. We’ll surety him.

COMINIUS. [_to Sicinius_.] Aged sir, hands off.

CORIOLANUS. [_to Sicinius_.] Hence, rotten thing, or I shall shake thy bones Out of thy garments.

SICINIUS. Help, ye citizens!

Enter a rabble of Plebeians with the Aediles.

MENENIUS. On both sides more respect!

SICINIUS. Here’s he that would take from you all your power.

BRUTUS. Seize him, aediles.

ALL PLEBEIANS. Down with him, down with him!

SECOND SENATOR. Weapons, weapons, weapons!

[_They all bustle about Coriolanus._]

Tribunes, patricians, citizens, what, ho! Sicinius, Brutus, Coriolanus, citizens!

ALL. Peace, peace, peace! Stay, hold, peace!

MENENIUS. What is about to be? I am out of breath. Confusion’s near. I cannot speak. You tribunes To th’ people!—Coriolanus, patience!— Speak, good Sicinius.

SICINIUS. Hear me, people! Peace!

ALL PLEBEIANS. Let’s hear our tribune. Peace! Speak, speak, speak.

SICINIUS. You are at point to lose your liberties. Martius would have all from you, Martius, Whom late you have named for consul.

MENENIUS. Fie, fie, fie! This is the way to kindle, not to quench.

FIRST SENATOR. To unbuild the city and to lay all flat.

SICINIUS. What is the city but the people?

ALL PLEBEIANS. True, The people are the city.

BRUTUS. By the consent of all, we were established The people’s magistrates.

ALL PLEBEIANS. You so remain.

MENENIUS. And so are like to do.

COMINIUS. That is the way to lay the city flat, To bring the roof to the foundation And bury all which yet distinctly ranges In heaps and piles of ruin.

SICINIUS. This deserves death.

BRUTUS. Or let us stand to our authority Or let us lose it. We do here pronounce, Upon the part o’ th’ people, in whose power We were elected theirs, Martius is worthy Of present death.

SICINIUS. Therefore lay hold of him, Bear him to th’ rock Tarpeian, and from thence Into destruction cast him.

BRUTUS. Aediles, seize him!

ALL PLEBEIANS. Yield, Martius, yield!

MENENIUS. Hear me one word. Beseech you, tribunes, hear me but a word.

AEDILES. Peace, peace!

MENENIUS. Be that you seem, truly your country’s friend, And temp’rately proceed to what you would Thus violently redress.

BRUTUS. Sir, those cold ways, That seem like prudent helps, are very poisonous Where the disease is violent.—Lay hands upon him, And bear him to the rock.

[_Coriolanus draws his sword._]

CORIOLANUS. No; I’ll die here. There’s some among you have beheld me fighting. Come, try upon yourselves what you have seen me.

MENENIUS. Down with that sword!—Tribunes, withdraw awhile.

BRUTUS. Lay hands upon him!

MENENIUS. Help Martius, help! You that be noble, help him, young and old!

ALL PLEBEIANS. Down with him, down with him!

[_In this mutiny the Tribunes, the Aediles and the People are beat in._]

MENENIUS. Go, get you to your house. Begone, away. All will be naught else.

SECOND SENATOR. Get you gone.

CORIOLANUS. Stand fast! We have as many friends as enemies.

MENENIUS. Shall it be put to that?

FIRST SENATOR. The gods forbid! I prithee, noble friend, home to thy house; Leave us to cure this cause.

MENENIUS. For ’tis a sore upon us You cannot tent yourself. Begone, beseech you.

COMINIUS. Come, sir, along with us.

CORIOLANUS. I would they were barbarians, as they are, Though in Rome littered, not Romans, as they are not, Though calved i’ th’ porch o’ th’ Capitol.

MENENIUS. Begone! Put not your worthy rage into your tongue. One time will owe another.

CORIOLANUS. On fair ground I could beat forty of them.

MENENIUS. I could myself Take up a brace o’ th’ best of them, yea, the two tribunes.

COMINIUS. But now ’tis odds beyond arithmetic, And manhood is called foolery when it stands Against a falling fabric. Will you hence, Before the tag return, whose rage doth rend Like interrupted waters, and o’erbear What they are used to bear?

MENENIUS. Pray you, begone. I’ll try whether my old wit be in request With those that have but little. This must be patched With cloth of any colour.

COMINIUS. Nay, come away.

[_Exeunt Coriolanus and Cominius._]

PATRICIAN. This man has marred his fortune.

MENENIUS. His nature is too noble for the world. He would not flatter Neptune for his trident Or Jove for’s power to thunder. His heart’s his mouth; What his breast forges, that his tongue must vent, And, being angry, does forget that ever He heard the name of death.

[_A noise within._]

Here’s goodly work.

PATRICIAN. I would they were abed!

MENENIUS. I would they were in Tiber! What the vengeance, Could he not speak ’em fair?

Enter Brutus and Sicinius with the rabble again.

SICINIUS. Where is this viper That would depopulate the city and Be every man himself?

MENENIUS. You worthy tribunes—

SICINIUS. He shall be thrown down the Tarpeian rock With rigorous hands. He hath resisted law, And therefore law shall scorn him further trial Than the severity of the public power Which he so sets at naught.

FIRST CITIZEN. He shall well know The noble tribunes are the people’s mouths, And we their hands.

ALL PLEBEIANS. He shall, sure on’t.

MENENIUS. Sir, sir—

SICINIUS. Peace!

MENENIUS. Do not cry havoc where you should but hunt With modest warrant.

SICINIUS. Sir, how comes’t that you Have holp to make this rescue?

MENENIUS. Hear me speak. As I do know the Consul’s worthiness, So can I name his faults.

SICINIUS. Consul? What consul?

MENENIUS. The consul Coriolanus.

BRUTUS. He consul?

ALL PLEBEIANS. No, no, no, no, no!

MENENIUS. If, by the Tribunes’ leave, and yours, good people, I may be heard, I would crave a word or two, The which shall turn you to no further harm Than so much loss of time.

SICINIUS. Speak briefly then, For we are peremptory to dispatch This viperous traitor. To eject him hence Were but one danger, and to keep him here Our certain death. Therefore it is decreed He dies tonight.

MENENIUS. Now the good gods forbid That our renowned Rome, whose gratitude Towards her deserved children is enrolled In Jove’s own book, like an unnatural dam Should now eat up her own.

SICINIUS. He’s a disease that must be cut away.

MENENIUS. O, he’s a limb that has but a disease— Mortal to cut it off; to cure it easy. What has he done to Rome that’s worthy death? Killing our enemies, the blood he hath lost— Which I dare vouch is more than that he hath By many an ounce—he dropt it for his country; And what is left, to lose it by his country Were to us all, that do’t and suffer it A brand to th’ end o’ th’ world.

SICINIUS. This is clean cam.

BRUTUS. Merely awry. When he did love his country, It honoured him.

MENENIUS. The service of the foot, Being once gangrened, is not then respected For what before it was.

BRUTUS. We’ll hear no more. Pursue him to his house, and pluck him thence, Lest his infection, being of catching nature, Spread further.

MENENIUS. One word more, one word! This tiger-footed rage, when it shall find The harm of unscanned swiftness, will too late, Tie leaden pounds to’s heels. Proceed by process, Lest parties—as he is beloved—break out And sack great Rome with Romans.

BRUTUS. If it were so—

SICINIUS. What do ye talk? Have we not had a taste of his obedience? Our aediles smote! Ourselves resisted? Come.

MENENIUS. Consider this: he has been bred i’ th’ wars Since he could draw a sword, and is ill schooled In bolted language; meal and bran together He throws without distinction. Give me leave, I’ll go to him and undertake to bring him Where he shall answer by a lawful form, In peace, to his utmost peril.

FIRST SENATOR. Noble tribunes, It is the humane way: the other course Will prove too bloody, and the end of it Unknown to the beginning.

SICINIUS. Noble Menenius, Be you then as the people’s officer.— Masters, lay down your weapons.

BRUTUS. Go not home.

SICINIUS. Meet on the marketplace. We’ll attend you there, Where if you bring not Martius, we’ll proceed In our first way.

MENENIUS. I’ll bring him to you. [_To Senators_.] Let me desire your company. He must come, Or what is worst will follow.

FIRST SENATOR. Pray you, let’s to him.

[_Exeunt._]

SCENE II. Rome. A room in Coriolanus’s house

Enter Coriolanus with Nobles.

CORIOLANUS. Let them pull all about mine ears, present me Death on the wheel or at wild horses’ heels, Or pile ten hills on the Tarpeian rock, That the precipitation might down stretch Below the beam of sight, yet will I still Be thus to them.

FIRST PATRICIAN. You do the nobler.