The same. The Forum.
[Enter seven or eight Citizens]
First Citizen Once, if he do require our voices,
we ought not to deny him.
Second Citizen We may, sir, if we will.
Third Citizen We have power in ourselves to do it,
but it is a power that we have no power to do;
for if he show us his wounds and tell us his deeds,
we are to put our tongues into those wounds and
speak for them; so, if he tell us his noble deeds,
we must also tell him our noble acceptance of them.
Ingratitude is monstrous, and for the multitude to
be ingrateful, were to make a monster of the multitude:
of the which we being members, should bring ourselves
to be monstrous members.
First Citizen And to make us no better thought of,
a little help will serve; for once we stood up about
the corn, he himself stuck not to call us the
many-headed multitude.
Third Citizen We have been called so of many;
not that our heads are some brown, some black,
some auburn, some bald, but that our wits are so
diversely coloured: and truly I think if all our wits
were to issue out of one skull, they would fly east,
west, north, south, and their consent of one direct
way should be at once to all the points o’ the compass.
Second Citizen Think you so?
Which way do you judge my wit would fly?
Third Citizen Nay, your wit will not so soon out
as another man’s will;’tis strongly wedged up in a
block-head, but if it were at liberty, ‘twould, sure,
southward.
Second Citizen Why that way?
Third Citizen To lose itself in a fog, where being three parts
melted away with rotten dews, the fourth would return
for conscience sake, to help to get thee a wife.
Second Citizen You are never without your tricks:
you may, you may.
Third Citizen Are you all resolved to give your voices?
But that’s no matter, the greater part carries it.
I say, if he would incline to the people, there was
never a worthier man.
[Enter CORIOLANUS in a gown of
humility, with MENENIUS]
Here he comes, and in the gown of humility: mark his
behavior. We are not to stay all together, but to
come by him where he stands, by ones, by twos, and
by threes. He’s to make his requests by particulars.
[Exeunt Citizens]
MENENIUS Have you not known
The worthiest men have done’t?
CORIOLANUS What must I say?
‘I Pray, sir’–Plague upon’t! I cannot bring
My tongue to such a pace:–‘Look, sir, my wounds!
I got them in my country’s service, when
Some certain of your brethren roar’d and ran
From the noise of our own drums.’
MENENIUS O me, the gods!
You must not speak of that: you must desire them
To think upon you.
CORIOLANUS Think upon me! hang ’em!
I would they would forget me, like the virtues
Which our divines lose by ’em.
MENENIUS You’ll mar all:
I’ll leave you: pray you, speak to ’em, I pray you,
In wholesome manner.
[Exit]
CORIOLANUS Bid them wash their faces
And keep their teeth clean.
[Re-enter two of the Citizens]
So, here comes a brace.
[Re-enter a third Citizen]
You know the cause, air, of my standing here.
Third Citizen We do, sir; tell us what
hath brought you to’t.
CORIOLANUS Mine own desert.
Second Citizen Your own desert!
CORIOLANUS Ay, but not mine own desire.
Third Citizen How not your own desire?
CORIOLANUS No, sir,’twas never my desire
yet to trouble the poor with begging.
Third Citizen You must think, if we give you
any thing, we hope to gain by you.
CORIOLANUS Well then, I pray,
your price o’ the consulship?
First Citizen The price is to ask it kindly.
CORIOLANUS Kindly! Sir, I pray, let me ha’t:
I have wounds to show you, which shall be
yours in private. Your good voice, sir; what say you?
Second Citizen You shall ha’ it, worthy sir.
CORIOLANUS A match, sir. There’s in all two
worthy voices begged. I have your alms: adieu.
Third Citizen But this is something odd.
Second Citizen An ’twere to give again,–but ’tis no matter.
[Exeunt the three Citizens]
[Re-enter two other Citizens]
CORIOLANUS Pray you now, if it may stand with
the tune of your voices that I may be consul,
I have here the customary gown.
Fourth Citizen You have deserved nobly of
your country, and you have not deserved nobly.
CORIOLANUS Your enigma?
Fourth Citizen You have been a scourge to her
enemies, you have been a rod to her friends;
you have not indeed loved the common people.
CORIOLANUS You should account me the more
virtuous that I have not been common in my love.
I will, sir, flatter my sworn brother, the people,
to earn a dearer estimation of them; ’tis a condition
they account gentle: and since the wisdom of their
choice is rather to have my hat than my heart,
I will practise the insinuating nod and be off to them
most counterfeitly; that is, sir, I will counterfeit the
bewitchment of some popular man and give it
bountiful to the desirers. Therefore, beseech you,
I may be consul.
Fifth Citizen We hope to find you our friend;
and therefore give you our voices heartily.
Fourth Citizen You have received many wounds
for your country.
CORIOLANUS I will not seal your knowledge with
showing them. I will make much of your voices,
and so trouble you no further.
Both Citizens The gods give you joy, sir, heartily!
[Exeunt]
CORIOLANUS Most sweet voices!
Better it is to die, better to starve,
Than crave the hire which first we do deserve.
Why in this woolvish toge should I stand here,
To beg of Hob and Dick, that do appear,
Their needless vouches? Custom calls me to’t:
What custom wills, in all things should we do’t,
The dust on antique time would lie unswept,
And mountainous error be too highly heapt
For truth to o’er-peer. Rather than fool it so,
Let the high office and the honour go
To one that would do thus. I am half through;
The one part suffer’d, the other will I do.
[Re-enter three Citizens more]
Here come more voices.
Your voices: for your voices I have fought;
Watch’d 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.
All Citizens Amen, amen. God save thee, noble consul!
[Exeunt]
CORIOLANUS Worthy voices!
[Re-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 the 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 summon’d
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 the senate-house.
MENENIUS I’ll keep you company.
[Exeunt CORIOLANUS and MENENIUS]
SICINIUS He has it now, and by his looks methink
‘Tis warm at ‘s heart.
BRUTUS With a proud heart he wore his humble
weeds. will you dismiss the people?
[Re-enter Citizens]
SICINIUS How now, my masters!
have you chose this man?
First Citizen He has our voices, sir.
Second Citizen Amen, sir: to my poor unworthy notice,
He mock’d us when he begg’d 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 show’d us
His marks of merit, wounds received for’s country.
SICINIUS Why, so he did, I am sure.
Citizens 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 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 confirm’d;
we may deny him yet.
Second Citizen And will deny him:
I’ll have five hundred voices of that sound.
SICINIUS Let them assemble,
And on a safer judgment all revoke
Your ignorant election…
[Exeunt]
Playlist Coriolanus | Dramatis Personea | Plays & Info