Such eyes the widows in Corioli wear,
And mothers that lack sons.

Men.
Now, the gods crown thee!
Cor. And live you yet? [To Valeria] O my
sweet lady, pardon.

Vol. I know not where to turn: O, welcome
home:

And welcome, general: and ye 're welcome all.
Men. A hundred thousand welcomes.

weep

I could

And I could laugh, I am light and heavy. Welcome.
A curse begin at very root on 's heart,

That is not glad to see thee! You are three

That Rome should dote on: yet, by the faith of

men,

We have some old crab-trees here at home that

will not

Be grafted to your relish. Yet welcome, warriors:
We call a nettle but a nettle and

The faults of fools but folly.

Com.

Cor. Menenius ever, ever.

Ever right.

Herald. Give way there, and go on!

Cor. [To Volumnia and Virgilia] Your hand,

and yours:

Ere in our own house I do shade my head,

The good patricians must be visited;

From whom I have received not only greetings,
But with them change of honours.

Vol.

To see inherited my very wishes

And the buildings of my fancy: only

I have lived

There's one thing wanting, which I doubt not but Our Rome will cast upon thee.

Cor.

Know, good mother,

I had rather be their servant in my way

200

210

On, to the Capitol ! 220 Exeunt in state, as

before. Brutus and Sicinius come forward.

Bru. All tongues speak of him, and the bleared sights

Are spectacled to see him your prattling nurse
Into a rapture lets her baby cry

While she chats him: the kitchen malkin pins
Her richest lockram 'bout her reechy neck,
Clambering the walls to eye him: stalls, bulks,
windows,

Are smother'd up, leads fill'd, and ridges horsed
With variable complexions, all agreeing

In earnestness to see him: seld-shown flamens
Do press among the popular throngs and puff
To win a vulgar station: our veil'd dames
Commit the war of white and damask in
Their nicely-gawded cheeks to the wanton spoil
Of Phoebus' burning kisses: such a pother
As if that whatsoever god who leads him
Were slily crept into his human powers
And gave him graceful posture.

Sic.

I warrant him consul.

Bru.

On the sudden,

Then our office may,

During his power, go sleep.

230

Sic. He cannot temperately transport his honours 240 From where he should begin and end, but will

Lose those he hath won.

223. rapture, fit.

224. malkin, wench.

225. lockram, coarse linen. ib. reechy, grimy.

229. seld-shown flamens; the

flamens were priests dedicated to the service of a particular deity, and seen only on rare ceremonial occasions.

233. nicely-gawded, daintily arrayed.

Bru.
Sic.

In that there's comfort.

Doubt not

The commoners, for whom we stand, but they
Upon their ancient malice will forget

With the least cause these his new honours, which
That he will give them make I as little question

As he is proud to do 't.

I heard him swear,

Bru.
Were he to stand for consul, never would he
Appear i' the market-place nor on him put
The napless vesture of humility,

Nor, showing, as the manner is, his wounds
To the people, beg their stinking breaths.

Sic.

"Tis right.

Bru. It was his word: O, he would miss it

rather

Than carry it but by the suit of the gentry to him
And the desire of the nobles.

I wish no better

Sic.
Than have him hold that purpose and to put it
In execution.

Sic. It shall be to him then as our good wills, A sure destruction.

Bru.

So it must fall out

For an end,

To him or our authorities.

We must suggest the people in what hatred

He still hath held them; that to 's power he would
Have made them mules, silenced their pleaders

and

Dispropertied their freedoms, holding them,

In human action and capacity,

Of no more soul nor fitness for the world

250. The napless vesture of humility; this refers to the customi,' described by Plu

250

260

tarch, for suitors to wear a single
garment only. Cf. note, ii. 2. 140.
250. napless, threadbare.

Than camels in the war, who have their provand
Only for bearing burdens, and sore blows

For sinking under them.

Sic.

This, as you say, suggested
At some time when his soaring insolence
Shall touch the people—which time shall not want,
If he be put upon 't; and that's as easy

As to set dogs on sheep-will be his fire

To kindle their dry stubble; and their blaze
Shall darken him for ever.

Bru.

Enter a Messenger.

What's the matter?

'Tis

Mess. You are sent for to the Capitol.

thought

That Marcius shall be consul:

I have seen the dumb men throng to see him and
The blind to hear him speak: matrons flung

gloves,

Ladies and maids their scarfs and handkerchers,
Upon him as he pass'd: the nobles bended,

As to Jove's statue, and the commons made
A shower and thunder with their caps and shouts :
I never saw the like.

Bru.

Let's to the Capitol ; And carry with us ears and eyes for the time, But hearts for the event.

Sic.

Have with you. [Exeunt.

SCENE II.

The same. The Capitol.

Enter two Officers, to lay cushions.

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

267. provand, provender.

270

280

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

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

Sec. Off. Faith, there have been many great men that have flattered the people, who ne'er loved them; and there be many that they have 10 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 Off. 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 20 their hate with greater devotion than they 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.

Sec. Off. 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 30 further deed to have them at all 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,

19. he waved, he would wave. 23. discover, prove.

30. bonneted, saluted.
31. have, get.