giving itself the lie, would pluck reproof and rebuke from every ear that heard it.

First Off. No more of him; he's a worthy man: make way, they are coming.

A sennet. Enter, with Lictors 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.
Men. 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 Sen.

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.

Sic.

We are convented

Upon a pleasing treaty, and have hearts

Inclinable to honour and advance

The theme of our assembly.

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Bru.

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.

Men.

That's off, that's off;
Please you

I would you rather had been silent.
To hear Cominius speak?

Bru.

Most willingly;

He loves your people;

But yet my caution was more pertinent
Than the rebuke you give it.

Men.

But tie him not to be their bedfellow.

Worthy Cominius, speak. [Coriolanus offers to go away.] Nay, keep your place.

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

Cor.

Your honours' pardon :

I had rather have my wounds to heal again

Than hear say how I got them.

Bru.

My words disbench'd you not.

Cor.

Sir, I hope

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.

Men.

Pray now, sit down.

Cor. 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.

Men.

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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.

Com. 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: he 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.
Before and in Corioli, let me say,

For this last,

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 re-inforcement struck
Corioli like a planet: now all's his :

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who entered it alone,-in the thought of those who looked

on.

116. shunless, inevitable.

When, by and by, the din of war gan pierce

His ready sense; then straight his doubled spirit 120 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.

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.

Men. The senate, Coriolanus, are well pleased

Let me o'erleap that custom, for I cannot

140. that custom. Plutarch tells that suitors went in a toga

the principal and peculiarly Roman garment - without a tunica, or woollen sleeveless

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undergarment. North translated Amyot's rendering of this, 'un robbe simple, sans saye dessoules,' by 'a simple gown . . without any coat under it.'

Put on the gown, stand naked and entreat them,
For my wounds' sake, to give their suffrage: please

Pray you, go fit you to the custom and

Take to you, as your predecessors have,
Your honour with your form.

Cor.

It is a part

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

Bru.

Mark you that ?

Cor. 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!

Men.

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.

Bru. You see how he intends to use the people. Sic. May they perceive's intent! He will

require them,

As if he did contemn what he requested

Should be in them to give.

Bru.

Of our proceedings here: on the market-place,

Come, we'll inform them

[Exeunt.

I know, they do attend us.

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