| ACT II SCENE III. 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 | 5 |
| 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 | 10 |
| 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. | 15 |
| 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, | 20 |
| 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 | 25 |
| 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 | 30 |
| 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 | 35 |
| 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 | 40 |
| particulars; wherein every one of us has a single |
| honour, in giving him our own voices with our own |
| tongues: therefore follow me, and I direct you how |
| you shall go by him. |
| All | Content, content. | 45 |
| [Exeunt Citizens] |
| MENENIUS | O sir, you are not right: 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! | 50 |
| 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 | 55 |
| 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: | 60 |
| 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. | 65 |
[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. | 70 |
| 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. | 75 |
| 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? | 80 |
| 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. | 85 |
| [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. | 90 |
| 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 | 95 |
| 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 | 100 |
| 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. | 105 |
| 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. | 110 |
| 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, | 115 |
| 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 | 120 |
| 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. | 125 |
| 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: | 130 |
| 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! | 135 |
| 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 | 140 |
| 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. | 145 |
| 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, | 150 |
| Repair to the 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 methink | 155 |
| '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. | 160 |
| BRUTUS | We pray the gods he may deserve your loves. |
| 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. | 165 |
| 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. | 170 |
| 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, | 175 |
| 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, | 180 |
| 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 | 185 |
| As you were lesson'd, 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' the body of the weal; and now, arriving | 190 |
| A place of potency and sway o' the state, |
| If he should still malignantly remain |
| Fast foe to the plebeii, your voices might |
| Be curses to yourselves? You should have said |
| That as his worthy deeds did claim no less | 195 |
| 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, | 200 |
| As you were fore-advised, had touch'd his spirit |
| And tried his inclination; from him pluck'd |
| Either his gracious promise, which you might, |
| As cause had call'd you up, have held him to |
| Or else it would have gall'd his surly nature, | 205 |
| Which easily endures not article |
| Tying him to aught; so putting him to rage, |
| You should have ta'en the advantage of his choler |
| And pass'd him unelected. |
| BRUTUS | Did you perceive | 210 |
| 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 | 215 |
| 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? | 220 |
| 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. |
| First Citizen | I twice five hundred and their friends to piece 'em. |
| BRUTUS | Get you hence instantly, and tell those friends, | 225 |
| 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, | 230 |
| 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 scorn'd you; but your loves, | 235 |
| Thinking upon his services, took from you |
| The apprehension of his present portance, |
| Which most gibingly, ungravely, he did fashion |
| After the inveterate hate he bears you. |
| BRUTUS | Lay | 240 |
| 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 | 245 |
| 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. | 250 |
| How youngly he began to serve his country, |
| How long continued, and what stock he springs of, |
| The noble house o' the Marcians, from whence came |
| That Ancus Marcius, Numa's daughter's son, |
| Who, after great Hostilius, here was king; | 255 |
| Of the same house Publius and Quintus were, |
| That our beat water brought by conduits hither; |
|
And [Censorinus,] nobly named so,
|
|
Twice being [by the people chosen] censor,
|
| Was his great ancestor. | 260 |
| 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, | 265 |
| 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, | 270 |
| Repair to the Capitol. |
| All | We will so: almost all |
| Repent in their election. |
| [Exeunt Citizens] |
| BRUTUS | Let them go on; |
| This mutiny were better put in hazard, | 275 |
| 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 the Capitol, come: | 280 |
| We will be there before the stream o' the people; |
| And this shall seem, as partly 'tis, their own, |
| Which we have goaded onward. |
| [Exeunt] |
Shakespeare's Sources for Coriolanus