Thou art their soldier, and being bred in broils,
Hast not the soft way, which, thou dost confess,
Were fit for thee to use, as they to claim,

In asking their good loves; but thou wilt frame
Thyself, forsooth, hereafter theirs, so far
As thou hast power, and person.

Men. This but done,

Even as she speaks, why, their hearts were your's: For they have pardons, being ask’d, as free

As words to little purpose.

Vol. Pr'ythee now,

520

Go, and be rul'd: although, I know, thou hadst

rather

Follow thine enemy in a fiery gulf,

Than flatter him in a bower.

Here is Cominius.

Enter COMINIUS.

Com. I have been i' the market-place: and, sir, 'tis

fit

You make strong party, or defend yourself

By calmness, or by absence; all's in anger.
Men. Only fair speech.

Com. I think, 'twill serve, if he

Can thereto frame his spirit.

Vol. He must, and will:

Pr'ythee, now, say, you will, and go about it.

530

Cor. Must I go shew them my unbarb'd sconce ?
Must I,

With
my base tongue, give to my noble heart
A lie, that it must bear? Well, I will do't:

Yet

Yet were there but this single plot to lose,

This mould of Marcius, they to dust should grind it, And throw it against the wind.

place :

To the market

You have put me now to such a part, which never
I shall discharge to the life.

Com. Come, come, we'll prompt you.

540

Vol. I pr'ythee, now, sweet son, as thou hast said,

My praises made thee first a soldier, so,

To have my praise for this, perform a part

Thou hast not done before.

Cor. Well, I must do't :

Away, my disposition, and possess me

Some harlot's spirit! My throat of war be turn'd,
Which quired with my drum, into a pipe

550

Small as an eunuch, or the virgin voice
That babies lulls asleep! The smiles of knaves
Tent in my cheeks; and school-boys' tears take up
The glasses of my sight! A beggar's tongue
Make motion through my lips; and my arm'd knees,
Who bow'd but in my stirrup, bend like his
That hath receiv'd an alms I-I will not do't;
Lest I surcease to honour mine own truth,
And, by my body's action, teach my mind
A most inherent baseness.

Vol. At thy choice then :

560

To beg of thee, it is my more dishonour,
Than thou of them. Come all to ruin; let
Thy mother rather feel thy pride, than fear
Thy dangerous stoutness: for I mock at death

With as big heart as thou. Do as thou list.

Thy valiantness was mine, thou suck'dst it from me; But owe thy pride thyself.

Cor. Pray, be content;

Mother, I am going to the market-place;

569

Chide me no more. I'll mountebank their loves,
Cog their hearts from them, and come home belov'd
Of all the trades in Rome. Look, I am going:
Commend me to my wife. I'll return consul ;
Or never trust to what my tongue can do

I' the way of flattery, further.

Vol. Do your

will.

[Exit VOLUMNIA.

Com. Away, the tribunes do attend you: arm your

self

To answer mildly; for they are prepar'd

With accusations, as I hear, more strong

Than are upon you yet.

58

Cor. The word is, mildly :-Pray you, let us go :

Let them accuse me by invention, I

Will answer in mine honour.

Men. Ay, but mildly.

Cor. Well, mildly be it then; mildly- [Exeunt.

SCENE III.

The Forum. Enter SICINIUS, and BRUTUS.

Bru. In this point charge him home, that he affects

Tyrannical power: If he evade us there,

Enforce

Enforce him with his envy to the people;
And that the spoil, got on the Antiates,
Was ne'er distributed.-What, will he come ?

Enter an Edile.

Ed. He's coming.

Bru. How accompanied?

Ed. With old Menenius, and those senators

That always favour'd him.

Sic. Have you a catalogue

Of all the voices that we have procur'd,

Set down by the poll?

Ed. I have; 'tis ready.

Sic. Have you collected them by tribes ?
Ed. I have.

Sic. Assemble presently the people hither:
And when they hear me say, It shall be so,
I the right and strength o' the commons, be it either
For death, for fine, or banishment, then let them,
If I say, fine, cry fine; if death, cry death;

Insisting on the old prerogative

And power i' the truth o' the cause.

Ed. I shall inform them.

599

600

Bru. And when such time they have begun to cry,

Let them not cease, but with a din confus'd

Enforce the present execution

Of what we chance to sentence.

Ed. Very well.

610

Sic. Make them be strong, and ready før this hint, When we shall hap to give't them.

Bru.

Bru. Go about it.

[Exit Edile.

Put him to choler straight: He hath been us'd
Ever to conquer, and to have his worth

Of contradiction: Being once chaf'd, he cannot

Be rein'd again to temperance; then he speaks 620 What's in his heart; and that is there, which looks With us to break his neck.

Enter CORIOLANUS, MENENIUS, and COMINIUS, with others.

Sic. Well, here he comes.

Men. Calmly, I do beseech you.

Cor. Ay, as an ostler, that for the poorest piece Will bear the knave by the volume.-The honour'd

gods

Keep Rome in safety, and the chairs of justice

Supply'd with worthy men! plant love among us!
Throng our large temples with the shews of peace,
And not our streets with war!

1 Sen. Amen, amen!

Men. A noble wish.

Re-enter the Edile, with the Plebeians.

Sic. Draw near, ye people.

630

Ed. List to your tribunes; audience: Peace, Í

say.

Cor. First, hear me speak.

Both Tri. Well, say.-Peace, ho.

Cor. Shall I be charg'd no farther than this present ? Must all determine here?