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CORIOLANUS
SICINIUS。 Sir； the people Must have their voices； neither will they bate
One jot of ceremony。 MENENIUS。 Put them not to't。 Pray you go fit you
to the custom； and Take to you； as your predecessors have； Your honour
with your form。 CORIOLANUS。 It is a part That I shall blush in acting；
and might well Be taken from the people。 BRUTUS。 Mark you that？
CORIOLANUS。 To brag unto them 'Thus I did； and thus！' Show them th'
unaching scars which I should hide； As if I had receiv'd them for the hire
Of their breath only！ MENENIUS。 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。 Cornets。 Then exeunt all but SICINIUS and BRUTUS＇
BRUTUS。 You see how he intends to use the people。 SICINIUS。 May they
perceive's intent！ He will require them As if he did contemn what he
requested Should be in them to give。 BRUTUS。 Come； we'll inform them
Of our proceedings here。 On th' market…place I know they do attend us。
Exeunt
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CORIOLANUS
SCENE III。 Rome。 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 call'd so of many； not that our heads are
some brown； some black； some auburn； some bald； but that our wits are so
diversely colour'd； 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' th' 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 wedg'd 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 resolv'd 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 behaviour。 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； wherein
every one of us has a single honour； in giving him our own voices with our
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CORIOLANUS
own tongues； therefore follow me； and I'll direct you how you shall go by
him。 ALL。 Content； content。 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 I got them in my
country's service； when Some certain of your brethren roar'd and ran From
th' 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
Re…enter three of the citizens
CORIOLANUS。 Bid them wash their faces And keep their teeth
clean。 So； here comes a brace。 You know the cause； sir； 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； 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 anything； we hope to gain by you。 CORIOLANUS。 Well then； I
pray； your price o' th' 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 begg'd。 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
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CORIOLANUS
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
farther。 BOTH CITIZENS。 The gods give you joy； sir； heartily！ Exeunt
citizens CORIOLANUS。 Most sweet voices！ Better it is to die； better to
starve； Than crave the hire which first we do deserve。 Why in this wolvish
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 heap'd For truth to o'erpeer。 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 suffered； 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。
The gods