Act II.]

CORIOLANUS.

279

Bru. ’Tis most like, lie will.

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

Bru. So it must fall outTo him, or our authorities. For an end,

We must suggest the people, in what hatredHe still hath held them: that to his power, hewould

Have made them mules, silenc’d their pleaders,and

Dispropertied their freedoms: holding them,

In human action and capacity,

Of no more soul, nor fitness for the world,

Than camels in their war; who have their pro-vand

Only for hearing burdens, and sore blowsFor sinking under them.

Sic. This, as you say, suggestedAt some time when his soaring insolenceShall teach the people, (which time shall not want,If he he put upon’t; and that’s as easy,

As to set dogs on sheep,) will be his fireTo kindle their dry stubble; and their blazeShall darken him for ever.

Enter a Messenger.

Bru. What’s the matter ?

Mes. You are sent for to the Capitol. ’Tisthought,

That Marcius shall he consul: I have seenThe dumb men throng to see him, and the blindTo hear him speak: The matrons flung theirgloves,

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

As to Jove’s statue ; and the commons madeA shower, and thunder, with their caps, andshouts;

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.

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

2 Off'. Three, they say: hut ’tis thought ofevery one, Coriolanus will carry it.

1 Off. That’s a brave fellow; but he’s ven-geance proud, and loves not the common people.

2 Off. ’Faith, there have been many great menthat have flattered the people, who ne’er lovedthem; and there be many that they have lo-ved, they know not wherefore : so that, if theylove they know not why, they hate upon no bet-ter ground: Therefore, for Coriolanus neither tocare whether they love or hate him, manifeststhe true knowledge he has in their disposition ;and, out of Iris noble carelessness, let’s themplainly see’t.

1 Off. If he did not care whether he had theirlove, or no, he waved indifferently ’twixt doingthem neither good, nor harm ; but he seeks theirhate with greater devotion than they can renderit him ; and leaves nothing undone, that mayfully discover him their opposite. Now, to seemto affect the malice and displeasure of the people,is as bad as that rvhich he dislikes, to flatterthem for their love.

2 Off. He hath deserved worthily of his coun-try : And his ascent is not by such easy degreesas those, wdio, having been supple and courteousto the people, bonnetted, without any furtherdeed to heave them at all into their estimationand report; but he hath so planted his honoursin their eyes, and his actions in their hearts, thatfor their tongues to be silent, and not confess somuch, were a kind of ingrateful injury; to re-port otherwise, were a malice, that, giving itselfthe lie, would pluck reproof and rebuke fromevery ear that heard it.

X Off'. No more of him ; he is a worthy man :Make way, they are coming.

A Sennet. Enter, with Lictors before them, Co-minius the Consul, Menenius , Corioeanus,many other Senators, Sicinius, and Brutus.The Senators take their places ; the Tribunestake theirs also by themselves.

Men. Having determin’d of the Voices, andTo send for Titus Lartius, it remains,

As the main point of this our after-meeting,

To gratify his noble service, thatHath thus stood for his country: Therefore,please you,

Most reverend and grave elders, to desireThe present consul, and last generalIn our well-found successes, to reportA little of that worthy work perform’dBy Caius Marcius Coriolanus ; whomWe meet here, both to thank, and to rememberWith honours like himself.

1 Sen. Speak, good Cominius :

Leave nothing out for length, and make us think,Rather our states defective for requital,

Than we to stretch it out. 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 eonventedUpon a pleasing treaty; and have heartsInclinable to honour and advanceThe theme of our assembly.

Bru. Which the ratherWe shall be bless’d to do, if he rememberA kinder value of the people, thanHe hath hereto priz’d them at.

Men. That’s off, that’s off;

I would you rather had been silent: Please youTo hear Cominius speak ?

Bru. Most willingly:

But yet my caution was more pertinent,

| Than the rebuke you give it.