The mortal gate o'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 :
When by and by the din of war 'gan pierce
His ready sense: then straight his doubled spirit
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.

Men. Worthy man !

1 Sen. He cannot but with measure fit the honours$ Which we devise him.

Com. Our spoils he kick'd at;

And look'd upon things precious, as they were
The common muck o'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. He's right noble ;

Let him be call'd for.

Sen. Call Coriolanus.

Of. He doth appear.

Re-enter CORIOLANUS.

Men. The senate, Coriolanus, are well pleas'd

To make thee consul.

Cor. I do owe them still

My life, and services.

Men. It then remains,

That you do speak to the people."

Cor. I do beseech you,

Let me o'erleap that custom; for I cannot

Put on the gown, stand naked, and entreat them,

[5] That is, no honour will be too great for him; he will show a mind equal to any elevation. JOHNSON.

[6] Misery for avarice; because a miser signifies avaricious. WARBURTON. [7] Coriolanus was banished U. C. 262. But till the time of Manlius Torquatus, U. C. 393, the senate chose both the consuls: And then the people, assisted by the seditious temper of the tribunes, got the choice of one. But it would be unjust to attribute this entirely to Shakespeare's ignorance; it sometimes proceeded from the too powerful blaze of his imagination, which when once lighted up, made all acquired knowledge fade and disappear before it. For sometimes again we find him, when occasion serves, not only writing up to the truth of history, but fitting his sentiments to the nicest manners of his peculiar subject, as well as to the dignity of his characters, or the dictates of nature in general. WARBURTON.The inac curacy is to be attributed not to our author, but to Plutarch. North's translation. P. 244. MALONE.

For my wounds' sake, to give their suffrage: please you,

That I may pass this doing.

Sic. Sir, the people

Must have their voices; neither will they bate

One jot of ceremony.

Men. 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.

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 unaking scars, which I should hide, As if I had receiv'd 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.

Sen. To Coriolanus come all joy and honour !
[Flourish. Then exeunt senators.
Bru. You see how he intends to use the people.
Sic. May they perceive his intent! He that will re-
quire them,

As if he did contemn what he requested

Should be in them to give.

Bru. Come, we'll inform them

Of our proceedings here: on the market-place,
I know, they do attend us.

[Exeunt

SCENE III.-The same. The Forum. Enter several Citizens, 1 Cit. Once, if he do require our voices, we ought not to deny him.

2 Cit. We may, sir, if we will.

3 Cit. 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.

1 Cit. And to make us no better thought of, a little help will serve for once, when we stood up about the corn, he himself stuck not to call us the many-headed multitude.

:

3 Cit. 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; and their consent of one direct way should be at once to all the points of the compass.

2 Cit. Think you so? Which way, do you judge, my wit would fly?

3 Cit. Nay, your wit will not so soon out as another man's will, 'tis strongly wedged up in a block-head: but if it were at liberty, 'twould, sure, southward.

2 Cit. Why that way ?

3 Cit. 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.

2 Cit. You are never without your tricks :-You may, you may.

3 Cit. 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 never a worthier man.

Enter CORIOLANUS and MENENIUS. Here he comes, and in the gown of humility; mark his behaviour. We are not to stay altogether, 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 own tongues: therefore, follow me, and I'll direct you how you shall go by him.

All. Content, content.

[Exeunt.

Men. O, sir, you are not right: have you not known The worthiest men have done it ?

Cor. 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

18] To suppose all their wits to issue from one skull, and that their common consent and agreement to go all one way, should end in their flying to every point of the compass, is a just description of the variety and inconsistency of the opinions, wishes, and actions of the multitude. M. MASON.

From noise of our own drums.

Men. O me, the gods!

You must not speak of that; you must desire, them
To think upon you.

Cor. Think upon me? Hang 'em!

I would they would forget me, like the virtues
Which our divines lose by them.

Men. You'll mar all;

I'll leave you: Pray you, speak to them, I pray you,
In wholesome manner.

Enter two Citizens.

Cor. Bid them wash their faces,

[Exit

And keep their teeth clean.-So, here comes a brace. You know the cause, sir, of my standing here.

1 Cit. We do, sir; tell us what hath brought you to't. Cor. Mine own desert.

2 Cit. Your own desert?

Cor. Ay, not

Mine own desire.

1 Cit. How! not your own desire?

Cor. No, sir: "Twas never my desire yet, To trouble the poor with begging.

1 Cit. You must think, if we give you any thing, we hope to gain by you.

Cor. Well then, I pray, your price o'the consulship? 1 Cit. The price is, sir, to ask it kindly.

Cor. Kindly?

Sir, I pray, let me ha't: I have wounds to show you, Which shall be your's in private.-Your good voice, sir; What say you?

2 Cit. You shall have it, worthy sir.

Cor. A match, sir :

There is in all two worthy voices begg'd ;

I have your alms; adieu.

1 Cit. But this is something odd.

2 Cit. An 'twere to give again,--But 'tis no matter.

[Exit, two Citizens.

Enter two other Citizens.

Cor. Pray you now, if it may stand with the tune of your voices, that I may be consul, I have here the customary gown,

3 Cit. You have deserved nobly of your country, and you have not deserved nobly.

Cor. Your enigma ?

3 Cit. You have been a scourge to her enemies, you have been a rod to her friends; you have not, indeed, loved the common people.

:

Cor. You 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 dear 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 bewitchments of some popular man, and give it bountifully to the desirers. Therefore, beseech you, I may

be consul.

4 Cit. We hope to find you our friend; and therefore give you our voices heartily.

3 Cit. You have received many wounds for your country. Cor. I will not seal your knowledge with showing them. I will make much of your voices, and so trouble you no further.

Both Cit. The gods give you joy, sir, heartily!
Cor. Most sweet voices !—

Better is it to die, better to starve,

Than crave the hire which first we do deserve.
Why in this woolvish gown' 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 over-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.
Enter three other Citizens.

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

[Exe.

I have seen, and heard of; for your voices, have
Done many things, some less, some more: your voices:

[9] I will not strengthen or complete your knowledge. The seal is that which gives authenticity to a writing. JOHNSON.

[1] Mr. Steevens is clearly right, in supposing the allusion to be to the "wolf in sheep's clothing" not indeed that Coriolanus means to call himself a wolf; but merely to say, "Why should I stand here playing the bypocrite, and simulating the humility which is not in my nature." RITSON.