Sivut kuvina
PDF
ePub

And to the Battel came he; where he did
Run reeking o'er the Lives of Men, as if
'I were a perpetual Spoil; and 'till we call'd
Both Field and City ours, he never stood
To eafe his Breaft with panting.

Men. Worthy Man!

1 Sen. He cannot but with meafur: fit the Honours Which we devife him.

Com. Our Spoils he kick'd at,

And look'd upon things precious, as they were
The common Muck o'th' World: He covets less
Than Mifery it felf would give, rewards his Deeds
With doing them, and is content

To spend his Time to end it.

Men. He's right Noble, let him be call'd for.
Sen, Call Coriolanus.

[blocks in formation]

Men. The Senate, Coriolanus, are well pleas'd to make thee Conful.

ple.

[ocr errors]

Cor. I do owe them ftill my Life, and Services.

Men. It then remains that you do fpeak to the Peo

Cor. I do befeech you,

Let me o'erleap that Cuftom; for I cannot

Put on the Gown, ftand naked, and entreat them
For my Wounds fake, to give their Suffrages:
Please you that I may pafs 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 Cuftom,

And take to you, as your Predeceffors have,
Your Honour with your Form.

Cor. It is a Part that I fhall blufh in A&ting,

And might well be taken from the People.

Bru. Mark you that.

Cor. To brag unto them, thus I did, and thus, Shew them th' unaking Scars, which I would hide, As if I had receiv'd them for the Hire

Of their Breath only.

Men

Men. Do not ftand upon't:

We recommend to you, Tribunes of the People,
Our purpose to them, and to our noble Conful
With we all Joy and Honour.

Sen. To Coriolanus come all Joy and Honour.

[Flourish Corners. Then Exeunt.

Manent Sicinius and Brutus.

Bru. You fee how he intends to ufe the People.

Sic. May they perceive's Intent: He will require 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 th' Market-place,

I know they do attend us.

Enter feven or eight Citizens.

[Exeunt.

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 our felves to do it, but it is a power that we have no power to do: For, if he fhew us his Wounds, and tell us his Deeds, we are to put our Tongues into those Wounds, and speak for them: So, if he tells us his noble Deeds, we muft alfo tell him of our noble Acceptance of them. Ingratitude is monftrous, and for the Multitude to be ingrateful, were to make a Monfter of the Multitude; of the which, we being Members, fhould bring our felves to be monftrous Members.

1 Cit. And to make us no better thought of, a little help will ferve: For once when we ftood up about the Corn, he himself ftuck not to call us the many-headed Multitude.

3 Cit. We have been call'd fo of many, not that our Heads are fome Brown, fome Black, fome Auburn, fome Bald; but that our Wits are fo diverfly Colour'd; and truly, I think, if all our Wits were to iffue out of one Scull, they would flye Eaft, Weft, North, South, and their Confent of one direct Way, would be at once to all Points o'th' Compass.

2 Cit. Think you fo? Which Way do you judge my Wit would flye?

Dd3

3 Cit.

3 Cit. Nay, your Wit will not fo foon out as another Man's will, 'tis ftrongly wedg'd up in a Block-head: But if it were at Liberty, 'twould fure Southward.

2 Cit. Why that way?

3 Cit. To lofe it felf in a Fog, where being three parts melted away with rotten Dews, the fourth would return for Confcience fake, to help to get thee a Wife.

2 Cit. You are never without your Tricks,

you may.

you may,

3 Cit. Are you all refolved to give your Voices? But that's no matter, the greater part carries it, I fay. 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 ftay all together, but to come by him where he ftands, by ones, by twos, and by threes. He's to make his requests by Particulars, where every one of us has a fingle Honour, in giving him our own Voices with our own Tongues: therefore follow me, and I'll dire& you how you fhall go by him.

All. Content, content.

[Exeunt. Men. Oh, Sir, you are not right; have you not known The worthieft Men have done't?

Cor. What must I fay, I pray, Sir?

Plague upon't, I cannot bring

My Tongue to fuch a pace. Look, Sirmy Woundsgot them in my Country's Service, when

I

Some certain of your Brethren roar'd, and ran

From the noife of our own Drums.

Men. Oh me the Gods! you must not speak of that, You must defire them to think upon you.

Cor. Think upon me? Hang 'em.

I wou'd they wou'd forget me, like the Virtues
Which our Divines lofe by 'em.

Men. You'll mar all.

I'll leave you: Pray you fpeak to 'em, I pray you,

In wholefome manner.

Enter two of the Citizens.

Cor. Bid them wash their Faces,

[Exit.

And keep their Teeth clean - So, here comes a brace: You know the Caufe, Sirs, of my standing here.

er Cit. We do, Sir; tell us what hath brought you to't. Cor. Mine own Defert.

2 Cit. Your own Defert ?

Cor. Ay, not mine own Defire.

1 Cit. How, not your own Defire ?.

Cor. No, Sir, 'twas never my defire yet to trouble the Poor with Begging.

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

Cor. Well then I pray, your Price o'th' Confulship?

I Cit. The Price is, to ask it kindly.

Cor. Kindly, Sir, I pray let me ha't: I have Wounds to fhew you, which fhall be yours in private: Your good Voice, Sir; what fay you?

2 Cit. You fhall ha't, worthy Sir.

Cor. A Match, Sir; there's in all two worthy Voices begg'd: I have your Alms, Adieu.

1 Cit. But this is fomething odd. 2 Cit. And 'twere to give again:

But 'tis no matter.

Enter two other Citizens.

[Exeunt.

Cor. Pray you now, if it may ftand with the tune of your Voices, that I may be Conful, I have here the customary Gown.

1 Cit. You have deferved Nobly of your Country, and you have not deferved Nobly.

1

Cor. Your Enigma ?

1 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 fworn Brother, the People, to earn a dearer eftimation of them, 'tis a condition they account gentle : And fince the wisdom of their Choice, is rather to have my Hat, than my Heart, I will practise the infinuating Nod,and be off to them moft counterfeitly; that is, Sir, I will counterfeit the bewitchment of fome popular Man, and give it bountiful to the defirers: Therefore, befeech you I may be Conful.

2 Cit. We hope to find you our Friend; and therefore give you our Voices heartily.

Dd4

1 Cit. You

1 Cit. You have received many Wounds for your Country.

Cor. I will not feal your Knowledge with fhewing them. I will make much of your Voices, and fo trouble you no further.

Both. The Gods give you Joy, Sir, heartily.

Cor. Moft fweet Voices

Better it is to die, better to ftarve,

Than crave the Hire, which firft we do deferve.

Why in this Woolvifh Gown fhould I ftand here,«
To beg of Hob and Dick, that do appear,
Their needlefs Voucher? Cuftom calls me to't-
What Custom wills in all things, fhould we do't?
The Duft on antique Time would lye unfwept,
And mountainous Error be too highly heapt,
For Truth to o'er-peer. Rather than fool it fo,
Let the high Office and the Honour go,
To one that would do thus. I am half through,
The one part fuffer'd, the other will I do.
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 and odd: Battels, thrice fix I have feen, and heard of: For your Voices,

Have done many things, fome lefs, fome more:

Your Voices: For indeed I would be Conful.

[Exennt.

I Cit. He has done nobly, and cannot go without any honeft Man's Voice.

2 Cit. Therefore let him be Conful: The Gods give him Joy, and make him a good Friend to the People,

All Amen, Amen. God fave thee, Noble Conful.[Exeunt. Cor. Worthy Voices

Enter Menenius, with Brutus, and Sicinius.
Men. You have ftood your Limitation:

And the Tribunes endue you with the Peoples Voice.
Remains, that in th' Official Marks invefted,

You anon do meet the Senate.

Cor. Is this done?

Sic. The Cuftom of Request you have discharg'd: The People do admit you, and are fummon'd

To

« EdellinenJatka »