TPTT The Tragedy of Coriolanus: ACT II
Introduction
ACT I
ACT II
SCENE I. Rome. A public place.
SCENE II. The same. The Capitol.
SCENE III. The same. The Forum.
ACT III
ACT IV
ACT V
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SCENE II. The same. The Capitol.
Enter two Officers, to lay cushions
First Officer
      Come, come, they are almost here. How many stand
      for consulships?
Second Officer
      Three, they say: but 'tis thought of every one
      Coriolanus will carry it.
First Officer
5     That's a brave fellow; but he's vengeance proud, and
      loves not the common people.
Second Officer
      Faith, there had been many great men that have
      flattered the people, who ne'er loved them; and there
      be many that they have loved, they know not
10    wherefore: so that, if they love they know not why,
      they hate upon no better a ground: therefore, for
      Coriolanus neither to care whether they love or hate
      him manifests the true knowledge he has in their
      disposition; and out of his noble carelessness lets
15    them plainly see't.
First Officer
      If he did not care whether he had their love or no,
      he waved indifferently 'twixt doing them neither
      good nor harm: but he seeks their hate with greater
      devotion than can render it him; and leaves
20    nothing undone that may fully discover him their
      opposite. Now, to seem to affect the malice and
      displeasure of the people is as bad as that which he
      dislikes, to flatter them for their love.
Second Officer
      He hath deserved worthily of his country: and his
25    ascent is not by such easy degrees as those who,
      having been supple and courteous to the people,
      bonneted, without any further deed to have them at
      an into their estimation and report: but he hath so
      planted his honours in their eyes, and his actions
30    in their hearts, that for their tongues to be
      silent, and not confess so much, were a kind of
      ingrateful injury; to report otherwise, were a
      malice, that, giving itself the lie, would pluck
      reproof and rebuke from every ear that heard it.
First Officer
35    No more of him; he is a worthy man: make way, they
      are coming.
A sennet. Enter, with actors before them, COMINIUS the consul, MENENIUS, CORIOLANUS, Senators, SICINIUS and BRUTUS. The Senators take their places; the Tribunes take their Places by themselves. CORIOLANUS stands
MENENIUS
      Having determined of the Volsces and
      To send for Titus Lartius, it remains,
      As the main point of this our after-meeting,
40    To gratify his noble service that
      Hath thus stood for his country: therefore,
      please you,
      Most reverend and grave elders, to desire
      The present consul, and last general
45    In our well-found successes, to report
      A little of that worthy work perform'd
      By Caius Marcius Coriolanus, whom
      We met here both to thank and to remember
      With honours like himself.
First Senator
50    Speak, good Cominius:
      Leave nothing out for length, and make us think
      Rather our state's defective for requital
      Than we to stretch it out.

To the Tribunes

      Masters o' the people,
55    We do request your kindest ears, and after,
      Your loving motion toward the common body,
      To yield what passes here.
SICINIUS
      We are convented
      Upon a pleasing treaty, and have hearts
60    Inclinable to honour and advance
      The theme of our assembly.
BRUTUS
      Which the rather
      We shall be blest to do, if he remember
      A kinder value of the people than
65    He hath hereto prized them at.
MENENIUS
      That's off, that's off;
      I would you rather had been silent. Please you
      To hear Cominius speak?
BRUTUS
      Most willingly;
70    But yet my caution was more pertinent
      Than the rebuke you give it.
MENENIUS
      He loves your people
      But tie him not to be their bedfellow.
      Worthy Cominius, speak.

CORIOLANUS offers to go away

75    Nay, keep your place.
First Senator
      Sit, Coriolanus; never shame to hear
      What you have nobly done.
CORIOLANUS
      Your horror's pardon:
      I had rather have my wounds to heal again
80    Than hear say how I got them.
BRUTUS
      Sir, I hope
      My words disbench'd you not.
CORIOLANUS
      No, sir: yet oft,
      When blows have made me stay, I fled from words.
85    You soothed not, therefore hurt not: but
      your people,
      I love them as they weigh.
MENENIUS
      Pray now, sit down.
CORIOLANUS
      I had rather have one scratch my head i' the sun
90    When the alarum were struck than idly sit
      To hear my nothings monster'd.
Exit
MENENIUS
      Masters of the people,
      Your multiplying spawn how can he flatter--
      That's thousand to one good one--when you now see
95    He had rather venture all his limbs for honour
      Than one on's ears to hear it? Proceed, Cominius.
COMINIUS
      I shall lack voice: the deeds of Coriolanus
      Should not be utter'd feebly. It is held
      That valour is the chiefest virtue, and
100   Most dignifies the haver: if it be,
      The man I speak of cannot in the world
      Be singly counterpoised. At sixteen years,
      When Tarquin made a head for Rome, he fought
      Beyond the mark of others: our then dictator,
105   Whom with all praise I point at, saw him fight,
      When with his Amazonian chin he drove
      The bristled lips before him: be bestrid
      An o'er-press'd Roman and i' the consul's view
      Slew three opposers: Tarquin's self he met,
110   And struck him on his knee: in that day's feats,
      When he might act the woman in the scene,
      He proved best man i' the field, and for his meed
      Was brow-bound with the oak. His pupil age
      Man-enter'd thus, he waxed like a sea,
115   And in the brunt of seventeen battles since
      He lurch'd all swords of the garland. For this last,
      Before and in Corioli, let me say,
      I cannot speak him home: he stopp'd the fliers;
      And by his rare example made the coward
120   Turn terror into sport: as weeds before
      A vessel under sail, so men obey'd
      And fell below his stem: his sword, death's stamp,
      Where it did mark, it took; from face to foot
      He was a thing of blood, whose every motion
125   Was timed with dying cries: alone he enter'd
      The mortal gate of the city, which he painted
      With shunless destiny; aidless came off,
      And with a sudden reinforcement struck
      Corioli like a planet: now all's his:
130   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
135   'Twere a perpetual spoil: and till we call'd
      Both field and city ours, he never stood
      To ease his breast with panting.
MENENIUS
      Worthy man!
First Senator
      He cannot but with measure fit the honours
140   Which we devise him.
COMINIUS
      Our spoils he kick'd at,
      And look'd upon things precious as they were
      The common muck of the world: he covets less
      Than misery itself would give; rewards
145   His deeds with doing them, and is content
      To spend the time to end it.
MENENIUS
      He's right noble:
      Let him be call'd for.
First Senator
      Call Coriolanus.
Officer
150   He doth appear.
Re-enter CORIOLANUS
MENENIUS
      The senate, Coriolanus, are well pleased
      To make thee consul.
CORIOLANUS
      I do owe them still
      My life and services.
MENENIUS
155   It then remains
      That you do speak to the people.
CORIOLANUS
      I do beseech you,
      Let me o'erleap that custom, for I cannot
      Put on the gown, stand naked and entreat them,
160   For my wounds' sake, to give their suffrage: please you
      That I may pass this doing.
SICINIUS
      Sir, the people
      Must have their voices; neither will they bate
      One jot of ceremony.
MENENIUS
165   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 apart
170   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 the unaching scars which I should hide,
175   As if I had received 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
180   Wish we all joy and honour.
Senators
      To Coriolanus come all joy and honour!
Flourish of cornets. 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
185   Should be in them to give.
BRUTUS
      Come, we'll inform them
      Of our proceedings here: on the marketplace,
      I know, they do attend us.
Exeunt
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