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wit would fly?
3 CITIZEN Nay, your wit will not so soon out as another
man’s will; ’tis strongly wedged up in a blockhead: but
if it were at liberty, ’twould, sure, southward.
2 CITIZEN Why that way?
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3 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.
2 CITIZEN You are never without your tricks; you may,
you may.
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3 CITIZEN 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 in a gown of humility, with MENENIUS.
Here he comes, and in the gown of humility: mark his
40
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 own tongues: therefore
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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
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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
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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.
Enter three of the Citizens.
CORIOLANUS Bid them wash their faces,
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And keep their teeth clean. So, here comes a brace.
You know the cause, sir, of my standing here?
3 CITIZEN We do, sir; tell us what hath brought you to’t.
CORIOLANUS Mine own desert.
2 CITIZEN Your own desert?
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CORIOLANUS Ay, but not mine own desire.
3 CITIZEN How, not your own desire?
CORIOLANUS No, sir, ’twas never my desire yet to
trouble the poor with begging.
3 CITIZEN You must think, if we give you anything, we
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hope to gain by you.
CORIOLANUS Well then, I pray, your price o’th’
consulship?
1 CITIZEN The price is, to ask it kindly.
CORIOLANUS Kindly, sir, I pray let me ha’t. I have
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wounds to show you, which shall be yours in private.
Your good voice, sir. What say you?
2 CITIZEN You shall ha’t, worthy sir.
CORIOLANUS A match, sir. There’s in all two worthy
voices begged. I have your alms: adieu!
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3 CITIZEN But this is something odd.
2 CITIZEN And ’twere to give again – but ’tis no matter.
Exeunt the three Citizens.
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.
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4 CITIZEN You have deserved nobly of your country, and
you have not deserved nobly.
CORIOLANUS Your enigma?
4 CITIZEN You have been a scourge to her enemies, you
have been a rod to her friends; you have not indeed
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loved the common people.
CORIOLANUS 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 dearer
estimation of them; ’tis a condition they account
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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 counter-
feitly; that is, sir, I will counterfeit the bewitchment
of some popular man, and give it bountiful to
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the desirers. Therefore, beseech you, I may be
consul.
5 CITIZEN We hope to find you our friend, and therefore
give you our voices heartily.
4 CITIZEN You have received many wounds for your
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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 The gods give you joy, sir, heartily.
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Exeunt the two 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 does appear
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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,
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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 Citizens more.
Here come moe voices.
Your voices! For your voices I have fought,
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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.
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6 CITIZEN He has done nobly, and cannot go without
any honest man’s voice.
7 CITIZEN Therefore let him be consul. The gods give
him joy, and make him good friend to the people!
ALL Amen, amen. God save thee, noble consul!
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Exeunt the three Citizens.
CORIOLANUS Worthy voices!
Enter MENENIUS, with BRUTUS and SICINIUS.
MENENIUS
You have stood your limitation, and the tribunes
Endue you with the people’s voice; remains
That, in th’official marks invested, you
Anon do meet the senate.
CORIOLANUS Is this done?
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SICINIUS The custom of request you have discharg’d.
The people do admit you, and are summon’d
To meet anon upon your approbation.
CORIOLANUS Where? At the senate-house?
SICINIUS There, Coriolanus.
CORIOLANUS May I change these garments?
SICINIUS You may, sir.
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CORIOLANUS
That I’ll straight do; and knowing myself again,
&n
bsp; Repair to th’ senate-house.
MENENIUS I’ll keep you company. Will you along?
BRUTUS We stay here for the people.
SICINIUS Fare you well.
Exeunt Coriolanus and Menenius.
He has it now; and by his looks, methinks
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’Tis warm at’s heart.
BRUTUS With a proud heart he wore
His humble weeds. Will you dismiss the people?
Enter the Plebeians.
SICINIUS
How now, my masters, have you chose this man?
1 CITIZEN He has our voices, sir.
BRUTUS We pray the gods he may deserve your loves.
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2 CITIZEN Amen, sir. To my poor unworthy notice,
He mock’d us when he begg’d our voices.
3 CITIZEN Certainly,
He flouted us downright.
1 CITIZEN
No, ’tis his kind of speech; he did not mock us.
2 CITIZEN Not one amongst us, save yourself, but says
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He us’d us scornfully: he should have show’d us
His marks of merit, wounds receiv’d for’s country.
SICINIUS Why, so he did, I am sure.
ALL No, no; no man saw ’em.
3 CITIZEN
He said he had wounds which he could show in
private;
And with his hat, thus waving it in scorn,
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‘I would be consul,’ says he; ‘aged custom,
But by your voices, will not so permit me:
Your voices therefore.’ When we granted that,
Here was, ‘I thank you for your voices, thank you;
Your most sweet voices: now you have left your
voices,
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I have no further with you.’ Was not this mockery?
SICINIUS Why either were you ignorant to see’t,
Or, seeing it, of such childish friendliness
To yield your voices?
BRUTUS Could you not have told him
As you were lesson’d: when he had no power,
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But was a petty servant to the state,
He was your enemy, ever spake against
Your liberties and the charters that you bear
I’th’ body of the weal; and now arriving
A place of potency and sway o’th’ state,
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If he should still malignantly remain
Fast foe to th’ plebeii, your voices might
Be curses to yourselves? You should have said
That, as his worthy deeds did claim no less
Than what he stood for, so his gracious nature
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Would think upon you for your voices, and
Translate his malice towards you into love,
Standing your friendly lord.
SICINIUS Thus to have said,
As you were fore-advis’d, had touch’d his spirit
And tried his inclination: from him pluck’d
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Either his gracious promise, which you might
As cause had call’d you up, have held him to;
Or else it would have gall’d his surly nature
Which easily endures not article
Tying him to aught; so putting him to rage,
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You should have ta’en th’advantage of his choler,
And pass’d him unelected.
BRUTUS Did you perceive
He did solicit you in free contempt
When he did need your loves; and do you think
That his contempt shall not be bruising to you
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When he hath power to crush? Why, had your bodies
No heart among you? Or had you tongues to cry
Against the rectorship of judgement?
SICINIUS Have you,
Ere now, denied the asker, and now again,
Of him that did not ask but mock, bestow
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Your sued-for tongues?
3 CITIZEN He’s not confirm’d: we may deny him yet.
2 CITIZEN And will deny him!
I’ll have five hundred voices of that sound.
1 CITIZEN
I twice five hundred, and their friends to piece ’em.
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BRUTUS Get you hence instantly, and tell those friends
They have chose a consul that will from them take
Their liberties, make them of no more voice
Than dogs that are as often beat for barking
As therefore kept to do so.
SICINIUS Let them assemble;
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And, on a safer judgement, all revoke
Your ignorant election. Enforce his pride
The Arden Shakespeare Complete Works Page 92
