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On the sudden

I warrant him consul.

BRUTUS.

Then our office may

During his power go sleep.

SICINIUS.

He cannot temp'rately transport his honours

From where he should begin and end, but will

Lose those he hath won.

BRUTUS.

In that there's comfort.

SICINIUS.

Doubt not

The commoners, for whom we stand, but they

Upon their ancient malice will forget

With the least cause these his new honours; which

That he will give them make I as little question

As he is proud to do't.

BRUTUS.

I heard him swear,

Were he to stand for consul, never would he

Appear i' th' market-place, nor on him put

The napless vesture of humility;

Nor, showing, as the manner is, his wounds

To th' people, beg their stinking breaths.

SICINIUS.

'Tis right.

BRUTUS.

It was his word. O, he would miss it rather

Than carry it but by the suit of the gentry to him

And the desire of the nobles.

SICINIUS.

I wish no better

Than have him hold that purpose, and to put it

In execution.

BRUTUS.

'Tis most like he will.

SICINIUS.

It shall be to him then as our good wills:

A sure destruction.

BRUTUS.

So it must fall out

To him or our authorities. For an end,

We must suggest the people in what hatred

He still hath held them; that to's power he would

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 provand

Only for bearing burdens, and sore blows

For sinking under them.

SICINIUS.

This, as you say, suggested

At some time when his soaring insolence

Shall touch the people- which time shall not want,

If he be put upon't, and that's as easy

As to set dogs on sheep- will be his fire

To kindle their dry stubble; and their blaze

Shall darken him for ever.

Enter A MESSENGER

BRUTUS.

What's the matter?

MESSENGER.

You are sent for to the Capitol. 'Tis thought

That Marcius shall be consul.

I have seen the dumb men throng to see him and

The blind to hear him speak; matrons flung gloves,

Ladies and maids their scarfs and handkerchers,

Upon him as he pass'd; the nobles bended

As to Jove's statue, and the commons made

A shower and thunder with their caps and shouts.

I never saw the like.

BRUTUS.

Let's to the Capitol,

And carry with us ears and eyes for th' time,

But hearts for the event.

SICINIUS.

Have with you. Exeunt

SCENE II. Rome. The Capitol

Enter two OFFICERS, to lay cushions, as it were in the Capitol

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.

That's a brave fellow; but he's vengeance proud and

loves not the common people.

SECOND OFFICER.

Faith, there have been many great men that have

flatter'd the people, who ne'er loved them; and there be many

that they have loved, they know not 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 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 they can

render it him, and leaves 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

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 all, into their estimation and report; but

he hath so planted his honours in their eyes and his actions in

their hearts that for their tongues to be silent and not confess

so