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And with a sudden re-enforcement 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-quick'ned 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.

MENENIUS.

Worthy man!

FIRST SENATOR.

He cannot but with measure fit the honours

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

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.

He doth appear.

Re-enter CORIOLANUS

MENENIUS.

The Senate, Coriolanus, are well pleas'd

To make thee consul.

CORIOLANUS.

I do owe them still

My life and services.

MENENIUS.

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

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.

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 a part

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 th' unaching scars which I should hide,

As if I had receiv'd 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

Wish we all joy and honour.

SENATORS.

To Coriolanus come all joy and honour!

[Flourish. Cornets. Then 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

Should be in them to give.

BRUTUS.

Come, we'll inform them

Of our proceedings here. On th' market-place

I know they do attend us. Exeunt

SCENE III. Rome. The Forum

Enter seven or eight citizens

FIRST CITIZEN.

Once, if he do require our voices, we ought not to deny him.

SECOND CITIZEN.

We may, sir, if we will.

THIRD CITIZEN.

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.

FIRST CITIZEN.

And to make us no better thought of, a little help

will serve; for once we stood up about the corn, he himself stuck

not to call us the many-headed multitude.

THIRD CITIZEN.

We have been call'd so of many; not that our heads

are some brown, some black, some abram, some bald, but that our

wits are so diversely colour'd; 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 o' th' compass.

SECOND CITIZEN.

Think you so? Which way do you judge my wit would fly?

THIRD CITIZEN.

Nay, your wit will not so soon out as another man's

will- 'tis strongly wedg'd up in a block-head; but if it were at

liberty 'twould sure southward.

SECOND CITIZEN.

Why that way?

THIRD CITIZEN.

To lose itself in a fog; where being three parts

melted away with rotten dews, the fourth would return for