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PATRICIANS.

This man has marr'd his fortune.

MENENIUS.

His nature is too noble for the world:

He would not flatter Neptune for his trident,

Or Jove for's power to thunder. His heart's his mouth;

What his breast forges, that his tongue must vent;

And, being angry, does forget that ever

He heard the name of death. [A noise within]

Here's goodly work!

PATRICIANS.

I would they were a-bed.

MENENIUS.

I would they were in Tiber.

What the vengeance, could he not speak 'em fair?

Re-enter BRUTUS and SICINIUS, the rabble again

SICINIUS.

Where is this viper

That would depopulate the city and

Be every man himself?

MENENIUS.

You worthy Tribunes-

SICINIUS.

He shall be thrown down the Tarpeian rock

With rigorous hands; he hath resisted law,

And therefore law shall scorn him further trial

Than the severity of the public power,

Which he so sets at nought.

FIRST CITIZEN.

He shall well know

The noble tribunes are the people's mouths,

And we their hands.

PLEBEIANS.

He shall, sure on't.

MENENIUS.

Sir, sir-

SICINIUS.

Peace!

MENENIUS.

Do not cry havoc, where you should but hunt

With modest warrant.

SICINIUS.

Sir, how comes't that you

Have holp to make this rescue?

MENENIUS.

Hear me speak.

As I do know the consul's worthiness,

So can I name his faults.

SICINIUS.

Consul! What consul?

MENENIUS.

The consul Coriolanus.

BRUTUS.

He consul!

PLEBEIANS.

No, no, no, no, no.

MENENIUS.

If, by the tribunes' leave, and yours, good people,

I may be heard, I would crave a word or two;

The which shall turn you to no further harm

Than so much loss of time.

SICINIUS.

Speak briefly, then,

For we are peremptory to dispatch

This viperous traitor; to eject him hence

Were but one danger, and to keep him here

Our certain death; therefore it is decreed

He dies to-night.

MENENIUS.

Now the good gods forbid

That our renowned Rome, whose gratitude

Towards her deserved children is enroll'd

In Jove's own book, like an unnatural dam

Should now eat up her own!

SICINIUS.

He's a disease that must be cut away.

MENENIUS.

O, he's a limb that has but a disease-

Mortal, to cut it off: to cure it, easy.

What has he done to Rome that's worthy death?

Killing our enemies, the blood he hath lost-

Which I dare vouch is more than that he hath

By many an ounce- he dropt it for his country;

And what is left, to lose it by his country

Were to us all that do't and suffer it

A brand to th' end o' th' world.

SICINIUS.

This is clean kam.

BRUTUS.

Merely awry. When he did love his country,

It honour'd him.

SICINIUS.

The service of the foot,

Being once gangren'd, is not then respected

For what before it was.

BRUTUS.

We'll hear no more.

Pursue him to his house and pluck him thence,

Lest his infection, being of catching nature,

Spread further.

MENENIUS.

One word more, one word

This tiger-footed rage, when it shall find

The harm of unscann'd swiftness, will, too late,

Tie leaden pounds to's heels. Proceed by process,

Lest parties- as he is belov'd- break out,

And sack great Rome with Romans.

BRUTUS.

If it were so-

SICINIUS.

What do ye talk?

Have we not had a taste of his obedience-

Our aediles smote, ourselves resisted? Come!

MENENIUS.

Consider this: he has been bred i' th' wars

Since 'a could draw a sword, and is ill school'd

In bolted language; meal and bran together

He throws without distinction. Give me leave,

I'll go to him and undertake to bring him

Where he shall answer by a lawful form,

In peace, to his utmost peril.

FIRST SENATOR.

Noble Tribunes,

It is the humane way; the other course

Will prove too bloody, and the end of it

Unknown to the beginning.

SICINIUS.

Noble Menenius,

Be you then as the people's officer.

Masters, lay down your weapons.

BRUTUS.

Go not home.

SICINIUS.

Meet on the market-place. We'll attend you there;

Where, if you bring not Marcius, we'll proceed

In our first way.

MENENIUS.

I'll bring him to you.

[To the SENATORS] Let me desire your company; he must come,