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Insisting on the old prerogative

And power i' th' truth o' th' cause.

AEDILE.

I shall inform them.

BRUTUS.

And when such time they have begun to cry,

Let them not cease, but with a din confus'd

Enforce the present execution

Of what we chance to sentence.

AEDILE.

Very well.

SICINIUS.

Make them be strong, and ready for this hint,

When we shall hap to give't them.

BRUTUS.

Go about it. Exit AEDILE

Put him to choler straight. He hath been us'd

Ever to conquer, and to have his worth

Of contradiction; being once chaf'd, he cannot

Be rein'd again to temperance; then he speaks

What's in his heart, and that is there which looks

With us to break his neck.

Enter CORIOLANUS, MENENIUS and COMINIUS, with others

SICINIUS.

Well, here he comes.

MENENIUS.

Calmly, I do beseech you.

CORIOLANUS.

Ay, as an ostler, that for th' poorest piece

Will bear the knave by th' volume. Th' honour'd gods

Keep Rome in safety, and the chairs of justice

Supplied with worthy men! plant love among's!

Throng our large temples with the shows of peace,

And not our streets with war!

FIRST SENATOR.

Amen, amen!

MENENIUS.

A noble wish.

Re-enter the.AEDILE,with the plebeians

SICINIUS.

Draw near, ye people.

AEDILE.

List to your tribunes. Audience! peace, I say!

CORIOLANUS.

First, hear me speak.

BOTH TRIBUNES.

Well, say. Peace, ho!

CORIOLANUS.

Shall I be charg'd no further than this present?

Must all determine here?

SICINIUS.

I do demand,

If you submit you to the people's voices,

Allow their officers, and are content

To suffer lawful censure for such faults

As shall be prov'd upon you.

CORIOLANUS.

I am content.

MENENIUS.

Lo, citizens, he says he is content.

The warlike service he has done, consider; think

Upon the wounds his body bears, which show

Like graves i' th' holy churchyard.

CORIOLANUS.

Scratches with briers,

Scars to move laughter only.

MENENIUS.

Consider further,

That when he speaks not like a citizen,

You find him like a soldier; do not take

His rougher accents for malicious sounds,

But, as I say, such as become a soldier

Rather than envy you.

COMINIUS.

Well, well! No more.

CORIOLANUS.

What is the matter,

That being pass'd for consul with full voice,

I am so dishonour'd that the very hour

You take it off again?

SICINIUS.

Answer to us.

CORIOLANUS.

Say then; 'tis true, I ought so.

SICINIUS.

We charge you that you have contriv'd to take

From Rome all season'd office, and to wind

Yourself into a power tyrannical;

For which you are a traitor to the people.

CORIOLANUS.

How- traitor?

MENENIUS.

Nay, temperately! Your promise.

CORIOLANUS.

The fires i' th' lowest hell fold in the people!

Call me their traitor! Thou injurious tribune!

Within thine eyes sat twenty thousand deaths,

In thy hands clutch'd as many millions, in

Thy lying tongue both numbers, I would say

'Thou liest' unto thee with a voice as free

As I do pray the gods.

SICINIUS.

Mark you this, people?

PLEBEIANS.

To th' rock, to th' rock, with him!

SICINIUS.

Peace!

We need not put new matter to his charge.

What you have seen him do and heard him speak,

Beating your officers, cursing yourselves,

Opposing laws with strokes, and here defying

Those whose great power must try him- even this,

So criminal and in such capital kind,

Deserves th' extremest death.

BRUTUS.

But since he hath

Serv'd well for Rome-

CORIOLANUS.

What do you prate of service?

BRUTUS.

I talk of that that know it.

CORIOLANUS.

You!

MENENIUS.

Is this the promise that you made your mother?

COMINIUS.

Know, I pray you-

CORIOLANUS.

I'll know no further.

Let them pronounce the steep Tarpeian death,

Vagabond exile, flaying, pent to linger

But with a grain a day, I would not buy

Their mercy at the price of one fair word,

Nor check my courage for what they can give,

To have't with saying 'Good morrow.'

SICINIUS.

For that he has-

As much as in him lies- from time to time

Envied against the people, seeking