The Complete Works of William Shakespeare Part 76

BRUTUS. All tongues speak of him and the bleared sights Are spectacled to see him. Your prattling nurse Into a rapture lets her baby cry While she chats him; the kitchen malkin pins Her richest lockram 'bout her reechy neck, Clamb'ring the walls to eye him; stalls, bulks, windows, Are smother'd up, leads fill'd and ridges hors'd With variable complexions, all agreeing In earnestness to see him. Seld-shown flamens Do press among the popular throngs and puff To win a vulgar station; our veil'd dames Commit the war of white and damask in Their nicely gawded cheeks to th' wanton spoil Of Phoebus' burning kisses. Such a pother, As if that whatsoever G.o.d who leads him Were slily crept into his human powers, And gave him graceful posture.

SICINIUS. 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 n.o.bles.

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 pa.s.s'd; the n.o.bles 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 Coriola.n.u.s 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 Coriola.n.u.s neither to care whether they love or hate him manifests the true knowledge he has in their disposition, and out of his n.o.ble 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 much were a kind of ingrateful injury; to report otherwise were a malice that, giving itself the lie, would pluck reproof and rebuke from every car that heard it.

FIRST OFFICER. No more of him; he's a worthy man. Make way, they are coming.

A sennet. Enter the PATRICIANS and the TRIBUNES OF THE PEOPLE, LICTORS before them; CORIOLa.n.u.s, MENENIUS, COMINIUS the Consul. SICINIUS and BRUTUS take their places by themselves.

CORIOLa.n.u.s stands

MENENIUS. Having determin'd of the Volsces, and To send for t.i.tus Lartius, it remains, As the main point of this our after-meeting, To gratify his n.o.ble service that Hath thus stood for his country. Therefore please you, Most reverend and grave elders, to desire The present consul and last general In our well-found successes to report A little of that worthy work perform'd By Caius Marcius Coriola.n.u.s; whom We met here both to thank and to remember With honours like himself. [CORIOLa.n.u.s sits]

FIRST SENATOR. Speak, good Cominius.

Leave nothing out for length, and make us think Rather our state's defective for requital Than we to stretch it out. Masters o' th' people, We do request your kindest ears; and, after, Your loving motion toward the common body, To yield what pa.s.ses here.

SICINIUS. We are convented Upon a pleasing treaty, and have hearts Inclinable to honour and advance The theme of our a.s.sembly.

BRUTUS. Which the rather We shall be bless'd to do, if he remember A kinder value of the people than He hath hereto priz'd them at.

MENENIUS. That's off, that's off; I would you rather had been silent. Please you To hear Cominius speak?

BRUTUS. Most willingly.

But yet my caution was more pertinent Than the rebuke you give it.

MENENIUS. He loves your people; But tie him not to be their bedfellow.

Worthy Cominius, speak.

[CORIOLa.n.u.s rises, and offers to go away]

Nay, keep your place.

FIRST SENATOR. Sit, Coriola.n.u.s, never shame to hear What you have n.o.bly done.

CORIOLa.n.u.s. Your Honours' pardon.

I had rather have my wounds to heal again Than hear say how I got them.

BRUTUS. Sir, I hope My words disbench'd you not.

CORIOLa.n.u.s. No, sir; yet oft, When blows have made me stay, I fled from words.

You sooth'd not, therefore hurt not. But your people, I love them as they weigh- MENENIUS. Pray now, sit down.

CORIOLa.n.u.s. I had rather have one scratch my head i' th' sun When the alarum were struck than idly sit To hear my nothings monster'd. Exit MENENIUS. Masters of the people, Your multiplying sp.a.w.n how can he flatter- That's thousand to one good one- when you now see He had rather venture all his limbs for honour Than one on's ears to hear it? Proceed, Cominius.

COMINIUS. I shall lack voice; the deeds of Coriola.n.u.s Should not be utter'd feebly. It is held That valour is the chiefest virtue and Most dignifies the haver. If it be, The man I speak of cannot in the world Be singly counterpois'd. At sixteen years, When Tarquin made a head for Rome, he fought Beyond the mark of others; our then Dictator, Whom with all praise I point at, saw him fight When with his Amazonian chin he drove The bristled lips before him; he bestrid An o'erpress'd Roman and i' th' consul's view Slew three opposers; Tarquin's self he met, And struck him on his knee. In that day's feats, When he might act the woman in the scene, He prov'd best man i' th' field, and for his meed Was brow-bound with the oak. His pupil age Man-ent'red thus, he waxed like a sea, And in the brunt of seventeen battles since He lurch'd all swords of the garland. For this last, Before and in Corioli, let me say I cannot speak him home. He stopp'd the fliers, And by his rare example made the coward Turn terror into sport; as weeds before A vessel under sail, so men obey'd And fell below his stem. His sword, death's stamp, Where it did mark, it took; from face to foot He was a thing of blood, whose every motion Was tim'd with dying cries. Alone he ent'red The mortal gate of th' city, which he painted With shunless destiny; aidless came off, 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 n.o.ble; Let him be call'd for.

FIRST SENATOR. Call Coriola.n.u.s.

OFFICER. He doth appear.

Re-enter CORIOLa.n.u.s

MENENIUS. The Senate, Coriola.n.u.s, are well pleas'd To make thee consul.

CORIOLa.n.u.s. I do owe them still My life and services.

MENENIUS. It then remains That you do speak to the people.

CORIOLa.n.u.s. 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 pa.s.s 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.

CORIOLa.n.u.s. It is a part That I shall blush in acting, and might well Be taken from the people.

BRUTUS. Mark you that?

CORIOLa.n.u.s. 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 n.o.ble consul Wish we all joy and honour.

SENATORS. To Coriola.n.u.s 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