The Philosophy of the Plays of Shakspere Unfolded Part 43

Here come more voices,-- Your Voices: _for your_ voices _I have fought_: _Watch'd_ for _your voices; for your voices, bear Of wounds two dozen odd_; battles thrice six, I have seen and heard of; _for your voices_, Done many things, _some less, some more_: your voices: _Indeed, I would be consul_.

_Fifth Cit_. He has done _n.o.bly_, and _cannot go without any honest man's voice_.

_Sixth Cit_. Therefore let him be consul: The G.o.ds give him joy, and make him _good friend to the people_.

_All_. Amen, Amen.-- _G.o.d save thee, n.o.ble_ consul! [_Exeunt Citizens_.]

_Cor_. WORTHY VOICES!

[_Re-enter Menenius, with the tribunes Brutus, and Sicinius._]

_Men_. You have stood your limitation; and the tribunes Endue you with the people's voice: _Remains_, That in the _official marks_ invested, you _Anon_ do meet the senate.

_Cor_. Is this done?

_Sic_. The _custom_ of _request_ you have discharged: _The people do admit you_; and are _summon'd_ To meet anon, _upon your approbation_.

_Cor_. Where? At the senate-house?

_Sic. There_ Coriola.n.u.s.

_Cor. May I change these garments_?

_Sic_. You may, Sir.

_Cor_. That I'll straight do, and _knowing myself again_, Repair to the senate house.

_Men_. I'll keep you company.--Will you along.

_Bru. We stay here for the people_.

_Sic_. Fare you well.

[_Exeunt Coriola.n.u.s and Menenius_.]

_He has it now_; and by his looks, methinks, 'Tis warm at his heart.

_Bru. With a proud heart he wore His humble weeds_: Will you dismiss the people?

[This is the popular election: but the afterthought, the review, the critical review, is that which must follow, for this is not the same people we had on the stage when the play began. They are the same in person, perhaps; but it is no longer a mob, armed with clubs, clamouring for bread, rushing forth to kill their chiefs, and have corn at their own price. It is a people conscious of their political power and dignity, an organised people; it is a people with a const.i.tuted head, capable of instructing them in the doctrine of political duties and rights. It is the tribune now who conducts this review of the Military Hero's civil claims. It is the careful, learned Tribune who initiates, from the heights of his civil wisdom, this great, popular veto, this deliberate 'rejection' of the popular affirmation. For this is what is called, elsewhere, 'a _negative_ instance.']

[_Re-enter Citizens_.]

_Sic_. How now, _my masters?_ HAVE YOU CHOSE THIS MAN?

_First Cit_. He has our _voices_, Sir.

_Bru_. We pray the G.o.ds he may deserve your loves.

_Second Cit_. Amen, Sir: To my poor unworthy notice, _He mocked us when he begg'd our voices_.

_Third Cit_. Certainly He flouted us downright.

_First Cit_. No, 'tis his kind of speech; he did not mock us.

_Second Cit_. Not one amongst us save yourself, but says, He used us _scornfully_: he should have show'd us His marks of merit, wounds received for his country.

_Sic_. Why, so he did, I am sure.

_Cit_. No; no man saw 'em. [_Several speak_.]

_Third Cit_. He said he _had_ wounds which he could show in private; And with his hat, thus waving it in scorn, 'I _would be consul_,' says he,' AGED CUSTOM, BUT BY YOUR VOICES, WILL NOT SO PERMIT ME; _Your voices_ THEREFORE:' When we granted that, Here was,--'I thank you for your voices,--thank you,-- Your most sweet voices:--_now you have left your voices, I have no further with you:'--Was not this mockery?_

_Sic_. Why, either, were you ignorant to see't?

Or, seeing it, of such _childish friendliness To yield your voices?_

_Bru_. Could you not have told him As you were lesson'd--when he had no power, But was a petty servant to the state, He was your enemy; ever spake _against_ _Your_ LIBERTIES, and the CHARTERS that you bear _I'_ THE BODY of the WEAL: and now arriving A _place of potency, and sway_ o' the state, If he should still malignantly remain _Fast foe_ to the plebeii, _your voices might Be_ CURSES _to_ YOURSELVES.

_Sic_. Thus to have said As you were fore-advised, had touched his spirit, And _tried_ his inclination; from him plucked, Either his gracious promise, which _you might, As cause had called you up, have_ HELD HIM TO; _Or else_ it would have galled his surly nature, _Which easily endures, not article Tying him to aught_;--so putting him to rage, You should have ta'en advantage of his choler, And so left him unelected.

[Somewhat sagacious instructions for these old _Roman_ statesmen to give, and not so very unlike those which English Commons found occasion to put in execution not long after.]

_Bru_. Did you perceive he did solicit you _in free contempt_, When he did need your loves; and do you think That his contempt shall not be bruising to you, When, he hath _power to crush_? Why had your bodies _No heart among you_, or had you tongues To cry against THE RECTORSHIP of--_judgment_?

_Sic_. Have you Ere now, _deny'd the asker_, and now again, On him that _did not ask, but mock_, [with a pretence of asking,]

bestow Your sued for tongues?

_Third Cit_. HE'S NOT CONFIRMED, _we may deny him_ YET.

_Second Cit. And will deny him: I'll have five hundred voices of that sound_.

_First Cit. I_, twice five hundred, and their friends to _piece 'em_.

_Bru_. Get you hence instantly, and _tell those friends_, They have chose a consul that will from them _Take their liberties_, MAKE THEM OF NO MORE VOICE THAN DOGS, that are as often BEAT for barking, As KEPT TO DO SO.

_Sic_. Let them a.s.semble, And on a safer judgment, ALL REVOKE Your IGNORANT ELECTION.

_Bru_. Lay A fault on _us, your tribunes_; that WE LABOURED NO IMPEDIMENT BETWEEN, but that you _must_ Cast your election on him.

_Sic_. Say, you chose him More after our commandment, than as guided By your own true affections, and that your minds, _Pre-occupied_ with what you rather _must_ do, Than what you _should_, made you _against the grain_ To voice _him_ consul: lay the fault _on us_.

_Bru_. Ay, SPARE us NOT. _Say_ WE READ LECTURES TO YOU, How youngly _he began to serve his country_, How long continued, and what _stock_ he springs of; The n.o.ble house o' the _Marcians_, from whence came, That Ancus Martius, _Numa's_ daughter's son, Who, after _great Hostilius_, here was _king_: Of the same house Publius and Quintus were, _That our best water brought by conduits. .h.i.ther_; And Censoriuus, _darling of the people_, And n.o.bly named so, being _censor twice_, Was his great ancestor.

[Of course this man has never meddled with the cla.s.sics at all. His reading and writing comes by nature.]

_Sic. One thus_ descended, That hath _beside well in his person wrought_, To be set _high in place, we_ did commend To your remembrances; but _you have found, Scaling his present bearing with his past_, That _he's_ your fixed _enemy_, and REVOKE _Your sudden approbation_.

_Bru._. Say you ne'er had done't,-- _Harp on that still_,--but by _our putting on_, And _presently_ when you have drawn your number, Repair to the Capitol.