Where he shall answer, by a lawful form, (In peace) to his utmost peril.

1 Sen.

Noble tribunes,

It is the humane way: the other course

Will prove too bloody; and the end of it
Unknown to the beginning.

Sic.

Noble Menenius,

Be you then as the people's officer :

Masters, lay down your weapons.

Bru.

Go not home.

Sic. Meet on the market-place :-We'll attend you

there :

Where, if you bring not Marcius, we'll proceed
In our first way.

Men.

Let me desire

I'll bring him to you :

your company. [To the Senators.] He

Enter CORIOLANUS, and Patricians.

Cor. Let them pull all about mine ears; present me Death on the wheel, or at wild horses' heels;

Or pile ten hills on the Tarpeian rock,
That the precipitation might down stretch
Below the beam of sight, yet will I still
Be thus to them.

1 Pat.

Enter VOLUMNIA.

You do the nobler.

Cor. I muse, my mother

Does not approve me further, who was wont
To call them woollen vassals, things created
To buy and sell with groats; to show bare heads
In congregations, to yawn, be still, and wonder,
When one but of my ordinance1 stood up

To speak of peace, or war.

I talk of you;

[TO VOLUMNIA.

Why did you wish me milder? Would you have me False to my nature? Rather say, I play

I would have had you put your power well on,
Before you had worn it out.

Cor.

Let go.

Vol. You might have been enough the man you are, With striving less to be so: Lesser had been

The thwartings of your dispositions, if

You had not show'd them how you were dispos'd

Ere they lack'd power to cross you.

Cor.

Vol. Ay, and burn too.

Let them hang.

Enter MENENIUS, and Senators.

Men. Come, come, you have been too rough,

something too rough;

You must return, and mend it.

1 Sen.

There's no remedy;

⚫ Wonder.

1 Rank.

Unless, by not so doing, our good city
Cleave in the midst, and perish.

Vol.

Pray be counsel'd:

I have a heart as little apt as yours,

But yet a brain, that leads my use of anger,

To better vantage.

Men.

Well said, noble woman :

Before he should thus stoop to the herd, but that
The violent fit o'the time craves it as physick
For the whole state, I would put mine armour on,
Which I can scarcely bear.

Cor. For them?—I cannot do it to the gods; Must I then do't to them?

Vol.

You are too absolute;

Though therein you can never be too noble,

But when extremities speak, I have heard you say,
Honour and policy, like unsever'd friends,

I' the war do grow together: Grant that, and tell me,
In peace, what each of them by th' other lose,
That they combine not there.

Cor.

Men.

Tush, tush!

A good demand.

Vol. If it be honour, in your wars, to seem The same you are not, (which, for your best ends, You adopt your policy,) how is it less, or worse, That it shall hold companionship in peace

With honour, as in war; since that to both

It stands in like request ?

Cor.

Why force2 you this?
Vol. Because that now it lies you on to speak
To the people; not by your own instruction,
Nor by the matter which your heart prompts you to,
But with such words that are but roted in
Your tongue, though but bastards, and syllables
Of no allowance, to your bosom's truth.
Now, this no more dishonours you at all,
Than to take in3 a town with gentle words,
Which else would put you to your fortune, and
The hazard of much blood.-

I would dissemble with my nature, where
My fortunes, and my friends, at stake, requir'd,
I should do so in honour: I am in this,

Your wife, your son, these senators, the nobles;
And you will rather show our general lowts 4

How you can frown, than spend a fawn upon them,
For the inheritance of their loves, and safeguard

Of what that want might ruin.

Men.

Come, go with us; speak fair:

Noble lady!

you may salve so, Not what is dangerous present, but the loss

Of what is past.

Vol.

I pr'ythee now, my son, Go to them, with this bonnet in thy hand;

And thus far having stretch'd it, (here be with them,) Thy knee bussing the stones, (for in such business Action is eloquence, and the eyes of the ignorant More learned than the ears,) waving thy head, Which often, thus, correcting thy stout heart,

2 Urge. 3 Subdue. 4 Common clowns.

1

That humble, as the ripest mulberry,

Now will not hold the handling: Or, say to them,
Thou art their soldier, and being bred in broils,
Hast not the soft way, which, thou dost confess,
Were fit for thee to use, as they to claim,

In asking their good loves; but thou wilt frame
Thyself, forsooth, hereafter theirs, so far

As thou hast power, and person.

Men.

This but done,

Even as she speaks, why, all their hearts were yours: For they have pardons, being ask'd, as free

As words to little purpose.

Vol.

Pr'ythee now,

Go, and be rul'd: although, I know, thou had'st

rather

Follow thine enemy in a fiery gulf,

Than flatter him in a bower. Here is Cominius.

Enter COMINIUS.

Com. I have been i' the market-place: and, sir, 'tis

fit

You make strong party, or defend yourself

By calmness, or by absence; all's in anger.
Men. Only fair speech.

Com.

I think, 'twill serve, if he

He must, and will:

Can thereto frame his spirit.

Vol.

Pr'ythee, now, say, you will, and go about it.
Cor. Must I go show them my unbarb'd sconce ? s
Must I

With

my

base tongue, give to my noble heart

5 Unshaven head.