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 pass’d; the nobles 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 the time,
But hearts for the event.
SICINIUS.
Have with you.
[Exeunt.]
SCENE II. Rome. The Capitol.
[Enter two OFFICERS, to lay cushions.]
FIRST OFFICER.
Come, come; they are almost here. How many stand for consulships?
SECOND OFFICER. Three, they say; but ‘tis thought of every one Coriolanus 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 flattered 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 Coriolanus neither to care whether they love or hate him manifests the true knowledge he has in their disposition; and, out of his noble 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, bonnetted, 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 ear that heard it.
FIRST OFFICER.
No more of him; he is a worthy man.: make way, they are coming.
[A sennet. Enter, with Lictors before them, COMINIUS the Consul,
MENENIUS, CORIOLANUS, Senators, SICINIUS and BRUTUS. The Senators
take their places; the Tribunes take theirs also by themselves.]
MENENIUS.
Having determined of the Volsces, and
To send for Titus Lartius, it remains,
As the main point of this our after-meeting,
To gratify his noble 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 Coriolanus; whom
We met here both to thank and to remember
With honours like himself.
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’ the people,
We do request your kindest ears; and, after,
Your loving motion toward the common body,
To yield what passes here.
SICINIUS.
We are convented
Upon a pleasing treaty; and have hearts
Inclinable to honour and advance
The theme of our assembly.
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.
[CORIOLANUS rises, and offers to go away.]
Nay, keep your place.
FIRST SENATOR.
Sit, Coriolanus; never shame to hear
What you have nobly done.
CORIOLANUS.
Your Honours’ pardon:
I had rather have my wounds to heal again
Than hear say how I got them.
BRUTUS.
