Outline
Characters
Dreamweaver
[Enter seven or eight Citizens.]
First Citizen
Once, if he do require our voices, we ought not to deny him.
Second Citizen
We may, sir, if we will.
Third Citizen
We have power in ourselves to do it, but it is a power that we have no
power to do; for, if he show us his wounds and tell us his deeds, we
are to put our tongues into those wounds and speak for them. So, if he
tell us his noble deeds, we must also tell him our noble acceptance of
them. Ingratitude is monstrous, and for the multitude to be ingrateful
were to make a monster of the multitude, of the which we being members,
should bring ourselves to be monstrous members.
First Citizen
And to make us no better thought of, a little help will serve; for once
we stood up about the corn, he himself stuck not to call us the
many-headed multitude.
Third Citizen
We have been called so of many; not that our heads are some brown, some
black, some auburn, some bald, but that our wits are so diversely
coloured; and truly I think if all our wits were to issue out of one
skull, they would fly east, west, north, south, and their consent of
one direct way should be at once to all the points o’ th’ compass.
Second Citizen
Think you so? Which way do you judge my wit would fly?
Third Citizen
Nay, your wit will not so soon out as another man’s will; ’tis strongly
wedged up in a blockhead. But if it were at liberty, ’twould, sure,
southward.
Second Citizen
Why that way?
Third Citizen
To lose itself in a fog, where being three parts melted away with
rotten dews, the fourth would return for conscience’ sake, to help to
get thee a wife.
Second Citizen
You are never without your tricks. You may, you may.
Third Citizen
Are you all resolved to give your voices? But that’s no matter; the
greater part carries it. I say, if he would incline to the people,
there was never a worthier man.
[Enter Coriolanus in a gown of humility, with Menenius.]
Third Citizen
Here he comes, and in the gown of humility. Mark his behaviour. We are
not to stay all together, but to come by him where he stands, by ones,
by twos, and by threes. He’s to make his requests by particulars,
wherein everyone of us has a single honour in giving him our own voices
with our own tongues. Therefore follow me, and I’ll direct you how you
shall go by him.
ALL
Content, content.
[Exeunt.]
Menenius
O sir, you are not right. Have you not known
The worthiest men have done’t?
Caius Martius Coriolanus
What must I say?
“I pray, sir”—plague upon’t! I cannot bring
My tongue to such a pace. “Look, sir, my wounds!
I got them in my country’s service when
Some certain of your brethren roared and ran
From th’ noise of our own drums.”
Menenius
O me, the gods!
You must not speak of that. You must desire them
To think upon you.
Caius Martius Coriolanus
Think upon me! Hang ’em!
I would they would forget me, like the virtues
Which our divines lose by ’em.
Menenius
You’ll mar all.
I’ll leave you. Pray you speak to ’em, I pray you,
In wholesome manner.
[Exit Menenius.]
Caius Martius Coriolanus
Bid them wash their faces
And keep their teeth clean.
[Enter three of the Citizens.]
Caius Martius Coriolanus
So, here comes a brace.
You know the cause, sirs, of my standing here.
Third Citizen
We do, sir. Tell us what hath brought you to’t.
Caius Martius Coriolanus
Mine own desert.
Second Citizen
Your own desert?
Caius Martius Coriolanus
Ay, but not mine own desire.
Third Citizen
How, not your own desire?
Caius Martius Coriolanus
No, sir, ’twas never my desire yet to trouble the poor with begging.
Third Citizen
You must think if we give you anything, we hope to gain by you.
Caius Martius Coriolanus
Well then, I pray, your price o’ th’ consulship?
First Citizen
The price is to ask it kindly.
Caius Martius Coriolanus
Kindly, sir, I pray, let me ha’t. I have wounds to show you, which
shall be yours in private.—Your good voice, sir. What say you?
Second Citizen
You shall ha’ it, worthy sir.
Caius Martius Coriolanus
A match, sir. There’s in all two worthy voices begged. I have your
alms. Adieu.
Third Citizen
But this is something odd.
Second Citizen
An ’twere to give again—but ’tis no matter.
[Exeunt two citizens.]
[Enter two other Citizens.]
Caius Martius Coriolanus
Pray you now, if it may stand with the tune of your voices that I may
be consul, I have here the customary gown.
Fourth Citizen
You have deserved nobly of your country, and you have not deserved
nobly.
Caius Martius Coriolanus
Your enigma?
Fourth Citizen
You have been a scourge to her enemies; you have been a rod to her
friends. You have not indeed loved the common people.
Caius Martius Coriolanus
You should account me the more virtuous that I have not been common in
my love. I will, sir, flatter my sworn brother, the people, to earn a
dearer estimation of them; ’tis a condition they account gentle. And
since the wisdom of their choice is rather to have my hat than my
heart, I will practise the insinuating nod and be off to them most
counterfeitly. That is, sir, I will counterfeit the bewitchment of some
popular man and give it bountiful to the desirers. Therefore, beseech
you, I may be consul.
Fifth Citizen
We hope to find you our friend, and therefore give you our voices
heartily.
Fourth Citizen
You have received many wounds for your country.
Caius Martius Coriolanus
I will not seal your knowledge with showing them. I will make much of
your voices and so trouble you no farther.
Both Citizens
The gods give you joy, sir, heartily.
[Exeunt citizens.]
Caius Martius Coriolanus
Most sweet voices!
Better it is to die, better to starve,
Than crave the hire which first we do deserve.
Why in this wolvish toge should I stand here
To beg of Hob and Dick that does appear
Their needless vouches? Custom calls me to’t.
What custom wills, in all things should we do’t?
The dust on antique time would lie unswept
And mountainous error be too highly heaped
For truth to o’erpeer. Rather than fool it so,
Let the high office and the honour go
To one that would do thus. I am half through;
The one part suffered, the other will I do.
[Enter three Citizens more.]
Caius Martius Coriolanus
Here come more voices.
Your voices! For your voices I have fought;
Watched for your voices; for your voices bear
Of wounds two dozen odd. Battles thrice six
I have seen and heard of; for your voices have
Done many things, some less, some more. Your voices!
Indeed, I would be consul.
Sixth Citizen
He has done nobly, and cannot go without any honest man’s voice.
Seventh Citizen
Therefore let him be consul. The gods give him joy, and make him good
friend to the people!
All Three Citizens
Amen, amen. God save thee, noble consul.
[Exeunt citizens.]
Caius Martius Coriolanus
Worthy voices!
[Enter Menenius with Brutus and Sicinius.]
Menenius
You have stood your limitation, and the Tribunes
Endue you with the people’s voice. Remains
That in th’ official marks invested, you
Anon do meet the Senate.
Caius Martius Coriolanus
Is this done?
Sicinius Velutus
The custom of request you have discharged.
The people do admit you, and are summoned
To meet anon upon your approbation.
Caius Martius Coriolanus
Where? At the Senate House?
Sicinius Velutus
There, Coriolanus.
Caius Martius Coriolanus
May I change these garments?
Sicinius Velutus
You may, sir.
Caius Martius Coriolanus
That I’ll straight do and, knowing myself again,
Repair to th’ Senate House.
Menenius
I’ll keep you company.—Will you along?
Junius Brutus
We stay here for the people.
Sicinius Velutus
Fare you well.
[Exeunt Coriolanus and Menenius.]
Sicinius Velutus
He has it now; and by his looks, methinks,
’Tis warm at his heart.
Junius Brutus
With a proud heart he wore
His humble weeds. Will you dismiss the people?
[Enter the Pebleians.]
Sicinius Velutus
How now, my masters, have you chose this man?
First Citizen
He has our voices, sir.
Junius Brutus
We pray the gods he may deserve your loves.
Second Citizen
Amen, sir. To my poor unworthy notice,
He mocked us when he begged our voices.
Third Citizen
Certainly, he flouted us downright.
First Citizen
No, ’tis his kind of speech. He did not mock us.
Second Citizen
Not one amongst us, save yourself, but says
He used us scornfully. He should have showed us
His marks of merit, wounds received for’s country.
Sicinius Velutus
Why, so he did, I am sure.
ALL
No, no. No man saw ’em.
Third Citizen
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?
Sicinius Velutus
Why either were you ignorant to see’t
Or, seeing it, of such childish friendliness
To yield your voices?
Junius Brutus
Could you not have told him
As you were lessoned? 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’ th’ body of the weal; and, now arriving
A place of potency and sway o’ th’ state,
If he should still malignantly remain
Fast foe to th’ plebeii, your voices might
Be curses to yourselves. You should have said
That as his worthy deeds did claim no less
Than what he stood for, so his gracious nature
Would think upon you for your voices, and
Translate his malice towards you into love,
Standing your friendly lord.
Sicinius Velutus
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 th’ advantage of his choler
And passed him unelected.
Junius Brutus
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?
Sicinius Velutus
Have you ere now denied the asker, and now
Again, of him that did not ask but mock,
Bestow your sued-for tongues?
Third Citizen
He’s not confirmed.
We may deny him yet.
Second Citizen
And will deny him.
I’ll have five hundred voices of that sound.
First Citizen
I twice five hundred, and their friends to piece ’em.
Junius Brutus
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 therefore kept to do so.
Sicinius Velutus
Let them assemble
And, on a safer judgment, all revoke
Your ignorant election. Enforce his pride
And his old hate unto you. Besides, forget not
With what contempt he wore the humble weed,
How in his suit he scorned you; but your loves,
Thinking upon his services, took from you
Th’ apprehension of his present portance,
Which most gibingly, ungravely, he did fashion
After the inveterate hate he bears you.
Junius Brutus
Lay
A fault on us, your tribunes, that we laboured,
No impediment between, but that you must
Cast your election on him.
Sicinius Velutus
Say you chose him
More after our commandment than as guided
By your own true affections, and that your minds,
Preoccupied with what you rather must do
Than what you should, made you against the grain
To voice him consul. Lay the fault on us.
Junius Brutus
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 noble house o’ th’ Martians, 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 hither;
And Censorinus, that was so surnamed,
And nobly named so, twice being censor,
Was his great ancestor.
Sicinius Velutus
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.
Junius Brutus
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 th’ Capitol.
ALL
We will so. Almost all
Repent in their election.
[Exeunt Plebeians.]
Junius Brutus
Let them go on.
This mutiny were better put in hazard
Than stay, past doubt, for greater.
If, as his nature is, he fall in rage
With their refusal, both observe and answer
The vantage of his anger.
Sicinius Velutus
To th’ Capitol, come.
We will be there before the stream o’ th’ people,
And this shall seem, as partly ’tis, their own,
Which we have goaded onward.
[Exeunt.]