Com.
Tullus Aufidius then had made new head?

Mar.
So then the Volscians stand but as at first,
Ready when time shall prompt them, to make inroad upon's again. Enter Sicinius and Brutus.

Mar.
Behold these are the tribunes of the people,
The tongues o'th' common mouth; I do despise them,
For they do prank them in authority,
Against all noble sufferance.

Sic.
Pass no further.

Mar.
Hah!—what is that!—

Bru.
It will be dangerous to go on—

Mar.
What makes this change?

Men.
The matter?

Com.
Hath he not pass'd the nobles and the commons?

Bru.
Cominius, no.

Mar.
Have I had children's voices?

Men.
Tribunes give way; he shall to th' market-place.

Bru.
The people are incens'd against him.

Mar.
Are these your herd?
Must these have voices, that can yield them now,
And straight disclaim their tongues? what are your offices?
You being their mouths, why rule you not their teeth?
Have you not set them on?

Men.
Be calm, be calm.

Mar.
It is a purpos'd thing, and grows by plot,
To curb the will of the nobility.

Bru.
Call't not a plot;
The people cry you mock'd them; and of late,
When corn was given them gratis, you repin'd,
Scandal'd the suppliants for the people, call'd them
Time-pleasers, flatterers, foes to nobleness.

Mar.
Why, this was known before.

Bru.
Not to them all.

Mar.
Have you inform'd them, since?

Bru.
How! I inform them!

Mar.
Yes, you are like enough to do such business,

Bru.
Not unlike, either way, to better yours.

Mar.
Why then should I be consul? by yon clouds,
Let me deserve so ill as you, and make me
Your fellow tribune.

Men.
Well, no more—

Mar.
How!—no more!
As for my country, I have shed my blood,

Not fearing outward force; so shall my lungs
Coin words till their decay, against those measles
Which we disdain should tetter us, yet seek
The very way to catch them.

Bru.
You speak o'th' people, Sir, as if you were
A God to punish, not as being a man
Of their infirmity.

Sic.
'Twere well we let
The people know't.

Men.
What, what! his choler?

Mar.
Choler!
Were I as patient as the midnight sleep,
By Jove, 'twould be my mind.

Sic.
It is a mind
That shall remain a poison where it is,
Not poison any further.

Mar.
Shall remain?
Hear you this Triton of the minnows? mark you
His absolute shall?
Shall!—

Com.
Well—on to th' market-place.

Mar.
Whoever gave that counsel, to give forth
The corn o'th' storehouse, gratis, as 'twas us'd,
Sometimes in Greece—

Men.
Well, well, no more of that.

Mar.
I say, they nourish'd disobedience, fed
The ruin of the state.

Bru.
Shall th' people give
One that speaks thus, their voice?

Sic.
H'as spoken like a traitor, and shall answer
As traitors do.

Mar.
Thou wretch! despight o'erwhelm thee!
What should the people do with these bold tribunes?
On whom depending, their obedience fails
To th' greater bench. In a rebellion,
When what's not meet, but what must be, was law,
Then were they chosen; in a better hour,
Let what is meet, be said, That must be law,
And throw their power i'th' dust.

Bru.
Manifest treason—

Sic.
This a consul? no.

Sic.
Go, call the people, in whose name myself
Attach thee as a traiterous innovator:
A foe to th' public weal. Enter Citizens.
Obey, I charge thee,
And follow to thine answer. [Advancing towards Marcius.

Mar.
Hence, or I shall shake thy bones
Out of thy garments.

Bru.
Or let us stand to our authority,
Or let us lose it; we do here pronounce,
Upon the part o'th' people, in whose power
We were elected theirs, Marcius is worthy
Of present death.

Sic.
Bear him to the rock Tarpeian, and from thence
Into destruction cast him.

Mar.
No, I'll die here. [Drawing his sword.

Men.
I pr'ythee, noble friend, home to thy house,
Leave us to cure this case. For 'tis a sore
You cannot tent yourself; begone, 'beseech you.

Com.
Come away.

Mar.
On fair ground I could beat forty of them. [Exeunt Marcius and Cominius.

Men.
You worthy tribunes—

Sic.
He shall be thrown down the Tarpeian rock,
With rigorous hands; he hath resisted law,
And therefore law shall scorn him further trial.

1 Cit.
He shall well know the noble tribunes are
The people's mouths, and we their hands.

All.
He shall, be sure on't.

Men.
Sir, sir.

Sic.
Peace.

Men.
Do not cry havock, where you should but hunt
With modest warrant.

Sic.
Sir, how comes it you
Have holp to make this rescue?

Men.
Hear me speak;
As I do know the Consul's worthiness,
So can I name his faults—

Sic.
Consul!—what consul!

Men.
The consul Coriolanus.

Bru.
He the consul!—

All.
No, no, no, no, no,

Men.
If by the tribunes leave, and yours, good people,
I may be heard, I crave a word or two,
The which shall turn you to no further harm,
Than so much loss of time.

Bru.
We'll hear no more.
Pursue him to his house, and pluck him thence,
Lest his infection, being of a catching nature,
Spread further.

Men.
One word more, hear me one word:
Proceed by process,
Lest parties (as he is belov'd) break out,
And sack great Rome with Romans.

Bru.
If 'twere so—

Sic
What do ye talk?
Have we not had a taste of his obedience?

Men.
Consider this; he hath been bred i'th' wars,
Since he could draw a sword, and is ill-school'd
In boulted language; meal and bran together
He throws without distinction. Give me leave,
I'll go to him, and undertake to bring him,
Where he shall answer by a lawful form,
In peace, to his utmost peril.

Sic.
Noble Menenius,
Be you then as the people's officer.
Masters, meet on the forum; we'll attend you there,
Where if you bring not Marcius, we'll proceed In our first way.

Men.
I'll go and bring him to you. [Exeunt.

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