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Samuel Johnson [1765], The plays of William Shakespeare, in eight volumes, with the corrections and illustrations of Various Commentators; To which are added notes by Sam. Johnson (Printed for J. and R. Tonson [and] C. Corbet [etc.], London) [word count] [S11001].
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SCENE II. Enter a Rabble of Plebeians, with the Ædiles.

Men.
On both sides, more respect.

Sic.
Here's he, that would
Take from you all your power.

Bru.
Seize him, Ædiles.

All.
Down with him, down with him!

2 Sen.
Weapons, weapons, weapons! [They all bustle about Coriolanus.
Tribunes, Patricians, Citizens—what ho!—
Sicinius, Brutus, Coriolanus, citizens!

All.
Peace, peace, peace. Stay, hold, peace!

-- 558 --

Men.
What is about to be?—I am out of breath;
Confusion's near, I cannot speak.—You Tribunes,
Coriolanus, patience; speak, Sicinius.

Sic.
Hear me, people—Peace.

All.
Let's hear our Tribune. Peace. Speak, speak, speak.

Sic.
You are at point to lose your liberties;
Marcius would have all from you, Marcius,
Whom late you nam'd for Consul.

Men.
Fie, fie, fie.
This is the way to kindle, not to quench.

Sen.
To unbuild the city, and to lay all flat.

Sic.
What is the city, but the people?

All.
True, the people are the city.

Bru.
By the consent of all, we were establish'd
The people's magistrates.

All.
You so remain.

Men.
And so are like to do.

Cor.
That is the way to lay the city flat;
To bring the roof to the foundation,
And bury all, which yet distinctly ranges,
In heaps and piles of ruin.

Sic.
This deserves death.

Brutus.
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.
Therefore lay hold on him;
Bear him to th' rock Tarpeian, and from thence
Into destruction cast him.

Brutus.
Ædiles, seize him.

All. Ple.
Yield, Marcius, yield.

Men.
Hear me one word.
Beseech you, Tribunes, hear me but a word—

Ædiles.
Peace, peace.

Men.
Be that you seem, truly your Country's friends,

-- 559 --


And temp'rately proceed to what you would
Thus violently redress.

Brutus.
Sir, those cold ways,
That seem like prudent helps, are * notevery poisonous,
Where the disease is violent. Lay hands on him,
And bear him to the rock.
[Coriolanus draws his sword.

Cor.
No; I'll dye here.
There's some among you have beheld me fighting,
Come, try upon yourselves, what you have seen me.

Men.
Down with that sword. Tribunes, withdraw a while.

Brutus.
Lay hands upon him.

Men.

Help Marcius; help you that be noble, help him young and old.

All.

Down with him, down with him.

[Exeunt. [In this mutiny, the Tribunes, the Ædiles and the people are beat in.
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Samuel Johnson [1765], The plays of William Shakespeare, in eight volumes, with the corrections and illustrations of Various Commentators; To which are added notes by Sam. Johnson (Printed for J. and R. Tonson [and] C. Corbet [etc.], London) [word count] [S11001].
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