Men.
Having determined of the Volsces and
To send for Titus Lartius, it remains ^note,
As the main point of this our after-meeting,
To gratify his noble service that
Hath thus stood for his country: therefore, please you ^note,
Most reverend and grave elders, to desire

The present consul, and last general
In our well-found ^note successes, to report
A little of that worthy work perform'd
By Caius Marcius ^note Coriolanus; whom
We met ^note here, both to thank and to remember
With honours like himself.

First Sen.
Speak, good Cominius:
Leave nothing out for length, and make us think
Rather our state's ^note defective for requital
Than we to ^note stretch it out. [To the Tribunes ^note] Masters o' ^note the people,
We do request your kindest ears ^note, and after, ^note
Your loving motion toward the common body,
To yield what ^note passes here.

Sic.
We are convented
Upon a pleasing treaty ^note, and have hearts
Inclinable to honour and advance
The theme of our ^note assembly.

Bru.
Which the rather
We shall be bless'd ^note to do, if he remember
A kinder value of the people than
He hath hereto ^note prized them at.

Men.
That's off, that's off;
I would you rather had been silent. Please you
To hear Cominius speak?

Bru.
Most willingly:
But yet my caution was more pertinent

Than the rebuke you give it ^note.

Men.
He loves your people;
But tie him not to be their bedfellow.
Worthy Cominius, speak. [Coriolanus offers ^note to go away.] Nay,keep your place ^note.

First Sen. ^note
Sit, ^note Coriolanus; never shame to hear
What you have nobly done.

Cor.
Your honours' ^note pardon:
I had rather have my wounds to heal again
Than hear say how I got them.

Bru.
Sir, I hope
My words disbench'd you not ^note.

Cor.
No, sir: yet ^note oft,
When blows have made me stay, I fled from words.
You sooth'd ^note not, therefore hurt not: but your people,
I love them as they weigh. ^note

Men.
Pray now, sit down.

Cor.
I had rather have one scratch my head i' the sun
When the alarum were struck ^note than idly sit
To hear my nothings monster'd. [Exit. ^note

Men.
Masters of the people,
Your multiplying spawn how can he flatter— ^note
That's thousand to one good one—when you now ^note see
He had rather venture all his limbs for honour
Than one on's ^note ears to hear it ^note? Proceed, Cominius.

Com.
I shall lack voice: the deeds of Coriolanus
Should ^note not be utter'd feebly. It is held

That valour is the chiefest virtue and ^note
Most dignifies the haver: if it be,
The man I speak of cannot in the world
Be singly counterpoised. At sixteen years,
When Tarquin made a head for Rome, he fought
Beyond the mark of others: our then dictator,
Whom with all praise I point at, saw him fight,
When with his Amazonian chin ^note he drove
The bristled ^note lips before him: he bestrid
An o'er-press'd Roman, and i' the consul's view
Slew three opposers: Tarquin's self he met,
And struck him on his knee: in that day's feats,
When he might act the woman in the scene,
He proved best man i' the field, and for his meed
Was brow-bound with the oak. His pupil age ^note
Man-enter'd thus, he waxed ^note like a sea;
And, in the brunt of seventeen battles since,
He lurch'd all swords of the ^note garland. For this last,
Before and in Corioli, let me say,
I cannot speak him home: he stopp'd the fliers;
And by his rare example made the coward
Turn terror into sport: as weeds ^note before
A vessel under sail, so men obey'd,
And fell below ^note his stem ^note: his sword, death's stamp,
Where it did mark, it took; from face to foot
He ^note was a thing of blood, whose every motion
Was timed ^note with dying cries: alone he enter'd
The mortal gate of the ^note city, which he painted ^{note note}

With shunless destiny ^note; aidless came off,
And with a sudden re-enforcement struck
Corioli like a planet: now all's his ^note:
When ^note, by and by, the din of war gan pierce
His ready sense; then ^note straight his doubled spirit
Re-quicken'd what in flesh was fatigate,
And to the battle came he; where he did
Run reeking ^note o'er the lives of men, as if
'Twere ^note a perpetual spoil: and till we call'd
Both field and city ours, he never stood
To ease his breast with panting ^note.

Men.
Worthy man!

First Sen. ^note
He cannot but with measure fit ^note the honours
Which we devise him ^note.

Com.
Our spoils he kick'd at,
And look'd upon things precious, as they were
The common muck of the ^note world: he covets less
Than misery itself would give; rewards ^note
His deeds ^note with doing them, and is content
To spend the time to end ^note it.

Men.
He's ^note right noble:
Let him be call'd for ^note.

First Sen. ^note
Call ^note Coriolanus.

Off.
He doth appear.

Re-enter ^note Coriolanus.

Men.
The senate, Coriolanus, are well pleased
To make thee consul.

Cor.
I do owe them still
My life and services.

Men.
It then remains
That you do speak to the people ^note.

Cor.
I do beseech ^note you,
Let me o'erleap that custom, for I cannot
Put on the gown, stand naked, and entreat them,
For my wounds' sake, to give their suffrage ^note: please you
That I may pass ^note this doing.

Sic.
Sir, the people ^note
Must have their voices; neither ^note will they bate
One jot of ceremony.

Men.
Put them not to't:
Pray you, go fit ^note you to the custom, and
Take to you ^note, as your predecessors have ^note,
Your honour with your form ^note.

Cor.
It is a part
That I shall blush in acting, and might well
Be taken from the people ^note.

Bru.
Mark you that? ^note

Cor.
To brag unto them, thus I did, and thus;
Show ^note them the unaching scars which I should ^note hide,
As if I had received them for the hire
Of their breath only!

Men.
Do not stand upon't.
We recommend to you ^note, tribunes of the people,
Our purpose to them: and to ^note our noble consul
Wish we all joy and honour.

Senators. ^note
To Coriolanus come all joy and honour! [Flourish of cornets. ^note Exeunt ^note all but Sicinius and Brutus.

Bru.
You see how he intends to use the people.

Sic.
May they perceive's intent! He ^note will require them,
As if he did contemn what he requested
Should be in them to give.

Bru.
Come, we'll inform them
Of our proceedings here: on ^note the market-place,
I know, they do attend us. [Exeunt. ^{note note}

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