SCENE II. The same. The Capitol. The Tragedy of Coriolanus  Shakespeare homepage  |  Coriolanus  | Act 2, Scene 2 

 Previous scene  |  Next scene  SCENE II. The same. 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 had 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 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, 

 bonneted, without any further deed to have them at 

 an 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 actors before them, COMINIUS  the consul, MENENIUS, CORIOLANUS, Senators,  SICINIUS and BRUTUS. The Senators take their  places; the Tribunes take their Places by themselves. CORIOLANUS stands  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. 



 To the Tribunes  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 blest to do, if he remember 

 A kinder value of the people than 

 He hath hereto prized 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 offers to go away  Nay, keep your place. 

 First Senator  Sit, Coriolanus; never shame to hear 

 What you have nobly done. 

 CORIOLANUS  Your horror's pardon: 

 I had rather have my wounds to heal again 

 Than hear say how I got them. 

 BRUTUS  Sir, I hope 

 My words disbench'd you not. 

 CORIOLANUS  No, sir: yet oft, 

 When blows have made me stay, I fled from words. 

 You soothed not, therefore hurt not: but 

 your people, 

 I love them as they weigh. 

 MENENIUS  Pray now, sit down. 

 CORIOLANUS  I had rather have one scratch my head i' the sun 

 When the alarum were struck than idly sit 

 To hear my nothings monster'd. 



 Exit  MENENIUS  Masters of the people, 

 Your multiplying spawn how can he flatter-- 

 That's thousand to one good one--when you now see 

 He had rather venture all his limbs for honour 

 Than one on's ears to hear it? Proceed, Cominius. 

 COMINIUS  I shall lack voice: the deeds of Coriolanus 

 Should not be utter'd feebly. It is held 

 That valour is the chiefest virtue, and 

 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 he drove 

 The bristled lips before him: be 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 

 Man-enter'd thus, he waxed like a sea, 

 And in the brunt of seventeen battles since 

 He lurch'd all swords of the 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 before 

 A vessel under sail, so men obey'd 

 And fell below his stem: his sword, death's stamp, 

 Where it did mark, it took; from face to foot 

 He was a thing of blood, whose every motion 

 Was timed with dying cries: alone he enter'd 

 The mortal gate of the city, which he painted 

 With shunless destiny; aidless came off, 

 And with a sudden reinforcement struck 

 Corioli like a planet: now all's his: 

 When, by and by, the din of war gan pierce 

 His ready sense; then straight his doubled spirit 

 Re-quicken'd what in flesh was fatigate, 

 And to the battle came he; where he did 

 Run reeking o'er the lives of men, as if 

 'Twere a perpetual spoil: and till we call'd 

 Both field and city ours, he never stood 

 To ease his breast with panting. 

 MENENIUS  Worthy man! 

 First Senator  He cannot but with measure fit the honours 

 Which we devise him. 

 COMINIUS  Our spoils he kick'd at, 

 And look'd upon things precious as they were 

 The common muck of the world: he covets less 

 Than misery itself would give; rewards 

 His deeds with doing them, and is content 

 To spend the time to end it. 

 MENENIUS  He's right noble: 

 Let him be call'd for. 

 First Senator  Call Coriolanus. 

 Officer  He doth appear. 



 Re-enter CORIOLANUS  MENENIUS  The senate, Coriolanus, are well pleased 

 To make thee consul. 

 CORIOLANUS  I do owe them still 

 My life and services. 

 MENENIUS  It then remains 

 That you do speak to the people. 

 CORIOLANUS  I do beseech 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: please you 

 That I may pass this doing. 

 SICINIUS  Sir, the people 

 Must have their voices; neither will they bate 

 One jot of ceremony. 

 MENENIUS  Put them not to't: 

 Pray you, go fit you to the custom and 

 Take to you, as your predecessors have, 

 Your honour with your form. 

 CORIOLANUS  It is apart 

 That I shall blush in acting, and might well 

 Be taken from the people. 

 BRUTUS  Mark you that? 

 CORIOLANUS  To brag unto them, thus I did, and thus; 

 Show them the unaching scars which I should hide, 

 As if I had received them for the hire 

 Of their breath only! 

 MENENIUS  Do not stand upon't. 

 We recommend to you, tribunes of the people, 

 Our purpose to them: and to our noble consul 

 Wish we all joy and honour. 

 Senators  To Coriolanus come all joy and honour! 



 Flourish of cornets. Exeunt all but SICINIUS and BRUTUS  BRUTUS  You see how he intends to use the people. 

 SICINIUS  May they perceive's intent! He will require them, 

 As if he did contemn what he requested 

 Should be in them to give. 

 BRUTUS  Come, we'll inform them 

 Of our proceedings here: on the marketplace, 

 I know, they do attend us. 



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