Rome. The Capitol.
 Enter TWO OFFICERS, to lay cushions, as it were in the Capitol.

1st Officer	Come, come, they are almost here. How many stand for 
	consulships?

2nd Officer	Three, they say; but 'tis thought of everyone Coriolanus 
	will carry it.

1st Officer	That's a brave fellow; but he's vengeance proud, and loves 
	not the common people.

2nd Officer	Faith, there hath 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.

1st 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 
	they 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.

2nd 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 all 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.

1st Officer	No more of him; he's a worthy man. Make way, they are 
	coming.

                                A Sennet.
           Enter the PATRICIANS and the TRIBUNES of the people,
     LICTORS before them; CORIOLANUS, MENENIUS, COMINIUS the Consul.
           SICINIUS and BRUTUS 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 performed
	By Martius Caius Coriolanus, whom
	We met here, both to thank and to remember,
	With honours like himself.
												[CORIOLANUS sits.

1st 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'th' 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 rises, and offers to go away.

							Nay, keep your place.

1st Senator	Sit, Coriolanus: never shame to hear
	What you have nobly done.

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

Brutus									Sir, I hope
	My words disbenched 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'th' sun
	When the alarum were struck, than idly sit
	To hear my nothings monstered.
												[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 uttered 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 counter-poised. 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; he bestrid
	An o'erpressed Roman, and i'th' 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'th' field, and for his meed
	Was brow-bound with the oak. His pupil age
	Man-entered thus, he waxd like a sea,
	And in the brunt of seventeen battles since
	He lurched all swords of the garland. For this last,
	Before and in Corioles, let me say,
	I cannot speak him home. He stopped the fliers,
	And by his rare example made the coward
	Turn terror into sport; as weeds before
	A vessel under sail, so men obeyed
	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 entered
	The mortal gate of th' city, which he painted
	With shunless destiny; aidless came off,
	And with a sudden reinforcement struck
	Corioles 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-quickened 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 called
	Both field and city ours, he never stood
	To ease his breast with panting.

Menenius										Worthy man!

1st Senator	He cannot but with measure fit the honours
	Which we devise him.

Cominius							Our spoils he kicked at,
	And looked upon things precious as they were
	The common muck o' 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 called for.

1st 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 a part
	That I shall blush in acting, and might well
	Be taken from the people.

Brutus				[To SICINIUS.]	Mark you that.

Coriolanus	To brag unto them, thus I did, and thus,
	Show them th' 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. Cornets. Then exeunt.

                        Manet 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 th' market-place
	I know they do attend us.
												[Exeunt.
