Rome. The Forum.
 Enter seven or eight CITIZENS.

1st Citizen	Once, if he do require our voices, we ought not to deny 
	him.

2nd Citizen	We may, sir, if we will.

3rd Citizen	We have power in ourselves to do it, but it is a power that 
	we have no power to do; for, if he show us his wounds and 
	tell us his deeds, we are to put our tongues into those 
	wounds and speak for them. So if he tell us his noble 
	deeds, we must also tell him our noble acceptance of them. 
	Ingratitude is monstrous, and for the multitude to be 
	ingrateful were to make a monster of the multitude; of the 
	which, we being members, should bring ourselves to be 
	monstrous members.

1st Citizen	And to make us no better thought of, a little help will 
	serve; for once we stood up about the corn, he himself 
	stuck not to call us the many-headed multitude.

3rd Citizen	We have been called so of many; not that our heads are some 
	brown, some black, some abram, some bald, but that our wits 
	are so diversely coloured; and truly I think, if all our 
	wits were to issue out of one skull, they would fly east, 
	west, north, south; and their consent of one direct way 
	should be at once to all the points o'th' compass.

2nd Citizen	Think you so? Which way do you judge my wit would fly?

3rd Citizen	Nay, your wit will not so soon out as another man's will -  
	'tis strongly wedged up in a blockhead; but if it were at 
	liberty, 'twould sure southward.

2nd Citizen	Why that way?

3rd Citizen	To lose itself in a fog, where, being three parts melted 
	away with rotten dews, the fourth would return for 
	conscience' sake, to help to get thee a wife.

2nd Citizen	You are never without your tricks: you may, you may.

3rd Citizen	Are you all resolved to give your voices? But that's no 
	matter, the greater part carries it, I say. If he would 
	incline to the people, there was never a worthier man.

          Enter CORIOLANUS in a gown of humility, with MENENIUS.

	Here he comes, and in the gown of humility: mark his 
	behaviour. We are not to stay all together, but to come by 
	him where he stands, by ones, by twos and by threes. He's 
	to make his requests by particulars, wherein everyone of us 
	has a single honour, in giving him our own voices with our 
	own tongues: therefore follow me, and I'll direct you how 
	you shall go by him.

All	Content, content.
												[Exeunt CITIZENS.

Menenius	O, sir, you are not right. Have you not known
	The worthiest men have done't?

Coriolanus										What must I say?
	"I pray, sir" - plague upon't! I cannot bring
	My tongue to such a pace. "Look, sir, my wounds!
	I got them in my country's service, when
	Some certain of your brethren roared and ran
	From th' noise of our own drums."

Menenius										O me, the gods!
	You must not speak of that. You must desire them
	To think upon you.

Coriolanus						Think upon me? Hang 'em!
	I would they would forget me, like the virtues
	Which our divines lose by 'em.

Menenius										You'll mar all.
	I'll leave you. Pray you speak to 'em, I pray you,
	In wholesome manner.
												[Exit.
                     Re-enter three of the CITIZENS.

Coriolanus							Bid them wash their faces,
	And keep their teeth clean. So, here comes a brace.
	You know the cause, sir, of my standing here?

3rd Citizen	We do, sir; tell us what hath brought you to't.

Coriolanus	Mine own desert.

2nd Citizen	Your own desert?

Coriolanus	Ay, but not mine own desire.

3rd Citizen	How not your own desire?

Coriolanus	No, sir, 'twas never my desire yet to trouble the poor with 
	begging.

3rd Citizen	You must think, if we give you anything, we hope to gain by 
	you.

Coriolanus	Well then, I pray, your price o'th' consulship?

1st Citizen	The price is, to ask it kindly.

Coriolanus	Kindly, sir, I pray let me ha't. I have wounds to show you, 
	which shall be yours in private. Your good voice, sir: what 
	say you?

2nd Citizen	You shall ha't, worthy sir.

Coriolanus	A match, sir. There's in all two worthy voices begged. I 
	have your alms: adieu.

3rd Citizen	But this is something odd.

2nd Citizen	And 'twere to give again - but 'tis no matter.
												[Exeunt CITIZENS.

                       Re-enter two other CITIZENS.

Coriolanus	Pray you now, if it may stand with the tune of your voices 
	that I may be Consul, I have here the customary gown.

4th Citizen	You have deserved nobly of your country, and you have not 
	deserved nobly.

Coriolanus	Your enigma?

4th Citizen	You have been a scourge to her enemies, you have been a rod 
	to her friends; you have not, indeed, loved the common 
	people.

Coriolanus	You should account me the more virtuous that I have not 
	been common in my love. I will, sir, flatter my sworn 
	brother the people, to earn a dearer estimation of them; 
	'tis a condition they account gentle; and since the wisdom 
	of their choice is rather to have my hat than my heart, I 
	will practise the insinuating nod, and be off to them most 
	counterfeitly; that is, sir, I will counterfeit the 
	bewitchment of some popular man, and give it bountiful to 
	the desirers. Therefore, beseech you, I may be Consul.

5th Citizen	We hope to find you our friend, and therefore give you our 
	voices heartily.

4th Citizen	You have received many wounds for your country.

Coriolanus	I will not seal your knowledge with showing them. I will 
	make much of your voices, and so trouble you no further.

Both Citizens	The gods give you joy, sir, heartily.
												[Exeunt CITIZENS.

Coriolanus	Most sweet voices!
	Better it is to die, better to starve,
	Than crave the hire which first we do deserve.
	Why in this wolvish toge should I stand here,
	To beg of Hob and Dick that does appear
	Their needless vouches? Custom calls me to't:
	What custom wills, in all things should we do't,
	The dust on antique time would lie unswept
	And mountainous error be too highly heaped
	For truth to o'erpeer. Rather than fool it so,
	Let the high office and the honour go
	To one that would do thus. I am half through,
	The one part suffered, the other will I do.

                      Re-enter three CITIZENS more.

	Here come more voices.
	Your voices! For your voices I have fought;
	Watched for your voices; for your voices bear
	Of wounds two dozen odd; battles thrice six
	I have seen and heard of; for your voices have
	Done many things, some less, some more. Your voices!
	Indeed, I would be Consul.

6th Citizen	He has done nobly, and cannot go without any honest man's 
	voice.

7th Citizen	Therefore let him be Consul. The gods give him joy, and 
	make him good friend to the people.

All Citizens	Amen, amen. God save thee, noble Consul!
												[Exeunt CITIZENS.

Coriolanus	Worthy voices!

               Re-enter MENENIUS, with BRUTUS and SICINIUS.

Menenius	You have stood your limitation, and the Tribunes
	Endue you with the people's voice; remains
	That, in th' official marks invested, you
	Anon do meet the Senate.

Coriolanus								Is this done?

Sicinius	The custom of request you have discharged:
	The people do admit you, and are summoned
	To meet anon, upon your approbation.

Coriolanus	Where? At the Senate House?

Sicinius								There, Coriolanus.

Coriolanus	May I change these garments?

Sicinius										You may, sir.

Coriolanus	That I'll straight do; and knowing myself again,
	Repair to th' Senate House.

Menenius	I'll keep you company. Will you along?

Brutus	We stay here for the people.

Sicinius									Fare you well.
									 [Exeunt CORIOLANUS and MENENIUS.

	He has it now; and by his looks, methinks
	'Tis warm at's heart.

Brutus							With a proud heart he wore
	His humble weeds. Will you dismiss the people?

                            Re-enter CITIZENS.

Sicinius	How now, my masters, have you chose this man?

1st Citizen	He has our voices, sir.

Brutus	We pray the gods he may deserve your loves.

2nd Citizen	Amen, sir. To my poor unworthy notice,
	He mocked us when he begged our voices.

3rd Citizen										Certainly,
	He flouted us downright.

1st Citizen	No, 'tis his kind of speech; he did not mock us.

2nd Citizen	Not one amongst us, save yourself, but says
	He used us scornfully: he should have showed us
	His marks of merit, wounds received for's country.

Sicinius	Why, so he did, I am sure.

All Citizens									No, no; no man saw 'em.

3rd Citizen	He said he had wounds which he could show in private;
	And with his hat, thus waving it in scorn,
	"I would be Consul" says he. "Agd custom
	But by your voices will not so permit me.
	Your voices therefore." When we granted that,
	Here was "I thank you for your voices, thank you;
	Your most sweet voices: now you have left your voices,
	I have no further with you." Was not this mockery?

Sicinius	Why, either were you ignorant to see't,
	Or seeing it, of such childish friendliness
	To yield your voices?

Brutus							Could you not have told him
	As you were lessoned: when he had no power,
	But was a petty servant to the state,
	He was your enemy, ever spake against
	Your liberties and the charters that you bear
	I'th' body of the weal; and now arriving
	A place of potency and sway o'th' state,
	If he should still malignantly remain
	Fast foe to th' plebeii, your voices might
	Be curses to yourselves? You should have said
	That as his worthy deeds did claim no less
	Than what he stood for, so his gracious nature
	Would think upon you for your voices and
	Translate his malice towards you into love,
	Standing your friendly lord.

Sicinius										Thus to have said,
	As you were fore-advised, had touched his spirit
	And tried his inclination; from him plucked
	Either his gracious promise, which you might,
	As cause had called you up, have held him to;
	Or else it would have galled his surly nature,
	Which easily endures not article
	Tying him to aught; so putting him to rage,
	You should have ta'en th' advantage of his choler,
	And passed him unelected.

Brutus								Did you perceive
	He did solicit you in free contempt
	When he did need your loves, and do you think
	That his contempt shall not be bruising to you
	When he hath power to crush? Why, had your bodies
	No heart among you? Or had you tongues to cry
	Against the rectorship of judgement?

Sicinius										Have you
	Ere now denied the asker, and now again,
	Of him that did not ask but mock, bestow
	Your sued-for tongues?

3rd Citizen	He's not confirmed; we may deny him yet.

2nd Citizen	And will deny him:
	I'll have five hundred voices of that sound.

1st Citizen	I twice five hundred, and their friends to piece 'em.

Brutus	Get you hence instantly, and tell those friends
	They have chose a Consul that will from them take
	Their liberties, make them of no more voice
	Than dogs that are as often beat for barking
	As therefore kept to do so.

Sicinius								Let them assemble;
	And, on a safer judgement, all revoke
	Your ignorant election. Enforce his pride
	And his old hate unto you; besides, forget not
	With what contempt he wore the humble weed;
	How in his suit he scorned you; but your loves,
	Thinking upon his services, took from you
	Th' apprehension of his present portance,
	Which most gibingly, ungravely, he did fashion
	After the inveterate hate he bears you.

Brutus										Lay
	A fault on us, your Tribunes; that we laboured-
	No impediment between - but that you must
	Cast your election on him.

Sicinius								Say you chose him
	More after our commandment than as guided
	By your own true affections; and that your minds,
	Pre-occupied with what you rather must do
	Than what you should, made you against the grain
	To voice him Consul. Lay the fault on us.

Brutus	Ay, spare us not. Say we read lectures to you,
	How youngly he began to serve his country,
	How long continued, and what stock he springs of,
	The noble house o'th' Martians, from whence came
	That Ancus Martius, Numa's daughter's son,
	Who, after great Hostilius, here was king;
	Of the same house Publius and Quintus were,
	That our best water brought by conduits hither;
	And Censorinus that was so surnamed,
	And nobly named so, twice being censor,
	Was his great ancestor.

Sicinius							One thus descended,
	That hath beside well in his person wrought
	To be set high in place, we did commend
	To your remembrances; but you have found,
	Scaling his present bearing with his past,
	That he's your fixd enemy, and revoke
	Your sudden approbation.

Brutus							Say you ne'er had done't
	- Harp on that still - but by our putting on;
	And presently, when you have drawn your number,
	Repair to th' Capitol.

All Plebians								We will so. Almost all
	Repent in their election.
												[Exeunt PLEBIANS.
Brutus								Let them go on.
	This mutiny were better put in hazard
	Than stay, past doubt, for greater.
	If, as his nature is, he fall in rage
	With their refusal, both observe and answer
	The vantage of his anger.

Sicinius								To th' Capitol, come.
	We will be there before the stream o'th' people;
	And this shall seem, as partly 'tis, their own,
	Which we have goaded onward.
												[Exeunt.
