Coriolanus — Act 2, Scene 3 · Shakespeare for Bharat

First Citizen

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

Second Citizen

We may, sir, if we will.

Third Citizen

We have power in ourselves to do it, but it is apower that we have no power to do; for if he show ushis wounds and tell us his deeds, we are to put ourtongues into those wounds and speak for them; so, ifhe tell us his noble deeds, we must also tell himour noble acceptance of them. Ingratitude ismonstrous, and for the multitude to be ingrateful,were to make a monster of the multitude: of thewhich we being members, should bring ourselves to bemonstrous members.

First Citizen

And to make us no better thought of, a little helpwill serve; for once we stood up about the corn, hehimself stuck not to call us the many-headed multitude.

Third Citizen

We have been called so of many; not that our headsare some brown, some black, some auburn, some bald,but that our wits are so diversely coloured: andtruly I think if all our wits were to issue out ofone skull, they would fly east, west, north, south,and their consent of one direct way should be atonce to all the points o' the compass.

Second Citizen

Think you so? Which way do you judge my wit wouldfly?

Third Citizen

Nay, your wit will not so soon out as another man'swill;'tis strongly wedged up in a block-head, butif it were at liberty, 'twould, sure, southward.

Second Citizen

Why that way?

Third Citizen

To lose itself in a fog, where being three partsmelted away with rotten dews, the fourth would returnfor conscience sake, to help to get thee a wife.

Second Citizen

You are never without your tricks: you may, you may.

Third Citizen

Are you all resolved to give your voices? Butthat's no matter, the greater part carries it. Isay, if he would incline to the people, there wasnever a worthier man.

Third Citizen

Here he comes, and in the gown of humility: mark hisbehavior. We are not to stay all together, but tocome by him where he stands, by ones, by twos, andby threes. He's to make his requests byparticulars; wherein every one of us has a singlehonour, in giving him our own voices with our owntongues: therefore follow me, and I direct you howyou shall go by him.

All

Content, content.

MENENIUS

O sir, you are not right: have you not knownThe worthiest men have done't?

CORIOLANUS

What must I say?'I Pray, sir'--Plague upon't! I cannot bringMy tongue to such a pace:--'Look, sir, my wounds!I got them in my country's service, whenSome certain of your brethren roar'd and ranFrom the noise of our own drums.'

MENENIUS

O me, the gods!You must not speak of that: you must desire themTo think upon you.

CORIOLANUS

Think upon me! hang 'em!I would they would forget me, like the virtuesWhich 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.

CORIOLANUS

Bid them wash their facesAnd keep their teeth clean.

CORIOLANUS

So, here comes a brace.

CORIOLANUS

You know the cause, air, of my standing here.

Third Citizen

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

CORIOLANUS

Mine own desert.

Second Citizen

Your own desert!

CORIOLANUS

Ay, but not mine own desire.

Third Citizen

How not your own desire?

CORIOLANUS

No, sir,'twas never my desire yet to trouble thepoor with begging.

Third Citizen

You must think, if we give you any thing, we hope togain by you.

CORIOLANUS

Well then, I pray, your price o' the consulship?

First Citizen

The price is to ask it kindly.

CORIOLANUS

Kindly! Sir, I pray, let me ha't: I have wounds toshow you, which shall be yours in private. Yourgood voice, sir; what say you?

Second Citizen

You shall ha' it, worthy sir.

CORIOLANUS

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

Third Citizen

But this is something odd.

Second Citizen

An 'twere to give again,--but 'tis no matter.

CORIOLANUS

Pray you now, if it may stand with the tune of yourvoices that I may be consul, I have here thecustomary gown.

Fourth Citizen

You have deserved nobly of your country, and youhave not deserved nobly.

CORIOLANUS

Your enigma?

Fourth Citizen

You have been a scourge to her enemies, you havebeen a rod to her friends; you have not indeed lovedthe common people.

CORIOLANUS

You should account me the more virtuous that I havenot been common in my love. I will, sir, flatter mysworn brother, the people, to earn a dearerestimation of them; 'tis a condition they accountgentle: and since the wisdom of their choice israther to have my hat than my heart, I will practisethe insinuating nod and be off to them mostcounterfeitly; that is, sir, I will counterfeit thebewitchment of some popular man and give itbountiful to the desirers. Therefore, beseech you,I may be consul.

Fifth Citizen

We hope to find you our friend; and therefore giveyou our voices heartily.

Fourth Citizen

You have received many wounds for your country.

CORIOLANUS

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

Both Citizens

The gods give you joy, sir, heartily!

CORIOLANUS

Most sweet voices!Better it is to die, better to starve,Than crave the hire which first we do deserve.Why in this woolvish toge should I stand here,To beg of Hob and Dick, that do 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 heaptFor truth to o'er-peer. Rather than fool it so,Let the high office and the honour goTo one that would do thus. I am half through;The one part suffer'd, the other will I do.

CORIOLANUS

Here come more voices.Your voices: for your voices I have fought;Watch'd for your voices; for Your voices bearOf wounds two dozen odd; battles thrice sixI have seen and heard of; for your voices haveDone many things, some less, some more your voices:Indeed I would be consul.

Sixth Citizen

He has done nobly, and cannot go without any honestman's voice.

Seventh 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!

CORIOLANUS

Worthy voices!

MENENIUS

You have stood your limitation; and the tribunesEndue you with the people's voice: remainsThat, in the official marks invested, youAnon do meet the senate.

CORIOLANUS

Is this done?

SICINIUS

The custom of request you have discharged:The people do admit you, and are summon'dTo 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 the senate-house.

MENENIUS

I'll keep you company. Will you along?

BRUTUS

We stay here for the people.

SICINIUS

Fare you well.

SICINIUS

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

BRUTUS

With a proud heart he wore his humble weeds.will you dismiss the people?

SICINIUS

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

First Citizen

He has our voices, sir.

BRUTUS

We pray the gods he may deserve your loves.

Second Citizen

Amen, sir: to my poor unworthy notice,He mock'd us when he begg'd our voices.

Third Citizen

CertainlyHe flouted us downright.

First Citizen

No,'tis his kind of speech: he did not mock us.

Second Citizen

Not one amongst us, save yourself, but saysHe used us scornfully: he should have show'd usHis marks of merit, wounds received for's country.

SICINIUS

Why, so he did, I am sure.

Citizens

No, no; no man saw 'em.

Third Citizen

He said he had wounds, which he could showin private;And with his hat, thus waving it in scorn,'I would be consul,' says he: 'aged 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 leftyour 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 friendlinessTo yield your voices?

BRUTUS

Could you not have told himAs you were lesson'd, when he had no power,But was a petty servant to the state,He was your enemy, ever spake againstYour liberties and the charters that you bearI' the body of the weal; and now, arrivingA place of potency and sway o' the state,If he should still malignantly remainFast foe to the plebeii, your voices mightBe curses to yourselves? You should have saidThat as his worthy deeds did claim no lessThan what he stood for, so his gracious natureWould think upon you for your voices andTranslate his malice towards you into love,Standing your friendly lord.

SICINIUS

Thus to have said,As you were fore-advised, had touch'd his spiritAnd tried his inclination; from him pluck'dEither his gracious promise, which you might,As cause had call'd you up, have held him toOr else it would have gall'd his surly nature,Which easily endures not articleTying him to aught; so putting him to rage,You should have ta'en the advantage of his cholerAnd pass'd him unelected.

BRUTUS

Did you perceiveHe did solicit you in free contemptWhen he did need your loves, and do you thinkThat his contempt shall not be bruising to you,When he hath power to crush? Why, had your bodiesNo heart among you? or had you tongues to cryAgainst the rectorship of judgment?

SICINIUS

Have youEre now denied the asker? and now againOf him that did not ask, but mock, bestowYour sued-for tongues?

Third Citizen

He's not confirm'd; we may deny him yet.

Second Citizen

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

First 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 takeTheir liberties; make them of no more voiceThan dogs that are as often beat for barkingAs therefore kept to do so.

SICINIUS

Let them assemble,And on a safer judgment all revokeYour ignorant election; enforce his pride,And his old hate unto you; besides, forget notWith what contempt he wore the humble weed,How in his suit he scorn'd you; but your loves,Thinking upon his services, took from youThe apprehension of his present portance,Which most gibingly, ungravely, he did fashionAfter the inveterate hate he bears you.

BRUTUS

LayA fault on us, your tribunes; that we laboured,No impediment between, but that you mustCast your election on him.

SICINIUS

Say, you chose himMore after our commandment than as guidedBy your own true affections, and that your minds,Preoccupied with what you rather must doThan what you should, made you against the grainTo 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' the Marcians, from whence cameThat Ancus Marcius, Numa's daughter's son,Who, after great Hostilius, here was king;Of the same house Publius and Quintus were,That our beat water brought by conduits hither;And [Censorinus,] nobly named so,Twice being [by the people chosen] censor,Was his great ancestor.

SICINIUS

One thus descended,That hath beside well in his person wroughtTo be set high in place, we did commendTo your remembrances: but you have found,Scaling his present bearing with his past,That he's your fixed enemy, and revokeYour 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 the Capitol.

All

We will so: almost allRepent in their election.

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 rageWith their refusal, both observe and answerThe vantage of his anger.

SICINIUS

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