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A noble life before a long； and wish To jump a body with a dangerous
physic That's sure of death without it… at once pluck out The multitudinous
tongue； let them not lick The sweet which is their poison。 Your dishonour
Mangles true judgment； and bereaves the state Of that integrity which
should become't； Not having the power to do the good it would； For th' ill
which doth control't。 BRUTUS。 Has said enough。 SICINIUS。 Has spoken
like a traitor and shall answer As traitors do。 CORIOLANUS。 Thou wretch；
despite o'erwhelm thee！ What should the people do with these bald
tribunes； On whom depending； their obedience fails To the greater bench？
In a rebellion； When what's not meet； but what must be； was law； Then
were they chosen； in a better hour Let what is meet be said it must be meet；
And throw their power i' th' dust。 BRUTUS。 Manifest treason！ SICINIUS。
This a consul？ No。 BRUTUS。 The aediles； ho！
Enter an AEDILE
Let him be apprehended。 SICINIUS。 Go call the people； ＇Exit
AEDILE＇ in whose name myself Attach thee as a traitorous innovator； A
foe to th' public weal。 Obey； I charge thee； And follow to thine answer。
CORIOLANUS。 Hence； old goat！ PATRICIANS。 We'll surety him。
COMINIUS。 Ag'd sir； hands off。 CORIOLANUS。 Hence； rotten thing！ or I
shall shake thy bones Out of thy garments。 SICINIUS。 Help； ye citizens！
Enter a rabble of plebeians； with the AEDILES
MENENIUS。 On both sides more respect。 SICINIUS。 Here's he that
would take from you all your power。 BRUTUS。 Seize him； aediles。
PLEBEIANS。 Down with him！ down with him！ SECOND SENATOR。
Weapons； weapons； weapons！ ＇They all bustle about CORIOLANUS＇
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ALL。 Tribunes！ patricians！ citizens！ What； ho！ Sicinius！ Brutus！
Coriolanus！ Citizens！ PATRICIANS。 Peace； peace； peace； stay； hold；
peace！ MENENIUS。 What is about to be？ I am out of breath； Confusion's
near； I cannot speak。 You tribunes To th' people… Coriolanus； patience！
Speak； good Sicinius。 SICINIUS。 Hear me； people； peace！ PLEBEIANS。
Let's hear our tribune。 Peace！ Speak； speak； speak。 SICINIUS。 You are at
point to lose your liberties。 Marcius would have all from you； Marcius；
Whom late you have nam'd for consul。 MENENIUS。 Fie； fie； fie！ This is
the way to kindle； not to quench。 FIRST SENATOR。 To unbuild the city；
and to lay all flat。 SICINIUS。 What is the city but the people？
PLEBEIANS。 True； The people are the city。 BRUTUS。 By the consent of
all we were establish'd The people's magistrates。 PLEBEIANS。 You so
remain。 MENENIUS。 And so are like to do。 COMINIUS。 That is the way
to lay the city flat； To bring the roof to the foundation； And bury all which
yet distinctly ranges In heaps and piles of ruin。 SICINIUS。 This deserves
death。 BRUTUS。 Or let us stand to our authority Or let us lose it。 We do
here pronounce； Upon the part o' th' people； in whose power We were
elected theirs： Marcius is worthy Of present death。 SICINIUS。 Therefore
lay hold of him； Bear him to th' rock Tarpeian； and from thence Into
destruction cast him。 BRUTUS。 AEdiles； seize him。 PLEBEIANS。 Yield；
Marcius； yield。 MENENIUS。 Hear me one word； beseech you； Tribunes；
Hear me but a word。 AEDILES。 Peace； peace！ MENENIUS。 Be that you
seem； truly your country's friend； And temp'rately proceed to what you
would Thus violently redress。 BRUTUS。 Sir； those cold ways； That seem
like prudent helps； are very poisonous Where the disease is violent。 Lay
hands upon him And bear him to the rock。 ＇CORIOLANUS draws his
sword＇ CORIOLANUS。 No： I'll die here。 There's some among you have
beheld me fighting； Come； try upon yourselves what you have seen me。
MENENIUS。 Down with that sword！ Tribunes； withdraw awhile。
BRUTUS。 Lay hands upon him。 MENENIUS。 Help Marcius； help； You
that be noble； help him； young and old。 PLEBEIANS。 Down with him；
down with him！ ＇In this mutiny the TRIBUNES； the AEDILES； and the
people are beat in＇ MENENIUS。 Go； get you to your house； be gone； away。
All will be nought else。 SECOND SENATOR。 Get you gone。
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CORIOLANUS
CORIOLANUS。 Stand fast； We have as many friends as enemies。
MENENIUS。 Shall it be put to that？ FIRST SENATOR。 The gods forbid！ I
prithee； noble friend； home to thy house； Leave us to cure this cause。
MENENIUS。 For 'tis a sore upon us You cannot tent yourself； be gone；
beseech you。 COMINIUS。 Come； sir； along with us。 CORIOLANUS。 I
would they were barbarians； as they are； Though in Rome litter'd； not
Romans； as they are not； Though calved i' th' porch o' th' Capitol。
MENENIUS。 Be gone。 Put not your worthy rage into your tongue； One
time will owe another。 CORIOLANUS。 On fair ground I could beat forty
of them。 MENENIUS。 I could myself Take up a brace o' th' best of them；
yea； the two tribunes。 COMINIUS。 But now 'tis odds beyond arithmetic；
And manhood is call'd foolery when it stands Against a falling fabric。 Will
you hence； Before the tag return？ whose rage doth rend Like interrupted
waters； and o'erbear What they are us'd to bear。 MENENIUS。 Pray you be
gone。 I'll try whether my old wit be in request With those that have but
little； this must be patch'd With cloth of any colour。 COMINIUS。 Nay；
come away。 Exeunt CORIOLANUS and COMINIUS； with others
PATRICIANS。 This man has marr'd his fortune。 MENENIUS。 His nature
is too noble for the world： He would not flatter Neptune for his trident； Or
Jove for's power to thunder。 His heart's his mouth； What his breast forges；
that his tongue must vent； And； being angry； does forget that ever He heard
the name of death。 ＇A noise within＇ Here's goodly work！ PATRICIANS。 I
would they were a…bed。 MENENIUS。 I would they were in Tiber。 What
the vengeance； could he not speak 'em fair？
Re…enter BRUTUS and SICINIUS； the rabble again
SICINIUS。 Where is this viper That would depopulate the city and
Be every man himself？ MENENIUS。 You worthy Tribunes… SICINIUS。
He shall be thrown down the Tarpeian rock With rigorous