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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. |
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. |
MENENIUS: |
The senate, Coriolanus, are well pleased |
To make thee consul. |
CORIOLANUS: |
I do owe them still |
My life and services. |
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