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MENENIUS:
How! Was it we? we loved him but, like beasts
And cowardly nobles, gave way unto your clusters,
Who did hoot him out o' the city.
COMINIUS:
But I fear
They'll roar him in again. Tullus Aufidius,
The second name of men, obeys his points
As if he were his officer: desperation
Is all the policy, strength and defence,
That Rome can make against them.
MENENIUS:
Here come the clusters.
And is Aufidius with him? You are they
That made the air unwholesome, when you cast
Your stinking greasy caps in hooting at
Coriolanus' exile. Now he's coming;
And not a hair upon a soldier's head
Which will not prove a whip: as many coxcombs
As you threw caps up will he tumble down,
And pay you for your voices. 'Tis no matter;
if he could burn us all into one coal,
We have deserved it.
Citizens:
Faith, we hear fearful news.
First Citizen:
For mine own part,
When I said, banish him, I said 'twas pity.
Second Citizen:
And so did I.
Third Citizen:
And so did I; and, to say the truth, so did very
many of us: that we did, we did for the best; and
though we willingly consented to his banishment, yet
it was against our will.
COMINIUS:
Ye re goodly things, you voices!
MENENIUS:
You have made
Good work, you and your cry! Shall's to the Capitol?
COMINIUS:
O, ay, what else?
SICINIUS:
Go, masters, get you home; be not dismay'd:
These are a side that would be glad to have
This true which they so seem to fear. Go home,
And show no sign of fear.
First Citizen:
The gods be good to us! Come, masters, let's home.
I ever said we were i' the wrong when we banished
him.
Second Citizen:
So did we all. But, come, let's home.
BRUTUS:
I do not like this news.
SICINIUS:
Nor I.
BRUTUS:
Let's to the Capitol. Would half my wealth
Would buy this for a lie!
SICINIUS:
Pray, let us go.
AUFIDIUS:
Do they still fly to the Roman?
Lieutenant:
I do not know what witchcraft's in him, but
Your soldiers use him as the grace 'fore meat,
Their talk at table, and their thanks at end;
And you are darken'd in this action, sir,
Even by your own.
AUFIDIUS:
I cannot help it now,
Unless, by using means, I lame the foot
Of our design. He bears himself more proudlier,
Even to my person, than I thought he would
When first I did embrace him: yet his nature
In that's no changeling; and I must excuse
What cannot be amended.
Lieutenant: