The Works of William Shakespeare [Cambridge Edition] [Vol. 6 of 9]Shakespeare, William
General
The Works of William Shakespeare [Cambridge Edition] [Vol. 6 of 9]
Shakespeare, William
English drama
_Bru._ Let's to the Capitol,
And carry with us ears and eyes for the time,
But hearts for the event.
_Sic._ Have with you. [_Exeunt._
SCENE II. _The same. The Capitol._
_Enter two_ Officers, _to lay cushions_.[2902]
_First Off._ Come, come, they are almost here. How
many stand for consulships?
_Sec. Off._ Three, they say: but 'tis thought of every
one Coriolanus will carry it.
_First Off._ That's a brave fellow; but he's vengeance 5
proud, and loves not the common people.
_Sec. Off._ Faith, there have been many great men that
have flattered the people, who ne'er loved them; and there
be many that they have loved, they know not wherefore: so
that, if they love they know not why, they hate upon no 10
better a ground: therefore, for Coriolanus neither to care
whether they love or hate him manifests the true knowledge
he has in their disposition; and out of his noble carelessness
lets them plainly see 't.[2903]
_First Off._ If he did not care whether he had their love 15
or no, he waved indifferently 'twixt doing them neither good[2904]
nor harm: but he seeks their hate with greater devotion
than they can render it him, and leaves nothing undone
that may fully discover him their opposite. Now, to seem
to affect the malice and displeasure of the people is as bad 20
as that which he dislikes, to flatter them for their love.
_Sec. Off._ He hath deserved worthily of his country: and
his ascent is not by such easy degrees as those who, having[2905]
been supple and courteous to the people, bonneted, without[2906]
any further deed to have them at all into their estimation[2906][2907] 25
and report: but he hath so planted his honours in their
eyes and his actions in their hearts, that for their tongues
to be silent and not confess so much, were a kind of ingrateful
injury; to report otherwise were a malice that,
giving itself the lie, would pluck reproof and rebuke from 30
every ear that heard it.
_First Off._ No more of him; he's a worthy man: make[2908]
way, they are coming.
_A sennet. Enter, with_ Lictors _before them_, COMINIUS _the
Consul_, MENENIUS, CORIOLANUS, Senators, SICINIUS _and_
BRUTUS. _The_ Senators _take their places; the_ Tribunes
_take their place by themselves_. CORIOLANUS _stands_.[2909]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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