Part 22

Mene. I would they were in Tyber. What the vengeance, could he not speake 'em faire? Enter Brutus and Sicinius with the rabble againe.

Sicin. Where is this Viper, That would depopulate the city, & be euery man himself Mene. You worthy Tribunes

Sicin. He shall be throwne downe the Tarpeian rock With rigorous hands: he hath resisted Law, And therefore Law shall scorne him further Triall Then the seuerity of the publike Power, Which he so sets at naught

1 Cit. He shall well know the Noble Tribunes are The peoples mouths, and we their hands

All. He shall sure ont

Mene. Sir, sir

Sicin. Peace

Me. Do not cry hauocke, where you shold but hunt With modest warrant

Sicin. Sir, how com'st that you haue holpe To make this rescue? Mene. Heere me speake? As I do know The Consuls worthinesse, so can I name his Faults

Sicin. Consull? what Consull? Mene. The Consull Coriolanus

Bru. He Consull

All. No, no, no, no, no

Mene. If by the Tribunes leaue, And yours good people, I may be heard, I would craue a word or two, The which shall turne you to no further harme, Then so much losse of time

Sic. Speake breefely then, For we are peremptory to dispatch This Viporous Traitor: to eiect him hence Were but one danger, and to keepe him heere Our certaine death: therefore it is decreed, He dyes to night

Menen. Now the good Gods forbid, That our renowned Rome, whose gratitude Towards her deserued Children, is enroll'd In Ioues owne Booke, like an vnnaturall Dam Should now eate vp her owne

Sicin. He's a Disease that must be cut away

Mene. Oh he's a Limbe, that ha's but a Disease Mortall, to cut it off: to cure it, easie. What ha's he done to Rome, that's worthy death? Killing our Enemies, the blood he hath lost (Which I dare vouch, is more then that he hath By many an Ounce) he dropp'd it for his Country: And what is left, to loose it by his Countrey, Were to vs all that doo't, and suffer it A brand to th' end a'th World

Sicin. This is cleane kamme

Brut. Meerely awry: When he did loue his Country, it honour'd him

Menen. The seruice of the foote Being once gangren'd, is not then respected For what before it was

Bru. Wee'l heare no more: Pursue him to his house, and plucke him thence, Least his infection being of catching nature, Spred further

Menen. One word more, one word: This Tiger-footed-rage, when it shall find The harme of vnskan'd swiftnesse, will (too late) Tye Leaden pounds too's heeles. Proceed by Processe, Least parties (as he is belou'd) breake out, And sacke great Rome with Romanes

Brut. If it were so? Sicin. What do ye talke? Haue we not had a taste of his Obedience? Our Ediles smot: our selues resisted: come

Mene. Consider this: He ha's bin bred i'th' Warres Since a could draw a Sword, and is ill-school'd In boulted Language: Meale and Bran together He throwes without distinction. Giue me leaue, Ile go to him, and vndertake to bring him in peace, Where he shall answer by a lawfull Forme (In peace) to his vtmost perill

1.Sen. Noble Tribunes, It is the humane way: the other course Will proue to bloody: and the end of it, Vnknowne to the Beginning

Sic. Noble Menenius, be you then as the peoples officer: Masters, lay downe your Weapons

Bru. Go not home

Sic. Meet on the Market place: wee'l attend you there: Where if you bring not Martius, wee'l proceede In our first way