Page:Coriolanus (1924) Yale.djvu/73

The Tragedy of Coriolanus, II. iii

Which most gibingly, ungravely, he did fashion

After the inveterate hate he bears you.

Bru. Lay

A fault on us, your tribunes; that we labour'd,—

No impediment between,—but that you must

Cast your election on him.

Sic. Say, you chose him

More after our commandment than as guided

By your own true affections; and that, your minds,

Pre-occupied with what you rather must do

Than what you should, made you against the grain

To voice him consul: lay the fault on us.

Bru. Ay, spare us not. Say we read lectures to you,

How youngly he began to serve his country,

How long continu'd, and what stock he springs of,

The noble house o' the Martians, from whence came

That Ancus Martius, Numa's daughter's son,

Who, after great Hostilius, here was king;

Of the same house Publius and Quintus were,

That our best water brought by conduits hither;

And Censorinus, that was so surnam'd,—

And nobly nam'd so, twice being censor,—

Was his great ancestor.

Sic. One thus descended,

That hath, beside, well in his person wrought

To be set high in place, we did commend

To your remembrances: but you have found,

Scaling his present bearing with his past,

That he's your fixed enemy, and revoke

Your sudden approbation.

Bru. Say you ne'er had done 't—

Harp on that still—but by our putting on;

 234 After: in accord with

236 No between: without admitting any impediment

251 Cf. n.

257 Scaling: balancing

260 putting on: urging

