Page:Coriolanus (1924) Yale.djvu/88

76

It honour'd him.

Men. The service of the foot,

Being once gangren'd, is not then respected

For what before it was.

Bru. We'll hear no more.

Pursue him to his house, and pluck him thence,

Lest his infection, being of catching nature,

Spread further.

Men. One word more, one word.

This tiger-footed rage, when it shall find

The harm of unscann'd swiftness, will, too late,

Tie leaden pounds to 's heels. Proceed by process;

Lest parties—as he is belov'd—break out,

And sack great Rome with Romans.

Bru. If it were so,—

Sic. What do ye talk?

Have we not had a taste of his obedience?

Our ædiles smote? ourselves resisted? Come!

Men. Consider this: he has been bred i' the wars

Since a' could draw a sword, and is ill school'd

In bolted language; meal and bran together

He throws without distinction. Give me leave,

I'll go to him, and undertake to bring him

Where he shall answer by a lawful form,—

In peace,—to his utmost peril.

1. Sen. Noble tribunes,

It is the humane way: the other course

Will prove too bloody, and the end of it

Unknown to the beginning.

Sic. Noble Menenius,

Be you then as the people's officer.

Masters, lay down your weapons.

 304–306 The was; cf. n.

311 unscann'd: rash, thoughtless

312 pounds: pound-weights

process: legal method

313 parties: factions

315 talk: say

320 bolted: sifted 