William Shakespeare: The Tragedy of Coriolanus

ACT II. 3. SCENE III. Rome. The Forum.

[Enter several citizens.]

FIRST CITIZEN.
Once, if he do require our voices, we ought not to deny him.

SECOND CITIZEN.
We may, sir, if we will.

THIRD CITIZEN.
We have power in ourselves to do it, but it is a power that we
have no power to do: for if he show us his wounds and tell us his
deeds, we are to put our tongues into those wounds and speak for
them; so, if he tell us his noble deeds, we must also tell him
our noble acceptance of them. Ingratitude is monstrous: and for
the multitude to be ingrateful were to make a monster of the
multitude; of the which we being members, should bring ourselves
to be monstrous members.

FIRST CITIZEN.
And to make us no better thought of, a little help will serve;
for once we stood up about the corn, he himself stuck not to call
us the many-headed multitude.

THIRD CITIZEN.
We have been called so of many; not that our heads are some
brown, some black, some auburn, some bald, but that our wits are
so diversely coloured; and truly I think if all our wits were to
issue out of one skull, they would fly east, west, north, south;
and their consent of one direct way should be at once to all the
points o' the compass.

SECOND CITIZEN.
Think you so? Which way do you judge my wit would fly?

THIRD CITIZEN.
Nay, your wit will not so soon out as another man's will,--'tis
strongly wedged up in a block-head; but if it were at liberty
'twould, sure, southward.

SECOND CITIZEN.
Why that way?

THIRD CITIZEN.
To lose itself in a fog; where being three parts melted away with
rotten dews, the fourth would return for conscience' sake, to
help to get thee a wife.

SECOND CITIZEN.
You are never without your tricks:--you may, you may.