William Shakespeare: The Tragedy of Coriolanus

ACT III. 1. SCENE I. Rome. A street (continued)

COMINIUS.
That is the way to lay the city flat;
To bring the roof to the foundation,
And bury all which yet distinctly ranges,
In heaps and piles of ruin.

SICINIUS.
This deserves death.

BRUTUS.
Or let us stand to our authority,
Or let us lose it.--We do here pronounce,
Upon the part o' the people, in whose power
We were elected theirs, Marcius is worthy
Of present death.

SICINIUS.
Therefore lay hold of him;
Bear him to the rock Tarpeian, and from thence
Into destruction cast him.

BRUTUS.
Aediles, seize him!

CITIZENS.
Yield, Marcius, yield!

MENENIUS.
Hear me one word;
Beseech you, tribunes, hear me but a word.

AEDILES.
Peace, peace!

MENENIUS.
Be that you seem, truly your country's friends,
And temperately proceed to what you would
Thus violently redress.

BRUTUS.
Sir, those cold ways,
That seem like prudent helps, are very poisonous
Where the disease is violent.--Lay hands upon him
And bear him to the rock.

CORIOLANUS.
No; I'll die here. [Draws his sword.]
There's some among you have beheld me fighting;
Come, try upon yourselves what you have seen me.

MENENIUS.
Down with that sword!--Tribunes, withdraw awhile.

BRUTUS.
Lay hands upon him.

MENENIUS.
Help Marcius, help,
You that be noble; help him, young and old!

CITIZENS.
Down with him, down with him!

[In this mutiny the TRIBUNES, the AEDILES, and the people are
beat in.]

MENENIUS.
Go, get you to your house; be gone, away!
All will be nought else.

SECOND SENATOR.
Get you gone.