Speeches (Lines) for Second Citizen in "The Tragedy of Coriolanus"

All. No more talking on't; let it be done: away, away!

Second Citizen. One word, good citizens.

First Citizen. We are accounted poor citizens, the patricians good.
What authority surfeits on would relieve us: if they
would yield us but the superfluity, while it were
wholesome, we might guess they relieved us humanely;
but they think we are too dear: the leanness that
afflicts us, the object of our misery, is as an
inventory to particularise their abundance; our
sufferance is a gain to them Let us revenge this with
our pikes, ere we become rakes: for the gods know I
speak this in hunger for bread, not in thirst for revenge.

Second Citizen. Would you proceed especially against Caius CORIOLANUS?

All. Against him first: he's a very dog to the commonalty.

Second Citizen. Consider you what services he has done for his country?

First Citizen. Very well; and could be content to give him good
report fort, but that he pays himself with being proud.

Second Citizen. Nay, but speak not maliciously.

First Citizen. I say unto you, what he hath done famously, he did
it to that end: though soft-conscienced men can be
content to say it was for his country he did it to
please his mother and to be partly proud; which he
is, even till the altitude of his virtue.

Second Citizen. What he cannot help in his nature, you account a
vice in him. You must in no way say he is covetous.

First Citizen. Soft! who comes here?

Second Citizen. Worthy Menenius Agrippa; one that hath always loved
the people.

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 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.

Coriolanus. Mine own desert.

Second Citizen. Your own desert!

Coriolanus. Kindly! Sir, I pray, let me ha't: I have wounds to
show you, which shall be yours in private. Your
good voice, sir; what say you?

Second Citizen. You shall ha' it, worthy sir.

Third Citizen. But this is something odd.

Second Citizen. An 'twere to give again,--but 'tis no matter.

Junius Brutus. We pray the gods he may deserve your loves.

Second Citizen. Amen, sir: to my poor unworthy notice,
He mock'd us when he begg'd our voices.

First Citizen. No,'tis his kind of speech: he did not mock us.

Second Citizen. Not one amongst us, save yourself, but says
He used us scornfully: he should have show'd us
His marks of merit, wounds received for's country.

Third Citizen. He's not confirm'd; we may deny him yet.

Second Citizen. And will deny him:
I'll have five hundred voices of that sound.

First Citizen. For mine own part,
When I said, banish him, I said 'twas pity.

Second Citizen. And so did I.

First Citizen. The gods be good to us! Come, masters, let's home.
I ever said we were i' the wrong when we banished
him.

Second Citizen. So did we all. But, come, let's home.