SCENE III. Rome. The Forum
Enter seven or eight 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’ th’ 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 blockhead. But if it were at liberty, ’twould, sure, southward.
SECOND CITIZEN.
Why that way?