How we cite our quotes: (Act.Scene.Line)
Quote #4
SECOND CITIZEN
Care for us? True, indeed! They ne'er
cared for us yet. Suffer us to famish, and their
store-houses crammed with grain; make edicts for
usury, to support usurers; repeal daily any wholesome
act established against the rich, and provide
more piercing statutes daily, to chain up and restrain
the poor. If the wars eat us not up, they will;
and there's all the love they bear us. (1.1.81-88)
When Menenius claims that the patricians "care" for the plebeians like "fathers" care for the kids, the plebs aren't buying it. We're talking more eye-rolling than a van of thirteen-year-olds on the way to an Arlo Guthrie concert.
Quote #5
MENENIUS
There was a time when all the body's members
Rebelled against the belly; thus accused it: (1.1.96-97)
In order to calm down the rioting plebs, Menenius compares Rome to a human body and says the Senate is like the stomach and the common people are like the other body parts. The stomach is in charge of collecting all the food before dispersing the nutrients to the rest of the body, just like the Senate is in charge of collecting the city's grain and dispersing it to the people. Basically, Menenius is trying to tell the people that they're actually being fed (just like the "belly" in the fable) but they're just too dumb to realize it.
Tl; dr: Menenius is being totally manipulative. He doesn't care about the plebs any more than Coriolanus does, but he does care about getting and keeping power.
Quote #6
MARTIUS
Five tribunes to defend their vulgar wisdoms,
Of their own choice. One's Junius Brutus,
Sicinius Velutus, and I know not. 'Sdeath!
The rabble should have first unroofed the city
Ere so prevailed with me. It will in time
Win upon power and throw forth greater themes
For insurrection's arguing. (1.1.237-243)
In order to appease the angry plebs, the Senate decides to give them five tribunes to represent their political interests. In ancient Rome, tribunes were elected officials--the whole point of having them was to protect the common people from getting their rights trampled all over by the upper classes, who controlled the government. But, in Coriolanus, the elected tribunes end up being just as power hungry and manipulative as the Senators.