Coriolanus

SCENE III. Rome. The Forum

Enter SICINIUS and BRUTUS

  BRUTUS. In this point charge him home, that he affects    Tyrannical power. If he evade us there,    Enforce him with his envy to the people,    And that the spoil got on the Antiates    Was ne'er distributed.

Enter an AEDILE

    What, will he come?  AEDILE. He's coming.  BRUTUS. How accompanied?  AEDILE. With old Menenius, and those senators    That always favour'd him.  SICINIUS. Have you a catalogue    Of all the voices that we have procur'd,    Set down by th' poll?  AEDILE. I have; 'tis ready.  SICINIUS. Have you collected them by tribes?  AEDILE. I have.  SICINIUS. Assemble presently the people hither;    And when they hear me say 'It shall be so    I' th' right and strength o' th' commons' be it either    For death, for fine, or banishment, then let them,    If I say fine, cry 'Fine!'– if death, cry 'Death!'    Insisting on the old prerogative    And power i' th' truth o' th' cause.  AEDILE. I shall inform them.  BRUTUS. And when such time they have begun to cry,    Let them not cease, but with a din confus'd    Enforce the present execution    Of what we chance to sentence.  AEDILE. Very well.  SICINIUS. Make them be strong, and ready for this hint,    When we shall hap to give't them.  BRUTUS. Go about it. Exit AEDILE    Put him to choler straight. He hath been us'd    Ever to conquer, and to have his worth    Of contradiction; being once chaf'd, he cannot    Be rein'd again to temperance; then he speaks    What's in his heart, and that is there which looks    With us to break his neck.

Enter CORIOLANUS, MENENIUS and COMINIUS, with others

  SICINIUS. Well, here he comes.  MENENIUS. Calmly, I do beseech you.  CORIOLANUS. Ay, as an ostler, that for th' poorest piece    Will bear the knave by th' volume. Th' honour'd gods    Keep Rome in safety, and the chairs of justice    Supplied with worthy men! plant love among's!    Throng our large temples with the shows of peace,    And not our streets with war!  FIRST SENATOR. Amen, amen!  MENENIUS. A noble wish.

Re-enter the AEDILE,with the plebeians

  SICINIUS. Draw near, ye people.  AEDILE. List to your tribunes. Audience! peace, I say!  CORIOLANUS. First, hear me speak.  BOTH TRIBUNES. Well, say. Peace, ho!  CORIOLANUS. Shall I be charg'd no further than this present?    Must all determine here?  SICINIUS. I do demand,    If you submit you to the people's voices,    Allow their officers, and are content    To suffer lawful censure for such faults    As shall be prov'd upon you.  CORIOLANUS. I am content.  MENENIUS. Lo, citizens, he says he is content.    The warlike service he has done, consider; think    Upon the wounds his body bears, which show    Like graves i' th' holy churchyard.  CORIOLANUS. Scratches with briers,    Scars to move laughter only.  MENENIUS. Consider further,    That when he speaks not like a citizen,    You find him like a soldier; do not take    His rougher accents for malicious sounds,    But, as I say, such as become a soldier    Rather than envy you.  COMINIUS. Well, well! No more.  CORIOLANUS. What is the matter,    That being pass'd for consul with full voice,    I am so dishonour'd that the very hour    You take it off again?  SICINIUS. Answer to us.  CORIOLANUS. Say then; 'tis true, I ought so.  SICINIUS. We charge you that you have contriv'd to take    From Rome all season'd office, and to wind    Yourself into a power tyrannical;    For which you are a traitor to the people.  CORIOLANUS. How- traitor?  MENENIUS. Nay, temperately! Your promise.  CORIOLANUS. The fires i' th' lowest hell fold in the people!    Call me their traitor! Thou injurious tribune!    Within thine eyes sat twenty thousand deaths,    In thy hands clutch'd as many millions, in    Thy lying tongue both numbers, I would say    'Thou liest' unto thee with a voice as free    As I do pray the gods.  SICINIUS. Mark you this, people?  PLEBEIANS. To th' rock, to th' rock, with him!  SICINIUS. Peace!    We need not put new matter to his charge.    What you have seen him do and heard him speak,    Beating your officers, cursing yourselves,    Opposing laws with strokes, and here defying    Those whose great power must try him- even this,    So criminal and in such capital kind,    Deserves th' extremest death.  BRUTUS. But since he hath    Serv'd well for Rome-  CORIOLANUS. What do you prate of service?  BRUTUS. I talk of that that know it.  CORIOLANUS. You!  MENENIUS. Is this the promise that you made your mother?  COMINIUS. Know, I pray you-  CORIOLANUS. I'll know no further.    Let them pronounce the steep Tarpeian death,    Vagabond exile, flaying, pent to linger    But with a grain a day, I would not buy    Their mercy at the price of one fair word,    Nor check my courage for what they can give,    To have't with saying 'Good morrow.'  SICINIUS. For that he has-    As much as in him lies- from time to time    Envied against the people, seeking means    To pluck away their power; as now at last    Given hostile strokes, and that not in the presence    Of dreaded justice, but on the ministers    That do distribute it- in the name o' th' people,    And in the power of us the tribunes, we,    Ev'n from this instant, banish him our city,    In peril of precipitation    From off the rock Tarpeian, never more    To enter our Rome gates. I' th' people's name,    I say it shall be so.  PLEBEIANS. It shall be so, it shall be so! Let him away!    He's banish'd, and it shall be so.  COMINIUS. Hear me, my masters and my common friends-  SICINIUS. He's sentenc'd; no more hearing.  COMINIUS. Let me speak.    I have been consul, and can show for Rome    Her enemies' marks upon me. I do love    My country's good with a respect more tender,    More holy and profound, than mine own life,    My dear wife's estimate, her womb's increase    And treasure of my loins. Then if I would    Speak that-  SICINIUS. We know your drift. Speak what?  BRUTUS. There's no more to be said, but he is banish'd,    As enemy to the people and his country.    It shall be so.  PLEBEIANS. It shall be so, it shall be so.  CORIOLANUS. You common cry of curs, whose breath I hate    As reek o' th' rotten fens, whose loves I prize    As the dead carcasses of unburied men    That do corrupt my air- I banish you.    And here remain with your uncertainty!    Let every feeble rumour shake your hearts;    Your enemies, with nodding of their plumes,    Fan you into despair! Have the power still    To banish your defenders, till at length    Your ignorance- which finds not till it feels,    Making but reservation of yourselves    Still your own foes- deliver you    As most abated captives to some nation    That won you without blows! Despising    For you the city, thus I turn my back;    There is a world elsewhere.                                              Exeunt CORIOLANUS,                   COMINIUS, MENENIUS, with the other PATRICIANS  AEDILE. The people's enemy is gone, is gone!                        [They all shout and throw up their caps]  PLEBEIANS. Our enemy is banish'd, he is gone! Hoo-oo!  SICINIUS. Go see him out at gates, and follow him,    As he hath follow'd you, with all despite;    Give him deserv'd vexation. Let a guard    Attend us through the city.  PLEBEIANS. Come, come, let's see him out at gates; come!    The gods preserve our noble tribunes! Come. Exeunt

ACT IV. SCENE I. Rome. Before a gate of the city

Enter CORIOLANUS, VOLUMNIA, VIRGILIA, MENENIUS, COMINIUS, with the young NOBILITY of Rome

  CORIOLANUS. Come, leave your tears; a brief farewell. The beast    With many heads butts me away. Nay, mother,    Where is your ancient courage? You were us'd    To say extremities was the trier of spirits;    That common chances common men could bear;    That when the sea was calm all boats alike    Show'd mastership in floating; fortune's blows,    When most struck home, being gentle wounded craves    A noble cunning. You were us'd to load me    With precepts that would make invincible    The heart that conn'd them.  VIRGILIA. O heavens! O heavens!  CORIOLANUS. Nay, I prithee, woman-  VOLUMNIA. Now the red pestilence strike all trades in Rome,    And occupations perish!  CORIOLANUS. What, what, what!    I shall be lov'd when I am lack'd. Nay, mother,    Resume that spirit when you were wont to say,    If you had been the wife of Hercules,    Six of his labours you'd have done, and sav'd    Your husband so much sweat. Cominius,    Droop not; adieu. Farewell, my wife, my mother.    I'll do well yet. Thou old and true Menenius,    Thy tears are salter than a younger man's    And venomous to thine eyes. My sometime General,    I have seen thee stern, and thou hast oft beheld    Heart-hard'ning spectacles; tell these sad women    'Tis fond to wail inevitable strokes,    As 'tis to laugh at 'em. My mother, you wot well    My hazards still have been your solace; and    Believe't not lightly- though I go alone,    Like to a lonely dragon, that his fen    Makes fear'd and talk'd of more than seen- your son    Will or exceed the common or be caught    With cautelous baits and practice.  VOLUMNIA. My first son,    Whither wilt thou go? Take good Cominius    With thee awhile; determine on some course    More than a wild exposture to each chance    That starts i' th' way before thee.  VIRGILIA. O the gods!  COMINIUS. I'll follow thee a month, devise with thee    Where thou shalt rest, that thou mayst hear of us,    And we of thee; so, if the time thrust forth    A cause for thy repeal, we shall not send    O'er the vast world to seek a single man,    And lose advantage, which doth ever cool    I' th' absence of the needer.  CORIOLANUS. Fare ye well;    Thou hast years upon thee, and thou art too full    Of the wars' surfeits to go rove with one    That's yet unbruis'd; bring me but out at gate.    Come, my sweet wife, my dearest mother, and    My friends of noble touch; when I am forth,    Bid me farewell, and smile. I pray you come.    While I remain above the ground you shall    Hear from me still, and never of me aught    But what is like me formerly.  MENENIUS. That's worthily    As any ear can hear. Come, let's not weep.    If I could shake off but one seven years    From these old arms and legs, by the good gods,    I'd with thee every foot.  CORIOLANUS. Give me thy hand.    Come. Exeunt

SCENE II. Rome. A street near the gate

Enter the two Tribunes, SICINIUS and BRUTUS with the AEDILE

  SICINIUS. Bid them all home; he's gone, and we'll no further.    The nobility are vex'd, whom we see have sided    In his behalf.  BRUTUS. Now we have shown our power,    Let us seem humbler after it is done    Than when it was a-doing.  SICINIUS. Bid them home.    Say their great enemy is gone, and they    Stand in their ancient strength.  BRUTUS. Dismiss them home. Exit AEDILE    Here comes his mother.

Enter VOLUMNIA, VIRGILIA, and MENENIUS

  SICINIUS. Let's not meet her.  BRUTUS. Why?  SICINIUS. They say she's mad.  BRUTUS. They have ta'en note of us; keep on your way.  VOLUMNIA. O, y'are well met; th' hoarded plague o' th' gods    Requite your love!  MENENIUS. Peace, peace, be not so loud.  VOLUMNIA. If that I could for weeping, you should hear-    Nay, and you shall hear some. [To BRUTUS] Will you be gone?  VIRGILIA. [To SICINIUS] You shall stay too. I would I had the      power    To say so to my husband.  SICINIUS. Are you mankind?  VOLUMNIA. Ay, fool; is that a shame? Note but this, fool:    Was not a man my father? Hadst thou foxship    To banish him that struck more blows for Rome    Than thou hast spoken words?  SICINIUS. O blessed heavens!  VOLUMNIA. More noble blows than ever thou wise words;    And for Rome's good. I'll tell thee what- yet go!    Nay, but thou shalt stay too. I would my son    Were in Arabia, and thy tribe before him,    His good sword in his hand.  SICINIUS. What then?  VIRGILIA. What then!    He'd make an end of thy posterity.  VOLUMNIA. Bastards and all.    Good man, the wounds that he does bear for Rome!  MENENIUS. Come, come, peace.  SICINIUS. I would he had continued to his country    As he began, and not unknit himself    The noble knot he made.  BRUTUS. I would he had.  VOLUMNIA. 'I would he had!' 'Twas you incens'd the rabble-    Cats that can judge as fitly of his worth    As I can of those mysteries which heaven    Will not have earth to know.  BRUTUS. Pray, let's go.  VOLUMNIA. Now, pray, sir, get you gone;    You have done a brave deed. Ere you go, hear this:    As far as doth the Capitol exceed    The meanest house in Rome, so far my son-    This lady's husband here, this, do you see? -    Whom you have banish'd does exceed you all.  BRUTUS. Well, well, we'll leave you.  SICINIUS. Why stay we to be baited    With one that wants her wits? Exeunt TRIBUNES  VOLUMNIA. Take my prayers with you.    I would the gods had nothing else to do    But to confirm my curses. Could I meet 'em    But once a day, it would unclog my heart    Of what lies heavy to't.  MENENIUS. You have told them home,    And, by my troth, you have cause. You'll sup with me?  VOLUMNIA. Anger's my meat; I sup upon myself,    And so shall starve with feeding. Come, let's go.    Leave this faint puling and lament as I do,    In anger, Juno-like. Come, come, come.                                    Exeunt VOLUMNIA and VIRGILIA  MENENIUS. Fie, fie, fie! Exit

SCENE III. A highway between Rome and Antium

Enter a ROMAN and a VOLSCE, meeting

  ROMAN. I know you well, sir, and you know me; your name, Ithink,    is Adrian.  VOLSCE. It is so, sir. Truly, I have forgot you.  ROMAN. I am a Roman; and my services are, as you are, against'em.    Know you me yet?  VOLSCE. Nicanor? No!  ROMAN. The same, sir.  VOLSCE. You had more beard when I last saw you, but your favouris    well appear'd by your tongue. What's the news in Rome? I havea    note from the Volscian state, to find you out there. You have    well saved me a day's journey.  ROMAN. There hath been in Rome strange insurrections: thepeople    against the senators, patricians, and nobles.  VOLSCE. Hath been! Is it ended, then? Our state thinks not so;they    are in a most warlike preparation, and hope to come upon themin    the heat of their division.  ROMAN. The main blaze of it is past, but a small thing wouldmake    it flame again; for the nobles receive so to heart thebanishment    of that worthy Coriolanus that they are in a ripe aptness totake    all power from the people, and to pluck from them theirtribunes    for ever. This lies glowing, I can tell you, and is almostmature    for the violent breaking out.  VOLSCE. Coriolanus banish'd!  ROMAN. Banish'd, sir.  VOLSCE. You will be welcome with this intelligence, Nicanor.  ROMAN. The day serves well for them now. I have heard it saidthe    fittest time to corrupt a man's wife is when she's fall'n out    with her husband. Your noble Tullus Aufidius will appear wellin    these wars, his great opposer, Coriolanus, being now in no    request of his country.  VOLSCE. He cannot choose. I am most fortunate thus accidentallyto    encounter you; you have ended my business, and I will merrily    accompany you home.  ROMAN. I shall between this and supper tell you most strangethings    from Rome, all tending to the good of their adversaries. Haveyou    an army ready, say you?  VOLSCE. A most royal one: the centurions and their charges,    distinctly billeted, already in th' entertainment, and to beon    foot at an hour's warning.  ROMAN. I am joyful to hear of their readiness, and am the man,I    think, that shall set them in present action. So, sir,heartily    well met, and most glad of your company.  VOLSCE. You take my part from me, sir. I have the most cause tobe    glad of yours.  ROMAN. Well, let us go together.

SCENE IV. Antium. Before AUFIDIUS' house

Enter CORIOLANUS, in mean apparel, disguis'd and muffled

  CORIOLANUS. A goodly city is this Antium. City,    'Tis I that made thy widows: many an heir    Of these fair edifices fore my wars    Have I heard groan and drop. Then know me not.    Lest that thy wives with spits and boys with stones,    In puny battle slay me.

Enter A CITIZEN

    Save you, sir.  CITIZEN. And you.  CORIOLANUS. Direct me, if it be your will,    Where great Aufidius lies. Is he in Antium?  CITIZEN. He is, and feasts the nobles of the state    At his house this night.  CORIOLANUS. Which is his house, beseech you?  CITIZEN. This here before you.  CORIOLANUS. Thank you, sir; farewell. Exit CITIZEN    O world, thy slippery turns! Friends now fast sworn,    Whose double bosoms seems to wear one heart,    Whose hours, whose bed, whose meal and exercise    Are still together, who twin, as 'twere, in love,    Unseparable, shall within this hour,    On a dissension of a doit, break out    To bitterest enmity; so fellest foes,    Whose passions and whose plots have broke their sleep    To take the one the other, by some chance,    Some trick not worth an egg, shall grow dear friends    And interjoin their issues. So with me:    My birthplace hate I, and my love's upon    This enemy town. I'll enter. If he slay me,    He does fair justice: if he give me way,    I'll do his country service.

SCENE V. Antium. AUFIDIUS' house

Music plays. Enter A SERVINGMAN

  FIRST SERVANT. Wine, wine, wine! What service is here! I thinkour    fellows are asleep. Exit

Enter another SERVINGMAN

  SECOND SERVANT.Where's Cotus? My master calls for him.    Cotus! Exit

Enter CORIOLANUS

  CORIOLANUS. A goodly house. The feast smells well, but I    Appear not like a guest.

Re-enter the first SERVINGMAN

  FIRST SERVANT. What would you have, friend?    Whence are you? Here's no place for you: pray go to the door. Exit  CORIOLANUS. I have deserv'd no better entertainment    In being Coriolanus.

Re-enter second SERVINGMAN

  SECOND SERVANT. Whence are you, sir? Has the porter his eyes inhis    head that he gives entrance to such companions? Pray get youout.  CORIOLANUS. Away!  SECOND SERVANT. Away? Get you away.  CORIOLANUS. Now th' art troublesome.  SECOND SERVANT. Are you so brave? I'll have you talk'd withanon.

Enter a third SERVINGMAN. The first meets him

  THIRD SERVANT. What fellow's this?  FIRST SERVANT. A strange one as ever I look'd on. I cannot gethim    out o' th' house. Prithee call my master to him.  THIRD SERVANT. What have you to do here, fellow? Pray you avoidthe    house.  CORIOLANUS. Let me but stand- I will not hurt your hearth.  THIRD SERVANT. What are you?  CORIOLANUS. A gentleman.  THIRD SERVANT. A marv'llous poor one.  CORIOLANUS. True, so I am.  THIRD SERVANT. Pray you, poor gentleman, take up some other    station; here's no place for you. Pray you avoid. Come.  CORIOLANUS. Follow your function, go and batten on cold bits.                                      [Pushes him away from him]  THIRD SERVANT. What, you will not? Prithee tell my master whata    strange guest he has here.  SECOND SERVANT. And I shall. Exit  THIRD SERVANT. Where dwell'st thou?  CORIOLANUS. Under the canopy.  THIRD SERVANT. Under the canopy?  CORIOLANUS. Ay.  THIRD SERVANT. Where's that?  CORIOLANUS. I' th' city of kites and crows.  THIRD SERVANT. I' th' city of kites and crows!    What an ass it is! Then thou dwell'st with daws too?  CORIOLANUS. No, I serve not thy master.  THIRD SERVANT. How, sir! Do you meddle with my master?  CORIOLANUS. Ay; 'tis an honester service than to meddle withthy    mistress. Thou prat'st and prat'st; serve with thy trencher;    hence! [Beats him away]

Enter AUFIDIUS with the second SERVINGMAN

  AUFIDIUS. Where is this fellow?  SECOND SERVANT. Here, sir; I'd have beaten him like a dog, butfor    disturbing the lords within.  AUFIDIUS. Whence com'st thou? What wouldst thou? Thy name?    Why speak'st not? Speak, man. What's thy name?  CORIOLANUS. [Unmuffling] If, Tullus,    Not yet thou know'st me, and, seeing me, dost not    Think me for the man I am, necessity    Commands me name myself.  AUFIDIUS. What is thy name?  CORIOLANUS. A name unmusical to the Volscians' ears,    And harsh in sound to thine.  AUFIDIUS. Say, what's thy name?    Thou has a grim appearance, and thy face    Bears a command in't; though thy tackle's torn,    Thou show'st a noble vessel. What's thy name?  CORIOLANUS. Prepare thy brow to frown- know'st thou me yet?  AUFIDIUS. I know thee not. Thy name?  CORIOLANUS. My name is Caius Marcius, who hath done    To thee particularly, and to all the Volsces,    Great hurt and mischief; thereto witness may    My surname, Coriolanus. The painful service,    The extreme dangers, and the drops of blood    Shed for my thankless country, are requited    But with that surname- a good memory    And witness of the malice and displeasure    Which thou shouldst bear me. Only that name remains;    The cruelty and envy of the people,    Permitted by our dastard nobles, who    Have all forsook me, hath devour'd the rest,    An suffer'd me by th' voice of slaves to be    Whoop'd out of Rome. Now this extremity    Hath brought me to thy hearth; not out of hope,    Mistake me not, to save my life; for if    I had fear'd death, of all the men i' th' world    I would have 'voided thee; but in mere spite,    To be full quit of those my banishers,    Stand I before thee here. Then if thou hast    A heart of wreak in thee, that wilt revenge    Thine own particular wrongs and stop those maims    Of shame seen through thy country, speed thee straight    And make my misery serve thy turn. So use it    That my revengeful services may prove    As benefits to thee; for I will fight    Against my cank'red country with the spleen    Of all the under fiends. But if so be    Thou dar'st not this, and that to prove more fortunes    Th'art tir'd, then, in a word, I also am    Longer to live most weary, and present    My throat to thee and to thy ancient malice;    Which not to cut would show thee but a fool,    Since I have ever followed thee with hate,    Drawn tuns of blood out of thy country's breast,    And cannot live but to thy shame, unless    It be to do thee service.  AUFIDIUS. O Marcius, Marcius!    Each word thou hast spoke hath weeded from my heart    A root of ancient envy. If Jupiter    Should from yond cloud speak divine things,    And say ''Tis true,' I'd not believe them more    Than thee, all noble Marcius. Let me twine    Mine arms about that body, where against    My grained ash an hundred times hath broke    And scarr'd the moon with splinters; here I clip    The anvil of my sword, and do contest    As hotly and as nobly with thy love    As ever in ambitious strength I did    Contend against thy valour. Know thou first,    I lov'd the maid I married; never man    Sigh'd truer breath; but that I see thee here,    Thou noble thing, more dances my rapt heart    Than when I first my wedded mistress saw    Bestride my threshold. Why, thou Mars, I tell thee    We have a power on foot, and I had purpose    Once more to hew thy target from thy brawn,    Or lose mine arm for't. Thou hast beat me out    Twelve several times, and I have nightly since    Dreamt of encounters 'twixt thyself and me-    We have been down together in my sleep,    Unbuckling helms, fisting each other's throat-    And wak'd half dead with nothing. Worthy Marcius,    Had we no other quarrel else to Rome but that    Thou art thence banish'd, we would muster all    From twelve to seventy, and, pouring war    Into the bowels of ungrateful Rome,    Like a bold flood o'erbeat. O, come, go in,    And take our friendly senators by th' hands,    Who now are here, taking their leaves of me    Who am prepar'd against your territories,    Though not for Rome itself.  CORIOLANUS. You bless me, gods!  AUFIDIUS. Therefore, most absolute sir, if thou wilt have    The leading of thine own revenges, take    Th' one half of my commission, and set down-    As best thou art experienc'd, since thou know'st    Thy country's strength and weakness- thine own ways,    Whether to knock against the gates of Rome,    Or rudely visit them in parts remote    To fright them ere destroy. But come in;    Let me commend thee first to those that shall    Say yea to thy desires. A thousand welcomes!    And more a friend than e'er an enemy;    Yet, Marcius, that was much. Your hand; most welcome!                                  Exeunt CORIOLANUS and AUFIDIUS

The two SERVINGMEN come forward

  FIRST SERVANT. Here's a strange alteration!  SECOND SERVANT. By my hand, I had thought to have strucken himwith    a cudgel; and yet my mind gave me his clothes made a falsereport    of him.  FIRST SERVANT. What an arm he has! He turn'd me about with his    finger and his thumb, as one would set up a top.  SECOND SERVANT. Nay, I knew by his face that there wassomething in    him; he had, sir, a kind of face, methought- I cannot tellhow to    term it.  FIRST SERVANT. He had so, looking as it were- Would I werehang'd,    but I thought there was more in him than I could think.  SECOND SERVANT. So did I, I'll be sworn. He is simply therarest    man i' th' world.  FIRST SERVANT. I think he is; but a greater soldier than he youwot    on.  SECOND SERVANT. Who, my master?  FIRST SERVANT. Nay, it's no matter for that.  SECOND SERVANT. Worth six on him.  FIRST SERVANT. Nay, not so neither; but I take him to be the    greater soldier.  SECOND SERVANT. Faith, look you, one cannot tell how to saythat;    for the defence of a town our general is excellent.  FIRST SERVANT. Ay, and for an assault too.

Re-enter the third SERVINGMAN