| ACT V SCENE VI. The same. A street near the gate. |
| [Enter TULLUS AUFIDIUS, with Attendants] |
| AUFIDIUS | Go tell the lords o' the city I am here: |
| Deliver them this paper: having read it, |
| Bid them repair to the market place; where I, |
| Even in theirs and in the commons' ears, |
| Will vouch the truth of it. Him I accuse | 5 |
| The city ports by this hath enter'd and |
| Intends to appear before the people, hoping |
| To purge herself with words: dispatch. |
[Exeunt Attendants] |
[Enter three or four Conspirators of AUFIDIUS' faction] |
| Most welcome! |
| First Conspirator | How is it with our general? | 10 |
| AUFIDIUS | Even so |
| As with a man by his own alms empoison'd, |
| And with his charity slain. |
| Second Conspirator | Most noble sir, |
| If you do hold the same intent wherein | 15 |
| You wish'd us parties, we'll deliver you |
| Of your great danger. |
| AUFIDIUS | Sir, I cannot tell: |
| We must proceed as we do find the people. |
| Third Conspirator | The people will remain uncertain whilst | 20 |
| 'Twixt you there's difference; but the fall of either |
| Makes the survivor heir of all. |
| AUFIDIUS | I know it; |
| And my pretext to strike at him admits |
| A good construction. I raised him, and I pawn'd | 25 |
| Mine honour for his truth: who being so heighten'd, |
| He water'd his new plants with dews of flattery, |
| Seducing so my friends; and, to this end, |
| He bow'd his nature, never known before |
| But to be rough, unswayable and free. | 30 |
| Third Conspirator | Sir, his stoutness |
| When he did stand for consul, which he lost |
| By lack of stooping,-- |
| AUFIDIUS | That I would have spoke of: |
| Being banish'd for't, he came unto my hearth; | 35 |
| Presented to my knife his throat: I took him; |
| Made him joint-servant with me; gave him way |
| In all his own desires; nay, let him choose |
| Out of my files, his projects to accomplish, |
| My best and freshest men; served his designments | 40 |
| In mine own person; holp to reap the fame |
| Which he did end all his; and took some pride |
| To do myself this wrong: till, at the last, |
| I seem'd his follower, not partner, and |
| He waged me with his countenance, as if | 45 |
| I had been mercenary. |
| First Conspirator | So he did, my lord: |
| The army marvell'd at it, and, in the last, |
| When he had carried Rome and that we look'd |
| For no less spoil than glory,-- | 50 |
| AUFIDIUS | There was it: |
| For which my sinews shall be stretch'd upon him. |
| At a few drops of women's rheum, which are |
| As cheap as lies, he sold the blood and labour |
| Of our great action: therefore shall he die, | 55 |
| And I'll renew me in his fall. But, hark! |
| [
Drums and trumpets sound, with great shouts of
the People
] |
| First Conspirator | Your native town you enter'd like a post, |
| And had no welcomes home: but he returns, |
| Splitting the air with noise. |
| Second Conspirator | And patient fools, | 60 |
| Whose children he hath slain, their base throats tear |
| With giving him glory. |
| Third Conspirator | Therefore, at your vantage, |
| Ere he express himself, or move the people |
| With what he would say, let him feel your sword, | 65 |
| Which we will second. When he lies along, |
| After your way his tale pronounced shall bury |
| His reasons with his body. |
| AUFIDIUS | Say no more: |
| Here come the lords. | 70 |
| [Enter the Lords of the city] |
| All The Lords | You are most welcome home. |
| AUFIDIUS | I have not deserved it. |
| But, worthy lords, have you with heed perused |
| What I have written to you? |
| Lords | We have. | 75 |
| First Lord | And grieve to hear't. |
| What faults he made before the last, I think |
| Might have found easy fines: but there to end |
| Where he was to begin and give away |
| The benefit of our levies, answering us | 80 |
| With our own charge, making a treaty where |
| There was a yielding,--this admits no excuse. |
| AUFIDIUS | He approaches: you shall hear him. |
| [
Enter CORIOLANUS, marching with drum and
colours; commoners being with him
] |
| CORIOLANUS | Hail, lords! I am return'd your soldier, |
| No more infected with my country's love | 85 |
| Than when I parted hence, but still subsisting |
| Under your great command. You are to know |
| That prosperously I have attempted and |
| With bloody passage led your wars even to |
| The gates of Rome. Our spoils we have brought home | 90 |
| Do more than counterpoise a full third part |
| The charges of the action. We have made peace |
| With no less honour to the Antiates |
| Than shame to the Romans: and we here deliver, |
| Subscribed by the consuls and patricians, | 95 |
| Together with the seal o' the senate, what |
| We have compounded on. |
| AUFIDIUS | Read it not, noble lords; |
| But tell the traitor, in the high'st degree |
| He hath abused your powers. | 100 |
| CORIOLANUS | Traitor! how now! |
| AUFIDIUS | Ay, traitor, Marcius! |
| CORIOLANUS | Marcius! |
| AUFIDIUS | Ay, Marcius, Caius Marcius: dost thou think |
| I'll grace thee with that robbery, thy stol'n name | 105 |
| Coriolanus in Corioli? |
| You lords and heads o' the state, perfidiously |
| He has betray'd your business, and given up, |
| For certain drops of salt, your city Rome, |
| I say 'your city,' to his wife and mother; | 110 |
| Breaking his oath and resolution like |
| A twist of rotten silk, never admitting |
| Counsel o' the war, but at his nurse's tears |
| He whined and roar'd away your victory, |
| That pages blush'd at him and men of heart | 115 |
| Look'd wondering each at other. |
| CORIOLANUS | Hear'st thou, Mars? |
| AUFIDIUS | Name not the god, thou boy of tears! |
| CORIOLANUS | Ha! |
| AUFIDIUS | No more. | 120 |
| CORIOLANUS | Measureless liar, thou hast made my heart |
| Too great for what contains it. Boy! O slave! |
| Pardon me, lords, 'tis the first time that ever |
| I was forced to scold. Your judgments, my grave lords, |
| Must give this cur the lie: and his own notion-- | 125 |
| Who wears my stripes impress'd upon him; that |
| Must bear my beating to his grave--shall join |
| To thrust the lie unto him. |
| First Lord | Peace, both, and hear me speak. |
| CORIOLANUS | Cut me to pieces, Volsces; men and lads, | 130 |
| Stain all your edges on me. Boy! false hound! |
| If you have writ your annals true, 'tis there, |
| That, like an eagle in a dove-cote, I |
| Flutter'd your Volscians in Corioli: |
| Alone I did it. Boy! | 135 |
| AUFIDIUS | Why, noble lords, |
| Will you be put in mind of his blind fortune, |
| Which was your shame, by this unholy braggart, |
| 'Fore your own eyes and ears? |
| All Conspirators | Let him die for't. | 140 |
| All The People | 'Tear him to pieces.' 'Do it presently.' 'He kill'd |
| my son.' 'My daughter.' 'He killed my cousin |
| Marcus.' 'He killed my father.' |
| Second Lord | Peace, ho! no outrage: peace! |
| The man is noble and his fame folds-in | 145 |
| This orb o' the earth. His last offences to us |
| Shall have judicious hearing. Stand, Aufidius, |
| And trouble not the peace. |
| CORIOLANUS | O that I had him, |
| With six Aufidiuses, or more, his tribe, | 150 |
| To use my lawful sword! |
| AUFIDIUS | Insolent villain! |
| All Conspirators | Kill, kill, kill, kill, kill him! |
| [
The Conspirators draw, and kill CORIOLANUS:
AUFIDIUS stands on his body
] |
| Lords | Hold, hold, hold, hold! |
| AUFIDIUS | My noble masters, hear me speak. | 155 |
| First Lord | O Tullus,-- |
| Second Lord | Thou hast done a deed whereat valour will weep. |
| Third Lord | Tread not upon him. Masters all, be quiet; |
| Put up your swords. |
| AUFIDIUS | My lords, when you shall know--as in this rage, | 160 |
| Provoked by him, you cannot--the great danger |
| Which this man's life did owe you, you'll rejoice |
| That he is thus cut off. Please it your honours |
| To call me to your senate, I'll deliver |
| Myself your loyal servant, or endure | 165 |
| Your heaviest censure. |
| First Lord | Bear from hence his body; |
| And mourn you for him: let him be regarded |
| As the most noble corse that ever herald |
| Did follow to his urn. | 170 |
| Second Lord | His own impatience |
| Takes from Aufidius a great part of blame. |
| Let's make the best of it. |
| AUFIDIUS | My rage is gone; |
| And I am struck with sorrow. Take him up. | 175 |
| Help, three o' the chiefest soldiers; I'll be one. |
| Beat thou the drum, that it speak mournfully: |
| Trail your steel pikes. Though in this city he |
| Hath widow'd and unchilded many a one, |
| Which to this hour bewail the injury, | 180 |
| Yet he shall have a noble memory. Assist. |
| [
Exeunt, bearing the body of CORIOLANUS. A dead
march sounded
] |
Shakespeare's Sources for Coriolanus