| ACT III SCENE I. Rome. A street. |
| [
Cornets. Enter CORIOLANUS, MENENIUS, all the
Gentry, COMINIUS, TITUS LARTIUS, and other Senators
] |
| CORIOLANUS | Tullus Aufidius then had made new head? |
| LARTIUS | He had, my lord; and that it was which caused |
| Our swifter composition. |
| CORIOLANUS | So then the Volsces stand but as at first, |
| Ready, when time shall prompt them, to make road. | 5 |
| Upon's again. |
| COMINIUS | They are worn, lord consul, so, |
| That we shall hardly in our ages see |
| Their banners wave again. |
| CORIOLANUS | Saw you Aufidius? | 10 |
| LARTIUS | On safe-guard he came to me; and did curse |
| Against the Volsces, for they had so vilely |
| Yielded the town: he is retired to Antium. |
| CORIOLANUS | Spoke he of me? |
| LARTIUS | He did, my lord. | 15 |
| CORIOLANUS | How? what? |
| LARTIUS | How often he had met you, sword to sword; |
| That of all things upon the earth he hated |
| Your person most, that he would pawn his fortunes |
| To hopeless restitution, so he might | 20 |
| Be call'd your vanquisher. |
| CORIOLANUS | At Antium lives he? |
| LARTIUS | At Antium. |
| CORIOLANUS | I wish I had a cause to seek him there, |
| To oppose his hatred fully. Welcome home. | 25 |
[Enter SICINIUS and BRUTUS] |
| Behold, these are the tribunes of the people, |
| The tongues o' the common mouth: I do despise them; |
| For they do prank them in authority, |
| Against all noble sufferance. |
| SICINIUS | Pass no further. | 30 |
| CORIOLANUS | Ha! what is that? |
| BRUTUS | It will be dangerous to go on: no further. |
| CORIOLANUS | What makes this change? |
| MENENIUS | The matter? |
| COMINIUS | Hath he not pass'd the noble and the common? | 35 |
| BRUTUS | Cominius, no. |
| CORIOLANUS | Have I had children's voices? |
| First Senator | Tribunes, give way; he shall to the market-place. |
| BRUTUS | The people are incensed against him. |
| SICINIUS | Stop, | 40 |
| Or all will fall in broil. |
| CORIOLANUS | Are these your herd? |
| Must these have voices, that can yield them now |
| And straight disclaim their tongues? What are |
| your offices? | 45 |
| You being their mouths, why rule you not their teeth? |
| Have you not set them on? |
| MENENIUS | Be calm, be calm. |
| CORIOLANUS | It is a purposed thing, and grows by plot, |
| To curb the will of the nobility: | 50 |
| Suffer't, and live with such as cannot rule |
| Nor ever will be ruled. |
| BRUTUS | Call't not a plot: |
| The people cry you mock'd them, and of late, |
| When corn was given them gratis, you repined; | 55 |
| Scandal'd the suppliants for the people, call'd them |
| Time-pleasers, flatterers, foes to nobleness. |
| CORIOLANUS | Why, this was known before. |
| BRUTUS | Not to them all. |
| CORIOLANUS | Have you inform'd them sithence? | 60 |
| BRUTUS | How! I inform them! |
| CORIOLANUS | You are like to do such business. |
| BRUTUS | Not unlike, |
| Each way, to better yours. |
| CORIOLANUS | Why then should I be consul? By yond clouds, | 65 |
| Let me deserve so ill as you, and make me |
| Your fellow tribune. |
| SICINIUS | You show too much of that |
| For which the people stir: if you will pass |
| To where you are bound, you must inquire your way, | 70 |
| Which you are out of, with a gentler spirit, |
| Or never be so noble as a consul, |
| Nor yoke with him for tribune. |
| MENENIUS | Let's be calm. |
| COMINIUS | The people are abused; set on. This paltering | 75 |
| Becomes not Rome, nor has Coriolanus |
| Deserved this so dishonour'd rub, laid falsely |
| I' the plain way of his merit. |
| CORIOLANUS | Tell me of corn! |
| This was my speech, and I will speak't again-- | 80 |
| MENENIUS | Not now, not now. |
| First Senator | Not in this heat, sir, now. |
| CORIOLANUS | Now, as I live, I will. My nobler friends, |
| I crave their pardons: |
| For the mutable, rank-scented many, let them | 85 |
| Regard me as I do not flatter, and |
| Therein behold themselves: I say again, |
| In soothing them, we nourish 'gainst our senate |
| The cockle of rebellion, insolence, sedition, |
| Which we ourselves have plough'd for, sow'd, | 90 |
| and scatter'd, |
| By mingling them with us, the honour'd number, |
| Who lack not virtue, no, nor power, but that |
| Which they have given to beggars. |
| MENENIUS | Well, no more. | 95 |
| First Senator | No more words, we beseech you. |
| CORIOLANUS | How! no more! |
| As for my country I have shed my blood, |
| Not fearing outward force, so shall my lungs |
| Coin words till their decay against those measles, | 100 |
| Which we disdain should tatter us, yet sought |
| The very way to catch them. |
| BRUTUS | You speak o' the people, |
| As if you were a god to punish, not |
| A man of their infirmity. | 105 |
| SICINIUS | 'Twere well |
| We let the people know't. |
| MENENIUS | What, what? his choler? |
| CORIOLANUS | Choler! |
| Were I as patient as the midnight sleep, | 110 |
| By Jove, 'twould be my mind! |
| SICINIUS | It is a mind |
| That shall remain a poison where it is, |
| Not poison any further. |
| CORIOLANUS | Shall remain! | 115 |
| Hear you this Triton of the minnows? mark you |
| His absolute 'shall'? |
| COMINIUS | 'Twas from the canon. |
| CORIOLANUS | 'Shall'! |
| O good but most unwise patricians! why, | 120 |
| You grave but reckless senators, have you thus |
| Given Hydra here to choose an officer, |
| That with his peremptory 'shall,' being but |
| The horn and noise o' the monster's, wants not spirit |
| To say he'll turn your current in a ditch, | 125 |
| And make your channel his? If he have power |
| Then vail your ignorance; if none, awake |
| Your dangerous lenity. If you are learn'd, |
| Be not as common fools; if you are not, |
| Let them have cushions by you. You are plebeians, | 130 |
| If they be senators: and they are no less, |
| When, both your voices blended, the great'st taste |
| Most palates theirs. They choose their magistrate, |
| And such a one as he, who puts his 'shall,' |
| His popular 'shall' against a graver bench | 135 |
| Than ever frown in Greece. By Jove himself! |
| It makes the consuls base: and my soul aches |
| To know, when two authorities are up, |
| Neither supreme, how soon confusion |
| May enter 'twixt the gap of both and take | 140 |
| The one by the other. |
| COMINIUS | Well, on to the market-place. |
| CORIOLANUS | Whoever gave that counsel, to give forth |
| The corn o' the storehouse gratis, as 'twas used |
| Sometime in Greece,-- | 145 |
| MENENIUS | Well, well, no more of that. |
| CORIOLANUS | Though there the people had more absolute power, |
| I say, they nourish'd disobedience, fed |
| The ruin of the state. |
| BRUTUS | Why, shall the people give | 150 |
| One that speaks thus their voice? |
| CORIOLANUS | I'll give my reasons, |
| More worthier than their voices. They know the corn |
| Was not our recompense, resting well assured |
| That ne'er did service for't: being press'd to the war, | 155 |
| Even when the navel of the state was touch'd, |
| They would not thread the gates. This kind of service |
| Did not deserve corn gratis. Being i' the war |
| Their mutinies and revolts, wherein they show'd |
| Most valour, spoke not for them: the accusation | 160 |
| Which they have often made against the senate, |
| All cause unborn, could never be the motive |
| Of our so frank donation. Well, what then? |
| How shall this bisson multitude digest |
| The senate's courtesy? Let deeds express | 165 |
| What's like to be their words: 'we did request it; |
| We are the greater poll, and in true fear |
| They gave us our demands.' Thus we debase |
| The nature of our seats and make the rabble |
| Call our cares fears; which will in time | 170 |
| Break ope the locks o' the senate and bring in |
| The crows to peck the eagles. |
| MENENIUS | Come, enough. |
| BRUTUS | Enough, with over-measure. |
| CORIOLANUS | No, take more: | 175 |
| What may be sworn by, both divine and human, |
| Seal what I end withal! This double worship, |
| Where one part does disdain with cause, the other |
| Insult without all reason, where gentry, title, wisdom, |
| Cannot conclude but by the yea and no | 180 |
| Of general ignorance,--it must omit |
| Real necessities, and give way the while |
| To unstable slightness: purpose so barr'd, |
| it follows, |
| Nothing is done to purpose. Therefore, beseech you,-- | 185 |
| You that will be less fearful than discreet, |
| That love the fundamental part of state |
| More than you doubt the change on't, that prefer |
| A noble life before a long, and wish |
| To jump a body with a dangerous physic | 190 |
| That's sure of death without it, at once pluck out |
| The multitudinous tongue; let them not lick |
| The sweet which is their poison: your dishonour |
| Mangles true judgment and bereaves the state |
| Of that integrity which should become't, | 195 |
| Not having the power to do the good it would, |
| For the in which doth control't. |
| BRUTUS | Has said enough. |
| SICINIUS | Has spoken like a traitor, and shall answer |
| As traitors do. | 200 |
| CORIOLANUS | Thou wretch, despite o'erwhelm thee! |
| What should the people do with these bald tribunes? |
| On whom depending, their obedience fails |
| To the greater bench: in a rebellion, |
| When what's not meet, but what must be, was law, | 205 |
| Then were they chosen: in a better hour, |
| Let what is meet be said it must be meet, |
| And throw their power i' the dust. |
| BRUTUS | Manifest treason! |
| SICINIUS | This a consul? no. | 210 |
| BRUTUS | The aediles, ho! |
[Enter an AEdile] |
| Let him be apprehended. |
| SICINIUS | Go, call the people: |
[Exit AEdile] |
| in whose name myself |
| Attach thee as a traitorous innovator, | 215 |
| A foe to the public weal: obey, I charge thee, |
| And follow to thine answer. |
| CORIOLANUS | Hence, old goat! |
| Senators, &C | We'll surety him. |
| COMINIUS | Aged sir, hands off. | 220 |
| CORIOLANUS | Hence, rotten thing! or I shall shake thy bones |
| Out of thy garments. |
| SICINIUS | Help, ye citizens! |
| [
Enter a rabble of Citizens (Plebeians), with
the AEdiles
] |
| MENENIUS | On both sides more respect. |
| SICINIUS | Here's he that would take from you all your power. | 225 |
| BRUTUS | Seize him, AEdiles! |
| Citizens | Down with him! down with him! |
| Senators, &C | Weapons, weapons, weapons! |
[They all bustle about CORIOLANUS, crying] |
| 'Tribunes!' 'Patricians!' 'Citizens!' 'What, ho!' |
| 'Sicinius!' 'Brutus!' 'Coriolanus!' 'Citizens!' | 230 |
| 'Peace, peace, peace!' 'Stay, hold, peace!' |
| MENENIUS | What is about to be? I am out of breath; |
| Confusion's near; I cannot speak. You, tribunes |
| To the people! Coriolanus, patience! |
| Speak, good Sicinius. | 235 |
| SICINIUS | Hear me, people; peace! |
| Citizens | Let's hear our tribune: peace Speak, speak, speak. |
| SICINIUS | You are at point to lose your liberties: |
| Marcius would have all from you; Marcius, |
| Whom late you have named for consul. | 240 |
| MENENIUS | Fie, fie, fie! |
| This is the way to kindle, not to quench. |
| First Senator | To unbuild the city and to lay all flat. |
| SICINIUS | What is the city but the people? |
| Citizens | True, | 245 |
| The people are the city. |
| BRUTUS | By the consent of all, we were establish'd |
| The people's magistrates. |
| Citizens | You so remain. |
| MENENIUS | And so are like to do. | 250 |
| COMINIUS | That is the way to lay the city flat; |
| To bring the roof to the foundation, |
| And bury all, which yet distinctly ranges, |
| In heaps and piles of ruin. |
| SICINIUS | This deserves death. | 255 |
| BRUTUS | Or let us stand to our authority, |
| Or let us lose it. We do here pronounce, |
| Upon the part o' the people, in whose power |
| We were elected theirs, Marcius is worthy |
| Of present death. | 260 |
| SICINIUS | Therefore lay hold of him; |
| Bear him to the rock Tarpeian, and from thence |
| Into destruction cast him. |
| BRUTUS | AEdiles, seize him! |
| Citizens | Yield, Marcius, yield! | 265 |
| MENENIUS | Hear me one word; |
| Beseech you, tribunes, hear me but a word. |
| AEdile | Peace, peace! |
| MENENIUS | [To BRUTUS] Be that you seem, truly your
|
| country's friend, | 270 |
| And temperately proceed to what you would |
| Thus violently redress. |
| BRUTUS | Sir, those cold ways, |
| That seem like prudent helps, are very poisonous |
| Where the disease is violent. Lay hands upon him, | 275 |
| And bear him to the rock. |
| CORIOLANUS | No, I'll die here. |
[Drawing his sword] |
| There's some among you have beheld me fighting: |
| Come, try upon yourselves what you have seen me. |
| MENENIUS | Down with that sword! Tribunes, withdraw awhile. | 280 |
| BRUTUS | Lay hands upon him. |
| COMINIUS | Help Marcius, help, |
| You that be noble; help him, young and old! |
| Citizens | Down with him, down with him! |
| [
In this mutiny, the Tribunes, the AEdiles, and the
People, are beat in
] |
| MENENIUS | Go, get you to your house; be gone, away! | 285 |
| All will be naught else. |
| Second Senator | Get you gone. |
| COMINIUS | Stand fast; |
| We have as many friends as enemies. |
| MENENIUS | Sham it be put to that? | 290 |
| First Senator | The gods forbid! |
| I prithee, noble friend, home to thy house; |
| Leave us to cure this cause. |
| MENENIUS | For 'tis a sore upon us, |
| You cannot tent yourself: be gone, beseech you. | 295 |
| COMINIUS | Come, sir, along with us. |
| CORIOLANUS | I would they were barbarians--as they are, |
| Though in Rome litter'd--not Romans--as they are not, |
| Though calved i' the porch o' the Capitol-- |
| MENENIUS | Be gone; | 300 |
| Put not your worthy rage into your tongue; |
| One time will owe another. |
| CORIOLANUS | On fair ground |
| I could beat forty of them. |
| COMINIUS | I could myself | 305 |
| Take up a brace o' the best of them; yea, the |
| two tribunes: |
| But now 'tis odds beyond arithmetic; |
| And manhood is call'd foolery, when it stands |
| Against a falling fabric. Will you hence, | 310 |
| Before the tag return? whose rage doth rend |
| Like interrupted waters and o'erbear |
| What they are used to bear. |
| MENENIUS | Pray you, be gone: |
| I'll try whether my old wit be in request | 315 |
| With those that have but little: this must be patch'd |
| With cloth of any colour. |
| COMINIUS | Nay, come away. |
| [Exeunt CORIOLANUS, COMINIUS, and others] |
| A Patrician | This man has marr'd his fortune. |
| MENENIUS | His nature is too noble for the world: | 320 |
| He would not flatter Neptune for his trident, |
| Or Jove for's power to thunder. His heart's his mouth: |
| What his breast forges, that his tongue must vent; |
| And, being angry, does forget that ever |
| He heard the name of death. | 325 |
[A noise within] |
| Here's goodly work! |
| Second Patrician | I would they were abed! |
| MENENIUS | I would they were in Tiber! What the vengeance! |
| Could he not speak 'em fair? |
| [Re-enter BRUTUS and SICINIUS, with the rabble] |
| SICINIUS | Where is this viper | 330 |
| That would depopulate the city and |
| Be every man himself? |
| MENENIUS | You worthy tribunes,-- |
| SICINIUS | He shall be thrown down the Tarpeian rock |
| With rigorous hands: he hath resisted law, | 335 |
| And therefore law shall scorn him further trial |
| Than the severity of the public power |
| Which he so sets at nought. |
| First Citizen | He shall well know |
| The noble tribunes are the people's mouths, | 340 |
| And we their hands. |
| Citizens | He shall, sure on't. |
| MENENIUS | Sir, sir,-- |
| SICINIUS | Peace! |
| MENENIUS | Do not cry havoc, where you should but hunt | 345 |
| With modest warrant. |
| SICINIUS | Sir, how comes't that you |
| Have holp to make this rescue? |
| MENENIUS | Hear me speak: |
| As I do know the consul's worthiness, | 350 |
| So can I name his faults,-- |
| SICINIUS | Consul! what consul? |
| MENENIUS | The consul Coriolanus. |
| BRUTUS | He consul! |
| Citizens | No, no, no, no, no. | 355 |
| MENENIUS | If, by the tribunes' leave, and yours, good people, |
| I may be heard, I would crave a word or two; |
| The which shall turn you to no further harm |
| Than so much loss of time. |
| SICINIUS | Speak briefly then; | 360 |
| For we are peremptory to dispatch |
| This viperous traitor: to eject him hence |
| Were but one danger, and to keep him here |
| Our certain death: therefore it is decreed |
| He dies to-night. | 365 |
| MENENIUS | Now the good gods forbid |
| That our renowned Rome, whose gratitude |
| Towards her deserved children is enroll'd |
| In Jove's own book, like an unnatural dam |
| Should now eat up her own! | 370 |
| SICINIUS | He's a disease that must be cut away. |
| MENENIUS | O, he's a limb that has but a disease; |
| Mortal, to cut it off; to cure it, easy. |
| What has he done to Rome that's worthy death? |
| Killing our enemies, the blood he hath lost-- | 375 |
| Which, I dare vouch, is more than that he hath, |
| By many an ounce--he dropp'd it for his country; |
| And what is left, to lose it by his country, |
| Were to us all, that do't and suffer it, |
| A brand to the end o' the world. | 380 |
| SICINIUS | This is clean kam. |
| BRUTUS | Merely awry: when he did love his country, |
| It honour'd him. |
| MENENIUS | The service of the foot |
| Being once gangrened, is not then respected | 385 |
| For what before it was. |
| BRUTUS | We'll hear no more. |
| Pursue him to his house, and pluck him thence: |
| Lest his infection, being of catching nature, |
| Spread further. | 390 |
| MENENIUS | One word more, one word. |
| This tiger-footed rage, when it shall find |
| The harm of unscann'd swiftness, will too late |
| Tie leaden pounds to's heels. Proceed by process; |
| Lest parties, as he is beloved, break out, | 395 |
| And sack great Rome with Romans. |
| BRUTUS | If it were so,-- |
| SICINIUS | What do ye talk? |
| Have we not had a taste of his obedience? |
| Our aediles smote? ourselves resisted? Come. | 400 |
| MENENIUS | Consider this: he has been bred i' the wars |
| Since he could draw a sword, and is ill school'd |
| In bolted language; meal and bran together |
| He throws without distinction. Give me leave, |
| I'll go to him, and undertake to bring him | 405 |
| Where he shall answer, by a lawful form, |
| In peace, to his utmost peril. |
| First Senator | Noble tribunes, |
| It is the humane way: the other course |
| Will prove too bloody, and the end of it | 410 |
| Unknown to the beginning. |
| SICINIUS | Noble Menenius, |
| Be you then as the people's officer. |
| Masters, lay down your weapons. |
| BRUTUS | Go not home. | 415 |
| SICINIUS | Meet on the market-place. We'll attend you there: |
| Where, if you bring not Marcius, we'll proceed |
| In our first way. |
| MENENIUS | I'll bring him to you. |
[To the Senators] |
| Let me desire your company: he must come, | 420 |
| Or what is worst will follow. |
| First Senator | Pray you, let's to him. |
| [Exeunt] |
Shakespeare's Sources for Coriolanus