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CORIOLANUS. CAIUS MARCIUS CORIOLANUS, a noble Roman.

TITUS LARTIUS,

COMINIUS,

}

Generals against the Volscians.

MENENIUS AGRIPPA, Friend to CORIOLANUS.

SICINIUS VELUTUS, ( }

JUNIUS BRUTUS,

Tribunes of the People.

YOUNG MARCIUS, Son to CORIOLANUS.

A Roman Herald.

TULLUS AUFIDIUS, General of the Volscians.

Lieutenant to AUFIDIUS.

Conspirators with AUFIDIUS.

A Citizen of Antium.

Two Volscian Guards.

VOLUMNIA, Mother to CORIOLANUS.
VIRGILIA, Wife to CORIOLANUS.
VALERIA, Friend to VIRGILIA.

Gentlewoman attending on VIRGILIA.

Roman and Volscian Senators, Patricians, Ædiles, Lictor Soldiers, Citizens, Messengers, Servants to AUFIDIU and other Attendants.

SCENE,-Partly in Rome, and partly in the Territories the Volscians and Antiates.

CORIOLANUS.

ACT I.

SCENE I.-ROME. A Street.

Enter a company of mutinous Citizens, with staves, clubs, and other weapons.

1 Cit. Before we proceed any further, hear me speak. Citizens. Speak, speak.

1 Cit. You are all resolved rather to die than to famish? Citizens. Resolved, resolved.

1 Cit. First, you know Caius Marcius is chief enemy to the people.

Citizens. We know't, we know't.

1 Cit. Let us kill him, and we'll have corn at our own price. Is't a verdict?

Citizens. No more talking on't; let it be done: away, away!

2 Cit. One word, good citizens.

1 Cit. We are accounted poor citizens; the patricians good. What authority surfeits on would relieve us: if they would yield us but the superfluity, while it were wholesome, we might guess they relieved us humanely; but they think we are too dear: the leanness that afflicts us, the object of our misery, is an inventory to particularize their abundance; our sufferance is a gain to them.-Let us revenge this with our pikes ere we become rakes: for the gods know I speak this in hunger for bread, not in thirst for revenge.

2 Cit. Would you proceed especially against Caius Marcius?

1 Cit. Against him first: he's a very dog to the commonalty.

2 Cit. Consider you what services he has done for his country?

1 Cit. Very well; and could be content to give him good report for't, but that he pays himself with being proud.

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vice in him. You must in no way say he is covetou 1 Cit. If I must not, I need not be barren of accu he hath faults, with surplus, to tire in repetition. within.] What shouts are these? The other sid city is risen: why stay we prating here? to the Caf Citizens. Come, come.

1 Cit. Soft! who comes here?

2 Cit. Worthy Menenius Agrippa; one that hath loved the people.

1 Cit. He's one honest enough; would all the rest w

Enter MENENIUS AGRIPPA.

Men. What work's, my countrymen, in hand? wh you

With bats and clubs? the matter? speak, I pray you.

1 Cit. Our business is not unknown to the senate; have had inkling this fortnight what we intend t which now we'll show 'em in deeds. They say poor si have strong breaths; they shall know we have strong

too.

Men. Why, masters, my good friends, mine honest n

bours,
Will you undo yourselves?

1 Cit. We cannot, sir, we are undone already.
Men. I tell you, friends, most charitable care
Have the patricians of you. For your wants,
Your suffering in this dearth, you may as well
Strike at the heaven with your staves as lift them
Against the Roman state; whose course will on
The way it takes, cracking ten thousand curbs
Of more strong link asunder than can ever
Appear in your impediment: for the dearth,
The gods, not the patricians, make it; and
Your knees to them, not arms, must help. Alack,
You are transported by calamity
Thither where more attends you; and you slander
The helms o' the state, who care for you like fathers,
When you curse them as enemies.

1 Cit. Care for us! True, indeed! They ne'er cared fo

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