CORIOLANUS.] This play I conjecture to have been written in the year 1609. See An Attempt to ascertain the Order of Shakespeare's Plays, Vol. II. It comprehends a period of about four years, commencing with the secession to the Mons Sacer in the year of Rome 262, and ending with the death of Coriolanus, A. U. C. 266. MALONE The whole history is exactly followed, and many of the principal speeches exactly copied, from the Life of Coriolanus in Plutarch. POPE. PERSONS REPRESENTED. CAIUS MARCIUS CORIOLANUS, a noble Roman. TITUS LARTIUS, COMINIUS, } gencrals against the Volscianɩ tribunes of the people. MENENIUS AGRIPPA, friend to Coriolanus. JUNIUS BRUTUS, 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. Gentlewoman, attending Virgilia. Roman and Volscian Senators, Patricians, Ædiles, Lictors, Soldiers, Citizens, Messengers, Servants to Aufidius, and other Attendants. SCENE, partly in Rome; and partly in the territories of 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 Cit. Speak, speak. [Several speaking at once 1 Cit. You are all resolved rather to die, than to famish? Cit. Resolved, resolved. 1 Cit. First you know, Caius Marcius is chief to the people. Cit. 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? Cit. 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 as 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? 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. 2 Cit. Nay, but speak not maliciously. 1 Cit. I say unto you, what he hath done famously he did it to that end: though soft conscienc'd men can be content to say, it was for his country, he did it to please his mother, and to be partly proud; which ne is, even to the altitude of his virtue. 2 Cit. What he cannot help in his nature, you account a vice in him: You must in no way say, he is covetous. 1 Cit. If I must not, I need not be barren of accusations; he hath faults, with surplus, to tire in repetition. [Shouts within.] What shouts are these? The other side o' th' city is risen: Why stay we prating nere to the Capitol. Cit. Come, come. 1 Cit. Soft; who comes here? Enter MENENIUS AGRIPPA. 2 Cit. Worthy Menenius Agrippa; one that hath always loved the people. |