Enter Senators on the walls. I Sen. Set but thy foot Till now you have gone on, and fill'd the time Against our rampir'd gates, and they shaul ope With all licentious measure, making your wills So thou wilt send thy gentle heart before, The scope of justice ; till now, myself, and such To say thou'lt enter friendly. As slept within the shadow of your power, 2 Sen. Throw thy glove ; Have wander'd with our travers’d arms, and breath'a Or any token of thine honour else, Our sufferance vainly: Now the time is Aush, That thou wilt use the wars as thy redress, When crouching marrow, in the bearer strong, And not as our confusion, all thy powers Cries, of itself, No more: now breathless wrong Shall make their harbour in our town, till we Shall sit and pant in your great chairs of ease; Have seal'd thy full desire. And pursy insolence shall break his wind, Alcib. Then there's my glove; With fear, and horrid flight. Descend, and open your uncharged ports ; 1 Sen. Noble, and young, Those enemies of Timon's, and mine own, When thy first griefs were but a mere conceit, Whom you yourselves shall set out for reproof, Ere thou hadst power, or we had cause of fear, Fall, and no more: and, -to atone your fears We sent to thee to give thy rages balm, With my more noble meaning, -not a man To wipe out our ingratitude with loves Shall pass his quarter, or offend the stream Above their quantity. Of regular justice in your city's bounds, 2 Sen. So did we woo But shall be remedied, to your publick laws Transformed Timon to our city's love, At heaviest answer. Both. By humble message, and by promis’d means : 'Tis most nobly spoken. We were not all unkind, nor all deserve Alcib. Descend, and keep your words. The common stroke of war. The Senators descend, and open the gutes. 1 Sen. These walls of ours Enter a Soldier. And, on his grave-stone, this insculpture ; which For private faults in them. With wax I brought away, whose soft impression 2 Sen. Nor are they living, Interprets my poor ignorance. Who were the motives that you first went out; Alcib. [Reads.] Here lies a wretched corse of Shame that they wanted cunning, in excess wretched soul berefl: Hath broke their hearts. March, noble lord, Seek not my name : A plague consume you wicked Into cur city with thy banners spread : caitiff's left! By decimation, and a tithed death, Here lie I, Timon ; who, alive, all living men did hate : (If thy rerenges hunger for that food, Pass by, and curse thy fill ; but pass, and stay not Which nature loat'ns) take thou the destin'd tenth; here thy gait. And by the hazard of the spotted die, These well express in thee thy latter spirit : Let die the spotted. Though thou abhorr’dst in us our human griefs, 1 Sen. All have not offended, Scorn'dst our brain's flow, and those our droplets For those that were, it is not square, to take, whico On those that are, revenges: crimes, like lands, From niggard nature fall, yet rich conceit Are not inherited. Then, dear countryman, Taught thee to make vast Neptune weep for aye Bring in thy ranks, but leave without thy rage : On thy low grave, on faults forgiven Dead Spare thy Athenian cradle, and those kin, Is noble Timon; of whose memory Which, in the bluster of thy wrath, must fall Hereafter more.—Bring me into your city, With those that have offended : like a shepherd, And I will use the olive with my sword: Approach the fold, and cull the infected forth, Make war breed peace; make peace stint war; But kill not all together. make each 2 Sen. What thou wilt Prescribe to other, as each other's leect. Thou rather shalt enforce it with thy smile, Let our drums strike. [Exeunt, Than hew to't with thy sword CORIOLANUS. PERSONS REPRESENTED. dance; our sufferance is a gain to them -Let us revenge this with our pikes, ere we become rakes: Caius Marcius Coriolanus, a noble Roman. for the gods know, I speak this in bunger for bread, Tomus Ius TICS, } generals against the Volscians. not in thirst for revenge. 2 Cit. Would you proceed especially against MENENIUS AGRIPPA, friend to Coriolanus. Caius Marcius ? 1 Cit. Against him first; he's a very dog to the commonalty. Young MARCIUS, son to Coriolanus. 2 Cit. Consider you what services he has done for A Roman Herald. his country? Tullus AufidiUS, general of the Volscians. 1 Cit. Very well; and could be content to give Lieutenant to Aufidius. him good report fort, but that he pays himself with Conspirators with Aufidius. being proud. A Citizen of Antium. 2 Cit. Nay, but speak not maliciously. Two Volscian Guards. 1 Cit. I say unto you, what he hath done famously he did it to that end; though soft-conscienc'd men VOLUMNIA, mother to Coriolanus. can be content to say, it was for his country, he did Virgilia, wife to Coriolanus. it to please his mother, and to be partly proud; Valeria, friend to Virgilia. which he is, even to the altitude of his virtue. Gentlewoman, attending Virgilia. 2 Cit. What he cannot help in his cature, you account a vice in him: You must in no way say, he homan and Volscian Senators, Patricians, Ædiles, is covetous. Lictors, Soldiers, Citizens, Messengers, Servants to 1 Cit. If I must not, I need not be barren of acAufidius, and other Attendants. cusations; he hath faults, with surplus, to tire in repetition. [Shouts within.) What shouts are these? SCENE,--partly in Rome; and partly in the terri- The other side o'the city is risen: Why stay we tories of the VOLScians and ANTIATES. prating here? to the Capitol. 2 Cit. Come, come. Enter MENENIUS AGRIPPA. 2 Cit. Worthy Menenius Agrippa; one that hath always loved the people. SCENE I.-Rome. A Street. i Cit. He's one honest enough; 'Would, all the Enter a company of mutinous Citizens, with staves, rest were so ! clubs, and other weapons. Men. What work's, my countrymen, in hand ? Lyou. i Cit. Before we proceed any further, hear me With bats and clubs? The natter? Speak, I pray speak. 1 Cit. Our business is not unknown to the senate; Cit. Speak, speak. (Several speaking at once. they have had inkling, this fortnight, what we in. 1 Cit. You are all resolved rather to die, than to tend to dn, which now we'll show 'em in deeds. famish? They say, poor suitors have strong breaths; they Cit. Resolved, resolved. shall know, we have strong arms too. : 1 Cit. First you know, Caius Marcius is chief Men. Why, masters, my good friends, mine honest enemy to the people. neighbours, Cit. We know't, we know't. Will you undo yourselves ? . Cit. Let us kill him, and we'll have corn at our 1 Cit. We cannot, sir, we are undone already. own price. Is't a verdict ? Men. I tell you, friends, most charitable care Cit. No more talking on't: let it be done: away, Have the patricians of you. For your wants, away. Your suffering in this dearth, you may as well 2 Cit. One word, good citizens. Strike at the heaven with your staves, as lift them 1 Cit. We are accounted poor citizens; the patri- Against the Roman state; whose course will on cians, good: What authority surfeits on, would re- The way it takes, cracking ten thousand curbs lieve us; If they would yield us but the superfluity, Of more strong link asunder, than can ever while it were wholesome, we might guess they re- Appear in your impediment: For the dearth, lieved us humanely; but they think, we are too The gods, not the patricians, make it; and dear: the leanness that afflicts us, the object of our Your knees to them, not arms, must help. Alack, misery, is an inventory to particularize their abun. You are transported by calamity Thither where more attends you; and you slander You, my good friends, (this says the belly,) mark The helms o'the state, who care for you like fathers, me, When you curse them as enemies. 1 Cit. Ay, sir well, well. I Cit. Care for us !—True, indeed! -They ne'er Men. Though all at onoe cannot cared for us yet. Suffer us to famish, and their See what I do deliver out to each; store-houses crammed with grain; make edicts for Yet I can make my audit up, that all usury, to support usurers: repeal daily any whole- From me do back receive the flower of all, some act established against the rich; and provide And leave me but tue bran. What say you to't ? more piercing statutes daily, to chain up and restrain I Cit. It was an answer: How apply you this ? the poor. If the wars eat us not up, they will; and Men. The senators of Rome are this good belly, there's all the love they bear us. And you the mutinous members : For examine Men. Either you must Their counsels, and their cares; digest things rightly, Confess yourselves wondrous malicious, Touching the weal o'the common; you shall find, Or be accus'd of folly. I shall tell you No publick benefit, which you receive, A pretty tale; it may be, you have heard it; But it proceeds, or comes, from them to you, But, since it serves my purpose, I will venture And no way from yourselves.-What do you think? To scale 't a little more. You, the great toe of this assembly ?I Cit. Well, I'll hear it, sir: yet you must not I Cit. I the great toe? Why the great toe? think to fob off our disgrace with a tale ; but, an't Men. For that being one o'the lowest, basest, please you, deliver. poorest, Men. There was a time, when all the body's Of this most wise rebellion, thou go'st foremost : members Thou rascal, that art worst in blood, to run But make you ready your stiff bats and clubs; l' the midst o'the body, idle and inactive, Rome and her rats are at the point of battle, Still cupboarding the viand, never bearing (ments The one side must have bale.- Hail, noble Marcius : Like labour with the rest; where the other instru Enter Caius MARCIUS. Did see, and hear, devise, instruct, walk, feel, Mar. Thanks.- What's the matter, you dissen. And, mutually participate, did minister tious rogues, Unto the appetite and affection common That rubbing the poor itch of your opinion, Of the whole body. The belly answered, - Make yourselves scabs ? 1 Cit. Well, sir, what answer made the belly ? 1 Cit. We have ever your good word. Men. Sir, I shall tell you.-With a kind of smile, Mar. He that will give good words to thee, will Which ne'er came from the lungs, but even thus, flatter (For, look you, I may make the belly smile, Beneath abhorring.–What would you have, you curs, As well as speak,) it tauntingly replied That like nor peace, nor war? the one affrights you, To the discontented members, the mutinous parts The other makes you proud. He that trusts you, That envied his receipt; even so most fitly Where he should find you lions, finds you hares ; As you malign our senators, for that Where foxes, geese: You are no surer, no, They are not such as you. Than is the coal of fire upon the ice, 1 Cit. • Your belly's answer: What! Or hailstone in the sun. Your virtue is, The kingly-crowned head, the vigilant eye, To make him worthy, whose offence subdues him, The counsellor heart, the arm our soldier, And curse that justice did it. Who deserves greatOur steed the leg, the tongue our trumpeter, ness, With other muniments and petty helps Deserves your hate : and your affections are In this our fabrick, if that they A sick man's appetite, who desires most that Men. What then? Which would increase his evil. He that depends 'Fore me, this fellow speaks !-what then? what Upon your favours, swims with fins of lead, [ye? then ? And hews down oaks with rushes. Hang ye! Trust 1 Cit. Should by the cormorant belly be restrain’d, With every minute you do change a mind; Who is the sink o' the body, And call him noble, that was now your hate, (ter, Men. Well, what then ? Him vile, that was your garland. What's the mati Cit. The former agents, if they did complain, That in these several places of the city What could the belly answer? You cry against the noble senate, who, Men, I will tell you ; Under the gods, keep you in awe, which else If you'll bestow a small (of what you have little,) Would feed on one another ?- What's their seeking? Patience, awhile, you'll hear the belly's answer. Men. For corn at their own rates; whereof, they 1 Cit. You are long about it. say, Men. Note me this, good friend; The city is well stor’d. Your most grave belly was deliberate, Mar. Hang 'em! They say ? Not rash like his accusers, and thus answer'd. They'll sit by the fire, and presume to know True is it, my incorporate friends, quoth he, What's done i'the Capitol : who's like to rise, That I receive the general food at first, Who thrives, and who declines: sirle factions, and Which you do live upon : and fit it is; give out Because I am the store-house, and the shop Conjectural marriages; making parties strong, Of the whole body: But if you do remember, And feebling such as stand not in their liking, I send it through the rivers of your blood, Below their cobbled shoes. They say, there's grain Even to the court, the heart,—to the seat o'the brain; enough? And, through the cranks and offices of man, Would the nobility lay aside their ruth, The strongest nerves, and small inferior veins, And let me use my sword, I'd make a quarry. From me receive that natural competency With thousands of these quarter'd slaves, as high Whereby they lwe : And though ihat all at once, As I could pick my lance. verbs; ? Men Nay, these are almost thoroughly persuaded; 1 Sen. Hence! To your homes, be gone. For though abundantly they lack discretiou, [To the Citizens. Mar. Yet are they passing cowardly. But, I beseech you, Nay, let them follow : What says the other troop ? The Volces have much corn: take these rats thither, Mar. They are dissolved: Hang 'em! To gnaw their garners :-Worshipful mutineers, They said, they were an-hungry; sigh'd forth pro- Your valour puts well forth; pray, follow. [Ersunt Senators, Com. Mar. Tit. and That, hunger broke stone walls; that, dogs must eat; Menen. Citizens steal away. That, meat was made for mouths; that, the gods Sic. Was ever man so proud as is this Marcius ? sent not Bru. He has no equal. Corn for the rich men only :-With these shreds Sic. When we were chosen tribunes for the reo They vented their complainings; which being an ple, swer'd, Bru. Mark'd you his lip, and eyes And a petition granted them, a strange one, Sic. Nay, but nis taunts. (To break the heart of generosity, (caps Bru. Being mov'd, he will not spare to gird the And make bold power look pale,) they threw their gods. As they would hang them on the horns o'the moon, Sic. Be-mock the modest moon. Shouting their emulation. Bru. The present wars devour him: he is growr. Men. What is granted them? Too proud to be so valiant. Mur. Five tribunes to defend their vulgar wis- Sic. Such a nature, doms, Tickled with good success, disdains the shadow Of their own choice : One's Junius Brutus, Which he treads on at noon: But I do wonder, Sicinius Velutus, and I know not—'Sdeath! His insolence can brook to be commanded Bru. Fame, at the which he aims,-- Better be held, nor more attain'd, than by A place below the first: for what miscarries Mar. Go, get you home, you fragments ! Shall be the general's fault, though he perform To the utmost of a man; and giddy censure Will then cry out of Marcius, 0, if he Had borne the business! Besides, if things well, Mess. The news is, sir, the Volces are in arms. Opinion, that so sticks on Marcius, shall Mar. I am glad on’t; then we shall have means of his demerits rob Cominius. to vent Bru. Come: Half all Cominius' honours are to Marcis, Our musty superfluity :-See, our best elders. Though Marcius earn'd them not; and all his faults Enter COMINIUS, Titus LARTIUS, and other Senators; To Marcius shall be honours, though, indeed, JUNIUS BRUTUS, and SICINIUS VELotus. In anght he merit uot. Sen. Marcius, 'tis true, that you have lately told Sic. Let's hence and hear How the despatch is made ; and in what fashion, The Voices are in arms. More than in singularity, he goes Mar. They have a leader, Upon his present action. Tullus Aufidius, that will put you to't. Bru. Let's along. (Ereunt. I sin in envying his nobility: And were I'any thing but what I am, SCENE II.-Corioli. The Senate-House. I would wish me only he. Enter Tullus Aufidius, and certain Senators. Com. You have fought together. Mar. Were half to half the world by the ears, 1 Sen. So, your opinion is, Aufidius, and he That they of Rome are enter'd in our counsels, Upon my party, I'd revolt, to make And know how we proceed. Only my wars with him: he is a lion Auf Is it not yours? That I am proud to hunt. What ever hath been thought on in this state, 1 Sen. Then, worthy Marcius, That could be brought to bodily act ere Rome Attend upon Cominius to these wars. Had circumvention? 'Tis not four days gone, Com. It is your former promise. Since I heard thence; these are the words: I think, Mar. Sir, it is; I have the letter here; yes, here it is : [Reads. And I am constant. -Titus Lartius, thou They have press'd a power, but it is not known Shalt see me once more strike at Tullus' face: Whether for east, or vest: The dearth is great ; What, art thou stiff ?-stand'st out ? The people mutinous : and it is rumour'd, No, Caius Marcius; Cominius, Marcius rur old enemy, And Titus Lartius, a most valiant Roman, 0, true bred! These three lead on this preparations 1 Sen. Your company to the Capitol ; where, Whither 'tis bert: most likely, 'tis for you : know, Consider of it. Our greatest friends attend us. 1 Sen. Our army's in the field : Tit. Lead you on : We never yet made doubt but Rome was ready Follow, Cominius; we must follow you; To answer DB Right worthy you priority, Au;? Nor did you think it folly, Com. Noble Lartius! To keep yr ar great pretences veilid, ill when us; They needs must show themselves; which in the Vir. His bloody brow! O Jupiter, no blood' hatching, Vol. Away, you fool! it more becomes a man, It seem'd, appear’d to Rome. By the discovery, Than gilt his trophy: The breasts of Hecuba. We shall be shorten'd in our aim; which was, When she did suckle Hector, look'd not lovelier To take in many towns, ere, alınost, Rome Than Hector's forehead, when it spit forth blood Should know we were afoot. At Grecian swords' contending.-rall Valeria, 2 Sen. Noble Aufidius, We are fit to bid her welcome. (Erit Gent. Take your commission : hie you to your bands: Vir. Heavens bless my lord from foll Aufidius ! Let us alone to guard Corioli: Vol. He'll beat Aufidius' head below his knee, If they set down before us, for the reinove And tread upon his neck. Bring up your army: but, I think, you'll find Re-enter Gentlewoman, with VALERIA and her They have not prepar'd for us. Usher. Aut. 0, doubt not that; Val. My ladies both, good day to you. I speak from certainties. Nay, more. Vol. Sweet madam,- Val. How do you both? you are manifest houseIf we and Caius Marcius chance to meet, keepers. What, are you sewing here? A fine spot, 'Tis sworn between us, we shall never strike in good faith.—How does your little son ? Till one can do no more. Vir. I thank your ladyship; well, good madam. AU. The gods assist you! Vol. He had rather see the swords, and hear a Auf. And keep your honours safe ! drum, than look upon his school-master. 1 Sen. Farewell. Val. O’ my word, the father's son: I'll swear, 'tis 2 Sen. Farewell. a very pretty boy. O'my troth, I looked upon him All. Farewell. (Ereunt. o' Wednesday half an hour together : he has such a confirined countenance. I saw him run after a SCENE III.-Rome. An Apartmen: in Marcius' gilded butterfly; and when he caught it, he let it go House. again; and after it again; and over and over he Enter Volumnia and VIRGILIA: They sit down on his fall enraged him, or how 'twas, he did so sct his comes, and up again; catched it again: or whether tuo low stools, and sew. teeth, and tear it; O, I warrant, how he mammocked Vol. I pray you, daughter, sing; or express your it! self in a more comfortable sort: If my son were my Vol. One of his father's moods. husband, I should freelier rejoice in that absence Val. Indeed la, 'tis a noble child. wherein he on honour, than in the embracements Vir. A crack, inadam. of his bed, where he would show most love. When Val. Come, lay aside your stitchery; I must have yet he was but tender-bodied, and the only son of you play the idle huswife with me this afternoon. iny womb; when youth with comeliness plucked all Vir. No, good madam; I will not out of doors. gaze hi. way; when, for a day of kings entreatics, Val. Not out of doors! a mother should not sell him an hour from her be- Vol. She shall, she shall. holding; 1,--considering how honour would become Vir. Indeed, no, by your patience: I will not such a person; that it was no better than picture like over the threshold, till my lord return from the wars. to hang by the wall, if renown made it not stir,- Val. Fye, you confine yourself most unreason. was pleased to let him seek danger where he was like ably; Come, you must go visit the good lady that. to find fame. To a cruel war I sent him; from lies in. whence he returned, his brows bound with oak. I Vir. I will wish her speedy strength, and visit her tell thee, daughter,-I sprang not more in joy at with my prayers; but I cannot go thither. first hearing he was a man-child, than now in first Vol. Why, I pray you ? seeing he had proved himself a man. Vir. 'Tis not to save labour, nor that I want love.. Vir. But had he died in the business, madam ? Val. You would be another Penelope: yet, they how then ? say, all the yarn she spun, in Ulysses' absence, did Vol. Then his good report should have been my but fill Ithaca full of moths. Come; I would, your son; I therein would have found issue. Hear me cambrick were sensible as your finger, that you profess sincerely:-Had I a dozen sons,-each in might leave pricking it for pity. Come, you shail my love alike, and none less dear than thine and my go with us. good Marcius, --I had rather had eleven die nobly Vir. No, good madam, pardon me; indeed, I will for their country, than one voluptuously surfeit out not forth. of action, Val. In truth, la, go with me; and I'll tell you excellent news of your husband. En.gr & Gentlewoman. Vir. O, good madam, there can be none yet. Gent. Madam, the lady Valeria is come to visit Val. Verily, I do not jest with you; there cam: you. news from him last night. Vir. 'Beseech you, give me leave to retire myself. Vir. Indeed, madam ? Vol. Indeed, you shall not. Val. In earnest, it's true; I heard a senator speak Methinks, I hear hither your husband's drum; it. Thus it is :- The Voices have an army forth; See him pluck down Aufidius by the bair; against whom Cominius the general is gone, with As children from a bear, the Volces shunning him: one part of our Roman power: your lord, and Titus Methinks I see him stamp thus, and call thus, Lartius, are set down before their city Corioli; they Come on, you cowards, you were got in fear, nothing doubt prevailing, and to make it brief wars. Though you were born in Rome : His óloody brow This is true, on mine honour; and so, I pray, go With his mail'd hand then wiping, forth he goes; with us. Like to a harvest-man, that's tas' to mow Vir. Give me excuse, good madam; I will obey Or all, or lose his hire. vou in every thing hereafter. |