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
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?
LARTIUS
On safeguard 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.
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
Be called 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.
CORIOLANUS
Behold, these are the tribunes of the people,
The tongues o’ th’ common mouth. I do despise them,
For they do prank them in authority
Against all noble sufferance.
SICINIUS
Pass no further.
CORIOLANUS
Ha? What is that?
BRUTUS
It will be dangerous to go on. No further.
CORIOLANUS
What makes this change?
MENENIUS
The matter?
COMINIUS
he not passed the noble and the common?
BRUTUS
Cominius, no.
CORIOLANUS
Have I had children’s voices?
FIRST SENATOR
Tribunes, give way. He shall to the marketplace.
BRUTUS
The people are incensed against him.
SICINIUS
Stop,
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?
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.
Suffer’t, and live with such as cannot rule
Nor ever will be ruled.
BRUTUS
Call’t not a plot.
The people cry you mocked them; and, of late,
When corn was given them gratis, you repined,
Scandaled the suppliants for the people, called them
Timepleasers, flatterers, foes to nobleness.
CORIOLANUS
Why, this was known before.
BRUTUS
Not to them all.
CORIOLANUS
Have you informed them sithence?
BRUTUS
How? I inform them?
COMINIUS
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,
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,
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 palt’ring
Becomes not Rome, nor has Coriolanus
Deserved this so dishonoured rub, laid falsely
I’ th’ plain way of his merit.
CORIOLANUS
Tell me of corn?
This was my speech, and I will speak’t again.
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
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 ploughed for, sowed, and scattered
By mingling them with us, the honoured number,
Who lack not virtue, no, nor power, but that
Which they have given to beggars.
MENENIUS
Well, no more.
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
Which we disdain should tetter us, yet sought
The very way to catch them.
BRUTUS
You speak o’ th’ people
As if you were a god to punish, not
A man of their infirmity.
SICINIUS
’Twere well
We let the people know’t.
MENENIUS
What, what? His choler?
CORIOLANUS
Choler?
Were I as patient as the midnight sleep,
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”?
Hear you this Triton of the minnows? Mark you
His absolute “shall”?
COMINIUS
from the canon.
CORIOLANUS
“Shall”?
O good but most unwise patricians, why,
You grave but reckless senators, have you thus
Given Hydra leave to choose an officer,
That with his peremptory “shall,” being but
The horn and noise o’ th’ monster’s, wants not spirit
To say he’ll turn your current in a ditch
And make your channel his? If he have power,
Then vail your ignorance; if none, awake
Your dangerous lenity. If you are learned,
Be not as common fools; if you are not,
Let them have cushions by you. You are plebeians,
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
Than ever frowned 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
The one by th’ other.
COMINIUS
Well, on to th’ marketplace.
CORIOLANUS
Whoever gave that counsel to give forth
The corn o’ th’ storehouse gratis, as used
Sometime in Greece—
MENENIUS
Well, well, no more of that.
CORIOLANUS
Though there the people had more absolute power,
I say they nourished disobedience, fed
The ruin of the state.
BRUTUS
Why shall the people give
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
They did service for’t. Being pressed to th’ war,
Even when the navel of the state was touched,
They would not thread the gates. This kind of service
Did not deserve corn gratis. Being i’ th’ war,
Their mutinies and revolts, wherein they showed
Most valour, spoke not for them. Th’ accusation
Which they have often made against the Senate,
All cause unborn, could never be the native
Of our so frank donation. Well, what then?
How shall this bosom multitude digest
The senate’s courtesy? Let deeds express
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
Break ope the locks o’ th’ Senate and bring in
The crows to peck the eagles.
MENENIUS
Come, enough.
BRUTUS
Enough, with over-measure.
CORIOLANUS
No, take more!
What may be sworn by, both divine and human,
Seal what I end ! 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
Of general ignorance—it must omit
Real necessities and give way the while
To unstable slightness. Purpose so barred, it follows
Nothing is done to purpose. Therefore, beseech you—
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
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,
Not having the power to do the good it would
For th’ ill which control’t.
BRUTUS
’Has said enough.
SICINIUS
’Has spoken like a traitor, and shall answer
As traitors do.
CORIOLANUS
wretch, despite o’erwhelm !
What should the people do with these bald tribunes,
On whom depending, their obedience fails
To th’ greater bench. In a rebellion,
When what’s not meet but what must be was law,
Then were they chosen. In a better hour,
Let what is meet be said it must be meet,
And throw their power i’ th’ dust.
BRUTUS
Manifest treason.
SICINIUS
This a consul? No.
BRUTUS
The aediles, ho! Let him be apprehended.
SICINIUS
Go call the people;
SICINIUS
in whose name myself
Attach as a traitorous innovator,
A foe to th’ public weal. Obey, I charge ,
And follow to answer.
CORIOLANUS
, old goat.
ALL PATRICIANS
We’ll surety him.
COMINIUS
Aged sir, hands off.
CORIOLANUS
, rotten thing, or I shall shake bones
Out of garments.
SICINIUS
Help, citizens!
MENENIUS
On both sides more respect!
SICINIUS
Here’s he that would take from you all your power.
BRUTUS
Seize him, aediles.
ALL PLEBEIANS
Down with him, down with him!
SECOND SENATOR
Weapons, weapons, weapons!
SECOND SENATOR
Tribunes, patricians, citizens, what, ho!
Sicinius, Brutus, Coriolanus, citizens!
ALL
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 th’ people!—Coriolanus, patience!—
Speak, good Sicinius.
SICINIUS
Hear me, people! Peace!
ALL PLEBEIANS
Let’s hear our tribune. Peace! Speak, speak, speak.
SICINIUS
You are at point to lose your liberties.
Martius would have all from you, Martius,
Whom late you have named for consul.
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?
ALL PLEBEIANS
True,
The people are the city.
BRUTUS
By the consent of all, we were established
The people’s magistrates.
ALL PLEBEIANS
You so remain.
MENENIUS
And so are like to do.
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.
BRUTUS
Or let us stand to our authority
Or let us lose it. We do here pronounce,
Upon the part o’ th’ people, in whose power
We were elected theirs, Martius is worthy
Of present death.
SICINIUS
Therefore lay hold of him,
Bear him to th’ rock Tarpeian, and from
Into destruction cast him.
BRUTUS
Aediles, seize him!
ALL PLEBEIANS
Yield, Martius, yield!
MENENIUS
Hear me one word.
Beseech you, tribunes, hear me but a word.
AEDILES
Peace, peace!
MENENIUS
Be that you seem, truly your country’s friend,
And temp’rately 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,
And bear him to the rock.
CORIOLANUS
No; I’ll die here.
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.
BRUTUS
Lay hands upon him!
MENENIUS
Help Martius, help!
You that be noble, help him, young and old!
ALL PLEBEIANS
Down with him, down with him!
MENENIUS
Go, get you to your house. Begone, away.
All will be else.
SECOND SENATOR
Get you gone.
CORIOLANUS
Stand fast!
We have as many friends as enemies.
MENENIUS
Shall it be put to that?
FIRST SENATOR
The gods forbid!
I , noble friend, home to house;
Leave us to cure this cause.
MENENIUS
For a sore upon us
You cannot tent yourself. Begone, beseech you.
COMINIUS
Come, sir, along with us.
CORIOLANUS
I would they were barbarians, as they are,
Though in Rome littered, not Romans, as they are not,
Though calved i’ th’ porch o’ th’ Capitol.
MENENIUS
Begone!
Put not your worthy rage into your tongue.
One time will owe another.
CORIOLANUS
On fair ground
I could beat forty of them.
MENENIUS
I could myself
Take up a brace o’ th’ best of them, yea, the two tribunes.
COMINIUS
But now odds beyond arithmetic,
And manhood is called foolery when it stands
Against a falling fabric. Will you ,
Before the tag return, whose rage rend
Like interrupted waters, and o’erbear
What they are used to bear?
MENENIUS
Pray you, begone.
I’ll try whether my old wit be in request
With those that have but little. This must be patched
With cloth of any colour.
COMINIUS
Nay, come away.
PATRICIAN
This man has marred his fortune.
MENENIUS
His nature is too noble for the world.
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.
MENENIUS
Here’s goodly work.
PATRICIAN
I would they were abed!
MENENIUS
I would they were in Tiber! What the vengeance,
Could he not speak ’em fair?
SICINIUS
Where is this viper
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 resisted law,
And therefore law shall scorn him further trial
Than the severity of the public power
Which he so sets at .
FIRST CITIZEN
He shall well know
The noble tribunes are the people’s mouths,
And we their hands.
ALL PLEBEIANS
He shall, sure on’t.
MENENIUS
Sir, sir—
SICINIUS
Peace!
MENENIUS
Do not cry havoc where you should but hunt
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,
So can I name his faults.
SICINIUS
Consul? What consul?
MENENIUS
The consul Coriolanus.
BRUTUS
He consul?
ALL PLEBEIANS
No, no, no, no, no!
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,
For we are peremptory to dispatch
This viperous traitor. To eject him
Were but one danger, and to keep him here
Our certain death. Therefore it is decreed
He dies tonight.
MENENIUS
Now the good gods forbid
That our renowned Rome, whose gratitude
Towards her deserved children is enrolled
In Jove’s own book, like an unnatural dam
Should now eat up her own.
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 lost—
Which I dare vouch is more than that he
By many an ounce—he dropt 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 th’ end o’ th’ world.
SICINIUS
This is clean cam.
BRUTUS
Merely awry. When he did love his country,
It honoured him.
MENENIUS
The service of the foot,
Being once gangrened, is not then respected
For what before it was.
BRUTUS
We’ll hear no more.
Pursue him to his house, and pluck him ,
Lest his infection, being of catching nature,
Spread further.
MENENIUS
One word more, one word!
This tiger-footed rage, when it shall find
The harm of unscanned swiftness, will too late,
Tie leaden pounds to’s heels. Proceed by process,
Lest parties—as he is beloved—break out
And sack great Rome with Romans.
BRUTUS
If it were so—
SICINIUS
What do talk?
Have we not had a taste of his obedience?
Our aediles smote! Ourselves resisted? Come.
MENENIUS
Consider this: he has been bred i’ th’ wars
Since he could draw a sword, and is ill schooled
In bolted language; meal and bran together
He throws without distinction. Give me leave,
I’ll go to him and undertake to bring him
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
Unknown to the beginning.
SICINIUS
Noble Menenius,
Be you then as the people’s officer.—
Masters, lay down your weapons.
BRUTUS
Go not home.
SICINIUS
Meet on the marketplace. We’ll attend you there,
Where if you bring not Martius, we’ll proceed
In our first way.
MENENIUS
I’ll bring him to you.
Let me desire your company. He must come,
Or what is worst will follow.
FIRST SENATOR
Pray you, let’s to him.