The Tragedy Of Coriolanus

1 Enter two Officers, to lay cushions, as it were in the Capitol.
2 FIRST OFFICER.
3 Come, come. They are almost here. How many stand for consulships?
4 SECOND OFFICER.
5 Three, they say; but ’tis thought of everyone Coriolanus will carry it.
6 FIRST OFFICER.
7 That’s a brave fellow, but he’s vengeance proud and loves not the
8 common people.
9 SECOND OFFICER.
10 ’Faith, there have been many great men that have flattered the people
11 who ne’er loved them; and there be many that they have loved they know
12 not wherefore; so that, if they love they know not why, they hate upon
13 no better a ground. Therefore, for Coriolanus neither to care whether
14 they love or hate him manifests the true knowledge he has in their
15 disposition and, out of his noble carelessness, lets them plainly
16 see’t.
17 FIRST OFFICER.
18 If he did not care whether he had their love or no, he waved
19 indifferently ’twixt doing them neither good nor harm; but he seeks
20 their hate with greater devotion than they can render it him and leaves
21 nothing undone that may fully discover him their opposite. Now, to seem
22 to affect the malice and displeasure of the people is as bad as that
23 which he dislikes, to flatter them for their love.
24 SECOND OFFICER.
25 He hath deserved worthily of his country, and his ascent is not by such
26 easy degrees as those who, having been supple and courteous to the
27 people, bonnetted, without any further deed to have them at all into
28 their estimation and report; but he hath so planted his honours in
29 their eyes and his actions in their hearts that for their tongues to be
30 silent and not confess so much were a kind of ingrateful injury. To
31 report otherwise were a malice that, giving itself the lie, would pluck
32 reproof and rebuke from every ear that heard it.
33 FIRST OFFICER.
34 No more of him; he’s a worthy man. Make way. They are coming.
35 A sennet. Enter the Patricians and the Tribunes of the people, Lictors
36 before them; Coriolanus, Menenius, Cominius the consul. The Patricians
37 sit. Sicinius and Brutus take their places by themselves. Coriolanus
38 stands.
39 MENENIUS.
40 Having determined of the Volsces and
41 To send for Titus Lartius, it remains,
42 As the main point of this our after-meeting,
43 To gratify his noble service that
44 Hath thus stood for his country. Therefore please you,
45 Most reverend and grave elders, to desire
46 The present consul and last general
47 In our well-found successes to report
48 A little of that worthy work performed
49 By Martius Caius Coriolanus, whom
50 We met here both to thank and to remember
51 With honours like himself.
52 [_Coriolanus sits._]
53 FIRST SENATOR.
54 Speak, good Cominius.
55 Leave nothing out for length, and make us think
56 Rather our state’s defective for requital,
57 Than we to stretch it out. Masters o’ th’ people,
58 We do request your kindest ears and, after,
59 Your loving motion toward the common body
60 To yield what passes here.
61 SICINIUS.
62 We are convented
63 Upon a pleasing treaty and have hearts
64 Inclinable to honour and advance
65 The theme of our assembly.
66 BRUTUS.
67 Which the rather
68 We shall be blest to do if he remember
69 A kinder value of the people than
70 He hath hereto prized them at.
71 MENENIUS.
72 That’s off, that’s off!
73 I would you rather had been silent. Please you
74 To hear Cominius speak?
75 BRUTUS.
76 Most willingly.
77 But yet my caution was more pertinent
78 Than the rebuke you give it.
79 MENENIUS.
80 He loves your people,
81 But tie him not to be their bedfellow.—
82 Worthy Cominius, speak.
83 [_Coriolanus rises, and offers to go away._]
84 Nay, keep your place.
85 FIRST SENATOR.
86 Sit, Coriolanus. Never shame to hear
87 What you have nobly done.
88 CORIOLANUS.
89 Your Honours, pardon.
90 I had rather have my wounds to heal again
91 Than hear say how I got them.
92 BRUTUS.
93 Sir, I hope
94 My words disbenched you not?
95 CORIOLANUS.
96 No, sir. Yet oft,
97 When blows have made me stay, I fled from words.
98 You soothed not, therefore hurt not; but your people,
99 I love them as they weigh.
100 MENENIUS.
101 Pray now, sit down.
102 CORIOLANUS.
103 I had rather have one scratch my head i’ th’ sun
104 When the alarum were struck than idly sit
105 To hear my nothings monstered.
106 [_Exit._]
107 MENENIUS.
108 Masters of the people,
109 Your multiplying spawn how can he flatter—
110 That’s thousand to one good one—when you now see
111 He had rather venture all his limbs for honour
112 Than one on’s ears to hear it?—Proceed, Cominius.
113 COMINIUS.
114 I shall lack voice. The deeds of Coriolanus
115 Should not be uttered feebly. It is held
116 That valour is the chiefest virtue and
117 Most dignifies the haver; if it be,
118 The man I speak of cannot in the world
119 Be singly counterpoised. At sixteen years,
120 When Tarquin made a head for Rome, he fought
121 Beyond the mark of others. Our then dictator,
122 Whom with all praise I point at, saw him fight
123 When with his Amazonian chin he drove
124 The bristled lips before him. He bestrid
125 An o’erpressed Roman and i’ th’ Consul’s view
126 Slew three opposers. Tarquin’s self he met
127 And struck him on his knee. In that day’s feats,
128 When he might act the woman in the scene,
129 He proved best man i’ th’ field and for his meed
130 Was brow-bound with the oak. His pupil age
131 Man-entered thus, he waxed like a sea,
132 And in the brunt of seventeen battles since
133 He lurched all swords of the garland. For this last,
134 Before and in Corioles, let me say,
135 I cannot speak him home. He stopped the flyers
136 And by his rare example made the coward
137 Turn terror into sport. As weeds before
138 A vessel under sail, so men obeyed
139 And fell below his stem. His sword, Death’s stamp,
140 Where it did mark, it took; from face to foot
141 He was a thing of blood, whose every motion
142 Was timed with dying cries. Alone he entered
143 The mortal gate o’ th’ city, which he painted
144 With shunless destiny; aidless came off
145 And with a sudden reinforcement struck
146 Corioles like a planet. Now all’s his,
147 When by and by the din of war gan pierce
148 His ready sense; then straight his doubled spirit
149 Requickened what in flesh was fatigate,
150 And to the battle came he, where he did
151 Run reeking o’er the lives of men as if
152 ’Twere a perpetual spoil; and till we called
153 Both field and city ours, he never stood
154 To ease his breast with panting.
155 MENENIUS.
156 Worthy man!
157 FIRST SENATOR.
158 He cannot but with measure fit the honours
159 Which we devise him.
160 COMINIUS.
161 Our spoils he kicked at;
162 And looked upon things precious as they were
163 The common muck of the world. He covets less
164 Than misery itself would give, rewards
165 His deeds with doing them, and is content
166 To spend the time to end it.
167 MENENIUS.
168 He’s right noble.
169 Let him be called for.
170 FIRST SENATOR.
171 Call Coriolanus.
172 OFFICER.
173 He doth appear.
174 Enter Coriolanus.
175 MENENIUS.
176 The Senate, Coriolanus, are well pleased
177 To make thee consul.
178 CORIOLANUS.
179 I do owe them still
180 My life and services.
181 MENENIUS.
182 It then remains
183 That you do speak to the people.
184 CORIOLANUS.
185 I do beseech you
186 Let me o’erleap that custom, for I cannot
187 Put on the gown, stand naked, and entreat them
188 For my wounds’ sake to give their suffrage. Please you
189 That I may pass this doing.
190 SICINIUS.
191 Sir, the people
192 Must have their voices; neither will they bate
193 One jot of ceremony.
194 MENENIUS.
195 Put them not to’t.
196 Pray you, go fit you to the custom, and
197 Take to you, as your predecessors have,
198 Your honour with your form.
199 CORIOLANUS.
200 It is a part
201 That I shall blush in acting, and might well
202 Be taken from the people.
203 BRUTUS.
204 Mark you that?
205 CORIOLANUS.
206 To brag unto them, “thus I did, and thus!”
207 Show them th’ unaching scars which I should hide,
208 As if I had received them for the hire
209 Of their breath only!
210 MENENIUS.
211 Do not stand upon’t.—
212 We recommend to you, tribunes of the people,
213 Our purpose to them, and to our noble consul
214 Wish we all joy and honour.
215 SENATORS.
216 To Coriolanus come all joy and honour!
217 [_Flourish cornets. Exeunt all but Sicinius and Brutus._]
218 BRUTUS.
219 You see how he intends to use the people.
220 SICINIUS.
221 May they perceive’s intent! He will require them
222 As if he did contemn what he requested
223 Should be in them to give.
224 BRUTUS.
225 Come, we’ll inform them
226 Of our proceedings here. On th’ marketplace
227 I know they do attend us.
228 [_Exeunt._]