The Tragedy Of Coriolanus

1 Enter Tullus Aufidius with Attendants.
2 AUFIDIUS.
3 Go tell the lords o’ th’ city I am here.
4 Deliver them this paper.
5 [_He gives them a paper_.]
6 Having read it,
7 Bid them repair to th’ marketplace, where I,
8 Even in theirs and in the commons’ ears,
9 Will vouch the truth of it. Him I accuse
10 The city ports by this hath entered and
11 Intends t’ appear before the people, hoping
12 To purge himself with words. Dispatch.
13 [_Exeunt Attendants._]
14 Enter three or four Conspirators of Aufidius’s faction.
15 Most welcome!
16 FIRST CONSPIRATOR.
17 How is it with our general?
18 AUFIDIUS.
19 Even so
20 As with a man by his own alms empoisoned
21 And with his charity slain.
22 SECOND CONSPIRATOR.
23 Most noble sir,
24 If you do hold the same intent wherein
25 You wished us parties, we’ll deliver you
26 Of your great danger.
27 AUFIDIUS.
28 Sir, I cannot tell.
29 We must proceed as we do find the people.
30 THIRD CONSPIRATOR.
31 The people will remain uncertain whilst
32 ’Twixt you there’s difference, but the fall of either
33 Makes the survivor heir of all.
34 AUFIDIUS.
35 I know it,
36 And my pretext to strike at him admits
37 A good construction. I raised him, and I pawned
38 Mine honour for his truth, who being so heightened,
39 He watered his new plants with dews of flattery,
40 Seducing so my friends; and to this end,
41 He bowed his nature, never known before
42 But to be rough, unswayable, and free.
43 THIRD CONSPIRATOR.
44 Sir, his stoutness
45 When he did stand for consul, which he lost
46 By lack of stooping—
47 AUFIDIUS.
48 That I would have spoke of.
49 Being banished for’t, he came unto my hearth,
50 Presented to my knife his throat. I took him,
51 Made him joint servant with me, gave him way
52 In all his own desires; nay, let him choose
53 Out of my files, his projects to accomplish,
54 My best and freshest men; served his designments
55 In mine own person; holp to reap the fame
56 Which he did end all his; and took some pride
57 To do myself this wrong; till at the last
58 I seemed his follower, not partner; and
59 He waged me with his countenance as if
60 I had been mercenary.
61 FIRST CONSPIRATOR.
62 So he did, my lord.
63 The army marvelled at it, and, in the last,
64 When he had carried Rome and that we looked
65 For no less spoil than glory—
66 AUFIDIUS.
67 There was it
68 For which my sinews shall be stretched upon him.
69 At a few drops of women’s rheum, which are
70 As cheap as lies, he sold the blood and labour
71 Of our great action. Therefore shall he die,
72 And I’ll renew me in his fall. But, hark!
73 [_Drums and trumpets sound, with great shouts of the people._]
74 FIRST CONSPIRATOR.
75 Your native town you entered like a post
76 And had no welcomes home, but he returns
77 Splitting the air with noise.
78 SECOND CONSPIRATOR.
79 And patient fools,
80 Whose children he hath slain, their base throats tear
81 With giving him glory.
82 THIRD CONSPIRATOR.
83 Therefore at your vantage,
84 Ere he express himself or move the people
85 With what he would say, let him feel your sword,
86 Which we will second. When he lies along,
87 After your way his tale pronounced shall bury
88 His reasons with his body.
89 AUFIDIUS.
90 Say no more.
91 Here come the lords.
92 Enter the Lords of the city.
93 ALL LORDS.
94 You are most welcome home.
95 AUFIDIUS.
96 I have not deserved it.
97 But, worthy lords, have you with heed perused
98 What I have written to you?
99 ALL LORDS.
100 We have.
101 FIRST LORD.
102 And grieve to hear’t.
103 What faults he made before the last, I think
104 Might have found easy fines, but there to end
105 Where he was to begin and give away
106 The benefit of our levies, answering us
107 With our own charge, making a treaty where
108 There was a yielding—this admits no excuse.
109 Enter Coriolanus marching with Drum and Colours, the Commoners being
110 with him.
111 AUFIDIUS.
112 He approaches. You shall hear him.
113 CORIOLANUS.
114 Hail, lords! I am returned your soldier,
115 No more infected with my country’s love
116 Than when I parted hence, but still subsisting
117 Under your great command. You are to know
118 That prosperously I have attempted, and
119 With bloody passage led your wars even to
120 The gates of Rome. Our spoils we have brought home
121 Doth more than counterpoise a full third part
122 The charges of the action. We have made peace
123 With no less honour to the Antiates
124 Than shame to th’ Romans, and we here deliver,
125 Subscribed by th’ Consuls and patricians,
126 Together with the seal o’ th’ Senate, what
127 We have compounded on.
128 [_He offers the lords a paper._]
129 AUFIDIUS.
130 Read it not, noble lords,
131 But tell the traitor in the highest degree
132 He hath abused your powers.
133 CORIOLANUS.
134 “Traitor?” How now?
135 AUFIDIUS.
136 Ay, traitor, Martius.
137 CORIOLANUS.
138 Martius?
139 AUFIDIUS.
140 Ay, Martius, Caius Martius. Dost thou think
141 I’ll grace thee with that robbery, thy stol’n name
142 Coriolanus, in Corioles?
143 You lords and heads o’ th’ state, perfidiously
144 He has betrayed your business and given up
145 For certain drops of salt your city Rome—
146 I say your city—to his wife and mother,
147 Breaking his oath and resolution like
148 A twist of rotten silk, never admitting
149 Counsel o’ th’ war, but at his nurse’s tears
150 He whined and roared away your victory,
151 That pages blushed at him and men of heart
152 Looked wond’ring each at other.
153 CORIOLANUS.
154 Hear’st thou, Mars?
155 AUFIDIUS.
156 Name not the god, thou boy of tears.
157 CORIOLANUS.
158 Ha?
159 AUFIDIUS.
160 No more.
161 CORIOLANUS.
162 Measureless liar, thou hast made my heart
163 Too great for what contains it. “Boy”? O slave!—
164 Pardon me, lords, ’tis the first time that ever
165 I was forced to scold. Your judgments, my grave lords,
166 Must give this cur the lie; and his own notion—
167 Who wears my stripes impressed upon him, that
168 Must bear my beating to his grave—shall join
169 To thrust the lie unto him.
170 FIRST LORD.
171 Peace, both, and hear me speak.
172 CORIOLANUS.
173 Cut me to pieces, Volsces. Men and lads,
174 Stain all your edges on me. “Boy”? False hound!
175 If you have writ your annals true, ’tis there,
176 That like an eagle in a dovecote, I
177 Fluttered your Volscians in Corioles,
178 Alone I did it. “Boy”!
179 AUFIDIUS.
180 Why, noble lords,
181 Will you be put in mind of his blind fortune,
182 Which was your shame, by this unholy braggart,
183 ’Fore your own eyes and ears?
184 ALL CONSPIRATORS.
185 Let him die for’t.
186 ALL PEOPLE
187 Tear him to pieces! Do it presently! He killed my son! My daughter! He
188 killed my cousin Marcus! He killed my father!
189 SECOND LORD.
190 Peace, ho! No outrage! Peace!
191 The man is noble, and his fame folds in
192 This orb o’ th’ Earth. His last offences to us
193 Shall have judicious hearing. Stand, Aufidius,
194 And trouble not the peace.
195 CORIOLANUS.
196 O that I had him,
197 With six Aufidiuses, or more, his tribe,
198 To use my lawful sword.
199 AUFIDIUS.
200 Insolent villain!
201 ALL CONSPIRATORS.
202 Kill, kill, kill, kill, kill him!
203 [_Draw the Conspirators, and kills Martius, who falls. Aufidius stands
204 on him._]
205 LORDS.
206 Hold, hold, hold, hold!
207 AUFIDIUS.
208 My noble masters, hear me speak.
209 FIRST LORD.
210 O Tullus!
211 SECOND LORD.
212 Thou hast done a deed whereat valour will weep.
213 THIRD LORD.
214 Tread not upon him.—Masters, all be quiet.—
215 Put up your swords.
216 AUFIDIUS.
217 My lords, when you shall know—as in this rage,
218 Provoked by him, you cannot—the great danger
219 Which this man’s life did owe you, you’ll rejoice
220 That he is thus cut off. Please it your Honours
221 To call me to your senate, I’ll deliver
222 Myself your loyal servant, or endure
223 Your heaviest censure.
224 FIRST LORD.
225 Bear from hence his body,
226 And mourn you for him. Let him be regarded
227 As the most noble corse that ever herald
228 Did follow to his urn.
229 SECOND LORD.
230 His own impatience
231 Takes from Aufidius a great part of blame.
232 Let’s make the best of it.
233 AUFIDIUS.
234 My rage is gone,
235 And I am struck with sorrow.—Take him up.
236 Help, three o’ th’ chiefest soldiers; I’ll be one.—
237 Beat thou the drum that it speak mournfully.—
238 Trail your steel pikes. Though in this city he
239 Hath widowed and unchilded many a one,
240 Which to this hour bewail the injury,
241 Yet he shall have a noble memory.
242 Assist.
243 [_Exeunt, bearing the body of Martius. A dead march sounded._]