Roman and Volscian Senators, Patricians, Ediles, 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 Citizen. Before we proceed any further, hear me speak. Citizens. Speak, speak. [Several speaking at once. 1 Citizen. You are all resolved rather to die, than to famish? Citizens. Resolved, resolved. 1 Citizen. First, you know, Caius Marcius is chief enemy to the people. Citizens. We know't, we know't. 1 Citizen. Let us kill him, and we'll have corn at our own price. Is't a verdict? Citizens. No more talking on't; let it be done: away, away. 2 Citizen. One word, good citizens. 1 Citizen. 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 an inventory to particularize their abundance; our sufferance is a gain to them. Let us revenge this with our pikes, ere 1 Rich. |