From niggard nature fall, yet rich conceit And I will use the olive with my sword: Coriolanus. Persons Represented. CAIUS MARCIUS CORIOLANUS, a noble Roman. COMINIUS, Generals against the Volcians, MENENIUS AGRIPPA, Friend to Coriolanus. Young MARCIUS, Son to Coriolanus. A Roman Herald. TULLUS AUFIDIUS, General of the Volcians. Conspirators with Aufidius. A Citizen of Antium. VOLUMNIA, Mother to Coriolanus. [Exeunt. Roman and Volcian Senators, Patricians, Ediles, Lictors, Soldiers, Citizens, Messengers, Servants to Aufidius, and other Attendants. SCENE-partly in Rome; and partly in the Territories of the Volcians and Antiates. Art First. SCENE I. Rome. A Street. Enter a Company of mutinous Citizens, with Staves, 1 Cit. BEFORE we proceed any further, hear Cit. Speak, speak. [Several speaking at once. 1 Cit. You are all resolved rather to die, than Cit. Resolved, resolved. [to famish? 1 Cit. First you know, Caius Marcius is chief enemy to the people. Cit. We know't, we know't. 1 Cit. Let us kill him, and we'll have corn at our own price. Is't a verdict? [away, away. Cit. No more talking on't; let it be done 2 Cit. One word, good citizens. : 1 Cit. Our business is not unknown to the se1 Cit. We are accounted poor citizens; the nate; they have had inkling, this fortnight, patricians, good; What authority surfeits on, what we intend to do, which now we'll show would relieve us; if they would yield us but 'em in deeds. They say, poor suitors have strong the superfluity, while it were wholesome, we breaths; they shall know, we have strong arms might guess, they relieved us humanely; but too. [honest neighbours, they think, we are too dear: the leanness that Men. Why, masters, my good friends, mine afflicts us, the object of our misery, is as an Will you undo yourselves? inventory to particularize their abundance: our sufferance is a gain to them.-Let us revenge this with our pikes, ere we become rakes: for the gods know, I speak this in hunger for bread, not in thirst for revenge. 2 Cit Would you proceed especially against Caius Marcius? [commonalty. Cit. Against him first; he's a very dog to the 2 Cit. Consider you what services he has done for his country? 1 Cit. Very well; and could be content to give him good report for't, but that he pays himself with being proud. 2 Cit. Nay, but speak not maliciously. 1 Cit. I say unto you, what he hath done famously, he did it to that end: though soft conscienc'd men can be content to say, it was for his country, he did it to please his mother, and to be partly proud; which he is, even to the altitude of his virtue. 2 Cit. What he cannot help in his nature, you account a vice in him: You must in no way say, he is covetous. 1 Cit. We cannot, sir, we are undone already Men. I tell you, friends, most charitable care Have the patricians of you. For your wants, Your suffering in this dearth, you may as well Strike at the heaven with your staves, as lift them Against the Roman state; whose course will on 1 Cit. Care for us!-True indeed!-They ne'er cared for us yet. Suffer us to famish, and their store-houses crammed with grain: make edicts for usury, to support usurers: repeal daily any wholesome act established against the rich: and provide more piercing statutes daily to chain up and restrain the poor. If the wars cat us not up, they will; and there's all the love Their counsels, and their cares; digest things they bear us. Men. Either you must Confess yourselves wondrous malicious, 1 Cit. Well, I'll hear it, sir: yet you must not I' the midst o' the body, idle and inactive, Did see, and hear, devise, instruct, walk, feel, 1 Cit. Well sir, what answer made the belly? Which ne'er came from the lungs, but even thus 1 Cit. eye, The counsellor heart, the arm our soldier, Should by the cormorant belly be restrain'd, 1 Cit. rightly, [find, Touching the weal of the common; you shall No public benefit which you receive, But it proceeds, or comes, from them to you, And no way from yourselves.-What do you You the great toe of this assembly? [think? 1 Cit. I the great toe? Why the great toe? Of this most wise rebellion, thon go'st foremost: But make you ready your stiff bats and clubs; Enter CAIUS MARCIUS. Mar. Thanks.-What's the matter, you dis- That rubbing the poor itch of your opinion, 1 Cit. The other makes you proud. He that trusts you, With every minute you do change a mind; That in these several places of the city Men. For corn at their own rates: whereof, Mar. and give out That meat was made for mouths; that the gods sent not Corn for the rich men only:-With these shreds They vented their complainings; which being answer'd, And a petition granted them, a strange one Of their own choice: One's Junius Brutus, Men. This is strange. Mar. Go, get you home, you fragments! Enter a Messenger. Mess. Where's Caius Marcius? Our musty superfluity :-See, our best elders. Com. Then, worthy Marcius, Attend upon Cominius to these wars. Com. It is your former promise. Mar. Bru. Being mov'd, he will not spare to gird Sic. Be-mock the modest moon. [the gods. Bru. The present wars devour him: he is grown Too proud to be so valiant. Such a nature, Sic. Tickled with good success, disdains the shadow Which he treads on at noon: But I do wonder, His insolence can brook to be commanded Under Cominius. Bru. Fame, at the which he aims,In whom already he is well grac'd,-cannot Better be held, nor more attain'd, than by A place below the first: for what miscarries Shall be the general's fault, though he perform To the utmost of a man; and giddy censure Will then cry out of Marcius, O, if he Had borne the business! Sic. Besides, if things go well, Opinion, that so sticks on Marcius, shall Of his demerits rob Cominius. Bru. Come: Half all Cominius' honours are to Marcius, Though Marcius earn'd them not; and all his faults Is it not yours? What ever hath been thought on in this state, That could be brought to bodily act ere Rome Had circumvention! "Tis not four days gone, Since I heard thence; these are the words: I think, I have the letter here; yes, here it is: [Reads. They have prest a power, but it is not known Whether for east, or west: The dearth is great; The people mutinous: and it is rumour'd, Sir, it is; Cominius, Marcius, your old enemy, And I am constant.-Titus Lartius, thou (Who is of Rome worse hated than of you), Shalt see me once more strike at Tullus' face:And Titus Lartius, a most valiant Roman, What, art thou stiff? stand'st out? These three lead on this preparation Whither 'tis bent; most likely 'tis for you: Consider of it. Men. Tit. No, Caius Marcius: I'll lean upon one crutch, and fight with the Ere stay behind this business. [other, O, true bred! 1 Sen. Your company to the Capitol; where Our greatest friends attend us. [I know, Tit. Lead you on: Follow, Cominius; we must follow you; Right worthy you priority. Com. Noble Lartius! 1 Sen. Hence! To your homes be gone. [To the Citizens. Mar. Nay, let them follow: The Volces have much corn; take these rats thither, Tognaw their garners:-Worshipful mutineers, 1 Sen. Our army's in the field: We never yet made doubt but Rome was ready To answer us. Auf. Nor did you think it folly, To keep your great pretences veil'd, till when They needs must show themselves; which in the hatching, It seem'd, appear'd to Rome. By the discovery, We shall be shorten'd in our aim; which was, To take in many towns, ere, almost, Rome Should know we were afoot, 2 Sen. If they sit down before us, for the remove O, doubt not that; BR |