William Shakespeare: The Complete Works 2nd Edition (502 page)
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Authors: William Shakespeare
Tags: #Drama, #Literary Criticism, #Shakespeare
BOOK: William Shakespeare: The Complete Works 2nd Edition
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BRUTUS
How, I inform them?
⌈CORIOLANUS⌉
You are like to do such business.
BRUTUS Not unlike
Each way to better yours.
CORIOLANUS
Why then should I be consul? By yon clouds,
Let me deserve so ill as you, and make me
Your fellow tribune.
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 enquire 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.
To where you are bound, you must enquire 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.
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 meinie,
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.
For the mutable rank-scented meinie,
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.
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.
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.
By Jove, ’twould be my mind.
SICINIUS It is a mind
That shall remain a poison where it is,
Not poison any further.
Not poison any further.
CORIOLANUS ‘Shall remain’?
Hear you this Triton of the minnows? Mark you
His absolute ‘shall’?
His absolute ‘shall’?
COMINIUS
’Twas from the canon.
CORIOLANUS ‘Shall’?
O good but most unwise patricians, why,
You grave but reckless senators, have you thus
Given Hydra here 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 impotence; 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, no
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.
You grave but reckless senators, have you thus
Given Hydra here 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 impotence; 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, no
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’ market-place.
CORIOLANUS
Whoever gave that counsel to give forth
The corn o‘th’ storehouse gratis, as ’twas used
Sometime in Greece—
The corn o‘th’ storehouse gratis, as ’twas 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.
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 ne‘er 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 multiplied 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.
Was not our recompense, resting well assured
They ne‘er 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 multiplied 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 withal! 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 judgement, 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 doth control’t.
Seal what I end withal! 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 judgement, 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 doth control’t.
BRUTUS
He’s said enough.
SICINIUS
He’s spoken like a traitor, and shall answer
As traitors do.
As traitors do.
CORIOLANUS
Thou wretch, despite o’erwhelm thee!
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.
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, hot
Enter an AedileLet him be apprehended.
SICINIUS
Go call the people,
⌈
Exit Aedile
Exit Aedile
(To Coriolanus) in whose name myself
Attach thee as a traitorous innovator,
A foe to th’ public weal. Obey, I charge thee,
And follow to thine answer.
Attach thee as a traitorous innovator,
A foe to th’ public weal. Obey, I charge thee,
And follow to thine answer.
CORIOLANUS
Hence, old goat!
ALL ⌈THE PATRICIANS⌉
We’ll surety him.
COMINIUS (
to Sicinius)
Aged sir, hands off.
to Sicinius)
Aged sir, hands off.
CORIOLANUS
(to Sicinius)
(to Sicinius)
Hence, rotten thing, or I shall shake thy bones
Out of thy garments.
Out of thy garments.
SICINIUS
Help, ye citizens!
Enter a rabble of Plebeians, with the Aediles
MENENIUS
On both sides more respect.
SICINIUS
Here’s he
That would take from you all your power.
BRUTUS
Seize him, aediles.
ALL ⌈THE CITIZENS⌉
Down with him, down with him!
SECOND SENATOR
Weapons, weapons, weapons!
They all bustle about Coriolanus
⌈CITIZENS
and
PATRICIANS⌉ ⌈
in dispersed cries
⌉
and
PATRICIANS⌉ ⌈
in dispersed cries
⌉
Tribunes! Patricians! Citizens! What ho!
Siciniusl Brutus! Coriolanusl Citizens!
Siciniusl Brutus! Coriolanusl Citizens!
⌈SOME CITIZENS
and
PATRICIANS⌉
and
PATRICIANS⌉
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.
Confusion’s near; I cannot speak. You tribunes
To th’ people, Coriolanus, patience!
Speak, good Sicinius.
SICINIUS
Hear me, people, peace.
ALL ⌈THE CITIZENS⌉
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.
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 ⌈THE CITIZENS⌉
True,
The people are the city.
BRUTUS
By the consent of all
We were established the people’s magistrates.
ALL ⌈THE CITIZENS⌉
You so remain.
MENENIUS
And so are like to do.
⌈CORIOLANUS⌉
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.
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.
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 thence
Into destruction cast him.
Into destruction cast him.
BRUTUS
Aediles, seize him.
ALL THE CITIZENS
Yield, Martius, yield.
MENENIUS
Hear me one word.
Beseech you, tribunes, hear me but a word.
AEDILES Peace, peace!
MENENIUS (to the tribunes)
Be that you seem, truly your country’s friend,
And temp’rately proceed to what you would
Thus violently redress.
And temp’rately proceed to what you would
Thus violently redress.
BRUTUS
Sir, those cold ways
That seem like prudent helps are very poisons
Where the disease is violent. Lay hands upon him,
And bear him to the rock.
Where the disease is violent. Lay hands upon him,
And bear him to the rock.
Coriolanus draws his sword
CORIOLANUS
No, I’ll die here.
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