The Works of William Shakespeare [Cambridge Edition] [Vol. 6 of 9]

Men. See you yond coign o' the Capitol, yond
cornerstone?

Sic. Why, what of that?

Men. If it be possible for you to displace it with your
little finger, there is some hope the ladies of Rome, especially 5
his mother, may prevail with him. But I say there
is no hope in 't: our throats are sentenced, and stay upon
execution.

Sic. Is't possible that so short a time can alter the
condition of a man? 10

Men. There is differency between a grub and a butterfly;[3842]
yet your butterfly was a grub. This Marcius is grown
from man to dragon: he has wings; he's more than a
creeping thing.

Sic. He loved his mother dearly. 15

Men. So did he me: and he no more remembers his
mother now than an eight-year-old horse. The tartness of [3843]
his face sours ripe grapes: when he walks, he moves like
an engine, and the ground shrinks before his treading: he
is able to pierce a corslet with his eye; talks like a knell, 20
and his hum is a battery. He sits in his state, as a thing [3844][3845]
made for Alexander. What he bids be done, is finished[3845]
with his bidding. He wants nothing of a god but eternity
and a heaven to throne in.

Sic. Yes, mercy, if you report him truly. 25

Men. I paint him in the character. Mark what mercy
his mother shall bring from him: there is no more mercy
in him than there is milk in a male tiger; that shall our
poor city find: and all this is long of you.[3846]

Sic. The gods be good unto us! 30

Men. No, in such a case the gods will not be good
unto us. When we banished him, we respected not them;
and, he returning to break our necks, they respect not us.

Mess. Sir, if you'ld save your life, fly to your house:
The plebeians have got your fellow-tribune, 35
And hale him up and down, all swearing, if
The Roman ladies bring not comfort home,
They'll give him death by inches.

Sic. What's the news?

Sec. Mess. Good news, good news; the ladies have prevail'd,[3847]
The Volscians are dislodged, and Marcius gone: 40
A merrier day did never yet greet Rome,
No, not the expulsion of the Tarquins.

Sic. Friend,[3848]
Art thou certain this is true? is it most certain?[3848][3849]

Sec. Mess. As certain as I know the sun is fire:[3847]
Where have you lurk'd, that you make doubt of it? 45
Ne'er through an arch so hurried the blown tide,
As the recomforted through the gates. Why, hark you!

The trumpets, sackbuts, psalteries and fifes,
Tabors and cymbals and the shouting Romans,[3851]
Make the sun dance. Hark you! [A shout within.[3852]

Men. This is good news: 50
I will go meet the ladies. This Volumnia [3853]
Is worth of consuls, senators, patricians,
A city full; of tribunes, such as you,
A sea and land full. You have pray'd well to-day:[3854]
This morning for ten thousand of your throats 55
I'ld not have given a doit. Hark, how they joy!

Sic. First, the gods bless you for your tidings; next,[3856]
Accept my thankfulness.[3856]

Sec. Mess. Sir, we have all [3857]
Great cause to give great thanks.[3857]

Sic. They are near the city?[3857][3858]

Sec. Mess. Almost at point to enter.[3857]

Sic. We will meet them,[3857][3859][3860] 60
And help the joy. [Exeunt.[3857][3860][3861]

First Sen. Behold our patroness, the life of Rome![3863]
Call all your tribes together, praise the gods,[3864]
And make triumphant fires; strew flowers before them:[3865]
Unshout the noise that banish'd Marcius,[3866]
Repeal him with the welcome of his mother; 5
Cry 'Welcome, ladies, welcome!'

All. Welcome, ladies,[3867]
Welcome! [A flourish with drums and trumpets. Exeunt.[3867][3868]

Auf. Go tell the lords o' the city I am here:[3870]
Deliver them this paper: having read it,
Bid them repair to the market-place, where I,
Even in theirs and in the commons' ears,
Will vouch the truth of it. Him I accuse [3871] 5
The city ports by this hath enter'd, and
Intends to appear before the people, hoping
To purge himself with words: dispatch. [Exeunt Attendants.[3872]

Most welcome!

First Con. How is it with our general?

Auf. Even so [3873] 10
As with a man by his own alms empoison'd,[3873]
And with his charity slain.[3873]

Sec. Con. Most noble sir,[3874]
If you do hold the same intent wherein[3874]
You wish'd us parties, we'll deliver you[3874]
Of your great danger.

Auf. Sir, I cannot tell: 15
We must proceed as we do find the people.

Third Con. The people will remain uncertain whilst
'Twixt you there's difference; but the fall of either
Makes the survivor heir of all.

Auf. I know it,
And my pretext to strike at him admits 20
A good construction. I raised him, and I pawn'd [3875]
Mine honour for his truth: who being so heighten'd,
He water'd his new plants with dews of flattery,[3876]
Seducing so my friends; and, to this end,
He bow'd his nature, never known before 25
But to be rough, unswayable and free.[3877]

Third Con. Sir, his stoutness [3878]
When he did stand for consul, which he lost
By lack of stooping,—[3879]

Auf. That I would have spoke of:
Being banish'd for't, he came unto my hearth; 30
Presented to my knife his throat: I took him,
Made him joint-servant with me, gave him way
In all his own desires, nay, let him choose
Out of my files, his projects to accomplish,[3880]
My best and freshest men, served his designments 35
In mine own person, holp to reap the fame [3881][3882]
Which he did end all his; and took some pride[3882][3883]
To do myself this wrong: till at the last
I seem'd his follower, not partner, and
He waged me with his countenance, as if [3884] 40
I had been mercenary.

First Con. So he did, my lord:
The army marvell'd at it, and in the last,[3885]
When he had carried Rome and that we look'd
For no less spoil than glory—[3886]

Auf. There was it:
For which my sinews shall be stretch'd upon him.[3887] 45
At a few drops of women's rheum, which are
As cheap as lies, he sold the blood and labour
Of our great action: therefore shall he die,
And I'll renew me in his fall. But hark!

First Con. Your native town you enter'd like a post, 50
And had no welcomes home; but he returns,
Splitting the air with noise.

Sec. Con. And patient fools,
Whose children he hath slain, their base throats tear
With giving him glory.[3889]

Third Con. Therefore, at your vantage,
Ere he express himself, or move the people 55
With what he would say, let him feel your sword,
Which we will second. When he lies along,[3890][3891]
After your way his tale pronounced shall bury[3891]
His reasons with his body.

Auf. Say no more:[3892]
Here come the lords.[3892] 60

All the Lords. You are most welcome home.[3893]

Auf. I have not deserved it.
But, worthy lords, have you with heed perused
What I have written to you?

Lords. We have.

First Lord. And grieve to hear 't.[3894]
What faults he made before the last, I think
Might have found easy fines: but there to end 65
Where he was to begin, and give away
The benefit of our levies, answering us
With our own charge, making a treaty where
There was a yielding,—this admits no excuse.[3895]

Auf. He approaches: you shall hear him. 70

Cor. Hail, lords! I am return'd your soldier;[3896]
No more infected with my country's love
Than when I parted hence, but still subsisting
Under your great command. You are to know,
That prosperously I have attempted and 75
With bloody passage led your wars even to
The gates of Rome. Our spoils we have brought home [3897]
Do more than counterpoise a full third part[3897]
The charges of the action. We have made peace,[3898]
With no less honour to the Antiates 80
Than shame to the Romans: and we here deliver,[3899]
Subscribed by the consuls and patricians,[3900]
Together with the seal o' the senate, what [3901]
We have compounded on.

Auf. Read it not, noble lords;
But tell the traitor, in the highest degree 85
He hath abused your powers.

Cor. Traitor! how now!

Auf. Ay, traitor, Marcius!

Cor. Marcius!

Auf. Ay, Marcius, Caius Marcius: dost thou think
I'll grace thee with that robbery, thy stol'n name
Coriolanus, in Corioli? 90
You lords and heads o' the state, perfidiously[3901][3902]
He has betray'd your business, and given up,
For certain drops of salt, your city Rome,
I say 'your city,' to his wife and mother;
Breaking his oath and resolution, like 95
A twist of rotten silk; never admitting
Counsel o' the war; but at his nurse's tears[3901]
He whined and roar'd away your victory;
That pages blush'd at him and men of heart
Look'd wondering each at other.[3903]

Cor. Hear'st thou, Mars? 100

Auf. Name not the god, thou boy of tears!

Cor. Ha!

Auf. No more.[3904]

Cor. Measureless liar, thou hast made my heart
Too great for what contains it. 'Boy!' O slave!
Pardon me, lords, 'tis the first time that ever [3905] 105
I was forced to scold. Your judgements, my grave lords,[3905][3906]
Must give this cur the lie: and his own notion—
Who wears my stripes impress'd upon him; that
Must bear my beating to his grave—shall join
To thrust the lie unto him. 110

First Lord. Peace, both, and hear me speak.

Cor. Cut me to pieces, Volsces; men and lads,[3907]
Stain all your edges on me. 'Boy!' false hound![3908]
If you have writ your annals true, 'tis there,
That, like an eagle in a dove-cote, I 115
Flutter'd your Volscians in Corioli;[3909]
Alone I did it. 'Boy!'[3910]

Auf. Why, noble lords,
Will you be put in mind of his blind fortune,
Which was your shame, by this unholy braggart,
'Fore your own eyes and ears?

All Consp. Let him die for't. 120

All the People. 'Tear him to pieces.' 'Do it presently.'[3911][3912]
'He killed my son.' 'My daughter.' 'He killed my cousin[3912][3913]
Marcus.' 'He killed my father.'[3912][3913]

Sec. Lord. Peace, ho! no outrage: peace![3914]
The man is noble, and his fame folds-in 125
This orb o' the earth. His last offences to us
Shall have judicious hearing. Stand, Aufidius,
And trouble not the peace.

Cor. O that I had him,[3915]
With six Aufidiuses, or more, his tribe,[3915]
To use my lawful sword![3915]

Auf. Insolent villain! 130

All Consp. Kill, kill, kill, kill, kill him!

Lords. Hold, hold, hold, hold!

Auf. My noble masters, hear me speak.

First Lord. O Tullus,—[3917]

Sec. Lord. Thou hast done a deed whereat valour will weep.[3918]

Third Lord. Tread not upon him. Masters all, be quiet;[3919]
Put up your swords. 135

Auf. My lords, when you shall know—as in this rage [3920]
Provoked by him, you cannot—the great danger [3921]
Which this man's life did owe you, you'll rejoice
That he is thus cut off. Please it your honours
To call me to your senate, I'll deliver 140
Myself your loyal servant, or endure
Your heaviest censure.

First Lord. Bear from hence his body;
And mourn you for him: let him be regarded
As the most noble corse that ever herald
Did follow to his urn.

Sec. Lord. His own impatience 145
Takes from Aufidius a great part of blame.
Let's make the best of it.

Auf. My rage is gone,
And I am struck with sorrow. Take him up:
Help, three o' the chiefest soldiers; I'll be one.[3901]
Beat thou the drum, that it speak mournfully: 150
Trail your steel pikes. Though in this city he
Hath widow'd and unchilded many a one,
Which to this hour bewail the injury,
Yet he shall have a noble memory.[3922]
Assist. [Exeunt, bearing the body of Coriolanus.[3922][3923]
A dead march sounded.155

Scene V. The same. A street near the gate.

Scene VI. Antium. A public place.[3869]