PERSONS REPRESENTED. CAIUS MARCIUS CORIOLANUS, a noble Roman. TITUS LARTIUS,} 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. Two Volcian Guards. VOLUMNIA, Mother to Coriolanus. VIRGILIA, Wife to Coriolanus. VALERIA, Friend to Virgilia. Gentlewoman, attending Virgilia. Roman and Volcian Senators, Patricians, Ediles, Lictors, Soldiers, Citizens, Messenger, Servants to Aufidius, and other Attendants. SCENE, partly in Rome, and partly in the Territories of the Volcians and Antiates. (482) CORIOLANUS. АСТ І. 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. Cit. Speak, speak. [Several speaking at once. 1 Cit. You are all resolved rather to die, than to famish? Cit. Resolved, resolved. 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? Cit. No more talking on't; let it be done. Away, away. 2 Cit. One word, good citizens. 1 Cit. 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 as an 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? Cit. Against him first; he's a very dog to the commonalty. 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 conscienced 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. If I must not, I need not be barren of accusations: he hath faults, with surplus, to tire in repetition. [Shouts within.] What shouts are these? The other side o' the city is risen. Why stay we prating here? To the capitol. Cit. Come, come. 1 Cit. Soft; who comes here? Enter MENENIUS AGRIPPA. 2 Cit. Worthy Menenius Agrippa; one that hath always loved the people. 1 Cit. He's one honest enough; 'would all the rest were so! Men. What work's, my countrymen, in hand? Where go you With bats and clubs? The matter? Speak, I pray you. 1 Cit. Our business is not unknown to the senate; they have had inkling, this fortnight, what we intend to do, which now we'll show 'em in deeds. They say poor suitors have strong breaths; they shall know we have strong arms too. Men. Why, masters, my good friends, mine honest neighbors, Will you undo yourselves? 1 Cit. We cannot, sir; we are undone already. Thither where more attends you; and you slander 1 Cit. Care for us!-True, indeed!-They ne'er cared for us yet. Suffer us to famish, and their storehouses crammed with grain; make edicts for usury, to support usurers; repeal daily any wholesome act established against Confess yourselves wondrous malicious, 1 Cit. Well, I'll hear it, sir: yet you must not think to fob off our disgrace with a tale; but, an't please you, deliver. Men. There was a time, when all the body's members Rebelled against the belly; thus accused it: That only like a gulf it did remain I' the midst o' the body, idle and inactive, Still cupboarding the viand, never bearing Like labor with the rest; where the other instruments 1 Cit. Well, sir, what answer made the belly? To the discontented members, the mutinous parts They are not such as you. 1 Cit. Your belly's answer; what? Men. The kingly-crowned head, the vigilant eye, The counsellor heart, the arm our soldier, Our steed the leg, the tongue our trumpeter, With other muniments and petty helps In this our fabric, if that they— 1 Cit. What then? Men. 'Fore me, this fellow speaks!-what then? what then? Should by the cormorant belly be restrained, Who is the sink o' the body, 1 Cit. The former agents, if they did Well, what then? complain, I will tell you; If you'll bestow a small (of what you have little) Patience, a while, you'll hear the belly's answer. 1 Cit. You are long about it. Men. Note me this, good friend; Your most grave belly was deliberate, Not rash like his accusers, and thus answered:- Even to the court, the heart,-to the seat o' the brain; Whereby they live. And though that all at once, You, my good friends, (this says the belly,) mark me,— 1 Cit. Ay, sir; well, well. Men. Though all at once cannot But it proceeds, or comes, from them to you, Cit. I the great toe? Why the great toe? Men. For that being one o' the lowest, basest, poorest, Of this most wise rebellion, thou go'st foremost. Thou rascal, thou art worst in blood to run, Lead'st first to win some vantage. But make you ready your stiff bats and clubs; Rome and her rats are at the point of battle; The one side must have bale. Hail, noble Marcius! Enter CAIUS MARCIUS. Mar. Thanks.-What's the matter, you dissensious rogues, That, rubbing the poor itch of your opinion, Make yourselves scabs? |