William Shakespeare: The Complete Works 2nd Edition (501 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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⌈SIXTH⌉ CITIZEN He has done nobly, and cannot go without any honest man’s voice.
⌈SEVENTH⌉ CITIZEN Therefore let him be consul. The gods give him joy and make him good friend to the people!
ALL THE CITIZENS Amen, amen. God save thee, noble consul!
CORIOLANUS Worthy voices.
Exeunt Citizens
Enter Menenius with Brutus and Sicinius
MENENIUS
You have stood your limitation, and the tribunes
Endue you with the people’s voice. Remains
That in th’ official marks invested, you
Anon do meet the senate.
Endue you with the people’s voice. Remains
That in th’ official marks invested, you
Anon do meet the senate.
CORIOLANUS
Is this done?
SICINIUS
The custom of request you have discharged.
The people do admit you, and are summoned
To meet anon upon your approbation.
The people do admit you, and are summoned
To meet anon upon your approbation.
CORIOLANUS
Where, at the senate-house?
SICINIUS
There, Coriolanus.
CORIOLANUS
May I change these garments?
SICINIUS
You may, sir.
CORIOLANUS
That I’ll straight do, and, knowing myself again,
Repair to th’ senate-house.
Repair to th’ senate-house.
MENENIUS
I’ll keep you company. (
To the tribunes
) Will you
along?
To the tribunes
) Will you
along?
BRUTUS
We stay here for the people.
SICINIUS Fare you well.
Exeunt Coriolanus and Menenius
He has it now, and by his looks methinks
’Tis warm at’s heart.
’Tis warm at’s heart.
BRUTUS With a proud heart he wore
His humble weeds. Will you dismiss the people?
Enter the Plebeians
SICINIUS
How now, my masters, have you chose this man?
FIRST CITIZEN He has our voices, sir.
BRUTUS
We pray the gods he may deserve your loves.
SECOND CITIZEN
Amen, sir. To my poor unworthy notice
He mocked us when he begged our voices.
He mocked us when he begged our voices.
THIRD CITIZEN
Certainly. He flouted us downright.
FIRST CITIZEN
No, ’tis his kind of speech. He did not mock us.
SECOND CITIZEN
Not one amongst us save yourself but says
He used us scornfully. He should have showed us
His marks of merit, wounds received for’s country.
He used us scornfully. He should have showed us
His marks of merit, wounds received for’s country.
SICINIUS
Why, so he did, I am sure.
ALL THE CITIZENS
No, no; no man saw ’em.
THIRD CITIZEN
He said he had wounds which he could show in
private,
And with his hat, thus waving it in scorn,
‘I would be consul,’ says he. ‘Agèd custom
But by your voices will not so permit me.
Your voices therefore.’ When we granted that,
Here was ‘I thank you for your voices, thank you.
Your most sweet voices. Now you have left your voices
I have no further with you.’ Was not this mockery?
private,
And with his hat, thus waving it in scorn,
‘I would be consul,’ says he. ‘Agèd custom
But by your voices will not so permit me.
Your voices therefore.’ When we granted that,
Here was ‘I thank you for your voices, thank you.
Your most sweet voices. Now you have left your voices
I have no further with you.’ Was not this mockery?
SICINIUS
Why either were you ignorant to see’t,
Or, seeing it, of such childish friendliness
To yield your voices?
Or, seeing it, of such childish friendliness
To yield your voices?
BRUTUS (
to the Citizens
) Could you not have told him
to the Citizens
) Could you not have told him
As you were lessoned: when he had no power
But was a petty servant to the state,
He was your enemy, ever spake against
Your liberties and the charters that you bear
I‘th’ body of the weal; and now arriving
A place of potency and sway o’th’ state,
If he should still malignantly remain
Fast foe to th’ plebeii, your voices might
Be curses to yourselves. You should have said
That as his worthy deeds did claim no less
Than what he stood for, so his gracious nature
Would think upon you for your voices and
Translate his malice towards you into love,
Standing your friendly lord.
But was a petty servant to the state,
He was your enemy, ever spake against
Your liberties and the charters that you bear
I‘th’ body of the weal; and now arriving
A place of potency and sway o’th’ state,
If he should still malignantly remain
Fast foe to th’ plebeii, your voices might
Be curses to yourselves. You should have said
That as his worthy deeds did claim no less
Than what he stood for, so his gracious nature
Would think upon you for your voices and
Translate his malice towards you into love,
Standing your friendly lord.
SICINIUS (
to the Citizens
) Thus to have said
to the Citizens
) Thus to have said
As you were fore-advised had touched his spirit
And tried his inclination, from him plucked
Either his gracious promise which you might,
As cause had called you up, have held him to,
Or else it would have galled his surly nature,
Which easily endures not article
Tying him to aught. So putting him to rage,
You should have ta‘en th’advantage of his choler
And passed him unelected.
And tried his inclination, from him plucked
Either his gracious promise which you might,
As cause had called you up, have held him to,
Or else it would have galled his surly nature,
Which easily endures not article
Tying him to aught. So putting him to rage,
You should have ta‘en th’advantage of his choler
And passed him unelected.
BRUTUS (
to the Citizens
) Did you perceive
to the Citizens
) Did you perceive
He did solicit you in free contempt
When he did need your loves, and do you think
That his contempt shall not be bruising to you
When he hath power to crush? Why, had your bodies
No heart among you? Or had you tongues to cry
Against the rectorship of judgement?
When he did need your loves, and do you think
That his contempt shall not be bruising to you
When he hath power to crush? Why, had your bodies
No heart among you? Or had you tongues to cry
Against the rectorship of judgement?
SICINIUS (
to the Citizens
) Have you
to the Citizens
) Have you
Ere now denied the asker, and now again,
Of him that did not ask but mock, bestow
Your sued-for tongues?
Of him that did not ask but mock, bestow
Your sued-for tongues?
THIRD CITIZEN
He’s not confirmed, we may deny him yet.
SECOND CITIZEN And will deny him.
I’ll have five hundred voices of that sound.
FIRST CITIZEN
I twice five hundred, and their friends to piece ’em.
BRUTUS
Get you hence instantly, and tell those friends
They have chose a consul that will from them take
Their liberties, make them of no more voice
Than dogs that are as often beat for barking,
As therefor kept to do so.
They have chose a consul that will from them take
Their liberties, make them of no more voice
Than dogs that are as often beat for barking,
As therefor kept to do so.
SICINIUS (
to the Citizens
) Let them assemble,
to the Citizens
) Let them assemble,
And on a safer judgement all revoke
Your ignorant election. Enforce his pride
And his old hate unto you. Besides, forget not
With what contempt he wore the humble weed,
How in his suit he scorned you; but your loves,
Thinking upon his services, took from you
Th’apprehension of his present portance,
Which most gibingly, ungravely he did fashion
After the inveterate hate he bears you.
Your ignorant election. Enforce his pride
And his old hate unto you. Besides, forget not
With what contempt he wore the humble weed,
How in his suit he scorned you; but your loves,
Thinking upon his services, took from you
Th’apprehension of his present portance,
Which most gibingly, ungravely he did fashion
After the inveterate hate he bears you.
BRUTUS (
to the Citizens
) Lay
to the Citizens
) Lay
A fault on us your tribunes, that we laboured
No impediment between, but that you must
Cast your election on him.
No impediment between, but that you must
Cast your election on him.
SICINIUS (
to the Citizens
) Say you chose him
to the Citizens
) Say you chose him
More after our commandment than as guided
By your own true affections, and that your minds,
Preoccupied with what you rather must do
Than what you should, made you against the grain
To voice him consul. Lay the fault on us.
By your own true affections, and that your minds,
Preoccupied with what you rather must do
Than what you should, made you against the grain
To voice him consul. Lay the fault on us.
BRUTUS (
to the Citizens
)
to the Citizens
)
Ay, spare us not. Say we read lectures to you,
How youngly he began to serve his country,
How long continued, and what stock he springs of,
The noble house o’th’ Martians, from whence came
That Ancus Martius, Numa’s daughter’s son,
Who after great Hostilius here was king;
Of the same house Publius and Quintus were,
That our best water brought by conduits hither;
And Censorinus that was so surnamed,
And nobly named so, twice being censor,
Was his great ancestor.
How youngly he began to serve his country,
How long continued, and what stock he springs of,
The noble house o’th’ Martians, from whence came
That Ancus Martius, Numa’s daughter’s son,
Who after great Hostilius here was king;
Of the same house Publius and Quintus were,
That our best water brought by conduits hither;
And Censorinus that was so surnamed,
And nobly named so, twice being censor,
Was his great ancestor.
SICINIUS (
to the Citizens
) One thus descended,
to the Citizens
) One thus descended,
That hath beside well in his person wrought
To be set high in place, we did commend
To your remembrances, but you have found,
Scaling his present bearing with his past,
That he’s your fixed enemy, and revoke
Your sudden approbation.
To be set high in place, we did commend
To your remembrances, but you have found,
Scaling his present bearing with his past,
That he’s your fixed enemy, and revoke
Your sudden approbation.
BRUTUS (
to the Citizens
) Say you ne‘er had done’t—
to the Citizens
) Say you ne‘er had done’t—
Harp on that still—but by our putting on;
And presently when you have drawn your number,
Repair to th’ Capitol.
And presently when you have drawn your number,
Repair to th’ Capitol.
⌈A CITIZEN⌉ We will so.
⌈ANOTHER CITIZEN⌉ Almost all
Repent in their election.
Exeunt Citizens
BRUTUS Let them go on.
This mutiny were better put in hazard
Than stay, past doubt, for greater.
If, as his nature is, he fall in rage
With their refusal, both observe and answer
The vantage of his anger.
Than stay, past doubt, for greater.
If, as his nature is, he fall in rage
With their refusal, both observe and answer
The vantage of his anger.
SICINIUS To th’ Capitol, come.
We will be there before the stream o‘th’ people,
And this shall seem, as partly ’tis, their own,
Which we have goaded onward.
And this shall seem, as partly ’tis, their own,
Which we have goaded onward.
Exeunt
Cornetts. Enter Coriolanus, Menenius, all the gentry; Cominius, Lartius, and other Senators
CORIOLANUS
Tullus Aufidius then had made new head?
LARTIUS
He had, my lord, and that it was which caused
Our swifter composition.
Our swifter composition.
CORIOLANUS
So then the Volsces stand but as at first,
Ready when time shall prompt them to make raid
Upon’s again.
Ready when time shall prompt them to make raid
Upon’s again.
COMINIUS They are worn, lord consul, so
That we shall hardly in our ages see
Their banners wave again.
Their banners wave again.
CORIOLANUS (
to Lartius
) Saw you Aufidius?
to Lartius
) Saw you Aufidius?
LARTIUS
On safeguard he came to me, and did curse
Against the Volsces for they had so vilely
Yielded the town. He is retired to Antium.
Against the Volsces for they had so vilely
Yielded the town. He is retired to Antium.
CORIOLANUS
Spoke he of me?
LARTIUS
He did, my lord.
CORIOLANUS
How? What?
LARTIUS
How often he had met you sword to sword;
That of all things upon the earth he hated
Your person most; that he would pawn his fortunes
To hopeless restitution, so he might
Be called your vanquisher.
That of all things upon the earth he hated
Your person most; that he would pawn his fortunes
To hopeless restitution, so he might
Be called your vanquisher.
CORIOLANUS At Antium lives he?
LARTIUS At Antium.
CORIOLANUS
I wish I had a cause to seek him there,
To oppose his hatred fully. Welcome home.
Behold, these are the tribunes of the people,
The tongues o’th’ common mouth. I do despise them,
For they do prank them in authority
Against all noble sufferance.
To oppose his hatred fully. Welcome home.
Enter Sicinius and Brutus
The tongues o’th’ common mouth. I do despise them,
For they do prank them in authority
Against all noble sufferance.
SICINIUS Pass no further.
CORIOLANUS Ha, what is that?
BRUTUS
It will be dangerous to go on. No further.
CORIOLANUS What makes this change?
MENENIUS The matter?
COMINIUS
MENENIUS The matter?
COMINIUS
Hath he not passed the noble and the common?
BRUTUS
Cominius, no.
CORIOLANUS Have I had children’s voices?
⌈FIRST⌉ SENATOR
Tribunes, give way. He shall to th’ market-place.
BRUTUS
The people are incensed against him.
SICINIUS
Stop,
Or all will fall in broil.
CORIOLANUS Are these your herd?
Must these have voices, that can yield them now
And straight disclaim their tongues? What are your
offices?
You being their mouths, why rule you not their
teeth?
Have you not set them on?
And straight disclaim their tongues? What are your
offices?
You being their mouths, why rule you not their
teeth?
Have you not set them on?
MENENIUS
Be calm, be calm.
CORIOLANUS
It is a purposed thing, and grows by plot
To curb the will of the nobility.
Suffer’t, and live with such as cannot rule
Nor ever will be ruled.
To curb the will of the nobility.
Suffer’t, and live with such as cannot rule
Nor ever will be ruled.
BRUTUS
Call’t not a plot.
The people cry you mocked them, and of late
When corn was given them gratis, you repined,
Scandalled the suppliants for the people, called them
Time-pleasers, flatterers, foes to nobleness.
When corn was given them gratis, you repined,
Scandalled the suppliants for the people, called them
Time-pleasers, flatterers, foes to nobleness.
CORIOLANUS
Why, this was known before.
BRUTUS
Not to them all.
CORIOLANUS
Have you informed them sithence?
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