William Shakespeare: The Complete Works 2nd Edition (507 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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SECOND SERVINGMAN ’Tis so, and as war in some sort may be said to be a ravisher, so it cannot be denied but peace is a great maker of cuckolds.
FIRST SERVINGMAN Ay, and it makes men hate one another.
THIRD SERVINGMAN Reason; because they then less need one another. The wars for my money. I hope to see Romans as cheap as Volscians.
⌈
A sound within
⌉
They are rising, they are rising.
FIRST
and
SECOND SERVINGMEN In, in, in, in.
and
SECOND SERVINGMEN In, in, in, in.
Exeunt
4.6Enter the two tribunes, Sicinius and Brutus
SICINIUS
We hear not of him, neither need we fear him.
His remedies are tame—the present peace
And quietness of the people, which before
Were in wild hurry. Here do we make his friends
Blush that the world goes well, who rather had,
Though they themselves did suffer by‘t, behold
Dissentious numbers pest’ring streets than see
Our tradesmen singing in their shops and going
About their functions friendly.
His remedies are tame—the present peace
And quietness of the people, which before
Were in wild hurry. Here do we make his friends
Blush that the world goes well, who rather had,
Though they themselves did suffer by‘t, behold
Dissentious numbers pest’ring streets than see
Our tradesmen singing in their shops and going
About their functions friendly.
Enter Menenius
BRUTUS
We stood to’t in good time. Is this Menenius?
SICINIUS
‘Tis he, ’tis he. O, he is grown most kind of late.
Hail, sir.
Hail, sir.
MENENIUS Hail to you both.
SICINIUS
Your Coriolanus is not much missed
But with his friends. The commonwealth doth stand,
And so would do were he more angry at it.
But with his friends. The commonwealth doth stand,
And so would do were he more angry at it.
MENENIUS
All’s well, and might have been much better if
He could have temporized.
He could have temporized.
SICINIUS Where is he, hear you?
MENENIUS Nay, I hear nothing.
His mother and his wife hear nothing from him.
Enter three or four Citizens
ALL THE CITIZENS (to the tribunes)
The gods preserve you both.
SICINIUS
Good e’en, our neighbours.
BRUTUS
Good e‘en to you all, good e’en to you all.
FIRST CITIZEN
Ourselves, our wives and children, on our knees
Are bound to pray for you both.
Are bound to pray for you both.
SICINIUS
Live and thrive.
BRUTUS Farewell, kind neighbours.
We wished Coriolanus had loved you as we did.
ALL THE CITIZENS
Now the gods keep you!
SICINIUS and BRUTUS
Farewell, farewell.
Exeunt Citizens
SICINIUS
This is a happier and more comely time
Than when these fellows ran about the streets
Crying confusion.
Than when these fellows ran about the streets
Crying confusion.
BRUTUS
Caius Martius was
A worthy officer i‘th’ war, but insolent,
O’ercome with pride, ambitious past all thinking,
Self-loving—
O’ercome with pride, ambitious past all thinking,
Self-loving—
SICINIUS
And affecting one sole throne
Without assistance.
MENENIUS
I think not so.
SICINIUS
We should by this, to all our lamentation,
If he had gone forth consul found it so.
If he had gone forth consul found it so.
BRUTUS
The gods have well prevented it, and Rome
Sits safe and still without him.
Sits safe and still without him.
Enter an Aedile
AEDILE
Worthy tribunes,
There is a slave whom we have put in prison
Reports the Volsces, with two several powers,
Are entered in the Roman territories,
And with the deepest malice of the war
Destroy what lies before ’em.
Reports the Volsces, with two several powers,
Are entered in the Roman territories,
And with the deepest malice of the war
Destroy what lies before ’em.
MENENIUS
’Tis Aufidius,
Who, hearing of our Martius’ banishment,
Thrusts forth his horns again into the world,
Which were inshelled when Martius stood for Rome,
And durst not once peep out.
Thrusts forth his horns again into the world,
Which were inshelled when Martius stood for Rome,
And durst not once peep out.
SICINIUS
Come, what talk you of Martius? BRUTUS (
to the Aedile
)
to the Aedile
)
Go see this rumourer whipped. It cannot be
The Volsces dare break with us.
The Volsces dare break with us.
MENENIUS
Cannot be?
We have record that very well it can,
And three examples of the like hath been
Within my age. But reason with the fellow,
Before you punish him, where he heard this,
Lest you shall chance to whip your information
And beat the messenger who bids beware
Of what is to be dreaded.
And three examples of the like hath been
Within my age. But reason with the fellow,
Before you punish him, where he heard this,
Lest you shall chance to whip your information
And beat the messenger who bids beware
Of what is to be dreaded.
SICINIUS
Tell not me.
I know this cannot be.
BRUTUS Not possible.
Enter a Messenger
MESSENGER
The nobles in great earnestness are going
All to the senate-house. Some news is come
That turns their countenances.
All to the senate-house. Some news is come
That turns their countenances.
SICINIUS
’Tis this slave.
(To the Aedile) Go whip him fore the people’s eyes.—
His raising,
Nothing but his report.
His raising,
Nothing but his report.
Exit Aedile
MESSENGER
Yes, worthy sir,
The slave’s report is seconded, and more,
More fearful, is delivered.
More fearful, is delivered.
SICINIUS
What more fearful?
MESSENGER
It is spoke freely out of many mouths—
How probable I do not know—that Martius,
Joined with Aufidius, leads a power ‘gainst Rome,
And vows revenge as spacious as between
The young’st and oldest thing.
How probable I do not know—that Martius,
Joined with Aufidius, leads a power ‘gainst Rome,
And vows revenge as spacious as between
The young’st and oldest thing.
SICINIUS
This is most likely!
BRUTUS
Raised only that the weaker sort may wish
Good Martius home again.
Good Martius home again.
SICINIUS The very trick on’t.
MENENIUS This is unlikely.
He and Aufidius can no more atone
Than violent’st contrariety.
Than violent’st contrariety.
Enter another Messenger
SECOND MESSENGER
You are sent for to the senate.
A fearful army, led by Caius Martius
Associated with Aufidius, rages
Upon our territories, and have already
O’erborne their way, consumed with fire and took
What lay before them.
A fearful army, led by Caius Martius
Associated with Aufidius, rages
Upon our territories, and have already
O’erborne their way, consumed with fire and took
What lay before them.
Enter Cominius
COMINIUS O, you have made good work!
MENENIUS What news? What news?
COMINIUS
You have holp to ravish your own daughters and
To melt the city leads upon your pates,
To see your wives dishonoured to your noses.
To melt the city leads upon your pates,
To see your wives dishonoured to your noses.
MENENIUS What’s the news? What’s the news?
COMINIUS
Your temples burned in their cement, and
Your franchises, whereon you stood, confined
Into an auger’s bore.
Your franchises, whereon you stood, confined
Into an auger’s bore.
MENENIUS Pray now, your news?
(
To the tribunes
) You have made fair work, I fear me.
(
To Cominius
) Pray, your news.
If Martius should be joined wi’th’ Volscians—
To the tribunes
) You have made fair work, I fear me.
(
To Cominius
) Pray, your news.
If Martius should be joined wi’th’ Volscians—
COMINIUS
If? He is their god. He leads them like a thing
Made by some other deity than nature,
That shapes man better, and they follow him
Against us brats with no less confidence
Than boys pursuing summer butterflies,
Or butchers killing flies.
Made by some other deity than nature,
That shapes man better, and they follow him
Against us brats with no less confidence
Than boys pursuing summer butterflies,
Or butchers killing flies.
MENENIUS (
to the tribunes
) You have made good work,
to the tribunes
) You have made good work,
You and your apron-men, you that stood so much
Upon the voice of occupation and
The breath of garlic-eaters!
Upon the voice of occupation and
The breath of garlic-eaters!
COMINIUS (
to the tribunes
)
to the tribunes
)
He’ll shake your Rome about your ears.
MENENIUS
As Hercules did shake down mellow fruit. (
To the tribunes
) You have made fair work.
To the tribunes
) You have made fair work.
BRUTUS But is this true, sir?
COMINIUS Ay, and you’ll look pale
Before you find it other. All the regions
Do smilingly revolt, and who resists
Are mocked for valiant ignorance,
And perish constant fools. Who is’t can blame him?
Your enemies and his find something in him.
Do smilingly revolt, and who resists
Are mocked for valiant ignorance,
And perish constant fools. Who is’t can blame him?
Your enemies and his find something in him.
MENENIVS We are all undone unless
The noble man have mercy.
COMINIUS
Who shall ask it?
The tribunes cannot do‘t, for shame; the people
Deserve such pity of him as the wolf
Does of the shepherds. For his best friends, if they
Should say ‘Be good to Rome’, they charged him even
As those should do that had deserved his hate,
And therein showed like enemies.
Deserve such pity of him as the wolf
Does of the shepherds. For his best friends, if they
Should say ‘Be good to Rome’, they charged him even
As those should do that had deserved his hate,
And therein showed like enemies.
MENENIUS
’Tis true.
If he were putting to my house the brand
That should consume it, I have not the face
To say ‘Beseech you, cease.’
(
To the tribunes
) You have made fair hands,
You and your crafts! You have crafted fair!
That should consume it, I have not the face
To say ‘Beseech you, cease.’
(
To the tribunes
) You have made fair hands,
You and your crafts! You have crafted fair!
COMINIUS (
to the tribunes
)
to the tribunes
)
You have brought
A trembling upon Rome such as was never
S’incapable of help.
S’incapable of help.
SICINIUS
and
BRUTUS Say not we brought it.
and
BRUTUS Say not we brought it.
MENENIUS How? Was’t we?
We loved him, but like beasts and cowardly nobles
Gave way unto your clusters, who did hoot
Him out o’th’ city.
Gave way unto your clusters, who did hoot
Him out o’th’ city.
COMINIUS
But I fear
They’ll roar him in again. Tullus Aufidius,
The second name of men, obeys his points
As if he were his officer. Desperation
Is all the policy, strength, and defence
That Rome can make against them.
The second name of men, obeys his points
As if he were his officer. Desperation
Is all the policy, strength, and defence
That Rome can make against them.
Enter a troop of Citizens
MENENIUS
Here come the clusters.
(
To the Citizens
) And is Aufidius with him? You are they
That made the air unwholesome when you cast
Your stinking greasy caps in hooting at
Coriolanus’ exile. Now he’s coming,
And not a hair upon a soldier’s head
Which will not prove a whip. As many coxcombs
As you threw caps up will he tumble down,
And pay you for your voices. ’Tis no matter.
If he could burn us all into one coal,
We have deserved it.
To the Citizens
) And is Aufidius with him? You are they
That made the air unwholesome when you cast
Your stinking greasy caps in hooting at
Coriolanus’ exile. Now he’s coming,
And not a hair upon a soldier’s head
Which will not prove a whip. As many coxcombs
As you threw caps up will he tumble down,
And pay you for your voices. ’Tis no matter.
If he could burn us all into one coal,
We have deserved it.
ALL THE CITIZENS Faith, we hear fearful news.
FIRST CITIZEN For mine own part,
When I said ‘banish him’ I said ’twas pity.
SECOND CITIZEN And so did I.
THIRD CITIZEN And so did I, and to say the truth so did very many of us. That we did, we did for the best, and though we willingly consented to his banishment, yet it was against our will.
COMINIUS
You’re goodly things, you voices.
MENENIUS You have made good work,
You and your cry. Shall’s to the Capitol?
COMINIUS O, ay, what else?
Exeunt Menenius and Cominius
SICINIUS
Go, masters, get you home. Be not dismayed.
These are a side that would be glad to have
This true which they so seem to fear. Go home,
And show no sign of fear.
These are a side that would be glad to have
This true which they so seem to fear. Go home,
And show no sign of fear.
FIRST CITIZEN The gods be good to us! Come, masters, let’s home. I ever said we were i’th’ wrong when we banished him.
SECOND CITIZEN So did we all. But come, let’s home.
Exeunt Citizens
BRUTUS
I do not like this news.
SICINIUS
Nor I.
BRUTUS
Let’s to the Capitol. Would half my wealth
Would buy this for a lie.
Would buy this for a lie.
SICINIUS
Pray let’s go.
Exeunt
4.7Enter Aufidius with his Lieutenant
AUFIDIUS Do they still fly to th’ Roman?
LIEUTENANT
I do not know what witchcraft’s in him, but
Your soldiers use him as the grace fore meat,
Their talk at table, and their thanks at end,
And you are darkened in this action, sir,
Even by your own.
Your soldiers use him as the grace fore meat,
Their talk at table, and their thanks at end,
And you are darkened in this action, sir,
Even by your own.
AUFIDIUS
I cannot help it now,
Unless by using means I lame the foot
Of our design. He bears himself more proudlier,
Even to my person, than I thought he would
When first I did embrace him. Yet his nature
In that’s no changeling, and I must excuse
What cannot be amended.
Of our design. He bears himself more proudlier,
Even to my person, than I thought he would
When first I did embrace him. Yet his nature
In that’s no changeling, and I must excuse
What cannot be amended.
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