The Tragedy of Coriolanus by William Shakespeare (scary books to read txt) 📖

Let us seem humbler after it is done Than when it was a-doing.

SICINIUS. Bid them home: Say their great enemy is gone, and they Stand in their ancient strength.

BRUTUS. Dismiss them home.

[Exit AEDILE.]

Here comes his mother.

SICINIUS. Let's not meet her.

BRUTUS. Why?

SICINIUS. They say she's mad.

BRUTUS. They have ta'en note of us: keep on your way.

[Enter VOLUMNIA, VIRGILIA, and MENENIUS.]

VOLUMNIA. O, you're well met: the hoarded plague o' the gods Requite your love!

MENENIUS. Peace, peace, be not so loud.

VOLUMNIA. If that I could for weeping, you should hear, - Nay, and you shall hear some. - [To BRUTUS.] Will you be gone?

VIRGILIA. You shall stay too[To SICINIUS.]: I would I had the power To say so to my husband.

SICINIUS. Are you mankind?

VOLUMNIA. Ay, fool; is that a shame? - Note but this, fool. - Was not a man my father? Hadst thou foxship To banish him that struck more blows for Rome Than thou hast spoken words? -

SICINIUS. O blessed heavens!

VOLUMNIA. Moe noble blows than ever thou wise words; And for Rome's good. - I'll tell thee what; - yet go; - Nay, but thou shalt stay too: - I would my son Were in Arabia, and thy tribe before him, His good sword in his hand.

SICINIUS. What then?

VIRGILIA. What then! He'd make an end of thy posterity.

VOLUMNIA. Bastards and all. - Good man, the wounds that he does bear for Rome!

MENENIUS. Come, come, peace.

SICINIUS. I would he had continu'd to his country As he began, and not unknit himself The noble knot he made.

BRUTUS. I would he had.

VOLUMNIA. I would he had! 'Twas you incens'd the rabble; - Cats, that can judge as fitly of his worth As I can of those mysteries which heaven Will not have earth to know.

BRUTUS. Pray, let us go.

VOLUMNIA. Now, pray, sir, get you gone: You have done a brave deed. Ere you go, hear this, - As far as doth the Capitol exceed The meanest house in Rome, so far my son, - This lady's husband here; this, do you see? - Whom you have banish'd does exceed you all.

BRUTUS. Well, well, we'll leave you.

SICINIUS. Why stay we to be baited With one that wants her wits?

VOLUMNIA. Take my prayers with you. -

[Exeunt TRIBUNES.]

I would the gods had nothing else to do But to confirm my curses! Could I meet 'em But once a day, it would unclog my heart Of what lies heavy to't.

MENENIUS. You have told them home, And, by my troth, you have cause. You'll sup with me?

VOLUMNIA. Anger's my meat; I sup upon myself, And so shall starve with feeding. - Come, let's go: Leave this faint puling and lament as I do, In anger, Juno-like. Come, come, come.

[Exeunt.]

MENENIUS. Fie, fie, fie!


SCENE III. A highway between Rome and Antium.

[Enter a ROMAN and a VOLSCE, meeting.]

ROMAN. I know you well, sir, and you know me; your name, I think, is Adrian.

VOLSCE. It is so, sir: truly, I have forgot you.

ROMAN. I am a Roman; and my services are, as you are, against 'em: know you me yet?

VOLSCE. Nicanor? no!

ROMAN. The same, sir.

VOLSCE. You had more beard when I last saw you; but your favour is well approved by your tongue. What's the news in Rome? I have a note from the Volscian state, to find you out there; you have well saved me a day's journey.

ROMAN. There hath been in Rome strange insurrections: the people against the senators, patricians, and nobles.

VOLSCE. Hath been! is it ended, then? Our state thinks not so; they are in a most warlike preparation, and hope to come upon them in the heat of their division.

ROMAN. The main blaze of it is past, but a small thing would make it flame again; for the nobles receive so to heart the banishment of that worthy Coriolanus that they are in a ripe aptness to take all power from the people, and to pluck from them their tribunes for ever. This lies glowing, I can tell you, and is almost mature for the violent breaking out.

VOLSCE. Coriolanus banished!

ROMAN. Banished, sir.

VOLSCE. You will be welcome with this intelligence, Nicanor.

ROMAN. The day serves well for them now. I have heard it said the fittest time to corrupt a man's wife is when she's fallen out with her husband. Your noble Tullus Aufidius will appear well in these wars, his great opposer, Coriolanus, being now in no request of his country.

VOLSCE. He cannot choose. I am most fortunate thus accidentally to encounter you; you have ended my business, and I will merrily accompany you home.

ROMAN. I shall between this and supper tell you most strange things from Rome; all tending to the good of their adversaries. Have you an army ready, say you?

VOLSCE. A most royal one; the centurions and their charges, distinctly billeted, already in the entertainment, and to be on foot at an hour's warning.

ROMAN. I am joyful to hear of their readiness, and am the man, I think, that shall set them in present action. So, sir, heartily well met, and most glad of your company.

VOLSCE. You take my part from me, sir; I have the most cause to be glad of yours.

ROMAN. Well, let us go together.

[Exeunt.]


SCENE IV. Antium. Before AUFIDIUS'S house.

[Enter CORIOLANUS, in mean apparel, disguised and muffled.]

CORIOLANUS. A goodly city is this Antium. City, 'Tis I that made thy widows: many an heir Of these fair edifices 'fore my wars Have I heard groan and drop: then know me not. Lest that thy wives with spits and boys with stones, In puny battle slay me.

[Enter a CITIZEN.]

Save you, sir.

CITIZEN. And you.

CORIOLANUS. Direct me, if it be your will, Where great Aufidius lies; is he in Antium?

CITIZEN. He is, and feasts the nobles of the state At his house this night.

CORIOLANUS. Which is his house, beseech you?

CITIZEN. This, here, before you.

CORIOLANUS. Thank you, sir; farewell.

[Exit CITIZEN.]

O world, thy slippery turns! Friends now fast sworn, Whose double bosoms seems to wear one heart, Whose hours, whose bed, whose meal and exercise Are still together, who twin, as 'twere, in love Unseparable, shall within this hour, On a dissension of a doit, break out To bitterest enmity; so fellest foes, Whose passions and whose plots have broke their sleep To take the one the other, by some chance, Some trick not worth an egg, shall grow dear friends And interjoin their issues. So with me: - My birthplace hate I, and my love's upon This enemy town. - I'll enter; if he slay me, He does fair justice; if he give me way, I'll do his country service.


SCENE V. Antium. A hall in AUFIDIUS'S house.

[Music within. Enter A SERVANT.]

FIRST SERVANT. Wine, wine, wine! What service is here! I think our fellows are asleep.

[Exit.]

[Enter a second SERVANT.]

SECOND SERVANT. Where's Cotus? my master calls for him. - Cotus!

[Exit.]

[Enter CORIOLANUS.]

CORIOLANUS. A goodly house: the feast smells well; but I Appear not like a guest.

[Re-enter the first SERVANT.]

FIRST SERVANT. What would you have, friend? whence are you? Here's no place for you: pray go to the door.

CORIOLANUS. I have deserv'd no better entertainment In being Coriolanus.

[Re-enter second SERVANT.]

SECOND SERVANT. Whence are you, sir? Has the porter his eyes in his head that he gives entrance to such companions? Pray, get you out.

CORIOLANUS. Away!

SECOND SERVANT. Away? Get you away.

CORIOLANUS. Now the art troublesome.

SECOND SERVANT. Are you so brave? I'll have you talked with anon.

[Enter a third SERVANT. The first meets him.]

THIRD SERVANT. What fellow's this?

FIRST SERVANT. A strange one as ever I looked on: I cannot get him out o' the house. Pr'ythee call my master to him.

THIRD SERVANT. What have you to do here, fellow? Pray you avoid the house.

CORIOLANUS. Let me but stand; I will not hurt your hearth.

THIRD SERVANT. What are you?

CORIOLANUS. A gentleman.

THIRD SERVANT. A marvellous poor one.

CORIOLANUS. True, so I am.

THIRD SERVANT. Pray you, poor gentleman, take up some other station; here's no place for you. Pray you avoid; come.

CORIOLANUS. Follow your function, go, And batten on cold bits.

[Pushes him away.]

THIRD SERVANT. What, you will not? - Pr'ythee, tell my master what a strange guest he has here.

SECOND SERVANT. And I shall.

[Exit.]

THIRD SERVANT. Where dwell'st thou?

CORIOLANUS. Under the canopy.

THIRD SERVANT. Under the canopy?

CORIOLANUS. Ay.

THIRD SERVANT. Where's that?

CORIOLANUS. I' the city of kites and crows.

THIRD SERVANT. I' the city of kites and crows! - What an ass it is! - Then thou dwell'st with daws too?

CORIOLANUS. No, I serve not thy master.

THIRD SERVANT. How, sir! Do you meddle with my master?

CORIOLANUS. Ay; 'tis an honester service than to meddle with thy mistress. Thou prat'st and prat'st; serve with thy trencher, hence!

[Beats him away.]

[Enter AUFIDIUS and the second SERVANT.]

AUFIDIUS. Where is this fellow?

SECOND SERVANT. Here, sir; I'd have beaten him like a dog, but for disturbing the lords within.

AUFIDIUS. Whence com'st thou? what wouldst thou? thy name? Why speak'st not? speak, man: what's thy name?

CORIOLANUS. [Unmuffling.] If, Tullus, Not yet thou know'st me, and, seeing me, dost not Think me for the man I am, necessity Commands me name myself.

AUFIDIUS. What is thy name?

[Servants retire.]

CORIOLANUS. A name unmusical to the Volscians' ears, And harsh in sound to thine.

AUFIDIUS. Say, what's thy name? Thou has a grim appearance, and thy face Bears a command in't; though thy tackle's torn, Thou show'st a noble vessel: what's thy name?

CORIOLANUS. Prepare thy brow to frown: - know'st thou me yet?

AUFIDIUS. I know thee not: - thy name?

CORIOLANUS. My name is Caius Marcius, who hath done To thee particularly, and to all the Volsces, Great hurt and mischief; thereto witness may My surname, Coriolanus: the painful service, The extreme dangers, and the drops of blood Shed for my thankless country, are requited But with that surname; a good memory, And witness of the malice and displeasure Which thou shouldst bear me: only that name remains; The cruelty and envy of the people, Permitted by our dastard nobles, who Have all forsook me, hath devour'd the rest, And suffer'd me by the voice of slaves to be Whoop'd out of Rome. Now, this extremity Hath brought me to thy hearth: not out of hope, Mistake me not, to save my life; for if I had fear'd death, of all the men i' the world I would have 'voided thee; but in mere spite, To be full quit of those my banishers, Stand I before thee here. Then if thou hast A heart of wreak in thee, that wilt revenge Thine own particular wrongs, and stop those maims Of shame seen through thy country, speed thee straight And