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

your alms: adieu.

FIRST CITIZEN. But this is something odd.

SECOND CITIZEN. An 'twere to give again, - but 'tis no matter.

[Exeunt two citizens.]

[Re-enter other two citizens.]

CORIOLANUS. Pray you now, if it may stand with the tune of your voices that I may be consul, I have here the customary gown.

THIRD CITIZEN. You have deserved nobly of your country, and you have not deserved nobly.

CORIOLANUS. Your enigma?

THIRD CITIZEN. You have been a scourge to her enemies; you have been a rod to her friends: you have not indeed loved the common people.

CORIOLANUS. You should account me the more virtuous, that I have not been common in my love. I will, sir, flatter my sworn brother, the people, to earn a dearer estimation of them; 'tis a condition they account gentle: and since the wisdom of their choice is rather to have my hat than my heart, I will practise the insinuating nod and be off to them most counterfeitly: that is, sir, I will counterfeit the bewitchment of some popular man and give it bountifully to the desirers. Therefore, beseech you, I may be consul.

FOURTH CITIZEN. We hope to find you our friend; and therefore give you our voices heartily.

THIRD CITIZEN. You have received many wounds for your country.

CORIOLANUS. I will not seal your knowledge with showing them. I will make much of your voices, and so trouble you no further.

BOTH CITIZENS. The gods give you joy, sir, heartily!

[Exeunt citizens.]

CORIOLANUS. Most sweet voices! - Better it is to die, better to starve, Than crave the hire which first we do deserve. Why in this wolvish toge should I stand here, To beg of Hob and Dick that do appear, Their needless vouches? custom calls me to't: - What custom wills, in all things should we do't, The dust on antique time would lie unswept, And mountainous error be too highly heap'd For truth to o'erpeer. Rather than fool it so, Let the high office and the honour go To one that would do thus. - I am half through; The one part suffer'd, the other will I do. Here come more voices.

[Re-enter other three citizens.]

Your voices: for your voices I have fought; Watch'd for your voices; for your voices bear Of wounds two dozen odd; battles thrice six I have seen and heard of; for your voices have Done many things, some less, some more: your voices: Indeed, I would be consul.

FIFTH CITIZEN. He has done nobly, and cannot go without any honest man's voice.

SIXTH CITIZEN. Therefore let him be consul: the gods give him joy, and make him good friend to the people!

ALL THREE CITIZENS. Amen, amen. - God save thee, noble consul!

[Exeunt.]

CORIOLANUS. Worthy voices!

[Re-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 the official marks invested, you Anon do meet the senate.

CORIOLANUS. Is this done?

SICINIUS. The custom of request you have discharg'd: The people do admit you; and are summon'd 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 the senate-house.

MENENIUS. I'll keep you company. - 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 his heart.

BRUTUS. With a proud heart he wore his humble weeds. Will you dismiss the people?

[Re-enter citizens.]

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 begg'd 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 us'd us scornfully: he should have show'd us His marks of merit, wounds received for's country.

SICINIUS. Why, so he did, I am sure.

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; 'aged 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?

BRUTUS. Could you not have told him, As you were lesson'd, - 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' the body of the weal: and now, arriving A place of potency and sway o' the state, If he should still malignantly remain Fast foe to the 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. Thus to have said, As you were fore-advis'd, had touch'd his spirit And tried his inclination; from him pluck'd Either his gracious promise, which you might, As cause had call'd you up, have held him to; Or else it would have gall'd his surly nature, Which easily endures not article Tying him to aught; so, putting him to rage, You should have ta'en the advantage of his choler And pass'd him unelected.

BRUTUS. 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 judgment?

SICINIUS. Have you Ere now denied the asker, and now again, Of him that did not ask but mock, bestow Your su'd-for tongues?

THIRD CITIZEN. He's not confirm'd: 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 therefore kept to do so.

SICINIUS. Let them assemble; And, on a safer judgment, 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 scorn'd 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. Lay A fault on us, your tribunes; that we labour'd, - No impediment between, - but that you must Cast your election on him.

SICINIUS. Say you chose him More after our commandment than as guided By your own true affections; and that your minds, Pre-occupied 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. 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' the Marcians; from whence came That Ancus Marcius, 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, darling of the people, And nobly nam'd so, twice being censor, Was his great ancestor.

SICINIUS. 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.

BRUTUS. 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 the Capitol.

CITIZENS. We will so; almost all Repent in their election.

[Exeunt.]

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.

SICINIUS. To the Capitol, Come: we will be there before the stream o' the people; And this shall seem, as partly 'tis, their own, Which we have goaded onward.


[Exeunt.]


ACT III.

SCENE I. Rome. A street

[Cornets. Enter CORIOLANUS, MENENIUS, COMINIUS, TITUS LARTIUS, Senators, and Patricians.]

CORIOLANUS. Tullus Aufidius, then, had made new head?

LARTIUS. He had, my lord; and that it was which caus'd Our swifter composition.

CORIOLANUS. So then the Volsces stand but as at first; Ready, when time shall prompt them, to make road Upon's again.

COMINIUS. They are worn, lord consul, so That we shall hardly in our ages see Their banners wave again.

CORIOLANUS. 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 retir'd 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 call'd 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. [To Laertes.]

[Enter SICINIUS and BRUTUS.]

Behold! these are the tribunes of the people; The tongues o' the 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. Hath he not pass'd the noble and the commons?

BRUTUS. Cominius, no.

CORIOLANUS. Have I had children's voices?

FIRST SENATOR. Tribunes, give way; he shall to the market-place.

BRUTUS. The people are incens'd 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?

MENENIUS. Be calm, be calm.

CORIOLANUS. It is a purpos'd thing, and grows by plot, To curb