1608

THE TRAGEDY OF CORIOLANUS

by William Shakespeare

DRAMATIS PERSONAE -

CAIUS MARCIUS, afterwards CAIUS MARCIUS CORIOLANUS -

Generals against the Volscians

TITUS LARTIUS

COMINIUS -

MENENIUS AGRIPPA, friend to Coriolanus -

Tribunes of the People

SICINIUS VELUTUS

JUNIUS BRUTUS -

YOUNG MARCIUS, son to Coriolanus

A ROMAN HERALD

NICANOR, a Roman

TULLUS AUFIDIUS, General of the Volscians

LIEUTENANT, to Aufidius

CONSPIRATORS, With Aufidius

ADRIAN, a Volscian

A CITIZEN of Antium

TWO VOLSCIAN GUARDS -

VOLUMNIA, mother to Coriolanus

VIRGILIA, wife to Coriolanus

VALERIA, friend to Virgilia

GENTLEWOMAN attending on Virgilia -

Roman and Volscian Senators, Patricians, Aediles, Lictors,

Soldiers, Citizens, Messengers, Servants to Aufidius, and other

Attendants -

SCENE:

Rome and the neighbourhood; Corioli and the

neighbourhood; Antium

ACT I.

SCENE I.

Rome. A street -

Enter a company of mutinous citizens, with staves, clubs,

and other weapons -

FIRST CITIZEN. Before we proceed any further, hear me speak.

ALL. Speak, speak.

FIRST CITIZEN. YOU are all resolv'd rather to die than to famish?

ALL. Resolv'd, resolv'd.

FIRST CITIZEN. First, you know Caius Marcius is chief enemy to the

people.

ALL. We know't, we know't.

FIRST CITIZEN. Let us kill him, and we'll have corn at our own

price. Is't a verdict?

ALL. No more talking on't; let it be done. Away, away!

SECOND CITIZEN. One word, good citizens.

FIRST CITIZEN. 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.

SECOND CITIZEN. Would you proceed especially against Caius Marcius?

FIRST CITIZEN. Against him first; he's a very dog to the

commonalty.

SECOND CITIZEN. Consider you what services he has done for his

country?

FIRST CITIZEN. Very well, and could be content to give him good

report for't but that he pays himself with being proud.

SECOND CITIZEN. Nay, but speak not maliciously.

FIRST CITIZEN. I say unto you, what he hath done famously he did it

to that end; though soft-conscienc'd 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.

SECOND CITIZEN. What he cannot help in his nature you account a

vice in him. You must in no way say he is covetous.

FIRST CITIZEN. 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' th' city is

risen. Why stay we prating here? To th' Capitol!

ALL. Come, come.

FIRST CITIZEN. Soft! who comes here? -

Enter MENENIUS AGRIPPA -

SECOND CITIZEN. Worthy Menenius Agrippa; one that hath always lov'd

the people.

FIRST CITIZEN. He's one honest enough; would all the rest were so!

MENENIUS. What work's, my countrymen, in hand? Where go you

With bats and clubs? The matter? Speak, I pray you.

FIRST CITIZEN. Our business is not unknown to th' 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.

MENENIUS. Why, masters, my good friends, mine honest neighbours,

Will you undo yourselves?

FIRST CITIZEN. We cannot, sir; we are undone already.

MENENIUS. I tell you, friends, most charitable care