The Arden Shakespeare Complete Works

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The Arden Shakespeare Complete Works Page 90

by William Shakespeare


  the peace you make in their cause is calling both the

  parties knaves. You are a pair of strange ones.

  BRUTUS Come, come, you are well understood to be a

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  perfecter giber for the table than a necessary bencher

  in the Capitol.

  MENENIUS Our very priests must become mockers, if

  they shall encounter such ridiculous subjects as you

  are. When you speak best unto the purpose, it is not

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  worth the wagging of your beards; and your beards

  deserve not so honourable a grave as to stuff a

  botcher’s cushion, or to be entombed in an ass’s pack-

  saddle. Yet you must be saying Martius is proud: who,

  in a cheap estimation, is worth all your predecessors

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  since Deucalion, though peradventure some of the

  best of ’em were hereditary hangmen. God-den to

  your worships. More of your conversation would

  infect my brain, being the herdsmen of the beastly

  plebeians. I will be bold to take my leave of you.

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  [Brutus and Sicinius aside.]

  Enter VOLUMNIA, VIRGILIA and VALERIA.

  How now, my as fair as noble ladies – and the moon,

  were she earthly, no nobler – whither do you follow

  your eyes so fast?

  VOLUMNIA Honourable Menenius, my boy Martius

  approaches; for the love of Juno, let’s go.

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  Menenius Ha? Martius coming home?

  VOLUMNIA Ay, worthy Menenius, and with most

  prosperous approbation.

  MENENIUS Take my cap, Jupiter, and I thank thee. Hoo!

  MARTIUS coming home?

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  VIRGILIA, VALERIA Nay, ’tis true.

  VOLUMNIA Look, here’s a letter from him; the state

  hath another, his wife another; and I think there’s one

  at home for you.

  MENENIUS I will make my very house reel tonight. A

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  letter for me?

  VIRGILIA Yes, certain, there’s a letter for you; I saw’t.

  MENENIUS A letter for me! It gives me an estate of seven

  years’ health; in which time I will make a lip at the

  physician. The most sovereign prescription in Galen

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  is but empiricutic, and, to this preservative, of no

  better report than a horse-drench. Is he not

  wounded? He was wont to come home wounded.

  VIRGILIA Oh no, no, no.

  VOLUMNIA Oh, he is wounded; I thank the gods for’t.

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  MENENIUS So do I too, if it be not too much. Brings a

  victory in his pocket? The wounds become him.

  VOLUMNIA On’s brows: Menenius, he comes the third

  time home with the oaken garland.

  MENENIUS Has he disciplined Aufidius soundly?

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  VOLUMNIA Titus Lartius writes, they fought together,

  but Aufidius got off.

  MENENIUS And ’twas time for him too, I’ll warrant him

  that: and he had stayed by him, I would not have been

  so ’fidiussed for all the chests in Corioles and the gold

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  that’s in them. Is the senate possessed of this?

  VOLUMNIA Good ladies, let’s go. Yes, yes, yes. The

  senate has letters from the general, wherein he gives

  my son the whole name of the war: he hath in this

  action outdone his former deeds doubly.

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  VALERIA In troth, there’s wondrous things spoke of

  him.

  MENENIUS Wondrous! Ay, I warrant you, and not

  without his true purchasing.

  VIRGILIA The gods grant them true.

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  VOLUMNIA True? pow, waw!

  MENENIUS True? I’ll be sworn they are true. Where is

  he wounded? [to the tribunes] God save your good

  worships! Martius is coming home: he has more

  cause to be proud. [to Volumnia] Where is he

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  wounded?

  VOLUMNIA I’th’ shoulder, and i’th’ left arm: there will

  be large cicatrices to show the people when he shall

  stand for his place. He received in the repulse of

  Tarquin seven hurts i’th’ body.

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  MENENIUS One i’th’ neck, and two i’th’ thigh – there’s

  nine that I know.

  VOLUMNIA He had, before this last expedition, twenty-

  five wounds upon him.

  MENENIUS Now it’s twenty-seven: every gash was an

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  enemy’s grave. [A shout and flourish.] Hark, the

  trumpets!

  VOLUMNIA These are the ushers of Martius: before him

  he carries noise, and behind him he leaves tears:

  Death, that dark spirit, in’s nervy arm doth lie,

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  Which, being advanc’d, declines, and then men die.

  A sennet. Trumpets sound. Enter COMINIUS the General, and TITUS LARTIUS: between them CORIOLANUS, crowned with an oaken garland; with captains and soldiers, and a Herald.

  HERALD Know, Rome, that all alone Martius did fight

  Within Corioles gates: where he hath won,

  With fame, a name to Martius Caius. These

  In honour follows Coriolanus.

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  Welcome to Rome, renowned Coriolanus!

  [Sound flourish.]

  ALL Welcome to Rome, renowned Coriolanus!

  CORIOLANUS No more of this; it does offend my heart.

  Pray now, no more.

  COMINIUS Look, sir, your mother.

  CORIOLANUS Oh!

  You have, I know, petition’d all the gods

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  For my prosperity. [Kneels.]

  VOLUMNIA Nay, my good soldier, up;

  My gentle Martius, worthy Caius, and

  By deed-achieving honour newly nam’d –

  What is it? – Coriolanus, must I call thee?

  But oh, thy wife –

  CORIOLANUS My gracious silence, hail!

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  Wouldst thou have laugh’d had I come coffin’d home,

  That weep’st to see me triumph? Ah, my dear,

  Such eyes the widows in Corioles wear,

  And mothers that lack sons.

  MENENIUS Now the gods crown thee!

  CORIOLANUS And live you yet?

  [to Valeria] O my sweet lady, pardon.

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  VOLUMNIA

  I know not where to turn: O welcome home!

  And welcome, general; and y’are welcome all.

  MENENIUS

  A hundred thousand welcomes. I could weep,

  And I could laugh, I am light and heavy. Welcome!

  A curse begnaw at very root on’s heart,

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  That is not glad to see thee! You are three

  That Rome should dote on: yet, by the faith of men,

  We have some old crabtrees here at home that will

  not

  Be grafted to your relish. Yet welcome, warriors!

  We call a nettle but a nettle, and

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  The faults of fools but folly.

  COMINIUS Ever right.

  CORIOLANUS Menenius, ever, ever.

  HERALD Give way there, and go on.

  CORIOLANUS [to Volumnia and Virgilia]

  Your hand, and yours!

  Ere in our own house I do shade my head,

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  The good patricians must be visited,

  From whom I have receiv’d not only greetings,

  But with them change of honours.

  VOLUMNIA I have liv’d

  To see inherited my very wishe
s,

  And the buildings of my fancy: only

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  There’s one thing wanting, which I doubt not but

  Our Rome will cast upon thee.

  CORIOLANUS Know, good mother,

  I had rather be their servant in my way

  Than sway with them in theirs.

  COMINIUS On, to the Capitol.

  Flourish. Cornets. Exeunt in state, as before.

  [Brutus and Sicinius come forward.]

  BRUTUS

  All tongues speak of him, and the bleared sights

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  Are spectacled to see him. Your prattling nurse

  Into a rapture lets her baby cry

  While she chats him. The kitchen malkin pins

  Her richest lockram ’bout her reechy neck,

  Clamb’ring the walls to eye him; stalls, bulks,

  windows,

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  Are smother’d up, leads fill’d and ridges hors’d

  With variable complexions, all agreeing

  In earnestness to see him. Seld-shown flamens

  Do press among the popular throngs, and puff

  To win a vulgar station. Our veil’d dames

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  Commit the war of white and damask in

  Their nicely gauded cheeks, to th’wanton spoil

  Of Phoebus’ burning kisses. Such a pother,

  As if that whatsoever god who leads him

  Were slily crept into his human powers,

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  And gave him graceful posture.

  SICINIUS On the sudden,

  I warrant him consul.

  BRUTUS Then our office may,

  During his power, go sleep.

  SICINIUS He cannot temp’rately transport his honours

  From where he should begin and end, but will

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  Lose those he hath won.

  BRUTUS In that there’s comfort.

  SICINIUS Doubt not

  The commoners, for whom we stand, but they

  Upon their ancient malice will forget

  With the least cause these his new honours; which

  That he will give them make I as little question

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  As he is proud to do’t.

  BRUTUS I heard him swear,

  Were he to stand for consul, never would he

  Appear i’th’ market-place, nor on him put

  The napless vesture of humility;

  Nor showing (as the manner is) his wounds

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  To th’ people, beg their stinking breaths.

  SICINIUS ’Tis right.

  BRUTUS It was his word. Oh, he would miss it rather

  Than carry it but by the suit of the gentry to him

  And the desire of the nobles.

  SICINIUS I wish no better

  Than have him hold that purpose, and to put it

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  In execution.

  BRUTUS ’Tis most like he will.

  SICINIUS It shall be to him then, as our good wills,

  A sure destruction.

  BRUTUS So it must fall out

  To him; or our authority’s for an end;

  We must suggest the people in what hatred

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  He still hath held them: that to’s power he would

  Have made them mules, silenc’d their pleaders, and

  Dispropertied their freedoms; holding them,

  In human action and capacity,

  Of no more soul nor fitness for the world

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  Than camels in their war, who have their provand

  Only for bearing burthens, and sore blows

  For sinking under them.

  SICINIUS This (as you say) suggested

  At some time when his soaring insolence

  Shall touch the people – which time shall not want,

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  If he be put upon’t, and that’s as easy

  As to set dogs on sheep – will be his fire

  To kindle their dry stubble; and their blaze

  Shall darken him for ever.

  Enter a Messenger.

  BRUTUS What’s the matter?

  MESSENGER

  You are sent for to the Capitol. ’Tis thought

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  That Martius shall be consul.

  I have seen the dumb men throng to see him, and

  The blind to hear him speak. Matrons flung gloves,

  Ladies and maids their scarfs and handkerchers,

  Upon him as he pass’d; the nobles bended

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  As to Jove’s statue, and the commons made

  A shower and thunder with their caps and shouts:

  I never saw the like.

  BRUTUS Let’s to the Capitol,

 

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