The Oxford Shakespeare: The Complete Works

by William Shakespeare

Upon your favours swims with fins of lead,

  And hews down oaks with rushes. Hang ye! Trust

  ye?

  With every minute you do change a mind,

  And call him noble that was now your hate,

  Him vile that was your garland. What’s the matter,

  That in these several places of the city

  You cry against the noble senate, who,

  Under the gods, keep you in awe, which else

  Would feed on one another?

  (To Menenius) What’s their seeking?

  MENENIUS

  For corn at their own rates, whereof they say

  The city is well stored.

  MARTIUS

  Hang ’em! They say?

  They’ll sit by th’ fire and presume to know

  What’s done i’th’ Capitol, who’s like to rise,

  Who thrives and who declines; side factions and give

  out

  Conjectural marriages, making parties strong

  And feebling such as stand not in their liking

  Below their cobbled shoes. They say there’s grain

  enough!

  Would the nobility lay aside their ruth

  And let me use my sword, I’d make a quarry

  With thousands of these quartered slaves as high

  As I could pitch my lance.

  MENENIUS

  Nay, these are all most thoroughly persuaded,

  For though abundantly they lack discretion,

  Yet are they passing cowardly. But I beseech you,

  What says the other troop?

  MARTIUS

  They are dissolved. Hang ’em.

  They said they were an-hungry, sighed forth

  proverbs—

  That hunger broke stone walls, that dogs must eat,

  That meat was made for mouths, that the gods sent

  not

  Corn for the rich men only. With these shreds

  They vented their complainings, which being

  answered,

  And a petition granted them—a strange one,

  To break the heart of generosity

  And make bold power look pale—they threw their caps

  As they would hang them on the horns o’th’ moon,

  Shouting their emulation.

  MENENIUS

  What is granted them?

  MARTIUS

  Five tribunes to defend their vulgar wisdoms,

  Of their own choice. One’s Junius Brutus,

  Sicinius Velutus, and I know not. ’Sdeath,

  The rabble should have first unroofed the city

  Ere so prevailed with me! It will in time

  Win upon power and throw forth greater themes

  For insurrection’s arguing.

  MENENIUS This is strange.

  MARTIUS (to the Citizens) Go get you home, you fragments.

  Enter a Messenger hastily

  MESSENGER Where’s Caius Martius?

  MARTIUS Here. What’s the matter?

  MESSENGER

  The news is, sir, the Volsces are in arms.

  MARTIUS

  I am glad on’t. Then we shall ha’ means to vent

  Our musty superfluity.

  Enter Sicinius, Brutus, Cominius, Lartius, with other Senators

  See, our best elders.

  FIRST SENATOR

  Martius, ’tis true that you have lately told us.

  The Volsces are in arms.

  MARTIUS They have a leader,

  Tullus Aufidius, that will put you to’t.

  I sin in envying his nobility,

  And were I anything but what I am,

  I would wish me only he.

  COMINIUS

  You have fought together!

  MARTIUS

  Were half to half the world by th’ ears and he

  Upon my party, I’d revolt to make

  Only my wars with him. He is a lion

  That I am proud to hunt.

  FIRST SENATOR Then, worthy Martius,

  Attend upon Cominius to these wars.

  COMINIUS (to Martius)

  It is your former promise.

  MARTIUS Sir, it is,

  And I am constant. Titus Lartius, thou

  Shalt see me once more strike at Tullus’ face.

  What, art thou stiff? Stand’st out?

  LARTIUS No, Caius Martius.

  I’ll lean upon one crutch and fight with th’other

  Ere stay behind this business.

  MENENIUS O true bred!

  ⌈FIRST⌉ SENATOR

  Your company to th’ Capitol, where I know

  Our greatest friends attend us.

  LARTIUS (to Cominius) Lead you on.

  (To Martius) Follow Cominius. We must follow you,

  Right worthy your priority.

  COMINIUS

  Noble Martius.

  ⌈FIRST⌉ SENATOR (to the Citizens)

  Hence to your homes, be gone.

  MARTIUS Nay, let them follow.

  The Volsces have much corn. Take these rats thither

  To gnaw their garners.

  Citizens steal away

  Worshipful mutineers,

  Your valour puts well forth. (To the Senators) Pray follow.

  Exeunt all but Sicinius and Brutus

  SICINIUS

  Was ever man so proud as is this Martius?

  BRUTUS He has no equal.

  SICINIUS

  When we were chosen tribunes for the people—

  BRUTUS

  Marked you his lip and eyes?

  SICINIUS

  Nay, but his taunts.

  BRUTUS

  Being moved, he will not spare to gird the gods.

  SICINIUS Bemock the modest moon.

  BRUTES

  The present wars devour him! He is grown

  Too proud to be so valiant.

  SICINIUS Such a nature,

  Tickled with good success, disdains the shadow

  Which he treads on at noon. But I do wonder

  His insolence can brook to be commanded

  Under Cominius.

  BRUTUS Fame, at the which he aims—

  In whom already he’s well graced—cannot

  Better be held nor more attained than by

  A place below the first; for what miscarries

  Shall be the general’s fault, though he perform

  To th’ utmost of a man, and giddy censure

  Will then cry out of Martius ‘O, if he

  Had borne the business!’

  SICINIUS

  Besides, if things go well,

  Opinion, that so sticks on Martius, shall

  Of his demerits rob Cominius.

  BRUTUS

  Come,

  Half all Cominius’ honours are to Martius,

  Though Martius earned them not; and all his faults

  To Martius shall be honours, though indeed

  In aught he merit not.

  SICINIUS Let’s hence and hear

  How the dispatch is made, and in what fashion,

  More than his singularity, he goes

  Upon this present action.

  BRUTUS Let’s along. Exeunt

  1.2 Enter Aufidius, with Senators of Corioles

  FIRST SENATOR

  So, your opinion is, Aufidius,

  That they of Rome are entered in our counsels

  And know how we proceed.

  AUFIDIUS

  Is it not yours?

  What ever have been thought on in this state

  That could be brought to bodily act ere Rome

  Had circumvention? ’Tis not four days gone

  Since I heard thence. These are the words. I think

  I have the letter here—yes, here it is.⌈He reads the letter⌉

  ‘They have pressed a power, but it is not known

  Whether for east or west. The dearth is great,

  The people mutinous, and it is rumoured

  Cominius, Martius your o
ld enemy,

  Who is of Rome worse hated than of you,

  And Titus Lartius, a most valiant Roman,

  These three lead on this preparation

  Whither ’tis bent. Most likely ‘tis for you.

  Consider of it.’

  FIRST SENATOR Our army’s in the field.

  We never yet made doubt but Rome was ready

  To answer us.

  AUFIDIUS Nor did you think it folly

  To keep your great pretences veiled till when

  They needs must show themselves, which in the

  hatching,

  It seemed, appeared to Rome. By the discovery

  We shall be shortened in our aim, which was

  To take in many towns ere, almost, Rome

  Should know we were afoot.

  SECOND SENATOR

  Noble Aufidius,

  Take your commission, hie you to your bands.

  Let us alone to guard Corioles.

  If they set down before’s, for the remove

  Bring up your army, but I think you’ll find

  They’ve not prepared for us.

  AUFIDIUS

  O, doubt not that.

  I speak from certainties. Nay, more,

  Some parcels of their power are forth already,

  And only hitherward. I leave your honours.

  If we and Caius Martius chance to meet,

  ’Tis sworn between us we shall ever strike

  Till one can do no more.

  ALL THE SENATORS

  The gods assist you!

  AUFIDIUS

  And keep your honours safe.

  FIRST SENATOR Farewell.

  SECOND SENATOR Farewell.

  ALL Farewell.

  Exeunt, ⌈Aufidius at one door,

  Senators at another door⌉

  1.3 Enter Volumnia and Virgilia, mother and wife to Martius. They set them down on two low stools and sew

  VOLUMNIA I pray you, daughter, sing, or express yourself in a more comfortable sort. If my son were my husband, I should freelier rejoice in that absence wherein he won honour than in the embracements of his bed where he would show most love. When yet he was but tender-bodied and the only son of my womb, when youth with comeliness plucked all gaze his way, when for a day of kings’ entreaties a mother should not sell him an hour from her beholding, I, considering how honour would become such a person—that it was no better than, picture-like, to hang by th’ wall if renown made it not stir—was pleased to let him seek danger where he was like to find fame. To a cruel war I sent him, from whence he returned his brows bound with oak. I tell thee, daughter, I sprang not more in joy at first hearing he was a man-child than now in first seeing he had proved himself a man.

  VIRGILIA But had he died in the business, madam, how then?

  VOLUMNIA Then his good report should have been my son. I therein would have found issue. Hear me profess sincerely: had I a dozen sons, each in my love alike, and none less dear than thine and my good Martius’, I had rather had eleven die nobly for their country than one voluptuously surfeit out of action.

  Enter a Gentlewoman

  GENTLEWOMAN Madam, the Lady Valeria is come to visit you.

  VIRGILIA (to Volumnia) Beseech you give me leave to retire myself.

  VOLUMNIA Indeed you shall not.

  Methinks I hear hither your husband’s drum,

  See him pluck Aufidius down by th’ hair;

  As children from a bear, the Volsces shunning him.

  Methinks I see him stamp thus, and call thus:

  ‘Come on, you cowards, you were got in fear

  Though you were born in Rome!’ His bloody brow

  With his mailed hand then wiping, forth he goes,

  Like to a harvest-man that’s tasked to mow

  Or all or lose his hire.

  VIRGILIA

  His bloody brow? O Jupiter, no blood!

  VOLUMNIA

  Away, you fool! It more becomes a man

  Than gilt his trophy. The breasts of Hecuba

  When she did suckle Hector looked not lovelier

  Than Hector’s forehead when it spit forth blood

  At Grecian sword, contemning.

  (To the Gentlewoman) Tell Valeria

  We are fit to bid her welcome. Exit Gentlewoman

  VIRGILIA

  Heavens bless my lord from fell Aufidius!

  VOLUMNIA

  He’ll beat Aufidius’ head below his knee

  And tread upon his neck.

  Enter Valeria, with an usher and the Gentlewoman

  VALERIA My ladies both, good day to you.

  VOLUMNIA Sweet madam.

  VIRGILIA I am glad to see your ladyship.

  VALERIA How do you both? You are manifest housekeepers. What are you sewing here? A fine spot, in good faith. How does your little son?

  VIRGILIA

  I thank your ladyship; well, good madam.

  VOLUMNIA He had rather see the swords and hear a drum than look upon his schoolmaster.

  VALERIA O’ my word, the father’s son! I’ll swear ‘tis a very pretty boy. O’ my troth, I looked upon him o’ Wednesday half an hour together. He’s such a confirmed countenance! I saw him run after a gilded butterfly, and when he caught it he let it go again, and after it again, and over and over he comes, and up again, catched it again. Or whether his fall enraged him, or how ’twas, he did so set his teeth and tear it! O, I warrant, how he mammocked it!

  VOLUMNIA One on’s father’s moods.

  VALERIA Indeed, la, ’tis a noble child.

  VIRGILIA A crack, madam.

  VALERIA Come, lay aside your stitchery. I must have you play the idle housewife with me this afternoon.

  VIRGILIA No, good madam, I will not out of doors.

  VALERIA Not out of doors?

  VOLUMNIA She shall, she shall.

  VIRGILIA Indeed, no, by your patience. I’ll not over the threshold till my lord return from the wars.

  VALERIA Fie, you confine yourself most unreasonably. Come, you must go visit the good lady that lies in.

  VIRGILIA I will wish her speedy strength, and visit her with my prayers, but I cannot go thither.

  VOLUMNIA Why, I pray you?

  VIRGILIA ’Tis not to save labour, nor that I want love.

  VALERIA You would be another Penelope. Yet they say all the yarn she spun in Ulysses’ absence did but fill Ithaca full of moths. Come, I would your cambric were sensible as your finger, that you might leave pricking it for pity. Come, you shall go with us.

  VIRGILIA No, good madam, pardon me, indeed I will not forth.

  VALERIA In truth, la, go with me, and I’ll tell you excellent news of your husband.

  VIRGILIA O, good madam, there can be none yet.

  VALERIA Verily, I do not jest with you: there came news from him last night.

  VIRGILIA Indeed, madam?

  VALERIA In earnest, it’s true. I heard a senator speak it. Thus it is: the Volsces have an army forth, against whom Cominius the general is gone with one part of our Roman power. Your lord and Titus Lartius are set down before their city Corioles. They nothing doubt prevailing, and to make it brief wars. This is true, on mine honour; and so, I pray, go with us.

  VIRGILIA Give me excuse, good madam, I will obey you in everything hereafter.

  VOLUMNIA (to Valeria) Let her alone, lady. As she is now she will but disease our better mirth.

  VALERIA In truth, I think she would. Fare you well, then. Come, good sweet lady. Prithee, Virgilia, turn thy solemness out o’ door and go along with us.

  VIRGILIA No, at a word, madam. Indeed, I must not. I wish you much mirth.

  VALERIA Well then, farewell.

  Exeunt ⌈Valeri, Volumnia, and usher at one door, Virgilia and Gentlewoman at another door⌉

  1.4 Enter Martius, Lartius with a drummer, ⌈a trumpeter,⌉ and colours, with captains and Soldiers ⌈carrying scaling ladders⌉, as before the city Corioles; to them a Messenger

  MARTIUS


  Yonder comes news. A wager they have met.

  LARTIUS

  My horse to yours, no.

  MARTIUS ’Tis done.

  LARTIUS Agreed.

  MARTIUS (to the Messenger)

  Say, has our general met the enemy?

  MESSENGER

  They lie in view, but have not spoke as yet.

  LARTIUS

  So, the good horse is mine.

  MARTIUS I’ll buy him of you.

  LARTIUS

  No, I’ll nor sell nor give him. Lend you him I will,

  For half a hundred years.

  (To the trumpeter) Summon the town.

  MARTIUS (to the Messenger)

  How far off lie these armies?

  MESSENGER Within this mile and half.

  MARTIUS

  Then shall we hear their ’larum, and they ours.

  Now Mars, I prithee, make us quick in work,

  That we with smoking swords may march from hence

  To help our fielded friends.

  (To the trumpeter) Come, blow thy blast.They sound a parley. Enter two Senators, with others, on the walls of Corioles

  (To the Senators) Tullus Aufidius, is he within your walls?

  FIRST SENATOR

  No, nor a man that fears you less than he:

  That’s lesser than a little.Drum afar off

  ⌈To the Volscians⌉ Hark, our drums

  Are bringing forth our youth. We’ll break our walls

  Rather than they shall pound us up. Our gates,

  Which yet seem shut, we have but pinned with rushes.

  They’ll open of themselves.Alarum far off

  (To the Romans) Hark you, far off

  There is Aufidius. List what work he makes

  Amongst your cloven army.

  ⌈Exeunt Volscians from the walls⌉

  MARTIUS O, they are at it!

  LARTIUS

  Their noise be our instruction. Ladders, ho!

  ⌈They prepare to assault the walls.⌉

  Enter the army of the Volsces from the gates

  MARTIUS

  They fear us not, but issue forth their city.

  Now put your shields before your hearts, and fight

  With hearts more proof than shields. Advance, brave

  Titus.

  They do disdain us much beyond our thoughts,

  Which makes me sweat with wrath. Come on, my

  fellows.

  He that retires, I’ll take him for a Volsce,

  And he shall feel mine edge.