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  • Title: Coriolanus (Folio 1, 1623)

    • Copyright Internet Shakespeare Editions. This text may be freely used for educational, non-proift purposes; for all other uses contact the Coordinating Editor.
    Author: William Shakespeare
    Not Peer Reviewed

    Coriolanus (Folio 1, 1623)

    16The Tragedie of Coriolanus.
    1900Scici. Heare me, People peace.
    All. Let's here our Tribune: peace, speake, speake,
    speake.
    Scici. You are at point to lose your Liberties:
    Martius would haue all from you; Martius,
    1905Whom late you haue nam'd for Consull.
    Mene. Fie, fie, fie, this is the way to kindle, not to
    quench.
    Sena. To vnbuild the Citie, and to lay all flat.
    Scici. What is the Citie, but the People?
    1910All. True, the People are the Citie.
    Brut. By the consent of all, we were establish'd the
    Peoples Magistrates.
    All. You so remaine.
    Mene. And so are like to doe.
    1915Com. That is the way to lay the Citie flat,
    To bring the Roofe to the Foundation,
    And burie all, which yet distinctly raunges
    In heapes, and piles of Ruine.
    Scici. This deserues Death.
    1920Brut. Or let vs stand to our Authoritie,
    Or let vs lose it: we doe here pronounce,
    Vpon the part o'th' People, in whose power
    We were elected theirs, Martius is worthy
    Of present Death.
    1925Scici. Therefore lay hold of him:
    Beare him to th'Rock Tarpeian, and from thence
    Into destruction cast him.
    Brut. AEdiles seize him.
    All Ple. Yeeld Martius, yeeld.
    1930Mene. Heare me one word, 'beseech you Tribunes,
    heare me but a word.
    AEdiles. Peace, peace.
    Mene. Be that you seeme, truly your Countries friend,
    And temp'rately proceed to what you would
    1935Thus violently redresse.
    Brut. Sir, those cold wayes,
    That seeme like prudent helpes, are very poysonous,
    Where the Disease is violent. Lay hands vpon him,
    And beare him to the Rock. Corio. drawes his Sword.
    1940Corio. No, Ile die here:
    There's some among you haue beheld me fighting,
    Come trie vpon your selues, what you haue seene me.
    Mene. Downe with that Sword, Tribunes withdraw
    a while.
    1945Brut. Lay hands vpon him.
    Mene. Helpe Martius, helpe: you that be noble, helpe
    him young and old.
    All. Downe with him, downe with him. Exeunt.
    In this Mutinie, the Tribunes, the AEdiles, and the
    1950People are beat in.
    Mene. Goe, get you to our House: be gone, away,
    All will be naught else.
    2. Sena. Get you gone.
    Com. Stand fast, we haue as many friends as enemies.
    1955Mene. Shall it be put to that?
    Sena. The Gods forbid:
    I prythee noble friend, home to thy House,
    Leaue vs to cure this Cause.
    Mene. For 'tis a Sore vpon vs,
    1960You cannot Tent your selfe: be gone, 'beseech you.
    Corio. Come Sir, along with vs.
    Mene. I would they were Barbarians, as they are,
    Though in Rome litter'd: not Romans, as they are not,
    Though calued i'th' Porch o'th' Capitoll:
    1965Be gone, put not your worthy Rage into your Tongue,
    One time will owe another.
    Corio. On faire ground, I could beat fortie of them.
    Mene. I could my selfe take vp a Brace o'th' best of
    them, yea, the two Tribunes.
    1970Com. But now 'tis oddes beyond Arithmetick,
    And Manhood is call'd Foolerie, when it stands
    Against a falling Fabrick. Will you hence,
    Before the Tagge returne? whose Rage doth rend
    Like interrupted Waters, and o're-beare
    1975What they are vs'd to beare.
    Mene. Pray you be gone:
    Ile trie whether my old Wit be in request
    With those that haue but little: this must be patcht
    With Cloth of any Colour.
    1980Com. Nay, come away. Exeunt Coriolanus and
    Cominius.
    Patri. This man ha's marr'd his fortune.
    Mene. His nature is too noble for the World:
    He would not flatter Neptune for his Trident,
    1985Or Ioue, for's power to Thunder: his Heart's his Mouth:
    What his Brest forges, that his Tongue must vent,
    And being angry, does forget that euer
    He heard the Name of Death. A Noise within.
    Here's goodly worke.
    1990Patri. I would they were a bed.
    Mene. I would they were in Tyber.
    What the vengeance, could he not speake 'em faire?
    Enter Brutus and Sicinius with the rabble againe.
    Sicin. Where is this Viper,
    1995That would depopulate the city, & be euery man himself
    Mene. You worthy Tribunes.
    Sicin. He shall be throwne downe the Tarpeian rock
    With rigorous hands: he hath resisted Law,
    And therefore Law shall scorne him further Triall
    2000Then the seuerity of the publike Power,
    Which he so sets at naught.
    1 Cit. He shall well know the Noble Tribunes are
    The peoples mouths, and we their hands.
    All. He shall sure ont.
    2005Mene. Sir, sir. Sicin. Peace.
    Me. Do not cry hauocke, where you shold but hunt
    With modest warrant.
    Sicin. Sir, how com'st that you haue holpe
    To make this rescue?
    2010Mene. Heere me speake? As I do know
    The Consuls worthinesse, so can I name his Faults.
    Sicin. Consull? what Consull?
    Mene. The Consull Coriolanus.
    Bru. He Consull.
    2015All. No, no, no, no, no.
    Mene. If by the Tribunes leaue,
    And yours good people,
    I may be heard, I would craue a word or two,
    The which shall turne you to no further harme,
    2020Then so much losse of time.
    Sic. Speake breefely then,
    For we are peremptory to dispatch
    This Viporous Traitor: to eiect him hence
    Were but one danger, and to keepe him heere
    2025Our certaine death: therefore it is decreed,
    He dyes to night.
    Menen. Now the good Gods forbid,
    That our renowned Rome, whose gratitude
    Towards her deserued Children, is enroll'd
    2030In Ioues owne Booke, like an vnnaturall Dam
    Should now eate vp her owne.
    Sicin.
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