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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    Not Peer Reviewed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)

    The Tragedie of Coriolanus. 25
    1 Cit. The Gods bee good to vs: Come Masters let's
    home, I euer said we were i'th wrong, when we banish'd
    him.
    2 Cit. So did we all. But come, let's home. Exit Cit.
    3085Bru. I do not like this Newes.
    Sicin. Nor I.
    Bru. Let's to the Capitoll: would halfe my wealth
    Would buy this for a lye.
    Sicin. Pray let's go. Exeunt Tribunes.
    3090Enter Auffidius with his Lieutenant.
    Auf. Do they still flye to'th' Roman?
    Lieu. I do not know what Witchcraft's in him: but
    Your Soldiers vse him as the Grace 'fore meate,
    Their talke at Table, and their Thankes at end,
    3095And you are darkned in this action Sir,
    Euen by your owne.
    Auf. I cannot helpe it now,
    Vnlesse by vsing meanes I lame the foote
    Of our designe. He beares himselfe more proudlier,
    3100Euen to my person, then I thought he would
    When first I did embrace him. Yet his Nature
    In that's no Changeling, and I must excuse
    What cannot be amended.
    Lieu. Yet I wish Sir,
    3105(I meane for your particular) you had not
    Ioyn'd in Commission with him: but either haue borne
    The action of your selfe, or else to him, had left it soly.
    Auf. I vnderstand thee well, and be thou sure
    When he shall come to his account, he knowes not
    3110What I can vrge against him, although it seemes
    And so he thinkes, and is no lesse apparant
    To th' vulgar eye, that he beares all things fairely:
    And shewes good Husbandry for the Volcian State,
    Fights Dragon-like, and does atcheeue as soone
    3115As draw his Sword: yet he hath left vndone
    That which shall breake his necke, or hazard mine,
    When ere we come to our account.
    Lieu. Sir, I beseech you, think you he'l carry Rome?
    Auf. All places yeelds to him ere he sits downe,
    3120And the Nobility of Rome are his:
    The Senators and Patricians loue him too:
    The Tribunes are no Soldiers: and their people
    Will be as rash in the repeale, as hasty
    To expell him thence. I thinke hee'l be to Rome
    3125As is the Aspray to the Fish, who takes it
    By Soueraignty of Nature. First, he was
    A Noble seruant to them, but he could not
    Carry his Honors eeuen: whether 'was Pride
    Which out of dayly Fortune euer taints
    3130The happy man; whether detect of iudgement,
    To faile in the disposing of those chances
    Which he was Lord of: or whether Nature,
    Not to be other then one thing, not moouing
    From th' Caske to th' Cushion: but commanding peace
    3135Euen with the same austerity and garbe,
    As he controll'd the warre. But one of these
    (As he hath spices of them all) not all,
    For I dare so farre free him, made him fear'd,
    So hated, and so banish'd: but he ha's a Merit
    3140To choake it in the vtt'rance: So our Vertue,
    Lie in th' interpretation of the time,
    And power vnto it selfe most commendable,
    Hath not a Tombe so euident as a Chaire
    T'extoll what it hath done.
    3145One fire driues out one fire; one Naile, one Naile;
    Rights by rights fouler, strengths by strengths do faile.
    Come let's away: when Caius Rome is thine,
    Thou art poor'st of all; then shortly art thou mine. exeunt


    Actus Quintus.


    3150Enter Menenius, Cominius, Sicinius, Brutus,
    the two Tribunes, with others.
    Menen. No, Ile not go: you heare what he hath said
    Which was sometime his Generall: who loued him
    In a most deere particular. He call'd me Father:
    3155But what o'that? Go you that banish'd him
    A Mile before his Tent, fall downe, and knee
    The way into his mercy: Nay, if he coy'd
    To heare Cominius speake, Ile keepe at home.
    Com. He would not seeme to know me.
    3160Menen. Do you heare?
    Com. Yet one time he did call me by my name:
    I vrg'd our old acquaintance, and the drops
    That we haue bled together. Coriolanus
    He would not answer too: Forbad all Names,
    3165He was a kinde of Nothing, Titlelesse,
    Till he had forg'd himselfe a name a'th' fire
    Of burning Rome.
    Menen. Why so: you haue made good worke:
    A paire of Tribunes, that haue wrack'd for Rome,
    3170To make Coales cheape: A Noble memory.
    Com. I minded him, how Royall 'twas to pardon
    When it was lesse expected. He replyed
    It was a bare petition of a State
    To one whom they had punish'd.
    3175Menen. Very well, could he say lesse.
    Com. I offered to awaken his regard
    For's priuate Friends. His answer to me was
    He could not stay to picke them, in a pile
    Of noysome musty Chaffe. He said, 'twas folly
    3180For one poore graine or two, to leaue vnburnt
    And still to nose th' offence.
    Menen. For one poore graine or two?
    I am one of those: his Mother, Wife, his Childe,
    And this braue Fellow too: we are the Graines,
    3185You are the musty Chaffe, and you are smelt
    Aboue the Moone. We must be burnt for you.
    Sicin. Nay, pray be patient: If you refuse your ayde
    In this so neuer-needed helpe, yet do not
    Vpbraid's with our distresse. But sure if you
    3190Would be your Countries Pleader, your good tongue
    More then the instant Armie we can make
    Might stop our Countryman.
    Mene. No: Ile not meddle.
    Sicin. Pray you go to him.
    3195Mene. What should I do?
    Bru. Onely make triall what your Loue can do,
    For Rome, towards Martius.
    Mene. Well, and say that Martius returne mee,
    As Cominius is return'd, vnheard: what then?
    3200But as a discontented Friend, greefe-shot
    With his vnkindnesse. Say't be so?
    Sicin. Yet your good will
    Must haue that thankes from Rome, after the measure
    As you intended well.
    3205Mene. Ile vndertak't:
    I thinke hee'l heare me. Yet to bite his lip,
    And humme at good Cominius, much vnhearts mee.
    cc Hee
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