PERSONS REPRESENTED. CAIUS MARCIUS CORIOLANUS, a noble Roman MENENIUS AGRIPPA, Friend to Coriolanus. Tribunes of the People. SICINIUS VELUTUS, A Roman Herald. TULLUS AUFIDIUS, General of the Volscians. VOLUMNIA, Mother to Coriolanus. Roman and Volscian Senators, Patricians, Ædiles, Lictors, Soldiers, Citizens, Messengers, Servants to Aufidius, and other Attendants. Scene, partly in Rome; and partly in the Terri tories of the Volscians and Antiates. CORIOLANUS. ACT I. SCENE 1.-Rome.-A Street. Enter a Company of mutinous CITIZENS, with Staves, Clubs, and other Weapons. 1 Cit. Before we proceed any further, hear me speak. Cit. Speak, speak. [Several speaking at once. 1 Cit. You are afl resolved rather to die, than to famish? Cit. Resolved, resolved. 1 Cit. First, you know, Caius Marcius is chief enemy to the people. Cit. We know't, we know't. 4 1 Cit. Let us kill him, and we'll have corn at our own price. Is't a verdict? Cit. No more talking on't; let it be done: Away, away. 2 Cit. One word, good citizens. 1 Cit. We are accounted poor citizens; the pa tricians, good: what authority surfeits on, would relieve as 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 particularise 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. 2 Cit. Would you proceed especially against Caius Marcius? Cit. Against him first; he's a very dog to the commonalty. 2 Cit. Consider you what services he has done for his country? * Rich. Thin as rakes. 1 Cit. Very well; and could be content to give him good report for't, but that he pays himself with being proud. 2 Cit. Nay, but speak not maliciously. 1 Cit. I say unto you, what he hath done famously, he did it to that end: though soft conscienced 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. 2 Cit. What he cannot help in his nature, you account a vice in him: you must in no way say, he is covetous. Cit. 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' the city is risen: Why stay we prating here? To the Capitol. Cit. Come, come. 1 Cit. Soft; who comes here? * Enter MENENIUS AGRIPPA. 2 Cit. Worthy Menenius Agrippa; one that hath always loved the people. 1 Cit. He's one honest enough; 'would all the rest were so! Men. What work's, my countrymen, in hand! Where go you With bats and clubs? The matter? Speak, I pray you. 1 Cit. Our business is not unknown to the senate; they have had inkling, this fortnight, what we intend to do, which now we'll shew 'em in deeds. They say, poor suitors have strong breaths; they shall know, we have strong arms too. Men. Why, masters, my good friends, mine honest neighbours, Will you undo yourselves? 1 Cit. We cannot, Sir, we are undone already. Men. I tell you, friends, most charitable care Have the patricians of you. For your wants, Your suffering in this dearth, you may as well Strike at the heaven with your staves, as lift them Against the Roman state; whose course will on The way it takes, cracking ten thousand curbs Of more strong link asunder, than can ever Appear in your impediment: for the dearth, The gods, not the patricians, make it, and 367 Your knees to them, not arms, must help. Alack, You are transported by calamity Thither where more attends you; and you slander The helms o' the state, who care for you like fathers, When you curse them as enemies. 1 Cit. Care for us!-True, indeed!-They ne'er cared for us yet. Suffer us to famish, and their store-houses cramm'd with grain; make edicts for usury, to support usurers: repeal daily any wholesome act establish'd against the rich; and provide more piercing statutes daily, to chain up and restrain the poor. If the wars eat us not up, they will; and there's all the love they bear us. Men. Either you must Confess yourselves wondrous malicious, 1 Cit. Well, I'll hear it, Sir; yet you must not think to fob off our disgrace + with a tale: but an't please you deliver. Men. There was a time, when all the body's members Rebell'd against the belly; thus accused it :- I' the midst o'the body, idle and inactive, Did see, and hear, devise, instruct, walk, feel Of the whole body. The belly answered, 1 Cit. Well, Sir, what answer made the belly? Men. Sir, I shall tell you.-With a kind of smile, Which ne'er came from the lungs, but even thus, (For, look you, I may make the belly smile, As well as speak,) it tauntingly replied To the discontented members, the mutinous parts They are not such as you. 1 Cit. Your belly's answer: What! The kingly-crowned head, the vigilant eye, • Spread it. Whereas. VOL. IV. + Hardship. Bb b The counsellor heart, the arm our soldier, Men. What then? 'Fore me, this fellow speaks!-What then? What then? 1 Cit. Should by the cormorant belly be restrain'd Who is the sink o' the body, Men. Well, what then? 1 Cit. The former agents, if they did complain, What could the belly answer? Men. I will tell you; If you'll bestow a small (of what you have little,) Patience, awhile, you'll hear the belly's answer. 1 it. You are long about it. Men. Note me this, good friend; Your most grave belly was deliberate, Not rash like his accusers, and thus answer'd. True is it, my incorporate friends, quoth he, That I receive the general food at first, Which you do live upon and fit it is; Because I am the store-house, and the shop Of the whole body: but if you do remember, I send it through the rivers of your blood, Even to the court, the heart, to the seat o' the brain; And through the cranks* and offices of man, The strongest nerves, and small inferior veins, From me receive that natural competency Whereby they live and though that all at once, You, my good friends, (this says the belly), mark me, 1 Cit. Ay, Sir; well, well. Men. Though all at once cannot See what I do deliver out to each; Yet I can make my audit up, that all 1 Cit. It was an answer: How apply you this? Men. The senators of Rome are this good belly, And you the mutinous members: for examine Their counsels, and their cares; digest things rightly, Touching the weal o' the common; you shall find, Windings. |