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CORIOLANUS
CORIOLANUS
William Shakespeare
1608
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CORIOLANUS
Dramatis Personae
CAIUS MARCIUS； afterwards CAIUS MARCIUS CORIOLANUS
Generals against the Volscians TITUS LARTIUS COMINIUS
MENENIUS AGRIPPA； friend to Coriolanus
Tribunes of the People SICINIUS VELUTUS JUNIUS BRUTUS
YOUNG MARCIUS； son to Coriolanus A ROMAN HERALD
NICANOR； a Roman TULLUS AUFIDIUS； General of the Volscians
LIEUTENANT； to Aufidius CONSPIRATORS； With Aufidius ADRIAN； a
Volscian A CITIZEN of Antium TWO VOLSCIAN GUARDS
VOLUMNIA； mother to Coriolanus VIRGILIA； wife to Coriolanus
VALERIA； friend to Virgilia GENTLEWOMAN attending on Virgilia
Roman and Volscian Senators； Patricians； Aediles； Lictors； Soldiers；
Citizens； Messengers； Servants to Aufidius； and other Attendants
Scens： Rome and the neighbourhood； Corioli and the neighbourhood；
Antium
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CORIOLANUS
ACT I。
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CORIOLANUS
SCENE I。 Rome。 A street
Enter a company of mutinous citizens； with staves； clubs； and other
weapons
FIRST CITIZEN。 Before we proceed any further； hear me speak。
ALL。 Speak； speak。 FIRST CITIZEN。 You are all resolv'd rather to die
than to famish？ ALL。 Resolv'd； resolv'd。 FIRST CITIZEN。 First； you
know Caius Marcius is chief enemy to the people。 ALL。 We know't； we
know't。 FIRST CITIZEN。 Let us kill him； and we'll have corn at our own
price。 Is't a verdict？ ALL。 No more talking on't； let it be done。 Away； away！
SECOND CITIZEN。 One word； good citizens。 FIRST CITIZEN。 We are
accounted poor citizens； the patricians good。 What authority surfeits on
would relieve us； 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 particularize 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。 SECOND
CITIZEN。 Would you proceed especially against Caius Marcius？ FIRST
CITIZEN。 Against him first； he's a very dog to the commonalty。 SECOND
CITIZEN。 Consider you what services he has done for his country？ FIRST
CITIZEN。 Very well； and could be content to give him good report for't
but that he pays himself with being proud。 SECOND CITIZEN。 Nay； but
speak not maliciously。 FIRST CITIZEN。 I say unto you； what he hath done
famously he did it to that end； though soft…conscienc'd 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。 SECOND CITIZEN。
What he cannot help in his nature you account a vice in him。 You must in
no way say he is covetous。 FIRST CITIZEN。 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' th' city is risen。 Why
stay we prating here？ To th' Capitol！ ALL。 Come； come。 FIRST CITIZEN。
Soft！ who comes here？
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CORIOLANUS
Enter MENENIUS AGRIPPA
SECOND CITIZEN。 Worthy Menenius Agrippa； one that hath always
lov'd the people。 FIRST CITIZEN。 He's one honest enough； would all the
rest were so！ MENENIUS。 What work's； my countrymen； in hand？ Where
go you With bats and clubs？ The matter？ Speak； I pray you。 FIRST
CITIZEN。 Our business is not unknown to th' Senate； they have had
inkling this fortnight what we intend to do； which now we'll show 'em in
deeds。 They say poor suitors have strong breaths； they shall know we have
strong arms too。 MENENIUS。 Why； masters； my good friends； mine
honest neighbours； Will you undo yourselves？ FIRST CITIZEN。 We
cannot； sir； we are undone already。 MENENIUS。 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 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' th' state； who care for you like fathers； When you curse them
as enemies。 FIRST CITIZEN。 Care for us！ True； indeed！ They ne'er car'd
for us yet。 Suffer us to famish； and their storehouses cramm'd with grain；
make edicts for usury； to support usurers； repeal daily any wholesome act
established 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。 MENENIUS。 Either you must Confess
yourselves wondrous malicious； Or be accus'd of folly。 I shall tell you A
pretty tale。 It may be you have heard it； But； since it serves my purpose； I
will venture To stale't a little more。 FIRST CITIZEN。 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。 MENENIUS。 There was a time when all the body's members
Rebell'd against the belly； thus accus'd it： That only like a gulf it did
remain I' th' midst o' th' body； idle and unactive； Still cupboarding the
viand； never bearing Like labour with the rest； where th' other instruments
Did see and hear； devise； instruct； walk； feel； And； mutually participate；
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CORIOLANUS
did minister Unto the appetite and affection common Of the whole body。
The belly answer'd… FIRST CITIZEN。 Well； sir； what answer made the
belly？ MENENIUS。 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 th' discontented members；
the mutinous parts That envied his receipt； even so most fitly As you
malign our senators for that They are not such as you。 FIRST CITIZEN。
Your belly's answer… What？ The kingly crowned head； the vigilant eye；
The counsellor heart； the arm our soldier； Our steed the leg； the tongue our
trumpeter； With other muniments and petty helps Is this our fabric； if that
they… MENENIUS。 What then？ Fore me； this fellow speaks！ What then？
What then？ FIRST CITIZEN。 Should by the cormorant belly be restrain'd；
Who is the sink o' th' body… MENENIUS。 Well； what then？ FIRST
CITIZEN。 The former agents； if they did complain； What could the belly
answer？ MENENIUS。 I will tell you； If you'll bestow a small… of what you
have little… Patience awhile； you'st hear the belly's answer。 FIRST
CITIZEN。 Y'are long about it。 MENENIUS。 Note me this； good friend：
Your most grave belly was deliberate； Not rash like his accusers； and thus
answered。 '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
storehouse 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 th'
seat o' th' 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。 FIRST CITIZEN。 Ay； sir； well； well。 MENENIUS。
'Though all at once cannot See what I do deliver out to each； Yet I can
make my audit up； that all From me do back receive the flour of all； And
leave me but the bran。' What