按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
your will。 Exit COMINIUS。 Away！ The tribunes do attend you。 Arm
yourself To answer mildly； for they are prepar'd With accusations； as I
hear； more strong Than are upon you yet。 CORIOLANUS。 The word is
'mildly。' Pray you let us go。 Let them accuse me by invention； I Will
answer in mine honour。 MENENIUS。 Ay； but mildly。 CORIOLANUS。
54
… Page 55…
CORIOLANUS
Well； mildly be it then… mildly。 Exeunt
55
… Page 56…
CORIOLANUS
SCENE III。 Rome。 The Forum
Enter SICINIUS and BRUTUS
BRUTUS。 In this point charge him home； that he affects Tyrannical
power。 If he evade us there； Enforce him with his envy to the people； And
that the spoil got on the Antiates Was ne'er distributed。
Enter an AEDILE
What； will he come？ AEDILE。 He's coming。 BRUTUS。 How
accompanied？ AEDILE。 With old Menenius； and those senators That
always favour'd him。 SICINIUS。 Have you a catalogue Of all the voices
that we have procur'd； Set down by th' poll？ AEDILE。 I have； 'tis ready。
SICINIUS。 Have you collected them by tribes？ AEDILE。 I have。
SICINIUS。 Assemble presently the people hither； And when they hear me
say 'It shall be so I' th' right and strength o' th' commons' be it either For
death； for fine； or banishment； then let them； If I say fine； cry 'Fine！'… if
death； cry 'Death！' Insisting on the old prerogative And power i' th' truth o'
th' cause。 AEDILE。 I shall inform them。 BRUTUS。 And when such time
they have begun to cry； Let them not cease； but with a din confus'd
Enforce the present execution Of what we chance to sentence。 AEDILE。
Very well。 SICINIUS。 Make them be strong； and ready for this hint； When
we shall hap to give't them。 BRUTUS。 Go about it。 Exit AEDILE Put him
to choler straight。 He hath been us'd Ever to conquer； and to have his
worth Of contradiction； being once chaf'd； he cannot Be rein'd again to
temperance； then he speaks What's in his heart； and that is there which
looks With us to break his neck。
Enter CORIOLANUS； MENENIUS and COMINIUS； with others
SICINIUS。 Well； here he comes。 MENENIUS。 Calmly； I do beseech
you。 CORIOLANUS。 Ay； as an ostler； that for th' poorest piece Will bear
the knave by th' volume。 Th' honour'd gods Keep Rome in safety； and the
chairs of justice Supplied with worthy men！ plant love among's！ Throng
our large temples with the shows of peace； And not our streets with war！
FIRST SENATOR。 Amen； amen！ MENENIUS。 A noble wish。
Re…enter the AEDILE；with the plebeians SICINIUS。 Draw near； ye
people。 AEDILE。 List to your tribunes。 Audience！ peace； I say！
56
… Page 57…
CORIOLANUS
CORIOLANUS。 First； hear me speak。 BOTH TRIBUNES。 Well； say。
Peace； ho！ CORIOLANUS。 Shall I be charg'd no further than this present？
Must all determine here？ SICINIUS。 I do demand； If you submit you to
the people's voices； Allow their officers； and are content To suffer lawful
censure for such faults As shall be prov'd upon you。 CORIOLANUS。 I am
content。 MENENIUS。 Lo； citizens； he says he is content。 The warlike
service he has done； consider； think Upon the wounds his body bears；
which show Like graves i' th' holy churchyard。 CORIOLANUS。 Scratches
with briers； Scars to move laughter only。 MENENIUS。 Consider further；
That when he speaks not like a citizen； You find him like a soldier； do not
take His rougher accents for malicious sounds； But； as I say； such as
become a soldier Rather than envy you。 COMINIUS。 Well； well！ No more。
CORIOLANUS。 What is the matter； That being pass'd for consul with full
voice； I am so dishonour'd that the very hour You take it off again？
SICINIUS。 Answer to us。 CORIOLANUS。 Say then； 'tis true； I ought so。
SICINIUS。 We charge you that you have contriv'd to take From Rome all
season'd office； and to wind Yourself into a power tyrannical； For which
you are a traitor to the people。 CORIOLANUS。 How… traitor？
MENENIUS。 Nay； temperately！ Your promise。 CORIOLANUS。 The fires
i' th' lowest hell fold in the people！ Call me their traitor！ Thou injurious
tribune！ Within thine eyes sat twenty thousand deaths； In thy hands
clutch'd as many millions； in Thy lying tongue both numbers； I would say
'Thou liest' unto thee with a voice as free As I do pray the gods。 SICINIUS。
Mark you this； people？ PLEBEIANS。 To th' rock； to th' rock； with him！
SICINIUS。 Peace！ We need not put new matter to his charge。 What you
have seen him do and heard him speak； Beating your officers； cursing
yourselves； Opposing laws with strokes； and here defying Those whose
great power must try him… even this； So criminal and in such capital kind；
Deserves th' extremest death。 BRUTUS。 But since he hath Serv'd well for
Rome… CORIOLANUS。 What do you prate of service？ BRUTUS。 I talk of
that that know it。 CORIOLANUS。 You！ MENENIUS。 Is this the promise
that you made your mother？ COMINIUS。 Know； I pray you…
CORIOLANUS。 I'll know no further。 Let them pronounce the steep
Tarpeian death； Vagabond exile； flaying； pent to linger But with a grain a
57
… Page 58…
CORIOLANUS
day； I would not buy Their mercy at the price of one fair word； Nor check
my courage for what they can give； To have't with saying 'Good morrow。'
SICINIUS。 For that he has… As much as in him lies… from time to time
Envied against the people； seeking means To pluck away their power； as
now at last Given hostile strokes； and that not in the presence Of dreaded
justice； but on the ministers That do distribute it… in the name o' th' people；
And in the power of us the tribunes； we； Ev'n from this instant； banish him
our city； In peril of precipitation From off the rock Tarpeian； never more
To enter our Rome gates。 I' th' people's name； I say it shall be so。
PLEBEIANS。 It shall be so； it shall be so！ Let him away！ He's banish'd；
and it shall be so。 COMINIUS。 Hear me； my masters and my common
friends… SICINIUS。 He's sentenc'd； no more hearing。 COMINIUS。 Let me
speak。 I have been consul； and can show for Rome Her enemies' marks
upon me。 I do love My country's good with a respect more tender； More
holy and profound； than mine own life； My dear wife's estimate； her
womb's increase And treasure of my loins。 Then if I would Speak that…
SICINIUS。 We know your drift。 Speak what？ BRUTUS。 There's no more
to be said； but he is banish'd； As enemy to the people and his country。 It
shall be so。 PLEBEIANS。 It shall be so； it shall be so。 CORIOLANUS。
You common cry of curs； whose breath I hate As reek o' th' rotten fens；
whose loves I prize As the dead carcasses of unburied men That do corrupt
my air… I banish you。 And here remain with your uncertainty！ Let every
feeble rumour shake your hearts； Your enemies； with nodding of their
plumes； Fan you into despair！ Have the power still To banish your
defenders； till at length Your ignorance… which finds not till it feels；
Making but reservation of yourselves Still your own foes… deliver you As
most abated captives to some nation That won you without blows！
Despising For you the city； thus I turn my back； There is a world
elsewhere。 Exeunt CORIOLANUS； COMINIUS； MENENIUS； with the
other PATRICIANS AEDILE。 The people's enemy is gone； is gone！ ＇They
all shout and throw up their caps＇ PLEBEIANS。 Our enemy is banish'd； he
is gone！ Hoo…oo！ SICINIUS。 Go see him out at gates； and follow him； As
he hath follow'd you； with all despite； Give him deserv'd vexation。 Let a
guard Attend us through the city。 PLEBEIANS。 Come； come； let's see him
58
… Page 59…
CORIOLANUS
out at gates； come！ The gods preserve