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！
we to our tent。 The blood upon your visage dries； 'tis time It should be
look'd to。 Come。 Exeunt
22
… Page 23…
CORIOLANUS
23
… Page 24…
CORIOLANUS
SCENE X。 The camp of the Volsces
A flourish。 Cornets。 Enter TULLUS AUFIDIUS bloody； with two or
three soldiers
AUFIDIUS。 The town is ta'en。 FIRST SOLDIER。 'Twill be deliver'd
back on good condition。 AUFIDIUS。 Condition！ I would I were a Roman；
for I cannot； Being a Volsce； be that I am。 Condition？ What good condition
can a treaty find I' th' part that is at mercy？ Five times； Marcius； I have
fought with thee； so often hast thou beat me； And wouldst do so； I think；
should we encounter As often as we eat。 By th' elements； If e'er again I
meet him beard to beard； He's mine or I am his。 Mine emulation Hath not
that honour in't it had； for where I thought to crush him in an equal force；
True sword to sword； I'll potch at him some way； Or wrath or craft may get
him。 FIRST SOLDIER。 He's the devil。 AUFIDIUS。 Bolder； though not so
subtle。 My valour's poison'd With only suff'ring stain by him； for him
Shall fly out of itself。 Nor sleep nor sanctuary； Being naked； sick； nor fane
nor Capitol； The prayers of priests nor times of sacrifice； Embarquements
all of fury； shall lift up Their rotten privilege and custom 'gainst My hate
to Marcius。 Where I find him； were it At home； upon my brother's guard；
even there； Against the hospitable canon； would I Wash my fierce hand
in's heart。 Go you to th' city； Learn how 'tis held； and what they are that
must Be hostages for Rome。 FIRST SOLDIER。 Will not you go？
AUFIDIUS。 I am attended at the cypress grove； I pray you… 'Tis south the
city mills… bring me word thither How the world goes； that to the pace of it
I may spur on my journey。 FIRST SOLDIER。 I shall； sir。 Exeunt
25
… Page 26…
CORIOLANUS
ACT II。
26
… Page 27…
CORIOLANUS
SCENE I。 Rome。 A public place
Enter MENENIUS； with the two Tribunes of the people； SICINIUS
and BRUTUS
MENENIUS。 The augurer tells me we shall have news tonight。
BRUTUS。 Good or bad？ MENENIUS。 Not according to the prayer of the
people； for they love not Marcius。 SICINIUS。 Nature teaches beasts to
know their friends。 MENENIUS。 Pray you； who does the wolf love？
SICINIUS。 The lamb。 MENENIUS。 Ay； to devour him； as the hungry
plebeians would the noble Marcius。 BRUTUS。 He's a lamb indeed； that
baas like a bear。 MENENIUS。 He's a bear indeed； that lives like a lamb。
You two are old men； tell me one thing that I shall ask you。 BOTH
TRIBUNES。 Well； sir。 MENENIUS。 In what enormity is Marcius poor in
that you two have not in abundance？ BRUTUS。 He's poor in no one fault；
but stor'd with all。 SICINIUS。 Especially in pride。 BRUTUS。 And topping
all others in boasting。 MENENIUS。 This is strange now。 Do you two know
how you are censured here in the city… I mean of us o' th' right…hand file？
Do you？ BOTH TRIBUNES。 Why； how are we censur'd？ MENENIUS。
Because you talk of pride now… will you not be angry？ BOTH TRIBUNES。
Well； well； sir； well。 MENENIUS。 Why； 'tis no great matter； for a very
little thief of occasion will rob you of a great deal of patience。 Give your
dispositions the reins； and be angry at your pleasures… at the least； if you
take it as a pleasure to you in being so。 You blame Marcius for being
proud？ BRUTUS。 We do it not alone； sir。 MENENIUS。 I know you can do
very little alone； for your helps are many； or else your actions would grow
wondrous single： your abilities are too infant…like for doing much alone。
You talk of pride。 O that you could turn your eyes toward the napes of
your necks； and make but an interior survey of your good selves！ O that
you could！ BOTH TRIBUNES。 What then； sir？ MENENIUS。 Why； then
you should discover a brace of unmeriting； proud； violent； testy
magistrates…alias fools… as any in Rome。 SICINIUS。 Menenius； you are
known well enough too。 MENENIUS。 I am known to be a humorous
patrician； and one that loves a cup of hot wine with not a drop of allaying
Tiber in't； said to be something imperfect in favouring the first complaint；
27
… Page 28…
CORIOLANUS
hasty and tinder…like upon too trivial motion； one that converses more with
the buttock of the night than with the forehead of the morning。 What I
think I utter； and spend my malice in my breath。 Meeting two such
wealsmen as you are… I cannot call you Lycurguses… if the drink you give
me touch my palate adversely； I make a crooked face at it。 I cannot say
your worships have deliver'd the matter well； when I find the ass in
compound with the major part of your syllables； and though I must be
content to bear with those that say you are reverend grave men； yet they
lie deadly that tell you you have good faces。 If you see this in the map of
my microcosm； follows it that I am known well enough too？ What harm
can your bisson conspectuities glean out of this character； if I be known
well enough too？ BRUTUS。 Come； sir； come； we know you well enough。
MENENIUS。 You know neither me； yourselves； nor any thing。 You are
ambitious for poor knaves' caps and legs； you wear out a good wholesome
forenoon in hearing a cause between an orange…wife and a fosset…seller；
and then rejourn the controversy of threepence to a second day of audience。
When you are hearing a matter between party and party； if you chance to
be pinch'd with the colic； you make faces like mummers； set up the bloody
flag against all patience； and； in roaring for a chamber…pot； dismiss the
controversy bleeding； the more entangled by your hearing。 All the peace
you make in their cause is calling both the parties knaves。 You are a pair of
strange ones。 BRUTUS。 Come； come； you are well understood to be a
perfecter giber for the table than a necessary bencher in the Capitol。
MENENIUS。 Our very priests must become mockers； if they shall
encounter such ridiculous subjects as you are。 When you speak best unto
the purpose； it is not worth the wagging of your beards； and your beards
deserve not so honourable a grave as to stuff a botcher's cushion or to be
entomb'd in an ass's pack…saddle。 Yet you must be saying Marcius is proud；
who； in a cheap estimation； is worth all your predecessors since Deucalion；
though peradventure some of the best of 'em were hereditary hangmen。
God…den to your worships。 More of your conversation would infect my
brain； being the herdsmen of the beastly plebeians。 I will be bold to take
my leave of you。 ＇BRUTUS and SICINIUS go aside＇
Enter VOLUMNIA； VIRGILIA； and VALERIA
28
… Page 29…
CORIOLANUS
How now； my as fair as noble ladies… and the moon； were she earthly；
no nobler… whither do you follow your eyes so fast？ VOLUMNIA。
Honourable Menenius； my boy Marcius approaches； for the love of Juno；
let's go。 MENENIUS。 Ha！ Marcius coming home？