Coriolanus by William Shakespeare

Act 1 - Scene 1

Rome. A street.

First Citizen : Before we proceed any further, hear me speak.

All : Speak, speak.

First Citizen : You are all resolved rather to die than to famish?

All : Resolved. resolved.

First Citizen : First, you know Caius CORIOLANUS 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. [p]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. [p]What authority
surfeits on would relieve us: if they [p]would yield us but the
superfluity, while it were [p]wholesome, we might guess they relieved
us humanely; [p]but they think we are too dear: the leanness
that [p]afflicts us, the object of our misery, is as an [p]inventory
to particularise their abundance; our [p]sufferance is a gain to them
Let us revenge this with [p]our pikes, ere we become rakes: for the
gods know I [p]speak this in hunger for bread, not in thirst for
revenge.

Second Citizen : Would you proceed especially against Caius CORIOLANUS?

All : 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 [p]report fort, 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 [p]it to that end:
though soft-conscienced men can be [p]content to say it was for his
country he did it to [p]please his mother and to be partly proud;
which he [p]is, even till the altitude of his virtue.

Second Citizen : What he cannot help in his nature, you account a [p]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; [p]he hath faults,
with surplus, to tire in repetition. [p][Shouts within] [p]What shouts
are these? The other side o' the city [p]is risen: why stay we prating
here? to the Capitol!

All : Come, come.

First Citizen : Soft! who comes here?

Second Citizen : Worthy Menenius Agrippa; one that hath always loved [p]the people.

First Citizen : He's one honest enough: would all the rest were so!

Menenius Agrippa : What work's, my countrymen, in hand? where go you [p]With bats and
clubs? The matter? speak, I pray you.

First Citizen : Our business is not unknown to the senate; they have [p]had inkling
this fortnight what we intend to do, [p]which now we'll show 'em in
deeds. They say poor [p]suitors have strong breaths: they shall know
we [p]have strong arms too.

Menenius Agrippa : Why, masters, my good friends, mine honest neighbours, [p]Will you
undo yourselves?

First Citizen : We cannot, sir, we are undone already.

Menenius Agrippa : I tell you, friends, most charitable care [p]Have the patricians of
you. For your wants, [p]Your suffering in this dearth, you may as
well [p]Strike at the heaven with your staves as lift them [p]Against
the Roman state, whose course will on [p]The way it takes, cracking
ten thousand curbs [p]Of more strong link asunder than can
ever [p]Appear in your impediment. For the dearth, [p]The gods, not
the patricians, make it, and [p]Your knees to them, not arms, must
help. Alack, [p]You are transported by calamity [p]Thither where more
attends you, and you slander [p]The helms o' the state, who care for
you like fathers, [p]When you curse them as enemies.

First Citizen : Care for us! True, indeed! They ne'er cared for us [p]yet: suffer us
to famish, and their store-houses [p]crammed with grain; make edicts
for usury, to [p]support usurers; repeal daily any wholesome
act [p]established against the rich, and provide more [p]piercing
statutes daily, to chain up and restrain [p]the poor. If the wars eat
us not up, they will; and [p]there's all the love they bear us.

Menenius Agrippa : Either you must [p]Confess yourselves wondrous malicious, [p]Or be
accused of folly. I shall tell you [p]A pretty tale: it may be you
have heard it; [p]But, since it serves my purpose, I will
venture [p]To stale 't a little more.

First Citizen : Well, I'll hear it, sir: yet you must not think to [p]fob off our
disgrace with a tale: but, an 't please [p]you, deliver.

Menenius Agrippa : There was a time when all the body's members [p]Rebell'd against the
belly, thus accused it: [p]That only like a gulf it did remain [p]I'
the midst o' the body, idle and unactive, [p]Still cupboarding the
viand, never bearing [p]Like labour with the rest, where the other
instruments [p]Did see and hear, devise, instruct, walk, feel, [p]And,
mutually participate, did minister [p]Unto the appetite and affection
common [p]Of the whole body. The belly answer'd--

First Citizen : Well, sir, what answer made the belly?

Menenius Agrippa : Sir, I shall tell you. With a kind of smile, [p]Which ne'er came from
the lungs, but even thus-- [p]For, look you, I may make the belly
smile [p]As well as speak--it tauntingly replied [p]To the
discontented members, the mutinous parts [p]That envied his receipt;
even so most fitly [p]As you malign our senators for that [p]They are
not such as you.

First Citizen : Your belly's answer? What! [p]The kingly-crowned head, the vigilant
eye, [p]The counsellor heart, the arm our soldier, [p]Our steed the
leg, the tongue our trumpeter. [p]With other muniments and petty
helps [p]In this our fabric, if that they--

Menenius Agrippa : What then? [p]'Fore me, this fellow speaks! What then? what then?

First Citizen : Should by the cormorant belly be restrain'd, [p]Who is the sink o' the
body,--

Menenius Agrippa : Well, what then?

First Citizen : The former agents, if they did complain, [p]What could the belly
answer?

Menenius Agrippa : I will tell you [p]If you'll bestow a small--of what you have
little-- [p]Patience awhile, you'll hear the belly's answer.

First Citizen : Ye're long about it.

Menenius Agrippa : Note me this, good friend; [p]Your most grave belly was
deliberate, [p]Not rash like his accusers, and thus answer'd: [p]'True
is it, my incorporate friends,' quoth he, [p]'That I receive the
general food at first, [p]Which you do live upon; and fit it
is, [p]Because I am the store-house and the shop [p]Of the whole body:
but, if you do remember, [p]I send it through the rivers of your
blood, [p]Even to the court, the heart, to the seat o' the
brain; [p]And, through the cranks and offices of man, [p]The strongest
nerves and small inferior veins [p]From me receive that natural
competency [p]Whereby they live: and though that all at once, [p]You,
my good friends,'--this says the belly, mark me,--

First Citizen : Ay, sir; well, well.

Menenius Agrippa : 'Though all at once cannot [p]See what I do deliver out to
each, [p]Yet I can make my audit up, that all [p]From me do back
receive the flour of all, [p]And leave me but the bran.' What say you
to't?

First Citizen : It was an answer: how apply you this?

Menenius Agrippa : The senators of Rome are this good belly, [p]And you the mutinous
members; for examine [p]Their counsels and their cares, digest things
rightly [p]Touching the weal o' the common, you shall find [p]No
public benefit which you receive [p]But it proceeds or comes from them
to you [p]And no way from yourselves. What do you think, [p]You, the
great toe of this assembly?

First Citizen : I the great toe! why the great toe?

Menenius Agrippa : For that, being one o' the lowest, basest, poorest, [p]Of this most
wise rebellion, thou go'st foremost: [p]Thou rascal, that art worst in
blood to run, [p]Lead'st first to win some vantage. [p]But make you
ready your stiff bats and clubs: [p]Rome and her rats are at the point
of battle; [p]The one side must have bale. [p][Enter CAIUS
CORIOLANUS] [p]Hail, noble CORIOLANUS!

Coriolanus : Thanks. What's the matter, you dissentious rogues, [p]That, rubbing
the poor itch of your opinion, [p]Make yourselves scabs?

First Citizen : We have ever your good word.

Coriolanus : He that will give good words to thee will flatter [p]Beneath
abhorring. What would you have, you curs, [p]That like nor peace nor
war? the one affrights you, [p]The other makes you proud. He that
trusts to you, [p]Where he should find you lions, finds you
hares; [p]Where foxes, geese: you are no surer, no, [p]Than is the
coal of fire upon the ice, [p]Or hailstone in the sun. Your virtue
is [p]To make him worthy whose offence subdues him [p]And curse that
justice did it. [p]Who deserves greatness [p]Deserves your hate; and
your affections are [p]A sick man's appetite, who desires most
that [p]Which would increase his evil. He that depends [p]Upon your
favours swims with fins of lead [p]And hews down oaks with rushes.
Hang ye! Trust Ye? [p]With every minute you do change a mind, [p]And
call him noble that was now your hate, [p]Him vile that was your
garland. What's the matter, [p]That in these several places of the
city [p]You cry against the noble senate, who, [p]Under the gods, keep
you in awe, which else [p]Would feed on one another? What's their
seeking?

Menenius Agrippa : For corn at their own rates; whereof, they say, [p]The city is well
stored.

Coriolanus : Hang 'em! They say! [p]They'll sit by the fire, and presume to
know [p]What's done i' the Capitol; who's like to rise, [p]Who thrives
and who declines; side factions [p]and give out [p]Conjectural
marriages; making parties strong [p]And feebling such as stand not in
their liking [p]Below their cobbled shoes. They say there's [p]grain
enough! [p]Would the nobility lay aside their ruth, [p]And let me use
my sword, I'll make a quarry [p]With thousands of these quarter'd
slaves, as high [p]As I could pick my lance.

Menenius Agrippa : Nay, these are almost thoroughly persuaded; [p]For though abundantly
they lack discretion, [p]Yet are they passing cowardly. But, I beseech
you, [p]What says the other troop?

Coriolanus : They are dissolved: hang 'em! [p]They said they were an-hungry; sigh'd
forth proverbs, [p]That hunger broke stone walls, that dogs must
eat, [p]That meat was made for mouths, that the gods sent not [p]Corn
for the rich men only: with these shreds [p]They vented their
complainings; which being answer'd, [p]And a petition granted them, a
strange one-- [p]To break the heart of generosity, [p]And make bold
power look pale--they threw their caps [p]As they would hang them on
the horns o' the moon, [p]Shouting their emulation.

Menenius Agrippa : What is granted them?

Coriolanus : Five tribunes to defend their vulgar wisdoms, [p]Of their own choice:
one's Junius Brutus, [p]Sicinius Velutus, and I know
not--'Sdeath! [p]The rabble should have first unroof'd the
city, [p]Ere so prevail'd with me: it will in time [p]Win upon power
and throw forth greater themes [p]For insurrection's arguing.

Menenius Agrippa : This is strange.

Coriolanus : Go, get you home, you fragments!

Messenger : Where's Caius CORIOLANUS?

Coriolanus : Here: what's the matter?

Messenger : The news is, sir, the Volsces are in arms.

Coriolanus : I am glad on 't: then we shall ha' means to vent [p]Our musty
superfluity. See, our best elders. [p][Enter COMINIUS, TITUS LARTIUS,
and other Senators;] [p]JUNIUS BRUTUS and SICINIUS VELUTUS]

First Senator : CORIOLANUS, 'tis true that you have lately told us; [p]The Volsces are
in arms.

Coriolanus : They have a leader, [p]Tullus Aufidius, that will put you to 't. [p]I
sin in envying his nobility, [p]And were I any thing but what I
am, [p]I would wish me only he.

Cominius : You have fought together.

Coriolanus : Were half to half the world by the ears and he. [p]Upon my party, I'ld
revolt to make [p]Only my wars with him: he is a lion [p]That I am
proud to hunt.

First Senator : Then, worthy CORIOLANUS, [p]Attend upon Cominius to these wars.

Cominius : It is your former promise.

Coriolanus : Sir, it is; [p]And I am constant. Titus TITUS, thou [p]Shalt see me
once more strike at Tullus' face. [p]What, art thou stiff? stand'st
out?

Titus Lartius : No, Caius CORIOLANUS; [p]I'll lean upon one crutch and fight with
t'other, [p]Ere stay behind this business.

Menenius Agrippa : O, true-bred!

First Senator : Your company to the Capitol; where, I know, [p]Our greatest friends
attend us.

Titus Lartius : [To COMINIUS] Lead you on. [p][To CORIOLANUS] Follow Cominius; we must
follow you;] [p]Right worthy you priority.

Cominius : Noble CORIOLANUS!

First Senator : [To the Citizens] Hence to your homes; be gone!

Coriolanus : Nay, let them follow: [p]The Volsces have much corn; take these rats
thither [p]To gnaw their garners. Worshipful mutiners, [p]Your valour
puts well forth: pray, follow. [p][Citizens steal away. Exeunt all but
SICINIUS] [p]and BRUTUS]

Sicinius Velutus : Was ever man so proud as is this CORIOLANUS?

Junius Brutus : He has no equal.

Sicinius Velutus : When we were chosen tribunes for the people,--

Junius Brutus : Mark'd you his lip and eyes?

Sicinius Velutus : Nay. but his taunts.

Junius Brutus : Being moved, he will not spare to gird the gods.

Sicinius Velutus : Be-mock the modest moon.

Junius Brutus : The present wars devour him: he is grown [p]Too proud to be so
valiant.

Sicinius Velutus : Such a nature, [p]Tickled with good success, disdains the
shadow [p]Which he treads on at noon: but I do wonder [p]His insolence
can brook to be commanded [p]Under Cominius.

Junius Brutus : Fame, at the which he aims, [p]In whom already he's well graced, can
not [p]Better be held nor more attain'd than by [p]A place below the
first: for what miscarries [p]Shall be the general's fault, though he
perform [p]To the utmost of a man, and giddy censure [p]Will then cry
out of CORIOLANUS 'O if he [p]Had borne the business!'

Sicinius Velutus : Besides, if things go well, [p]Opinion that so sticks on CORIOLANUS
shall [p]Of his demerits rob Cominius.

Junius Brutus : Come: [p]Half all Cominius' honours are to CORIOLANUS. [p]Though
CORIOLANUS earned them not, and all his faults [p]To CORIOLANUS shall
be honours, though indeed [p]In aught he merit not.

Sicinius Velutus : Let's hence, and hear [p]How the dispatch is made, and in what
fashion, [p]More than his singularity, he goes [p]Upon this present
action.

Junius Brutus : Lets along.

Next: Act 1 - Scene 2