Sicinius
Bear up like a man.
Volumnia
She’s not a man. That’s no disgrace for her.
I only wish that you were not a fox.
Then he would still be here who’s struck more blows
For Rome than you’ve made slanderous speeches. Go
Now. No, I’ve something more to say. I wish
My son were in Arabia, and you
With all your tribe before him in the desert.
Sicinius
What then?
Virgilia
What then? The entire breed
In wedlock born and bastards, you would all
Be soon exterminated. There’s revenge!
Menenius
Be still!
Sicinius
If only he had gone on serving
His country as he did at first.
Brutus
I wish he had.
Volumnia
“I wish he had?” But you stirred up the mob.
Brutus
We’ll leave you now.
Volumnia
High as the Capitol
Towers above the meanest hut in Rome
So towers my son (this lady’s husband, here
Do you see her?) whom you’ve banished
Above you all.
Brutus
That may be so. Come let’s
Be going.
(Brutus, Sicinius, and the Aedile go out)
Menenius
You’ve sent them packing
And upon my word you had every reason to.
Will you sup with me?
Volumnia
No, not tonight.
Anger’s my meat. I’ll sup upon myself.
And so shall starve with feeding. Come, let’s go.
(All go out)
Act Four
1
Highway between Rome and Antium.
A Roman and a Volscian meet.
Roman Why are you turning back? I’ve come from Rome, but I’m not a bandit.
Volscian If it isn’t Laetus, the tanner on Sandalmaker Street!
Roman Piger! Where have you been keeping yourself? (They embrace)
Roman How’s the old lady? Still making those millet cakes?
Volscian Still making them; she can get the raisins, but I’ve got no hemp for my rope shop. That’s what I’m going to Rome for.
Roman And I’m going to Antium to see if they can use any of my leather hassocks.
Volscian Did you pass through Corioli—the place you stole from us? How is it?
Roman You’ll see. Hasn’t changed much. People eat, sleep and pay taxes. How is it in Antium?
Volscian We eat, sleep and pay taxes. And in Rome?
Roman We eat too, and sleep and pay taxes. But we’ve had an uprising and thrown Coriolanus out.
Volscian Really? You’ve got rid of him? I can tell you one thing: that makes me happier about going there.
Roman I was less worried about leaving.
Volscian Man, to think we’ve got peace again!
Roman Have a good trip, Piger. I hope you make out all right in Rome.
Volscian I hope you make out all right in Antium, Laetus. (They take leave and go their ways)
(A disguised man comes from the direction of Rome. It is Coriolanus)
2
Antium. Outside Aufidius’ house.
Enter Coriolanus shabbily dressed and muffled.
Coriolanus
Not a bad town, this Antium. City, I’m
The man who turned your wives to widows. Many
A citizen would have inherited
A house like this had he not groaned and fallen
In my wars. It’s better for you not to know me.
Your women would belabor me with buckets
Your little boys with stones.
(Enter a Citizen)
Good evening, sir.
Can you inform me where the great
Aufidius lives? Is he in Antium?
Citizen
Yes, he’s at home and entertaining
The nobles of the city.
Coriolanus
Where is his house?
Citizen
Right here before you.
Coriolanus
This one? Thank you, sir.
Good evening.
(The Citizen goes out)
O world, your slippery turns! Two loving friends
Who seem to bear one heart within two breasts
Sharing their hours, their bed, their meals, their sports
Inseparable twins, will between twelve and noon
Break into bitterest enmity for less than nothing.
Likewise, the most deep-rooted enemies
Whose hate keeps them awake at night devising
Ways to exterminate each other, will
By some stupid trick of chance, not worth an egg
Be turned to staunchest comrades who betroth
Their children. So it is with me. I hate
My birthplace and I love this enemy town.
I’ll enter. If he kills me, it’s his good
Right. If he welcomes me, I’ll serve his country.
Servant (stepping out of the house) What are you gaping at?
Second Servant Hey, where’s the wine? Call that service? Are you fellows asleep?
(First Servant goes out)
Third Servant Cotus! The master’s calling Cotus. (Goes out)
Coriolanus A nice house. That dinner smells good too.
Second Servant What do you want, friend? Where are you from? There’s no room for you here. Would you kindly …
Coriolanus All right. I don’t deserve a better reception: I am Coriolanus.
First Servant (comes back) You still here? Hasn’t the gatekeeper any eyes in his head, letting such people in? Get going now.
Coriolanus Get going yourself.
First Servant Me? Let’s not be insolent.
Coriolanus You’re getting troublesome, friend.
Second Servant Sir, you’ve been asked politely to leave. So leave.
Third Servant (comes back) Who’s this character?
First Servant A freak. I can’t get rid of him. Call the master.
Third Servant Get a move on!
Coriolanus Just let me stand here. I won’t harm your hearth.
Second Servant But who are you?
Coriolanus A man of some renown.
First Servant But very poor.
Coriolanus Yes, that I am.
Third Servant May I then ask you, poor man of some renown, to stand somewhere else? In short: clear out!
Coriolanus Do as you’ve been told. And make it quick or someone else will eat your scraps. (Pushes him)
Second Servant Get the master!
(Third Servant goes out)
First Servant Where do you live anyway?
Coriolanus Under the canopy.
Second Servant Under the canopy?
Coriolanus Yes.
First Servant Where’s that?
Coriolanus In the city of kites and crows.
First Servant A fool. Then you must live with the feather brains?
Coriolanus No. I don’t serve your master.
First Servant You …!
Second Servant Have you any business with our master?
Coriolanus Yes, and you’d better be glad it’s with him and not with your wife. You stand here and prattle. Out to your platters!
(Enter Aufidius with the Third Servant)
Aufidius Where is the man?
First Servant Here, sir. I’d have whipped him like a dog but I didn’t wish to disturb the company inside.
Aufidius Where do you come from? What do you want here? Your name? Why don’t you speak? Speak, man. What’s your name?
Coriolanus
A name unmusical to Volscian ears
And harsh to your ears too.
Aufidius
Your looks are rude
And yet there’s something in your eye as if
You’d lifted up your voice in times gone by.
The tackle’s torn and yet the vessel
Was surely noble.
Coriolanus
Prepare to frown. Do you
Really not know me?
Aufidius
I don’t know you. Your name!
Coriolanus
My name is Caius Marcius, who has done
To you particularly and to all the Volscians
Great hurt and mischief, as my surname bears
Witness: Coriolanus. That name embodies
My arduous service, the mortal dangers faced
The drops of blood I’ve shed for an ungrateful
Rome. It must surely waken to your mind
The hate you owe me. Only the name is left.
The cruelty and envy of the people
The cowardice of the nobles, who have all
Betrayed me, have devoured the rest.
The voice of slaves has whooped me out of Rome
And this calamity has sent me to your door
Not hope to save my life—no, don’t mistake me—
For had I been afraid of death, it’s you
Of all men in the world I’d have avoided.
Sheer hatred, lust to be avenged on all
That rabble brings me here before you. If you
—I don’t know you—wish to repay the wrong inflicted
Upon you in particular, and the shameful
Scars to be seen throughout your country
Employ me. Put my misery to use.
Harness the vengefulness that burns my entrails
To your own purposes. Your purposes
Are mine. I’ll turn the malignant fury of
My sword against my cankered country.
However, if this venture frightens you
If weariness has tamed your enterprise
Then, in a word, I too am tired of living
I offer you my throat and call you fool
If you hesitate to cut it. I have always
Pursued you with my hatred, I have drawn
Barrels of blood from your country’s heart. Therefore
My life must cover you with shame, unless
I live to serve you.
Aufidius
O Marcius, Marcius
Each word you’ve said has weeded from my heart
A root of ancient envy. Let me now
Vie for your love as formerly
I battled with your valor. A dozen times
You’ve drubbed me so that ever since I’ve dreamed
Each night of fighting you, unbuckling helmets
Clutching each other’s throats—and waked with nothing.
Worthy Marcius, if we had no other quarrel
With Rome except that they have banished you
We’d muster every man from twelve to seventy
And hurl them at the city. Come in. Come in.
Some senators, my friends.
Coriolanus
O gods, how kind
You are today!
Aufidius
And so, sir, if you wish
To pay your debt in person, take one half
My army, and, since you have the experience
And know the strength and weakness of your country
Proceed as you see fit. Choose if you will
To knock directly on the gates of Rome
Or visit more outlying spots. You know
The rule: first frighten, then destroy. But now
Come in! Let me commend you to my friends
Who will approve your wishes. Come!
A thousand welcomes! More a friend than ever
An enemy. And, Marcius, that is saying
Quite a good deal. Come in!
3
Rome. The Forum.
Sicinius and Brutus.
Sicinius
No news of him. No need to fear him now.
We’ve made his friends in the senate blush, to see
The world goes on without the hero. It
Grieves them to hear our bakers, ropers, sandal-
Makers all singing at their work.
Brutus
We struck before it was too late.
Sicinius
Menenius.
Brutus
His manners are improving too.
Sicinius
Your Coriolanus isn’t greatly missed.
By a few friends perhaps. The state, however
Endures, and even if he hated it far more
Would still endure.
Menenius
Yes, all is well
And might have been still better had he learned
To temporize.
Sicinius
Where is he? Have you heard?
Menenius
No news. His wife and mother have no word of him.
(A few Citizens pass by)
Citizens
The gods preserve you both!
Brutus
Good evening, neighbors.
Sicinius
Good evening all! Good evening!
First Citizen
Let me say this: our wives and children too
Should get down on their knees and pray
The gods to give you both good health.
Brutus
The gods protect you, neighbors!
(The Citizens go out)
Sicinius
Aren’t we all much better off than in the days
When they detested you?
Brutus
Caius Marcius was
A worthy soldier in the field, but insolent
Puffed up with pride, ambitious beyond measure
Self-loving …
Sicinius
Yes, he aimed to make himself dictator.
Menenius
That seems unlikely.
Sicinius
We’d have found out to
Our sorrow, had he been chosen, consul.
Brutus
The gods prevented that. Now Rome
Is breathing easier.
(Enter an Aedile)
Aedile
Tribunes!
A slave—we’ve thrown the man in prison—reports
The Volscians with two separate armies have
Invaded Roman territory, destroying
Everything in their path.
Menenius
Aufidius
Who, hearing we had banished Marcius
Is putting out once more the feelers that
He’d anxiously retracted when he knew
Marcius was here with us.
Sicinius
Come, come, why bring up Marcius?
Brutus
Have him whipped!
The rumor monger! That’s not possible!
The Volscians wouldn’t dare to break with us!
Menenius
Not possible? It’s more than possible.
Three times it’s happened in my lifetime.
Question the man before you punish him
And find out where he heard it. Otherwise
You will be whipping information.
Sicinius
Don’t tell
Me that. I know it can’t be so.
Brutus
Impossible.
(Enter a Messenger)
Messenger
The nobles are meeting in the senate.