TPTT The Tragedy of Coriolanus: ACT V
Introduction
ACT I
ACT II
ACT III
ACT IV
ACT V
SCENE I. Rome. A public place.
SCENE II. Entrance of the Volscian camp before Rome. Two Sentinels on guard.
SCENE III. The tent of Coriolanus.
SCENE IV. Rome. A public place.
SCENE V. The same. A street near the gate.
SCENE VI. Antium. A public place.
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SCENE VI. Antium. A public place.
Enter TULLUS AUFIDIUS, with Attendants
AUFIDIUS
      Go tell the lords o' the city I am here:
      Deliver them this paper: having read it,
      Bid them repair to the market place; where I,
      Even in theirs and in the commons' ears,
5     Will vouch the truth of it. Him I accuse
      The city ports by this hath enter'd and
      Intends to appear before the people, hoping
      To purge herself with words: dispatch.

Exeunt Attendants

Enter three or four Conspirators of AUFIDIUS' faction

      Most welcome!
First Conspirator
10    How is it with our general?
AUFIDIUS
      Even so
      As with a man by his own alms empoison'd,
      And with his charity slain.
Second Conspirator
      Most noble sir,
15    If you do hold the same intent wherein
      You wish'd us parties, we'll deliver you
      Of your great danger.
AUFIDIUS
      Sir, I cannot tell:
      We must proceed as we do find the people.
Third Conspirator
20    The people will remain uncertain whilst
      'Twixt you there's difference; but the fall of either
      Makes the survivor heir of all.
AUFIDIUS
      I know it;
      And my pretext to strike at him admits
25    A good construction. I raised him, and I pawn'd
      Mine honour for his truth: who being so heighten'd,
      He water'd his new plants with dews of flattery,
      Seducing so my friends; and, to this end,
      He bow'd his nature, never known before
30    But to be rough, unswayable and free.
Third Conspirator
      Sir, his stoutness
      When he did stand for consul, which he lost
      By lack of stooping,--
AUFIDIUS
      That I would have spoke of:
35    Being banish'd for't, he came unto my hearth;
      Presented to my knife his throat: I took him;
      Made him joint-servant with me; gave him way
      In all his own desires; nay, let him choose
      Out of my files, his projects to accomplish,
40    My best and freshest men; served his designments
      In mine own person; holp to reap the fame
      Which he did end all his; and took some pride
      To do myself this wrong: till, at the last,
      I seem'd his follower, not partner, and
45    He waged me with his countenance, as if
      I had been mercenary.
First Conspirator
      So he did, my lord:
      The army marvell'd at it, and, in the last,
      When he had carried Rome and that we look'd
50    For no less spoil than glory,--
AUFIDIUS
      There was it:
      For which my sinews shall be stretch'd upon him.
      At a few drops of women's rheum, which are
      As cheap as lies, he sold the blood and labour
55    Of our great action: therefore shall he die,
      And I'll renew me in his fall. But, hark!
Drums and trumpets sound, with great shouts of the People
First Conspirator
      Your native town you enter'd like a post,
      And had no welcomes home: but he returns,
      Splitting the air with noise.
Second Conspirator
60    And patient fools,
      Whose children he hath slain, their base throats tear
      With giving him glory.
Third Conspirator
      Therefore, at your vantage,
      Ere he express himself, or move the people
65    With what he would say, let him feel your sword,
      Which we will second. When he lies along,
      After your way his tale pronounced shall bury
      His reasons with his body.
AUFIDIUS
      Say no more:
70    Here come the lords.
Enter the Lords of the city
All The Lords
      You are most welcome home.
AUFIDIUS
      I have not deserved it.
      But, worthy lords, have you with heed perused
      What I have written to you?
Lords
75    We have.
First Lord
      And grieve to hear't.
      What faults he made before the last, I think
      Might have found easy fines: but there to end
      Where he was to begin and give away
80    The benefit of our levies, answering us
      With our own charge, making a treaty where
      There was a yielding,--this admits no excuse.
AUFIDIUS
      He approaches: you shall hear him.
Enter CORIOLANUS, marching with drum and colours; commoners being with him
CORIOLANUS
      Hail, lords! I am return'd your soldier,
85    No more infected with my country's love
      Than when I parted hence, but still subsisting
      Under your great command. You are to know
      That prosperously I have attempted and
      With bloody passage led your wars even to
90    The gates of Rome. Our spoils we have brought home
      Do more than counterpoise a full third part
      The charges of the action. We have made peace
      With no less honour to the Antiates
      Than shame to the Romans: and we here deliver,
95    Subscribed by the consuls and patricians,
      Together with the seal o' the senate, what
      We have compounded on.
AUFIDIUS
      Read it not, noble lords;
      But tell the traitor, in the high'st degree
100   He hath abused your powers.
CORIOLANUS
      Traitor! how now!
AUFIDIUS
      Ay, traitor, Marcius!
CORIOLANUS
      Marcius!
AUFIDIUS
      Ay, Marcius, Caius Marcius: dost thou think
105   I'll grace thee with that robbery, thy stol'n name
      Coriolanus in Corioli?
      You lords and heads o' the state, perfidiously
      He has betray'd your business, and given up,
      For certain drops of salt, your city Rome,
110   I say 'your city,' to his wife and mother;
      Breaking his oath and resolution like
      A twist of rotten silk, never admitting
      Counsel o' the war, but at his nurse's tears
      He whined and roar'd away your victory,
115   That pages blush'd at him and men of heart
      Look'd wondering each at other.
CORIOLANUS
      Hear'st thou, Mars?
AUFIDIUS
      Name not the god, thou boy of tears!
CORIOLANUS
      Ha!
AUFIDIUS
120   No more.
CORIOLANUS
      Measureless liar, thou hast made my heart
      Too great for what contains it. Boy! O slave!
      Pardon me, lords, 'tis the first time that ever
      I was forced to scold. Your judgments, my grave lords,
125   Must give this cur the lie: and his own notion--
      Who wears my stripes impress'd upon him; that
      Must bear my beating to his grave--shall join
      To thrust the lie unto him.
First Lord
      Peace, both, and hear me speak.
CORIOLANUS
130   Cut me to pieces, Volsces; men and lads,
      Stain all your edges on me. Boy! false hound!
      If you have writ your annals true, 'tis there,
      That, like an eagle in a dove-cote, I
      Flutter'd your Volscians in Corioli:
135   Alone I did it. Boy!
AUFIDIUS
      Why, noble lords,
      Will you be put in mind of his blind fortune,
      Which was your shame, by this unholy braggart,
      'Fore your own eyes and ears?
All Conspirators
140   Let him die for't.
All The People
      'Tear him to pieces.' 'Do it presently.' 'He kill'd
      my son.' 'My daughter.' 'He killed my cousin
      Marcus.' 'He killed my father.'
Second Lord
      Peace, ho! no outrage: peace!
145   The man is noble and his fame folds-in
      This orb o' the earth. His last offences to us
      Shall have judicious hearing. Stand, Aufidius,
      And trouble not the peace.
CORIOLANUS
      O that I had him,
150   With six Aufidiuses, or more, his tribe,
      To use my lawful sword!
AUFIDIUS
      Insolent villain!
All Conspirators
      Kill, kill, kill, kill, kill him!
The Conspirators draw, and kill CORIOLANUS: AUFIDIUS stands on his body
Lords
      Hold, hold, hold, hold!
AUFIDIUS
155   My noble masters, hear me speak.
First Lord
      O Tullus,--
Second Lord
      Thou hast done a deed whereat valour will weep.
Third Lord
      Tread not upon him. Masters all, be quiet;
      Put up your swords.
AUFIDIUS
160   My lords, when you shall know--as in this rage,
      Provoked by him, you cannot--the great danger
      Which this man's life did owe you, you'll rejoice
      That he is thus cut off. Please it your honours
      To call me to your senate, I'll deliver
165   Myself your loyal servant, or endure
      Your heaviest censure.
First Lord
      Bear from hence his body;
      And mourn you for him: let him be regarded
      As the most noble corse that ever herald
170   Did follow to his urn.
Second Lord
      His own impatience
      Takes from Aufidius a great part of blame.
      Let's make the best of it.
AUFIDIUS
      My rage is gone;
175   And I am struck with sorrow. Take him up.
      Help, three o' the chiefest soldiers; I'll be one.
      Beat thou the drum, that it speak mournfully:
      Trail your steel pikes. Though in this city he
      Hath widow'd and unchilded many a one,
180   Which to this hour bewail the injury,
      Yet he shall have a noble memory. Assist.
Exeunt, bearing the body of CORIOLANUS. A dead march sounded
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