Coriolanus Page #5

- in the way of flattery further.

- Do your will.

In this point, charge him home:

that he affects tyrannical power.

If he evade us there, enforce him

with his hatred to the people.

Have you a catalog of all the voices

that we have procured

set down by the poll?

I have. It's ready.

When the people hear me say

"It shall be so in the right

and strength of the commons,"

be it either for death, for fine,

or banishment,

then, let them, if they hear me say

"Fine," cry "Fine."

- If "Death," cry "Death."

- We shall inform them.

God preserve thee.

The people are the city.

Put not your worthy rage

into your tongue.

Calmly, I beseech you.

The honored gods...

The honored gods

keep Rome in safety,

and the chairs of justice

supplied with worthy men,

plant love among us,

throng our large temples

with the shows of peace,

and not our streets with war.

- Amen, amen.

- A noble wish.

Shall I be charged

no further than this present?

Must all determine here?

I do demand, if you submit

you to the people's voices.

Aye.

- I am content.

- 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

in the holy churchyard.

Scratches with briers,

scars to move laughter only.

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.

What is the matter that being

passed for consul with full voice,

I am so dishonored that the very hour

you take it off again?

We charge you that you have contrived

to take from Rome all seasoned office,

and to wind yourself

into a power tyrannical,

for which you are

a traitor to the people.

How... traitor?

- Traitor!

- Nay, temperately. Your promise.

The fires in the lowest hell

fold in the people.

Call me their traitor,

thou injurious tribune?

- Mark you this, people?

- Yes.

Traitor!

But since he hath

served well for Rome...

What do you prate of service?

- I talk of that, that know it.

- You?

Is this the promise

you made your mother?

I'll know no further. Let them

pronounce death, exile, flaying,

I would not buy their mercy

at the price of one fair word.

In the name of the people,

and in the power of us, the tribunes,

we, even from this instant,

banish him our city.

In the people's name, I say...

it shall be so.

- It shall be so!

- He's banished. It shall be so!

It shall be so!

- It shall be so!

- Hear me, my masters,

and my common friends...

- He's sentenced. No more hearing.

- Let me speak.

- It shall be so!

- I have been consul

and can show for Rome

her enemies' marks upon me...

There is no more to be said,

but he is banished as enemy

- to the people and his country!

- It shall be so!

- It shall be so!

- It shall be so!

It shall be so!

It shall be so!

It shall be so! It shall be so!

- It shall be so!

- It shall be so!

It shall be so! It shall be so!

It shall be so! It shall be so!

It shall be so! It shall be so!

You common cry of curs!

Whose breath I hate

as reeks of the rotten fens,

whose loves I prize

as the dead carcasses

of unburied men

that do corrupt my air.

I... banish... you!

And there remain with your uncertainty.

Let every feeble rumor

shake your hearts.

Your enemies,

with nodding of their caps,

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.

The people's enemy is gone!

Whoo!

Nay, Mother,

where is your ancient courage?

You are too absolute.

Nay, Mother,

I shall be loved when I am lacked.

I go alone, like to a lonely dragon.

- The gods preserve you both.

- Good day to you all.

The gods keep you.

This is a happier

and more comely time.

- Yeah.

- Good day. Good day.

- O, here comes his mother.

- Let's not meet her.

- They say she's mad.

- O, you're well met.

The hoarded plague of the gods

requite thy love.

- Will you be gone?

- You shall stay, too!

I would I had the power

to say so to my husband.

- Are you mad?

- Aye, fool, is that a shame?

I tell thee what, fool,

hadst thou craft to banish him

that struck more blows for Rome

than thou hast spoken words?

Blessed heavens...

More noble blows

than ever thou wise words,

and for Rome's good. Yet go.

Nay, thou shalt stay, too.

I tell thee what.

I would my son were in Arabia,

and thy tribe before him,

- his good sword in his hand.

- What then?

What then?

He'd make an end of thy posterity!

- Bastards and all.

- Come! Come, peace!

Well, well, we'll leave you.

Why stay we to be baited

by one who wants her wits?

I would the gods

had nothing else to do

but to confirm my curses!

Could I meet them but once a day,

it would unclog my heart

of what lies heavy to it.

You have told them home.

And, by my troth, you have cause.

You'll sup with me?

Anger's my meat.

I sup upon myself...

...and so shall starve with feeding.

- Come.

- Come, madam.

Hey.

Aufidius!

Ah, general.

Yes.

Well, well.

Hey, hey!

Whence comes thou?

Thy name?

Speak, man.

What's thy name?

A name unmusical

to the Volscians' ears,

and harsh in sound to thine.

Say... what's thy name?

Thou has a grim appearance.

What's thy name?

- Know'st thou me yet?

- I know thee not.

Thy name?

My name is Caius Martius...

...who hath done to thee, particularly,

and to all the Volsces

great hurt and mischief.

Thereto witness may my surname...

...Coriolanus.

Only that name remains.

The cruelty and envy of the people

who have all forsook me

hath devoured the rest,

and suffered me by the voice of slaves

to be whooped out of Rome.

Now this extremity

hath brought me to thy hearth,

not out of hope,

mistake me not, to save my life,

for if I had feared death,

of all men in the world

I would have avoided thee.

But, in mere spite, to be full quit

of those, my banishers,

stand I before thee here.

I will fight against my cankered country

with the spleen of all the under fiends.

But if thou dares not this,

then I present my throat to thee

and to thy ancient malice,

which not to cut would

show thee but a fool,

since I have ever

followed thee with hate,

and cannot live but to thy shame

unless it be to do thee service.

O Martius...

Martius...

Each word thou hast spoke

hath weeded from my heart

a root of ancient envy.

Let me twine mine arms about that body.

Know thou...

...I loved the maid I married,

never man sighed truer breath.

But that I see thee here,

thou noble thing...

...more dances my rapt heart

than when I first

my wedded mistress saw

bestride my threshold.

Why, thou Mars, I tell thee,

thou hast beat me out 12 several times.

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