William Shakespeare - William Shakespeare - Complete Works

As cheap as lies, he sold the blood and labour

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. 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

With what he would say, let him feel your sword,

Which we will second. When he lies along,

After your way his tale pronounc'd shall bury

His reasons with his body.

AUFIDIUS. Say no more:

Here come the lords.

Enter the LORDS of the city

LORDS. You are most welcome home.

AUFIDIUS. I have not deserv'd it.

But, worthy lords, have you with heed perused

What I have written to you?

LORDS. 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

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;

the commoners being with him

CORIOLANUS. Hail, lords! I am return'd your soldier;

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

The gates of Rome. Our spoils we have brought home

Doth 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 th' Romans; and we here deliver,

Subscrib'd by th' consuls and patricians,

Together with the seal o' th' Senate, what

We have compounded on.

AUFIDIUS. Read it not, noble lords;

But tell the traitor in the highest degree

He hath abus'd your powers.

CORIOLANUS. Traitor! How now?

AUFIDIUS. Ay, traitor, Marcius.

CORIOLANUS. Marcius!

AUFIDIUS. Ay, Marcius, Caius Marcius! Dost thou think

I'll grace thee with that robbery, thy stol'n name

Coriolanus, in Corioli?

You lords and heads o' th' state, perfidiously

He has betray'd your business and given up,

For certain drops of salt, your city Rome-

I say your city- to his wife and mother;

Breaking his oath and resolution like

A twist of rotten silk; never admitting

Counsel o' th' war; but at his nurse's tears

He whin'd and roar'd away your victory,

That pages blush'd at him, and men of heart

Look'd wond'ring each at others.

CORIOLANUS. Hear'st thou, Mars?

AUFIDIUS. Name not the god, thou boy of tears-

CORIOLANUS. Ha!

AUFIDIUS. -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 forc'd to scold. Your judgments, my grave lords,

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. 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.

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?

CONSPIRATORS. Let him die for't.

ALL THE PEOPLE. Tear him to pieces. Do it presently. He kill'd my

son. My daughter. He kill'd my cousin Marcus. He kill'd my

father.

SECOND LORD. Peace, ho! No outrage- peace!

The man is noble, and his fame folds in

This orb o' th' earth. His last offences to us

Shall have judicious hearing. Stand, Aufidius,

And trouble not the peace.

CORIOLANUS. O that I had him,

With six Aufidiuses, or more- his tribe,

To use my lawful sword!

AUFIDIUS. Insolent villain!

CONSPIRATORS. Kill, kill, kill, kill, kill him!

[The CONSPIRATORS draw and kill CORIOLANUS,who falls.

AUFIDIUS stands on him]

LORDS. Hold, hold, hold, hold!

AUFIDIUS. 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. My lords, when you shall know- as in this rage,

Provok'd 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

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

Did follow to his um.

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,

And I am struck with sorrow. Take him up.

Help, three o' th' chiefest soldiers; I'll be one.

Beat thou the drum, that it speak mournfully;

Trail your steel pikes. Though in this city he

Hath widowed and unchilded many a one,

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]

THE END

1609

Dramatis Personae

CYMBELINE, King of Britain

CLOTEN, son to the Queen by a former husband

POSTHUMUS LEONATUS, a gentleman, husband to Imogen

BELARIUS, a banished lord, disguised under the name of Morgan

GUIDERIUS and ARVIRAGUS, sons to Cymbeline, disguised under the

names of POLYDORE and CADWAL, supposed sons to Belarius

PHILARIO, Italian, friend to Posthumus

IACHIMO, Italian, friend to Philario

A FRENCH GENTLEMAN, friend to Philario

CAIUS LUCIUS, General of the Roman Forces

A ROMAN CAPTAIN

TWO BRITISH CAPTAINS

PISANIO, servant to Posthumus

CORNELIUS, a physician

TWO LORDS of Cymbeline's court

TWO GENTLEMEN of the same

TWO GAOLERS

QUEEN, wife to Cymbeline

IMOGEN, daughter to Cymbeline by a former queen

HELEN, a lady attending on Imogen

Lords, Ladies, Roman Senators, Tribunes, a Soothsayer, a

Dutch Gentleman, a Spanish Gentleman, Musicians, Officers,

Captains, Soldiers, Messengers, and Attendants

FIRST GENTLEMAN. You do not meet a man but frowns; our bloods

No more obey the heavens than our courtiers

Still seem as does the King's.

SECOND GENTLEMAN. But what's the matter?

FIRST GENTLEMAN. His daughter, and the heir of's kingdom, whom

He purpos'd to his wife's sole son- a widow

That late he married- hath referr'd herself

Unto a poor but worthy gentleman. She's wedded;

Her husband banish'd; she imprison'd. All

Is outward sorrow, though I think the King