The Tragedy of Coriolanus — Act 3 Scene 3

Enter Sicinius and Brutus.

Bru.In this point charge him home, that he affectsTyrannicall power: If he euade vs there,Inforce him with his enuy to the people,And that the Spoile got on the AntiatsWas ne're distributed. What, will he come?

Enter an Edile.

Edile.Hee's comming.

Bru.How accompanied?

Edile.With old Menenius, and those SenatorsThat alwayes fauour'd him.

Sicin.Haue you a CatalogueOf all the Voices that we haue procur'd, set downe by'th Pole?

Edile.I haue: 'tis ready.

Sicin.Haue you collected them by Tribes?

Edile.I haue.

Sicin.Assemble presently the people hither:And when they heare me say, it shall be so,I'th'right and strength a'th'Commons: be it eitherFor death, for fine, or Banishment, then let themIf I say Fine, cry Fine; if Death, cry Death,Insisting on the olde prerogatiueAnd power i'th Truth a'th Cause.

Edile.I shall informe them.

Bru.And when such time they haue begun to cry,Let them not cease, but with a dinne confus'dInforce the present ExecutionOf what we chance to Sentence.

Edi.Very well.

Sicin.Make them be strong, and ready for this hintWhen we shall hap to giu't them.

Bru.Go about it,Put him to Choller straite, he hath bene vs'dEuer to conquer, and to haue his worthOf contradiction. Being once chaft, he cannotBe rein'd againe to Temperance, then he speakesWhat's in his heart, and that is there which looksWith vs to breake his necke.

Enter Coriolanus, Menenius, and Cominius,with others.

Sicin.Well, heere he comes.

Mene.Calmely, I do beseech you.

Corio.I, as an Hostler, that fourth poorest peeceWill beare the Knaue by'th Volume:Th' honor'd GoddesKeepe Rome in safety, and the Chaires of IusticeSupplied with worthy men, plant loue amongsThrough our large Temples with yͤ the shewes of peaceAnd not our streets with Warre.

1 Sen.Amen, Amen.

Mene.A Noble wish.

Enter the Edile with the Plebeians.

Sicin.Draw neere ye people.

Edile.List to your Tribunes. Audience:Peace I say.

Corio.First heare me speake.

Both Tri.Well, say: Peace hoe.

Corio.Shall I be charg'd no further then this present?Must all determine heere?

Sicin.I do demand,If you submit you to the peoples voices,Allow their Officers, and are contentTo suffer lawfull Censure for such faultsAs shall be prou'd vpon you.

Corio.I am Content.

Mene.Lo Citizens, he sayes he is Content.The warlike Seruice he ha's done, consider: ThinkeVpon the wounds his body beares, which shewLike Graues i'th holy Church-yard.

Corio.Scratches with Briars, scarres to moueLaughter onely.

Mene.Consider further:That when he speakes not like a Citizen,You finde him like a Soldier: do not takeHis rougher Actions for malicious sounds:But as I say, such as become a Soldier,Rather then enuy you.

Com.Well, well, no more.

Corio.What is the matter,That being past for Consull with full voyce:I am so dishonour'd, that the very houreYou take it off againe.

Sicin.Answer to vs.

Corio.Say then: 'tis true, I ought so

Sicin.We charge you, that you haue contriu'd to takeFrom Rome all season'd Office, and to windeYour selfe into a power tyrannicall,For which you are a Traitor to the people.

Corio.How? Traytor?

Mene.Nay temperately: your promise.

Corio.The fires i'th'lowest hell. Fould in the people:Call me their Traitor, thou iniurious Tribune.Within thine eyes sate twenty thousand deaths.In thy hands clutcht: as many Millions inThy lying tongue, both numbers. I would sayThou lyest vnto thee, with a voice as free,As I do pray the Gods.

Sicin.Marke you this people?

All.To'th'Rocke, to'th'Rocke with him.

Sicin.

Peace:We neede not put new matter to his charge:What you haue seene him do, and heard him speake:Beating your Officers, cursing your selues,Opposing Lawes with stroakes, and heere defyingThose whose great power must try him.Euen this so criminall, and in such capitall kindeDeserues th'extreamest death.

Bru.But since he hath seru'd well for Rome.

Corio.What do you prate of Seruice.

Brut.I talke of that, that know it.

Corio.You?

Mene.Is this the promise that you made your mother.

Com.Know, I pray you.

Corio.Ile know no further:Let them pronounce the steepe Tarpeian death,Vagabond exile, Fleaing, pent to lingerBut with a graine a day, I would not buyTheir mercie, at the price of one faire word,Nor checke my Courage for what they can giue,To haue't with saying, Good morrow.

Sicin.For that he ha's(As much as in him lies) from time to timeEnui'd against the people; seeking meanesTo plucke away their power: as now at last,Giuen Hostile strokes, and that not in the presenceOf dreaded Iustice, but on the MinistersThat doth distribute it. In the name a'th'people,And in the power of vs the Tribunes, wee(Eu'n from this instant) banish him our CitieIn perill of precipitationFrom off the Rocke Tarpeian, neuer moreTo enter our Rome gates. I'th'Peoples name,I say it shall bee so.

All.It shall be so, it shall be so: let him away:Hee's banish'd, and it shall be so.

Com.Heare me my Masters, and my common friends.

Sicin.He's sentenc'd: No more hearing.

Com.Let me speake:I haue bene Consull, and can shew from RomeHer Enemies markes vpon me. I do loueMy Countries good, with a respect more tender,More holy, and profound, then mine owne life,My deere Wiues estimate, her wombes encrease,And treasure of my Loynes: then if I wouldSpeake that.

Sicin.We know your drift. Speake what?

Bru.There's no more to be said, but he is banish'dAs Enemy to the people, and his Countrey.It shall bee so.

All.It shall be so, it shall be so.

Corio.You common cry of Curs, whose breath I hate,As reeke a'th'rotten Fennes: whose Loues I prize,As the dead Carkasses of vnburied men,That do corrupt my Ayre: I banish you,And heere remaine with your vncertaintie.Let euery feeble Rumor shake your hearts:Your Enemies, with nodding of their PlumesFan you into dispaire: Haue the power stillTo banish your Defenders, till at lengthYour ignorance (which findes not till it feeles,Making but reseruation of your selues,Still your owne Foes) deliuer youAs most abated Captiues, to some NationThat wonne you without blowes, despisingFor you the City. Thus I turne my backe;There is a world elsewhere.Exeunt Coriolanus, Cominius, with Cumalijs.

They all shout, and throw vp their Caps.

Edile.The peoples Enemy is gone, is gone.

All.Our enemy is banish'd, he is gone: Hoo, oo.

Sicin.Go see him out at Gates, and follow himAs he hath follow'd you, with all despightGiue him deseru'd vexation. Let a guardAttend vs through the City.

All.Come, come, lets see him out at gates, come:The Gods preserue our Noble Tribunes, come.Exeunt.