Coriolanus — Act 1, Scene 1 · Shakespeare for Bharat

First Citizen

Before we proceed any further, hear me speak.

All

Speak, speak.

First Citizen

You are all resolved rather to die than to famish?

All

Resolved. resolved.

First Citizen

First, you know Caius Marcius is chief enemy to the people.

All

We know't, we know't.

First Citizen

Let us kill him, and we'll have corn at our own price.Is't a verdict?

All

No more talking on't; let it be done: away, away!

Second Citizen

One word, good citizens.

First Citizen

We are accounted poor citizens, the patricians good.What authority surfeits on would relieve us: if theywould yield us but the superfluity, while it werewholesome, we might guess they relieved us humanely;but they think we are too dear: the leanness thatafflicts us, the object of our misery, is as aninventory to particularise their abundance; oursufferance is a gain to them Let us revenge this withour pikes, ere we become rakes: for the gods know Ispeak this in hunger for bread, not in thirst for revenge.

Second Citizen

Would you proceed especially against Caius Marcius?

All

Against him first: he's a very dog to the commonalty.

Second Citizen

Consider you what services he has done for his country?

First Citizen

Very well; and could be content to give him goodreport fort, but that he pays himself with being proud.

Second Citizen

Nay, but speak not maliciously.

First Citizen

I say unto you, what he hath done famously, he didit to that end: though soft-conscienced men can becontent to say it was for his country he did it toplease his mother and to be partly proud; which heis, even till the altitude of his virtue.

Second Citizen

What he cannot help in his nature, you account avice in him. You must in no way say he is covetous.

First Citizen

If I must not, I need not be barren of accusations;he hath faults, with surplus, to tire in repetition.

First Citizen

What shouts are these? The other side o' the cityis risen: why stay we prating here? to the Capitol!

All

Come, come.

First Citizen

Soft! who comes here?

Second Citizen

Worthy Menenius Agrippa; one that hath always lovedthe people.

First Citizen

He's one honest enough: would all the rest were so!

MENENIUS

What work's, my countrymen, in hand? where go youWith bats and clubs? The matter? speak, I pray you.

First Citizen

Our business is not unknown to the senate; they havehad inkling this fortnight what we intend to do,which now we'll show 'em in deeds. They say poorsuitors have strong breaths: they shall know wehave strong arms too.

MENENIUS

Why, masters, my good friends, mine honest neighbours,Will you undo yourselves?

First Citizen

We cannot, sir, we are undone already.

MENENIUS

I tell you, friends, most charitable careHave the patricians of you. For your wants,Your suffering in this dearth, you may as wellStrike at the heaven with your staves as lift themAgainst the Roman state, whose course will onThe way it takes, cracking ten thousand curbsOf more strong link asunder than can everAppear in your impediment. For the dearth,The gods, not the patricians, make it, andYour knees to them, not arms, must help. Alack,You are transported by calamityThither where more attends you, and you slanderThe helms o' the state, who care for you like fathers,When you curse them as enemies.

First Citizen

Care for us! True, indeed! They ne'er cared for usyet: suffer us to famish, and their store-housescrammed with grain; make edicts for usury, tosupport usurers; repeal daily any wholesome actestablished against the rich, and provide morepiercing statutes daily, to chain up and restrainthe poor. If the wars eat us not up, they will; andthere's all the love they bear us.

MENENIUS

Either you mustConfess yourselves wondrous malicious,Or be accused of folly. I shall tell youA pretty tale: it may be you have heard it;But, since it serves my purpose, I will ventureTo stale 't a little more.

First Citizen

Well, I'll hear it, sir: yet you must not think tofob off our disgrace with a tale: but, an 't pleaseyou, deliver.

MENENIUS

There was a time when all the body's membersRebell'd against the belly, thus accused it:That only like a gulf it did remainI' the midst o' the body, idle and unactive,Still cupboarding the viand, never bearingLike labour with the rest, where the other instrumentsDid see and hear, devise, instruct, walk, feel,And, mutually participate, did ministerUnto the appetite and affection commonOf the whole body. The belly answer'd--

First Citizen

Well, sir, what answer made the belly?

MENENIUS

Sir, I shall tell you. With a kind of smile,Which ne'er came from the lungs, but even thus--For, look you, I may make the belly smileAs well as speak--it tauntingly repliedTo the discontented members, the mutinous partsThat envied his receipt; even so most fitlyAs you malign our senators for thatThey are not such as you.

First Citizen

Your belly's answer? What!The kingly-crowned head, the vigilant eye,The counsellor heart, the arm our soldier,Our steed the leg, the tongue our trumpeter.With other muniments and petty helpsIn this our fabric, if that they--

MENENIUS

What then?'Fore me, this fellow speaks! What then? what then?

First Citizen

Should by the cormorant belly be restrain'd,Who is the sink o' the body,--

MENENIUS

Well, what then?

First Citizen

The former agents, if they did complain,What could the belly answer?

MENENIUS

I will tell youIf you'll bestow a small--of what you have little--Patience awhile, you'll hear the belly's answer.

First Citizen

Ye're long about it.

MENENIUS

Note me this, good friend;Your most grave belly was deliberate,Not rash like his accusers, and thus answer'd:'True is it, my incorporate friends,' quoth he,'That I receive the general food at first,Which you do live upon; and fit it is,Because I am the store-house and the shopOf the whole body: but, if you do remember,I send it through the rivers of your blood,Even to the court, the heart, to the seat o' the brain;And, through the cranks and offices of man,The strongest nerves and small inferior veinsFrom me receive that natural competencyWhereby they live: and though that all at once,You, my good friends,'--this says the belly, mark me,--

First Citizen

Ay, sir; well, well.

MENENIUS

'Though all at once cannotSee what I do deliver out to each,Yet I can make my audit up, that allFrom me do back receive the flour of all,And leave me but the bran.' What say you to't?

First Citizen

It was an answer: how apply you this?

MENENIUS

The senators of Rome are this good belly,And you the mutinous members; for examineTheir counsels and their cares, digest things rightlyTouching the weal o' the common, you shall findNo public benefit which you receiveBut it proceeds or comes from them to youAnd no way from yourselves. What do you think,You, the great toe of this assembly?

First Citizen

I the great toe! why the great toe?

MENENIUS

For that, being one o' the lowest, basest, poorest,Of this most wise rebellion, thou go'st foremost:Thou rascal, that art worst in blood to run,Lead'st first to win some vantage.But make you ready your stiff bats and clubs:Rome and her rats are at the point of battle;The one side must have bale.

MENENIUS

Hail, noble Marcius!

MARCIUS

Thanks. What's the matter, you dissentious rogues,That, rubbing the poor itch of your opinion,Make yourselves scabs?

First Citizen

We have ever your good word.

MARCIUS

He that will give good words to thee will flatterBeneath abhorring. What would you have, you curs,That like nor peace nor war? the one affrights you,The other makes you proud. He that trusts to you,Where he should find you lions, finds you hares;Where foxes, geese: you are no surer, no,Than is the coal of fire upon the ice,Or hailstone in the sun. Your virtue isTo make him worthy whose offence subdues himAnd curse that justice did it.Who deserves greatnessDeserves your hate; and your affections areA sick man's appetite, who desires most thatWhich would increase his evil. He that dependsUpon your favours swims with fins of leadAnd hews down oaks with rushes. Hang ye! Trust Ye?With every minute you do change a mind,And call him noble that was now your hate,Him vile that was your garland. What's the matter,That in these several places of the cityYou cry against the noble senate, who,Under the gods, keep you in awe, which elseWould feed on one another? What's their seeking?

MENENIUS

For corn at their own rates; whereof, they say,The city is well stored.

MARCIUS

Hang 'em! They say!They'll sit by the fire, and presume to knowWhat's done i' the Capitol; who's like to rise,Who thrives and who declines; side factionsand give outConjectural marriages; making parties strongAnd feebling such as stand not in their likingBelow their cobbled shoes. They say there'sgrain enough!Would the nobility lay aside their ruth,And let me use my sword, I'll make a quarryWith thousands of these quarter'd slaves, as highAs I could pick my lance.

MENENIUS

Nay, these are almost thoroughly persuaded;For though abundantly they lack discretion,Yet are they passing cowardly. But, I beseech you,What says the other troop?

MARCIUS

They are dissolved: hang 'em!They said they were an-hungry; sigh'd forth proverbs,That hunger broke stone walls, that dogs must eat,That meat was made for mouths, that the gods sent notCorn for the rich men only: with these shredsThey vented their complainings; which being answer'd,And a petition granted them, a strange one--To break the heart of generosity,And make bold power look pale--they threw their capsAs they would hang them on the horns o' the moon,Shouting their emulation.

MENENIUS

What is granted them?

MARCIUS

Five tribunes to defend their vulgar wisdoms,Of their own choice: one's Junius Brutus,Sicinius Velutus, and I know not--'Sdeath!The rabble should have first unroof'd the city,Ere so prevail'd with me: it will in timeWin upon power and throw forth greater themesFor insurrection's arguing.

MENENIUS

This is strange.

MARCIUS

Go, get you home, you fragments!

Messenger

Where's Caius Marcius?

MARCIUS

Here: what's the matter?

Messenger

The news is, sir, the Volsces are in arms.

MARCIUS

I am glad on 't: then we shall ha' means to ventOur musty superfluity. See, our best elders.

First Senator

Marcius, 'tis true that you have lately told us;The Volsces are in arms.

MARCIUS

They have a leader,Tullus Aufidius, that will put you to 't.I sin in envying his nobility,And were I any thing but what I am,I would wish me only he.

COMINIUS

You have fought together.

MARCIUS

Were half to half the world by the ears and he.Upon my party, I'ld revolt to makeOnly my wars with him: he is a lionThat I am proud to hunt.

First Senator

Then, worthy Marcius,Attend upon Cominius to these wars.

COMINIUS

It is your former promise.

MARCIUS

Sir, it is;And I am constant. Titus Lartius, thouShalt see me once more strike at Tullus' face.What, art thou stiff? stand'st out?

TITUS

No, Caius Marcius;I'll lean upon one crutch and fight with t'other,Ere stay behind this business.

MENENIUS

O, true-bred!

First Senator

Your company to the Capitol; where, I know,Our greatest friends attend us.

TITUS

[To COMINIUS] Lead you on.

TITUS

Right worthy you priority.

COMINIUS

Noble Marcius!

First Senator

[To the Citizens] Hence to your homes; be gone!

MARCIUS

Nay, let them follow:The Volsces have much corn; take these rats thitherTo gnaw their garners. Worshipful mutiners,Your valour puts well forth: pray, follow.

SICINIUS

Was ever man so proud as is this Marcius?

BRUTUS

He has no equal.

SICINIUS

When we were chosen tribunes for the people,--

BRUTUS

Mark'd you his lip and eyes?

SICINIUS

Nay. but his taunts.

BRUTUS

Being moved, he will not spare to gird the gods.

SICINIUS

Be-mock the modest moon.

BRUTUS

The present wars devour him: he is grownToo proud to be so valiant.

SICINIUS

Such a nature,Tickled with good success, disdains the shadowWhich he treads on at noon: but I do wonderHis insolence can brook to be commandedUnder Cominius.

BRUTUS

Fame, at the which he aims,In whom already he's well graced, can notBetter be held nor more attain'd than byA place below the first: for what miscarriesShall be the general's fault, though he performTo the utmost of a man, and giddy censureWill then cry out of Marcius 'O if heHad borne the business!'

SICINIUS

Besides, if things go well,Opinion that so sticks on Marcius shallOf his demerits rob Cominius.

BRUTUS

Come:Half all Cominius' honours are to Marcius.Though Marcius earned them not, and all his faultsTo Marcius shall be honours, though indeedIn aught he merit not.

SICINIUS

Let's hence, and hearHow the dispatch is made, and in what fashion,More than his singularity, he goesUpon this present action.

BRUTUS

Lets along.