Coriolanus — Act 4, Scene 6 · Shakespeare for Bharat

SICINIUS

We hear not of him, neither need we fear him;His remedies are tame i' the present peaceAnd quietness of the people, which beforeWere in wild hurry. Here do we make his friendsBlush that the world goes well, who rather had,Though they themselves did suffer by't, beholdDissentious numbers pestering streets than seeOur tradesmen with in their shops and goingAbout their functions friendly.

BRUTUS

We stood to't in good time.

BRUTUS

Is this Menenius?

SICINIUS

'Tis he,'tis he: O, he is grown most kind of late.

Both Tribunes

Hail sir!

MENENIUS

Hail to you both!

SICINIUS

Your CoriolanusIs not much miss'd, but with his friends:The commonwealth doth stand, and so would do,Were he more angry at it.

MENENIUS

All's well; and might have been much better, ifHe could have temporized.

SICINIUS

Where is he, hear you?

MENENIUS

Nay, I hear nothing: his mother and his wifeHear nothing from him.

Citizens

The gods preserve you both!

SICINIUS

God-den, our neighbours.

BRUTUS

God-den to you all, god-den to you all.

First Citizen

Ourselves, our wives, and children, on our knees,Are bound to pray for you both.

SICINIUS

Live, and thrive!

BRUTUS

Farewell, kind neighbours: we wish'd CoriolanusHad loved you as we did.

Citizens

Now the gods keep you!

Both Tribunes

Farewell, farewell.

SICINIUS

This is a happier and more comely timeThan when these fellows ran about the streets,Crying confusion.

BRUTUS

Caius Marcius wasA worthy officer i' the war; but insolent,O'ercome with pride, ambitious past all thinking,Self-loving,--

SICINIUS

And affecting one sole throne,Without assistance.

MENENIUS

I think not so.

SICINIUS

We should by this, to all our lamentation,If he had gone forth consul, found it so.

BRUTUS

The gods have well prevented it, and RomeSits safe and still without him.

AEdile

Worthy tribunes,There is a slave, whom we have put in prison,Reports, the Volsces with two several powersAre enter'd in the Roman territories,And with the deepest malice of the warDestroy what lies before 'em.

MENENIUS

'Tis Aufidius,Who, hearing of our Marcius' banishment,Thrusts forth his horns again into the world;Which were inshell'd when Marcius stood for Rome,And durst not once peep out.

SICINIUS

Come, what talk youOf Marcius?

BRUTUS

Go see this rumourer whipp'd. It cannot beThe Volsces dare break with us.

MENENIUS

Cannot be!We have record that very well it can,And three examples of the like have beenWithin my age. But reason with the fellow,Before you punish him, where he heard this,Lest you shall chance to whip your informationAnd beat the messenger who bids bewareOf what is to be dreaded.

SICINIUS

Tell not me:I know this cannot be.

BRUTUS

Not possible.

Messenger

The nobles in great earnestness are goingAll to the senate-house: some news is comeThat turns their countenances.

SICINIUS

'Tis this slave;--Go whip him, 'fore the people's eyes:--his raising;Nothing but his report.

Messenger

Yes, worthy sir,The slave's report is seconded; and more,More fearful, is deliver'd.

SICINIUS

What more fearful?

Messenger

It is spoke freely out of many mouths--How probable I do not know--that Marcius,Join'd with Aufidius, leads a power 'gainst Rome,And vows revenge as spacious as betweenThe young'st and oldest thing.

SICINIUS

This is most likely!

BRUTUS

Raised only, that the weaker sort may wishGood Marcius home again.

SICINIUS

The very trick on't.

MENENIUS

This is unlikely:He and Aufidius can no more atoneThan violentest contrariety.

Second Messenger

You are sent for to the senate:A fearful army, led by Caius MarciusAssociated with Aufidius, ragesUpon our territories; and have alreadyO'erborne their way, consumed with fire, and tookWhat lay before them.

COMINIUS

O, you have made good work!

MENENIUS

What news? what news?

COMINIUS

You have holp to ravish your own daughters andTo melt the city leads upon your pates,To see your wives dishonour'd to your noses,--

MENENIUS

What's the news? what's the news?

COMINIUS

Your temples burned in their cement, andYour franchises, whereon you stood, confinedInto an auger's bore.

MENENIUS

Pray now, your news?You have made fair work, I fear me.--Pray, your news?--If Marcius should be join'd with Volscians,--

COMINIUS

If!He is their god: he leads them like a thingMade by some other deity than nature,That shapes man better; and they follow him,Against us brats, with no less confidenceThan boys pursuing summer butterflies,Or butchers killing flies.

MENENIUS

You have made good work,You and your apron-men; you that stood so up muchon the voice of occupation andThe breath of garlic-eaters!

COMINIUS

He will shakeYour Rome about your ears.

MENENIUS

As HerculesDid shake down mellow fruit.You have made fair work!

BRUTUS

But is this true, sir?

COMINIUS

Ay; and you'll look paleBefore you find it other. All the regionsDo smilingly revolt; and who resistAre mock'd for valiant ignorance,And perish constant fools. Who is't can blame him?Your enemies and his find something in him.

MENENIUS

We are all undone, unlessThe noble man have mercy.

COMINIUS

Who shall ask it?The tribunes cannot do't for shame; the peopleDeserve such pity of him as the wolfDoes of the shepherds: for his best friends, if theyShould say 'Be good to Rome,' they charged him evenAs those should do that had deserved his hate,And therein show'd like enemies.

MENENIUS

'Tis true:If he were putting to my house the brandThat should consume it, I have not the faceTo say 'Beseech you, cease.' You have made fair hands,You and your crafts! you have crafted fair!

COMINIUS

You have broughtA trembling upon Rome, such as was neverSo incapable of help.

Both Tribunes

Say not we brought it.

MENENIUS

How! Was it we? we loved him but, like beastsAnd cowardly nobles, gave way unto your clusters,Who did hoot him out o' the city.

COMINIUS

But I fearThey'll roar him in again. Tullus Aufidius,The second name of men, obeys his pointsAs if he were his officer: desperationIs all the policy, strength and defence,That Rome can make against them.

MENENIUS

Here come the clusters.And is Aufidius with him? You are theyThat made the air unwholesome, when you castYour stinking greasy caps in hooting atCoriolanus' exile. Now he's coming;And not a hair upon a soldier's headWhich will not prove a whip: as many coxcombsAs you threw caps up will he tumble down,And pay you for your voices. 'Tis no matter;if he could burn us all into one coal,We have deserved it.

Citizens

Faith, we hear fearful news.

First Citizen

For mine own part,When I said, banish him, I said 'twas pity.

Second Citizen

And so did I.

Third Citizen

And so did I; and, to say the truth, so did verymany of us: that we did, we did for the best; andthough we willingly consented to his banishment, yetit was against our will.

COMINIUS

Ye re goodly things, you voices!

MENENIUS

You have madeGood work, you and your cry! Shall's to the Capitol?

COMINIUS

O, ay, what else?

SICINIUS

Go, masters, get you home; be not dismay'd:These are a side that would be glad to haveThis true which they so seem to fear. Go home,And show no sign of fear.

First Citizen

The gods be good to us! Come, masters, let's home.I ever said we were i' the wrong when we banishedhim.

Second Citizen

So did we all. But, come, let's home.

BRUTUS

I do not like this news.

SICINIUS

Nor I.

BRUTUS

Let's to the Capitol. Would half my wealthWould buy this for a lie!

SICINIUS

Pray, let us go.