William Shakespeare - The Complete Works

home *** CD-ROM | disk | FTP | other *** search

/ William Shakespeare - The Complete Works / William Shakespeare - The Complete Works on CD-ROM.iso / library / text / cor / cor1.txt < prev next >

Wrap

Text File | 1994-08-10 | 19.3 KB | 414 lines

CORIOLANUS Background For Coriolanus, Shakespeare turned once more to Roman history as told by Plutarch and translated by Sir Thomas North in the Lives of the Noble Grecians and Romans published in 1579. This time he dramatized early events, not much subsequent to those he had written about many years previously in The Rape of Lucrece. Plutarch gave him most of his material, but he also drew on other writings, including William Camden's Remains of a Greater Work Concerning Britain, published in 1605, for Menenius' fable of the belly (1.1). Though he needed no source other than Plutarch for the insurrections and corn riots of ancient Rome, similar happenings in England during 1607 and 1608 may have stimulated his interest in the story. The cumulative evidence suggests that Coriolanus, first printed in the 1623 Folio, is Shakespeare's last Roman play, written around 1608. In the fifth century bc, following the expulsion of the Tarquins, Rome was an aristocratically controlled republic in which power was invested primarily in two annually elected magistrates, or consuls. For many years the main issues confronting the republic were the internal class struggle between patricians and plebeians, and the external struggle for domination over neighbouring peoples. Among the republic's early enemies were the Volsci (or Volscians), who inhabited an area to the south and south-east of Rome; their towns included Antium and Corioli. According to ancient historians, Rome's greatest leader in campaigns against the Volsci was the patrician Gnaeus (or Caius) Marcius, who, at a time of famine which caused the plebeians to rebel against the patricians, led an army against the Volsci and captured Corioli; as a reward he was granted the cognomen, or surname, of Coriolanus. After this he is said to have been charged with behaving tyrannically in opposing the distribution of corn to starving plebeians, and as a result to have abandoned Rome, joined the Volsci, and led a Volscian army against his native city. This is the story of conflict between public and private issues that Shakespeare dramatizes, concentrating on the later part of Plutarch's Life and speeding up its time-scheme, while also alluding retrospectively to earlier incidents. He increases the responsibility of the Tribunes, Sicinius Velutus and Junius Brutus, for Coriolanus' banishment, and greatly develops certain characters, such as the Volscian leader Tullus Aufidius and the patrician Menenius Agrippa. The roles of the womenfolk are almost entirely of Shakespeare's devising up to the scene (5.3) of their embassy; here, as in certain other set speeches, Shakespeare draws heavily on the language of North's translation. Coriolanus is an austere play, gritty in style, deeply serious in its concern with the relationship between personal characteristics and national destiny, but relieved by flashes of comedy (especially in the scenes in which Coriolanus begs for the plebeians' votes in his election campaign for the consulship) which are more apparent on the stage than on the page. Though Coriolanus is arrogant, choleric, and self-centered, he is also a blazingly successful warrior, conspicuous for integrity, who ultimately yields to a tenderness which, he knows, will destroy him. Coriolanus is a deeply human as well as a profoundly political play. THE PERSONS OF THE PLAY Caius MARTIUS, later surnamed CORIOLANUS } MENENIUSAgrippa } Titus LARTIUS } } patricians of Rome COMINIUS } generals } VOLUMNIA, Coriolanus' mother VIRGILIA, his wife YOUNG MARTIUS, his son VALERIA, a chaste lady of Rome SICINIUSVelutus } Junius BRUTUS } tribunes of the Roman people CITIZENSof Rome SOLDIERSin the Roman army Tullus AUFIDIUS, general of the Volscian army His LIEUTENANT His SERVINGMEN CONSPIRATORSwith Aufidius Volscian LORDS Volscian CITIZENS SOLDIERSin the Volscian army ADRIAN, a Volscian NICANOR, a Roman A Roman HERALD MESSENGERS AEDILES A gentlewoman, an usher, Roman and Volscian senators and nobles, captains in the Roman army, officers, lictors Act 1 Scene 1 (Enter a company of mutinous Citizens with staves, clubs, and other weapons) l1l First Citizen Before we proceed any further, hear me l2l speak. l3l All Speak, speak. l4l First Citizen You are all resolved rather to die than to l5l famish? l6l All Resolved, resolved. l7l First Citizen First, you know Caius Martius is chief l8l enemy to the people. l9l All We know Æt, we know Æt. l10l First Citizen Let us kill him, and weÆll have corn at our l11l own price. Is Æt a verdict? l12l All No more talking on Æt, let it be done. Away, away. l13l Second Citizen One word, good citizens. l14l First Citizen We are accounted poor citizens, the patricians l15l good. What authority surfeits on would relieve l16l us. If they would yield us but the superfluity while it l17l were wholesome we might guess they relieved us l18l humanely, but they think we are too dear. The leanness l19l that afflicts us, the object of our misery, is as an l20l inventory to particularize their abundance; our l21l sufferance is a gain to them. Let us revenge this with l22l our pikes ere we become rakes; for the gods know I l23l speak this in hunger for bread, not in thirst for revenge. l24l Second Citizen Would you proceed especially against Caius l25l Martius? l26l [Third Citizen] Against him first. l27l [Fourth Citizen] HeÆs a very dog to the commonalty. l28l Second Citizen Consider you what services he has done l29l for his country? l30l First Citizen Very well, and could be content to give him l31l good report for Æt, but that he pays himself with being l32l proud. l33l [Fifth Citizen] Nay, but speak not maliciously. l34l First Citizen I say unto you, what he hath done famously, l35l he did it to that endùthough soft-conscienced men can l36l be content to say ôit was for his countryö, ôhe did it to l37l please his mother, and to be partly proudöùwhich he l38l is even to the altitude of his virtue. l39l Second Citizen What he cannot help in his nature you l40l account a vice in him. You must in no way say he is l41l covetous. l42l First Citizen If I must not, I need not be barren of l43l accusations. He hath faults, with surplus, to tire in l44l repetition. (Shouts within) l45l What shouts are these? The other side oÆ thÆ city is l46l risen. Why stay we prating here? To thÆ Capitol! l47l All Come, come. (Enter Menenius) l48l First Citizen Soft, who comes here? l49l Second Citizen Worthy Menenius Agrippa, one that hath l50l always loved the people. l51l First Citizen HeÆs one honest enough. Would all the rest l52l were so! l53l Menenius What workÆs, my countrymen, in hand? Where go you l54l With bats and clubs? The matter. Speak, I pray you. l55l [First] Citizen Our business is not unknown to thÆ senate. l56l They have had inkling this fortnight what we intend l57l to do, which now weÆll show Æem in deeds. They say l58l poor suitors have strong breaths; they shall know we l59l have strong arms, too. l60l Menenius Why, masters, my good friends, mine honest neighbours, l61l Will you undo yourselves? l62l [First] Citizen We cannot, sir. We are undone already. l63l Menenius I tell you, friends, most charitable care l64l Have the patricians of you. For your wants, l65l Your suffering in this dearth, you may as well l66l Strike at the heaven with your staves as lift them l67l Against the Roman state, whose course will on l68l The way it takes, cracking ten thousand curbs l69l Of more strong link asunder than can ever l70l Appear in your impediment. For the dearth, l71l The gods, not the patricians, make it, and l72l Your knees to them, not arms, must help. Alack, l73l You are transported by calamity l74l Thither where more attends you, and you slander l75l The helms oÆ thÆ state, who care for you like fathers, l76l When you curse them as enemies. l77l [First] Citizen Care for us? True, indeed! They neÆer l78l cared for us yet: suffer us to famish, and their storehouses l79l crammed with grain; make edicts for usury to l80l support usurers; repeal daily any wholesome act l81l established against the rich; and provide more piercing l82l statutes daily to chain up and restrain the poor. If the l83l wars eat us not up, they will; and thereÆs all the love l84l they bear us. l85l Menenius Either you must l86l Confess yourselves wondrous malicious l87l Or be accused of folly. I shall tell you l88l A pretty tale. It may be you have heard it, l89l But since it serves my purpose, I will venture l90l To stale Æt a little more. l91l [First] Citizen Well, IÆll hear it, sir. Yet you must not l92l think to fob off our disgrace with a tale. But an Æt please l93l you, deliver. l94l Menenius There was a time when all the bodyÆs members, l95l Rebelled against the belly, thus accused it: l96l That only like a gulf it did remain l97l IÆ thÆ midst oÆ thÆ body, idle and unactive, l98l Still cupboarding the viand, never bearing l99l Like labour with the rest; where thÆ other instruments l100l Did see and hear, devise, instruct, walk, feel, l101l And, mutually participate, did minister l102l Unto the appetite and affection common l103l Of the whole body. The belly answeredù l104l [First] Citizen Well, sir, what answer made the belly? l105l Menenius Sir, I shall tell you. With a kind of smile, l106l Which neÆer came from the lungs, but even thusù l107l For look you, I may make the belly smile l108l As well as speakùit tauntingly replied l109l To thÆ discontented members, the mutinous parts l110l That envied his receipt; even so most fitly l111l As you malign our senators for that l112l They are not such as you. [First] Citizen Your bellyÆs answerùwhat? l113l The kingly crownΦd head, the vigilant eye, l114l The counsellor heart, the arm our soldier, l115l Our steed the leg, the tongue our trumpeter, l116l With other muniments and petty helps l117l In this our fabric, if that theyù Menenius What then? l118l Fore me, this fellow speaks! What then? What then? l119l [First] Citizen Should by the cormorant belly be restrained, l120l Who is the sink oÆ thÆ bodyù Menenius Well, what then? l121l [First] Citizen The former agents, if they did complain, l122l What could the belly answer? Menenius I will tell you, l123l If youÆll bestow a small of what you have littleù l124l Patienceùa while, youÆst hear the bellyÆs answer. l125l [First] Citizen YouÆre long about it. Menenius Note me this, good friend: l126l Your most grave belly was deliberate, l127l Not rash like his accusers, and thus answered: l128l ôTrue is it, my incorporate friends,ö quoth he, l129l ôThat I receive the general food at first l130l Which you do live upon, and fit it is, l131l Because I am the storehouse and the shop l132l Of the whole body. But, if you do remember, l133l I send it through the rivers of your blood l134l Even to the court, the heart, to thÆ seat oÆ thÆ brain; l135l And through the cranks and offices of man l136l The strongest nerves and small inferior veins l137l From me receive that natural competency l138l Whereby they live. And though that all at onceöù l139l You my good friends, this says the belly, mark meù l140l [First] Citizen Ay, sir, well, well. Menenius ôThough all at once cannot l141l See what I do deliver out to each, l142l Yet I can make my audit up that all l143l From me do back receive the flour of all l144l And leave me but the bran.ö What say you to Æt? l145l [First] Citizen It was an answer. How apply you this? l146l Menenius The senators of Rome are this good belly, l147l And you the mutinous members. For examine l148l Their counsels and their cares, digest things rightly l149l Touching the weal oÆ thÆ common, you shall find l150l No public benefit which you receive l151l But it proceeds or comes from them to you, l152l And no way from yourselves. What do you think, l153l You, the great toe of this assembly? l154l [First] Citizen I the great toe? Why the great toe? l155l Menenius For that, being one oÆ thÆ lowest, basest, poorest l156l Of this most wise rebellion, thou goest foremost. l157l Thou rascal, that art worst in blood to run, l158l LeadÆst first to win some vantage. l159l But make you ready your stiff bats and clubs. l160l Rome and her rats are at the point of battle. l161l The one side must have bale. (Enter Martius) Hail, noble Martius! l162l Martius Thanks.ùWhatÆs the matter, you dissentious rogues, l163l That, rubbing the poor itch of your opinion, l164l Make yourselves scabs? [First] Citizen We have ever your good word. l165l Martius He that will give good words to thee will flatter l166l Beneath abhorring. What would you have, you curs l167l That like nor peace nor war? The one affrights you, l168l The other makes you proud. He that trusts to you, l169l Where he should find you lions finds you hares, l170l Where foxes, geese. You are no surer, no, l171l Than is the coal of fire upon the ice, l172l Or hailstone in the sun. Your virtue is l173l To make him worthy whose offence subdues him, l174l And curse that justice did it. Who deserves greatness l175l Deserves your hate, and your affections are l176l A sick manÆs appetite, who desires most that l177l Which would increase his evil. He that depends l178l Upon your favours swims with fins of lead, l179l And hews down oaks with rushes. Hang ye! Trust ye? l180l With every minute you do change a mind, l181l And call him noble that was now your hate, l182l Him vile that was your garland. WhatÆs the matter, l183l That in these several places of the city l184l You cry against the noble senate, who, l185l Under the gods, keep you in awe, which else l186l Would feed on one another? (To Menenius) WhatÆs their seeking? l187l Menenius For corn at their own rates, whereof they say l188l The city is well stored. Martius Hang Æem! They say? l189l TheyÆll sit by thÆ fire and presume to know l190l WhatÆs done iÆ thÆ Capitol, whoÆs like to rise, l191l Who thrives and who declines; side factions and give out l192l Conjectural marriages, making parties strong l193l And feebling such as stand not in their liking l194l Below their cobbled shoes. They say thereÆs grain enough! l195l Would the nobility lay aside their ruth l196l And let me use my sword, IÆd make a quarry l197l With thousands of these quartered slaves as high l198l As I could pitch my lance. l199l Menenius Nay, these are all most thoroughly persuaded, l200l For though abundantly they lack discretion, l201l Yet are they passing cowardly. But I beseech you, l202l What says the other troop? Martius They are dissolved. Hang Æem. l203l They said they were an-hungry, sighed forth proverbsù l204l That hunger broke stone walls, that dogs must eat, l205l That meat was made for mouths, that the gods sent not l206l Corn for the rich men only. With these shreds l207l They vented their complainings, which being answered, l208l And a petition granted themùa strange one, l209l To break the heart of generosity l210l And make bold power look paleùthey threw their caps l211l As they would hang them on the horns oÆ thÆ moon, l212l Shouting their emulation. Menenius What is granted them? l213l Martius Five tribunes to defend their vulgar wisdoms, l214l Of their own choice. OneÆs Junius Brutus, l215l Sicinius Velutus, and I know not. ÆSdeath, l216l The rabble should have first unroofed the city l217l Ere so prevailed with me! It will in time l218l Win upon power and throw forth greater themes l219l For insurrectionÆs arguing. l220l Menenius This is strange. l221l Martius (to the Citizens) Go get you home, you fragments. (Enter a Messenger hastily) l222l Messenger WhereÆs Caius Martius? l223l Martius Here. WhatÆs the matter? l224l Messenger The news is, sir, the Volsces are in arms. l225l Martius I am glad on Æt. Then we shall haÆ means to vent l226l Our musty superfluity. (Enter Sicinius, Brutus, Cominius, Lartius, with other Senators) See, our best elders. l227l First Senator Martius, Ætis true that you have lately told us. l228l The Volsces are in arms. Martius They have a leader, l229l Tullus Aufidius, that will put you to Æt. l230l I sin in envying his nobility, l231l And were I anything but what I am, l232l I would wish me only he. Cominius You have fought together! l233l Martius Were half to half the world by thÆ ears and he l234l Upon my party, IÆd revolt to make l235l Only my wars with him. He is a lion l236l That I am proud to hunt. First Senator Then, worthy Martius, l237l Attend upon Cominius to these wars. l238l Cominius (to Martius) It is your former promise. Martius Sir, it is, l239l And I am constant. Titus Lartius, thou l240l Shalt see me once more strike at TullusÆ face. l241l What, art thou stiff? StandÆst out? Lartius No, Caius Martius. l242l IÆll lean upon one crutch and fight with thÆ other l243l Ere stay behind this business. Menenius O true bred! l244l [First] Senator Your company to thÆ Capitol, where I know l245l Our greatest friends attend us. Lartius (to Cominius) Lead you on. l246l (To Martius) Follow Cominius. We must follow you, l247l Right worthy your priority. Cominius Noble Martius. l248l [First] Senator (to the Citizens) Hence to your homes, be gone. Martius Nay, let them follow. l249l The Volsces have much corn. Take these rats thither l250l To gnaw their garners. (Citizens steal away) Worshipful mutineers, l251l Your valour puts well forth. (To the Senators) Pray follow. (Exeunt all but Sicinius and Brutus) l252l Sicinius Was ever man so proud as is this Martius? l253l Brutus He has no equal. l254l Sicinius When we were chosen tribunes for the peopleù l255l Brutus Marked you his lip and eyes? Sicinius Nay, but his taunts. l256l Brutus Being moved, he will not spare to gird the gods. l257l Sicinius Bemock the modest moon. l258l Brutus The present wars devour him. He is grown l259l Too proud to be so valiant. Sicinius Such a nature, l260l Tickled with good success, disdains the shadow l261l Which he treads on at noon. But I do wonder l262l His insolence can brook to be commanded l263l Under Cominius. Brutus Fame, at the which he aimsù l264l In whom already heÆs well gracedùcannot l265l Better be held nor more attained than by l266l A place below the first; for what miscarries l267l Shall be the generalÆs fault, though he perform l268l To thÆ utmost of a man, and giddy censure l269l Will then cry out of Martius ôO, if he l270l Had borne the business!ö Sicinius Besides, if things go well, l271l Opinion, that so sticks on Martius, shall l272l Of his demerits rob Cominius. Brutus Come, l273l Half all CominiusÆ honours are to Martius, l274l Though Martius earned them not; and all his faults l275l To Martius shall be honours, though indeed l276l In aught he merit not. Sicinius LetÆs hence and hear l277l How the dispatch is made, and in what fashion, l278l More than his singularity, he goes l279l Upon this present action. Brutus LetÆs along. (Exeunt)