Coriolanus

Coriolanus

ACT V SCENE VI	Antium. A public place.
	Enter TULLUS AUFIDIUS, with Attendants
AUFIDIUS	Go tell the lords o' the city I am here:
	Deliver them this paper: having read it,
	Bid them repair to the market place; where I,
	Even in theirs and in the commons' ears,	5
	Will vouch the truth of it. Him I accuse
	The city ports by this hath enter'd and
	Intends to appear before the people, hoping
	To purge herself with words: dispatch.
	Exeunt Attendants
	Enter three or four Conspirators of AUFIDIUS' faction
	Most welcome!	10
First Conspirator	How is it with our general?
AUFIDIUS	Even so
	As with a man by his own alms empoison'd,
	And with his charity slain.
Second Conspirator	Most noble sir,	15
	If you do hold the same intent wherein
	You wish'd us parties, we'll deliver you
	Of your great danger.
AUFIDIUS	Sir, I cannot tell:
	We must proceed as we do find the people.	20
Third Conspirator	The people will remain uncertain whilst
	'Twixt you there's difference; but the fall of either
	Makes the survivor heir of all.
AUFIDIUS	I know it;
	And my pretext to strike at him admits	25
	A good construction. I raised him, and I pawn'd
	Mine honour for his truth: who being so heighten'd,
	He water'd his new plants with dews of flattery,
	Seducing so my friends; and, to this end,
	He bow'd his nature, never known before	30
	But to be rough, unswayable and free.
Third Conspirator	Sir, his stoutness
	When he did stand for consul, which he lost
	By lack of stooping,--
AUFIDIUS	That I would have spoke of:	35
	Being banish'd for't, he came unto my hearth;
	Presented to my knife his throat: I took him;
	Made him joint-servant with me; gave him way
	In all his own desires; nay, let him choose
	Out of my files, his projects to accomplish,	40
	My best and freshest men; served his designments
	In mine own person; holp to reap the fame
	Which he did end all his; and took some pride
	To do myself this wrong: till, at the last,
	I seem'd his follower, not partner, and	45
	He waged me with his countenance, as if
	I had been mercenary.
First Conspirator	So he did, my lord:
	The army marvell'd at it, and, in the last,
	When he had carried Rome and that we look'd	50
	For no less spoil than glory,--
AUFIDIUS	There was it:
	For which my sinews shall be stretch'd upon him.
	At a few drops of women's rheum, which are
	As cheap as lies, he sold the blood and labour	55
	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 ofthe 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.	60
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	65
	With what he would say, let him feel your sword,
	Which we will second. When he lies along,
	After your way his tale pronounced shall bury
	His reasons with his body.
AUFIDIUS	Say no more:	70
	Here come the lords.
	Enter the Lords of the city
All The Lords	You are most welcome home.
AUFIDIUS	I have not deserved it.
	But, worthy lords, have you with heed perused
	What I have written to you?	75
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	80
	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 andcolours; commoners being with him
CORIOLANUS	Hail, lords! I am return'd your soldier,	85
	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	90
	The gates of Rome. Our spoils we have brought home
	Do 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 the Romans: and we here deliver,	95
	Subscribed by the consuls and patricians,
	Together with the seal o' the senate, what
	We have compounded on.
AUFIDIUS	Read it not, noble lords;
	But tell the traitor, in the high'st degree	100
	He hath abused your powers.
CORIOLANUS	Traitor! how now!
AUFIDIUS	Ay, traitor, Marcius!
CORIOLANUS	Marcius!
AUFIDIUS	Ay, Marcius, Caius Marcius: dost thou think	105
	I'll grace thee with that robbery, thy stol'n name
	Coriolanus in Corioli?
	You lords and heads o' the state, perfidiously
	He has betray'd your business, and given up,
	For certain drops of salt, your city Rome,	110
	I say 'your city,' to his wife and mother;
	Breaking his oath and resolution like
	A twist of rotten silk, never admitting
	Counsel o' the war, but at his nurse's tears
	He whined and roar'd away your victory,	115
	That pages blush'd at him and men of heart
	Look'd wondering each at other.
CORIOLANUS	Hear'st thou, Mars?
AUFIDIUS	Name not the god, thou boy of tears!
CORIOLANUS	Ha!	120
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 forced to scold. Your judgments, my grave lords,	125
	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.	130
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:	135
	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?	140
All Conspirators	Let him die for't.
All The People	'Tear him to pieces.' 'Do it presently.' 'He kill'd
	my son.' 'My daughter.' 'He killed my cousin
	Marcus.' 'He killed my father.'
Second Lord	Peace, ho! no outrage: peace!	145
	The man is noble and his fame folds-in
	This orb o' the earth. His last offences to us
	Shall have judicious hearing. Stand, Aufidius,
	And trouble not the peace.
CORIOLANUS	O that I had him,	150
	With six Aufidiuses, or more, his tribe,
	To use my lawful sword!
AUFIDIUS	Insolent villain!
All Conspirators	Kill, kill, kill, kill, kill him!
	The Conspirators draw, and kill CORIOLANUS:AUFIDIUS stands on his body
Lords	Hold, hold, hold, hold!	155
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.	160
AUFIDIUS	My lords, when you shall know--as in this rage,
	Provoked 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	165
	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	170
	Did follow to his urn.
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;	175
	And I am struck with sorrow. Take him up.
	Help, three o' the chiefest soldiers; I'll be one.
	Beat thou the drum, that it speak mournfully:
	Trail your steel pikes. Though in this city he
	Hath widow'd and unchilded many a one,	180
	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