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- {\rtf0\ansi{\fonttbl{\f0\froman Times Roman;}{\f1\fmodern Courier;}}
- {\pard\f0\fs28{\fs48 Coriolanus
- }\
- \
- {\b\fs36 5.6}
- \
- {\i Enter Tullus Aufidius with attendants\
- }{\b \fs24 AUFIDIUS\
- } Go tell the lords o'th' city I am here.\
- Deliver them this paper. Having read it,\
- Bid them repair to th' market-place, where I,\
- Even in theirs and in the commons' ears,\
- Will vouch the truth of it. Him I accuse {\fs20 5}\
- The city ports by this hath entered, and\
- Intends t'appear before the people, hoping\
- To purge himself with words. Dispatch.\
- {\i Exeunt attendants\
- Enter three or four Conspirators of Aufidius' faction\
- } Most welcome.\
- {\b \fs24 FIRST CONSPIRATOR\
- } How is it with our general?\
- {\b \fs24 AUFIDIUS} Even so\
- As with a man by his own alms impoisoned, {\fs20 10}\
- And with his charity slain.\
- {\b \fs24 SECOND CONSPIRATOR} Most noble sir,\
- If you do hold the same intent wherein\
- You wished us parties, we'll deliver you\
- Of your great danger.\
- {\b \fs24 AUFIDIUS} Sir, I cannot tell.\
- We must proceed as we do find the people. {\fs20 15}\
- {\b \fs24 THIRD CONSPIRATOR\
- } The people will remain uncertain whilst\
- 'Twixt you there's difference, but the fall of either\
- Makes the survivor heir of all.\
- {\b \fs24 AUFIDIUS} I know it,\
- And my pretext to strike at him admits\
- A good construction. I raised him, and I pawned {\fs20 20}\
- Mine honour for his truth; who being so heightened,\
- He watered his new plants with dews of flattery,\
- Seducing so my friends; and to this end\
- He bowed his nature, never known before\
- But to be rough, unswayable, and free. {\fs20 25}\
- {\b \fs24 THIRD CONSPIRATOR} Sir, his stoutness\
- When he did stand for consul, which he lost\
- By lack of stooping\'b1\'b1\
- {\b \fs24 AUFIDIUS} That I would have spoke of.\
- Being banished for't, he came unto my hearth,\
- Presented to my knife his throat. I took him, {\fs20 30}\
- 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,\
- My best and freshest men; served his designments\
- In mine own person, holp to reap the fame {\fs20 35}\
- Which he did end all his, and took some pride\
- To do myself this wrong, till at the last\
- I seemed his follower, not partner, and\
- He waged me with his countenance as if\
- I had been mercenary.\
- {\b \fs24 FIRST CONSPIRATOR} So he did, my lord. {\fs20 40}\
- The army marvelled at it, and in the last,\
- When he had carried Rome and that we looked\
- For no less spoil than glory\'b1\'b1\
- {\b \fs24 AUFIDIUS} There was it,\
- For which my sinews shall be stretched upon him.\
- At a few drops of women's rheum, which are {\fs20 45}\
- As cheap as lies, he sold the blood and labour\
- Of our great action; therefore shall he die,\
- And I'll renew me in his fall.\
- {\i Drums and trumpets sound, with great shouts of\
- the people\
- } But hark.\
- {\b \fs24 FIRST CONSPIRATOR\
- } Your native town you entered like a post,\
- And had no welcomes home; but he returns {\fs20 50}\
- Splitting the air with noise.\
- {\b \fs24 SECOND CONSPIRATOR} And patient fools,\
- Whose children he hath slain, their base throats tear\
- With giving him glory.\
- {\b \fs24 THIRD CONSPIRATOR} Therefore, at your vantage,\
- Ere he express himself or move the people\
- With what he would say, let him feel your sword, {\fs20 55}\
- Which we will second. When he lies along,\
- After your way his tale pronounced shall bury\
- His reasons with his body.\
- {\i Enter the Lords of the city\
- }{\b \fs24 AUFIDIUS} Say no more.\
- Here come the lords.\
- {\b \fs24 ALL THE LORDS} You are most welcome home. {\fs20 60}\
- {\b \fs24 AUFIDIUS} I have not deserved it.\
- But, worthy lords, have you with heed perused\
- What I have written to you?\
- {\b \fs24 ALL THE LORDS} We have.\
- {\b \fs24 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 {\fs20 65}\
- Where he was to begin, and give away\
- The benefit of our levies, answering us\
- With our own charge, making a treaty where\
- There was a yielding\'b1\'b1this admits no excuse.\
- {\b \fs24 AUFIDIUS} He approaches. You shall hear him. {\fs20 70}\
- {\i Enter Coriolanus marching with drum and colours,\
- the Commoners being with him\
- }{\b \fs24 CORIOLANUS\
- } Hail, lords! I am returned your soldier,\
- 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 {\fs20 75}\
- With bloody passage led your wars even to\
- The gates of Rome. Our spoils we have brought home\
- Doth more than counterpoise a full third part\
- The charges of the action. We have made peace\
- With no less honour to the Antiates {\fs20 80}\
- Than shame to th' Romans. And we here deliver,\
- Subscribed by th' consuls and patricians,\
- Together with the seal o'th' senate, what\
- We have compounded on.\
- {\i He gives the Lords a paper\
- }{\b \fs24 AUFIDIUS} Read it not, noble lords,\
- But tell the traitor in the highest degree {\fs20 85}\
- He hath abused your powers.\
- {\b \fs24 CORIOLANUS} Traitor? How now?\
- {\b \fs24 AUFIDIUS} Ay, traitor, Martius.\
- {\b \fs24 CORIOLANUS} Martius?\
- {\b \fs24 AUFIDIUS\
- } Ay, Martius, Caius Martius. Dost thou think {\fs20 90}\
- I'll grace thee with that robbery, thy stol'n name,\
- `Coriolanus', in Corioles?\
- You lords and heads o'th' state, perfidiously\
- He has betrayed your business, and given up,\
- For certain drops of salt, your city, Rome\'b1\'b1 {\fs20 95}\
- I say your city\'b1\'b1to his wife and mother,\
- Breaking his oath and resolution like\
- A twist of rotten silk, never admitting\
- Counsel o'th' war. But at his nurse's tears\
- He whined and roared away your victory, {\fs20 100}\
- That pages blushed at him, and men of heart\
- Looked wond'ring each at others.\
- {\b \fs24 CORIOLANUS} Hear'st thou, Mars?\
- {\b \fs24 AUFIDIUS\
- } Name not the god, thou boy of tears.\
- {\b \fs24 CORIOLANUS} Ha?\
- {\b \fs24 AUFIDIUS} No more.\
- {\b \fs24 CORIOLANUS\
- } Measureless liar, thou hast made my heart\
- Too great for what contains it. `Boy'? O slave!\'b1\'b1 {\fs20 105}\
- Pardon me, lords, 'tis the first time that ever\
- I was forced to scold. Your judgements, my grave lords,\
- Must give this cur the lie, and his own notion\'b1\'b1\
- Who wears my stripes impressed upon him, that\
- Must bear my beating to his grave\'b1\'b1shall join {\fs20 110}\
- To thrust the lie unto him.\
- {\b \fs24 FIRST LORD} Peace both, and hear me speak.\
- {\b \fs24 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 {\fs20 115}\
- Fluttered your Volscians in Corioles.\
- Alone I did it. `Boy'!\
- {\b \fs24 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?\
- {\b \fs24 ALL THE CONSPIRATORS} Let him die for't. {\fs20 120}\
- {\b \fs24 ALL THE PEOPLE}{\i [shouting dispersedly]\
- } Tear him to pieces! Do it presently!\
- He killed my son! My daughter! He killed my cousin\
- Marcus! He killed my father!\
- {\b \fs24 SECOND LORD} Peace, ho! No outrage, peace.\
- The man is noble, and his fame folds in\
- This orb o'th' earth. His last offences to us {\fs20 125}\
- Shall have judicious hearing. Stand, Aufidius,\
- And trouble not the peace.\
- {\b \fs24 CORIOLANUS}{\i [drawing his sword]\
- } O that I had him with six Aufidiuses,\
- Or more, his tribe, to use my lawful sword!\
- {\b \fs24 AUFIDIUS}{\i [drawing his sword]\
- } Insolent villain!\
- {\b \fs24 ALL THE CONSPIRATORS} Kill, kill, kill, kill, kill him! {\fs20 130}\
- {\i Two Conspirators draw and kill Martius, who falls.\
- Aufidius [and Conspirators] stand on him\
- }{\b \fs24 LORDS\
- } Hold, hold, hold, hold!\
- {\b \fs24 AUFIDIUS} My noble masters, hear me speak.\
- {\b \fs24 FIRST LORD\
- } O Tullus!\
- {\b \fs24 SECOND LORD}{\i (to Aufidius)} Thou hast done a deed whereat\
- Valour will weep.\
- {\b \fs24 THIRD LORD}{\i [to Aufidius and the Conspirators]} Tread not upon him, masters.\
- All be quiet. Put up your swords.\
- {\b \fs24 AUFIDIUS} My lords, {\fs20 135}\
- When you shall know\'b1\'b1as in this rage\
- Provoked by him you cannot\'b1\'b1the 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 {\fs20 140}\
- Myself your loyal servant, or endure\
- Your heaviest censure.\
- {\b \fs24 FIRST LORD} Bear from hence his body,\
- And mourn you for him. Let him be regarded\
- As the most noble corpse that ever herald\
- Did follow to his urn.\
- {\b \fs24 SECOND LORD} His own impatience {\fs20 145}\
- Takes from Aufidius a great part of blame.\
- Let's make the best of it.\
- {\b \fs24 AUFIDIUS} My rage is gone,\
- And I am struck with sorrow. Take him up.\
- Help three o'th' chiefest soldiers; I'll be one.\
- Beat thou the drum, that it speak mournfully. {\fs20 150}\
- Trail your steel pikes. Though in this city he\
- Hath widowed and unchilded many a one,\
- Which to this hour bewail the injury,\
- Yet he shall have a noble memory. Assist.\
- {\i A dead march sounded. Exeunt\
- bearing the body of Martius\
- \
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