Enter Tullus Aufidius, with Attendants.AUFIDIUS Go tell the lords o’ th’ city I am here. Deliver them this paper.⌜(He gives them a paper.)⌝ Having read it, Bid them repair to th’ marketplace, where I,5 Even in theirs and in the commons’ ears, Will vouch the truth of it. Him I accuse The city ports by this hath entered and Intends t’ appear before the people, hoping To purge himself with words. Dispatch.⌜The Attendants exit.⌝Enter three or four Conspirators of Aufidius’s faction.10 Most welcome!FIRST CONSPIRATOR How is it with our general?AUFIDIUS Even so As with a man by his own alms empoisoned And with his charity slain.SECOND CONSPIRATOR 15 Most noble sir, If you do hold the same intent wherein You wished us parties, we’ll deliver you Of your great danger.AUFIDIUS Sir, I cannot tell.20 We must proceed as we do find the people.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,25 And my pretext to strike at him admits A good construction. I raised him, and I pawned Mine honor for his truth, who, being so heightened,
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He watered his new plants with dews of flattery, Seducing so my friends; and to this end,30 He bowed his nature, never known before 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 35 That I would have spoke of. Being banished 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 choose40 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 Which he did end all his; and took some pride To do myself this wrong; till at the last45 I seemed his follower, not partner; and He waged me with his countenance as if I had been mercenary.FIRST CONSPIRATOR So he did, my lord. The army marvelled at it, and, in the last,50 When he had carried Rome and that we looked For no less spoil than glory—AUFIDIUS There was it For which my sinews shall be stretched upon him. At a few drops of women’s rheum, which are55 As cheap as lies, he sold the blood and labor Of our great action. Therefore shall he die, And I’ll renew me in his fall. But hark!Drums and trumpets sounds, with great shouts
of the people.FIRST CONSPIRATOR Your native town you entered like a post
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And had no welcomes home, but he returns60 Splitting the air with noise.SECOND CONSPIRATOR And patient fools, Whose children he hath slain, their base throats tear With giving him glory.THIRD CONSPIRATOR Therefore at your vantage,65 Ere he express himself or move the people 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 70 Say no more.Enter the Lords of the city. Here come the lords.ALL LORDS You are most welcome home.AUFIDIUS I have not deserved it. But, worthy lords, have you with heed perused75 What I have written to you?ALL ⌜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 end80 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—this admits no excuse.Enter Coriolanus marching with Drum and Colors, the
Commoners being with him.AUFIDIUS He approaches. You shall hear him.CORIOLANUS 85 Hail, lords! I am returned your soldier, No more infected with my country’s love
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Than when I parted hence, but still subsisting Under your great command. You are to know That prosperously I have attempted, and90 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 peace95 With no less honor to the Antiates 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.⌜He offers the lords a paper.⌝AUFIDIUS 100Read it not, noble lords, But tell the traitor in the highest degree He hath abused your powers.CORIOLANUS “Traitor”? How now?AUFIDIUS Ay, traitor, Martius.CORIOLANUS 105Martius?AUFIDIUS Ay, Martius, Caius Martius. Dost thou think I’ll grace thee with that robbery, thy stol’n name Coriolanus, in Corioles? You lords and heads o’ th’ state, perfidiously110 He has betrayed your business and given up For certain drops of salt your city Rome— I say your city—to his wife and mother, Breaking his oath and resolution like A twist of rotten silk, never admitting115 Counsel o’ th’ war, but at his nurse’s tears He whined and roared away your victory, That pages blushed at him and men of heart Looked wond’ring each at ⌜other.⌝CORIOLANUS Hear’st thou, Mars?
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AUFIDIUS 120Name not the god, thou boy of tears.CORIOLANUS Ha?AUFIDIUS No more.CORIOLANUS Measureless liar, thou hast made my heart Too great for what contains it. “Boy”? O slave!—125 Pardon me, lords, ’tis the first time that ever I was forced to scold. Your judgments, my grave lords, Must give this cur the lie; and his own notion— Who wears my stripes impressed upon him, that130 Must bear my beating to his grave—shall join To thrust the lie unto him.FIRST LORD Peace, both, and hear me speak.CORIOLANUS Cut me to pieces, Volsces. Men and lads, Stain all your edges on me. “Boy”? False hound!135 If you have writ your annals true, ’tis there That like an eagle in a dovecote, I ⌜Fluttered⌝ your Volscians in Corioles, Alone I did it. “Boy”!AUFIDIUS Why, noble lords,140 Will you be put in mind of his blind fortune, Which was your shame, by this unholy braggart, ’Fore your own eyes and ears?ALL CONSPIRATORS Let him die for ’t.ALL PEOPLE Tear him to pieces! Do it presently! He145 killed my son! My daughter! He killed my cousin Marcus! He killed my father!SECOND LORD Peace, ho! No outrage! Peace! The man is noble, and his fame folds in This orb o’ th’ Earth. His last offenses to us150 Shall have judicious hearing. Stand, Aufidius, And trouble not the peace.
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CORIOLANUS, ⌜drawing his sword⌝ O, that I had him, With six Aufidiuses, or more, his tribe, To use my lawful sword.AUFIDIUS 155 Insolent villain!ALL CONSPIRATORS Kill, kill, kill, kill, kill him!Draw the Conspirators, and kills Martius, who falls.
Aufidius stands on him.LORDS Hold, hold, hold, hold!AUFIDIUS My noble masters, hear me speak.FIRST LORD O Tullus!SECOND LORD 160 Thou hast done a deed whereat valor will weep.THIRD LORD Tread not upon him.—Masters, all be quiet.— Put up your swords.AUFIDIUS My lords, when you shall know—as in this rage, Provoked by him, you cannot—the great danger165 Which this man’s life did owe you, you’ll rejoice That he is thus cut off. Please it your Honors To call me to your senate, I’ll deliver Myself your loyal servant or endure Your heaviest censure.FIRST LORD 170 Bear from hence his body, And mourn you for him. Let him be regarded As the most noble corse that ever herald Did follow to his urn.SECOND LORD His own impatience175 Takes from Aufidius a great part of blame. Let’s make the best of it.AUFIDIUS My rage is gone, And I am struck with sorrow.—Take him up. Help, three o’ th’ chiefest soldiers; I’ll be one.—180 Beat thou the drum that it speak mournfully.—
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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.185 Assist.They exit bearing the body of Martius.
A dead march sounded.