SCENE I. Rome. A street. The Tragedy of Coriolanus  Shakespeare homepage  |  Coriolanus  | Act 1, Scene 1 

 Next scene  SCENE I. Rome. A street. 

 Enter a company of mutinous Citizens, with staves, clubs, and other weapons  First Citizen  Before we proceed any further, hear me speak. 

 All  Speak, speak. 

 First Citizen  You are all resolved rather to die than to famish? 

 All  Resolved. resolved. 

 First Citizen  First, you know Caius Marcius is chief enemy to the people. 

 All  We know't, we know't. 

 First Citizen  Let us kill him, and we'll have corn at our own price. 

 Is't a verdict? 

 All  No more talking on't; let it be done: away, away! 

 Second Citizen  One word, good citizens. 

 First Citizen  We are accounted poor citizens, the patricians good. 

 What authority surfeits on would relieve us: if they 

 would yield us but the superfluity, while it were 

 wholesome, we might guess they relieved us humanely; 

 but they think we are too dear: the leanness that 

 afflicts us, the object of our misery, is as an 

 inventory to particularise their abundance; our 

 sufferance is a gain to them Let us revenge this with 

 our pikes, ere we become rakes: for the gods know I 

 speak this in hunger for bread, not in thirst for revenge. 

 Second Citizen  Would you proceed especially against Caius Marcius? 

 All  Against him first: he's a very dog to the commonalty. 

 Second Citizen  Consider you what services he has done for his country? 

 First Citizen  Very well; and could be content to give him good 

 report fort, but that he pays himself with being proud. 

 Second Citizen  Nay, but speak not maliciously. 

 First Citizen  I say unto you, what he hath done famously, he did 

 it to that end: though soft-conscienced men can be 

 content to say it was for his country he did it to 

 please his mother and to be partly proud; which he 

 is, even till the altitude of his virtue. 

 Second Citizen  What he cannot help in his nature, you account a 

 vice in him. You must in no way say he is covetous. 

 First Citizen  If I must not, I need not be barren of accusations; 

 he hath faults, with surplus, to tire in repetition. 



 Shouts within  What shouts are these? The other side o' the city 

 is risen: why stay we prating here? to the Capitol! 

 All  Come, come. 

 First Citizen  Soft! who comes here? 



 Enter MENENIUS AGRIPPA  Second Citizen  Worthy Menenius Agrippa; one that hath always loved 

 the people. 

 First Citizen  He's one honest enough: would all the rest were so! 

 MENENIUS  What work's, my countrymen, in hand? where go you 

 With bats and clubs? The matter? speak, I pray you. 

 First Citizen  Our business is not unknown to the senate; they have 

 had inkling this fortnight what we intend to do, 

 which now we'll show 'em in deeds. They say poor 

 suitors have strong breaths: they shall know we 

 have strong arms too. 

 MENENIUS  Why, masters, my good friends, mine honest neighbours, 

 Will you undo yourselves? 

 First Citizen  We cannot, sir, we are undone already. 

 MENENIUS  I tell you, friends, most charitable care 

 Have the patricians of you. For your wants, 

 Your suffering in this dearth, you may as well 

 Strike at the heaven with your staves as lift them 

 Against the Roman state, whose course will on 

 The way it takes, cracking ten thousand curbs 

 Of more strong link asunder than can ever 

 Appear in your impediment. For the dearth, 

 The gods, not the patricians, make it, and 

 Your knees to them, not arms, must help. Alack, 

 You are transported by calamity 

 Thither where more attends you, and you slander 

 The helms o' the state, who care for you like fathers, 

 When you curse them as enemies. 

 First Citizen  Care for us! True, indeed! They ne'er cared for us 

 yet: suffer us to famish, and their store-houses 

 crammed with grain; make edicts for usury, to 

 support usurers; repeal daily any wholesome act 

 established against the rich, and provide more 

 piercing statutes daily, to chain up and restrain 

 the poor. If the wars eat us not up, they will; and 

 there's all the love they bear us. 

 MENENIUS  Either you must 

 Confess yourselves wondrous malicious, 

 Or be accused of folly. I shall tell you 

 A pretty tale: it may be you have heard it; 

 But, since it serves my purpose, I will venture 

 To stale 't a little more. 

 First Citizen  Well, I'll hear it, sir: yet you must not think to 

 fob off our disgrace with a tale: but, an 't please 

 you, deliver. 

 MENENIUS  There was a time when all the body's members 

 Rebell'd against the belly, thus accused it: 

 That only like a gulf it did remain 

 I' the midst o' the body, idle and unactive, 

 Still cupboarding the viand, never bearing 

 Like labour with the rest, where the other instruments 

 Did see and hear, devise, instruct, walk, feel, 

 And, mutually participate, did minister 

 Unto the appetite and affection common 

 Of the whole body. The belly answer'd-- 

 First Citizen  Well, sir, what answer made the belly? 

 MENENIUS  Sir, I shall tell you. With a kind of smile, 

 Which ne'er came from the lungs, but even thus-- 

 For, look you, I may make the belly smile 

 As well as speak--it tauntingly replied 

 To the discontented members, the mutinous parts 

 That envied his receipt; even so most fitly 

 As you malign our senators for that 

 They are not such as you. 

 First Citizen  Your belly's answer? What! 

 The kingly-crowned head, the vigilant eye, 

 The counsellor heart, the arm our soldier, 

 Our steed the leg, the tongue our trumpeter. 

 With other muniments and petty helps 

 In this our fabric, if that they-- 

 MENENIUS  What then? 

 'Fore me, this fellow speaks! What then? what then? 

 First Citizen  Should by the cormorant belly be restrain'd, 

 Who is the sink o' the body,-- 

 MENENIUS  Well, what then? 

 First Citizen  The former agents, if they did complain, 

 What could the belly answer? 

 MENENIUS  I will tell you 

 If you'll bestow a small--of what you have little-- 

 Patience awhile, you'll hear the belly's answer. 

 First Citizen  Ye're long about it. 

 MENENIUS  Note me this, good friend; 

 Your most grave belly was deliberate, 

 Not rash like his accusers, and thus answer'd: 

 'True is it, my incorporate friends,' quoth he, 

 'That I receive the general food at first, 

 Which you do live upon; and fit it is, 

 Because I am the store-house and the shop 

 Of the whole body: but, if you do remember, 

 I send it through the rivers of your blood, 

 Even to the court, the heart, to the seat o' the brain; 

 And, through the cranks and offices of man, 

 The strongest nerves and small inferior veins 

 From me receive that natural competency 

 Whereby they live: and though that all at once, 

 You, my good friends,'--this says the belly, mark me,-- 

 First Citizen  Ay, sir; well, well. 

 MENENIUS  'Though all at once cannot 

 See what I do deliver out to each, 

 Yet I can make my audit up, that all 

 From me do back receive the flour of all, 

 And leave me but the bran.' What say you to't? 

 First Citizen  It was an answer: how apply you this? 

 MENENIUS  The senators of Rome are this good belly, 

 And you the mutinous members; for examine 

 Their counsels and their cares, digest things rightly 

 Touching the weal o' the common, you shall find 

 No public benefit which you receive 

 But it proceeds or comes from them to you 

 And no way from yourselves. What do you think, 

 You, the great toe of this assembly? 

 First Citizen  I the great toe! why the great toe? 

 MENENIUS  For that, being one o' the lowest, basest, poorest, 

 Of this most wise rebellion, thou go'st foremost: 

 Thou rascal, that art worst in blood to run, 

 Lead'st first to win some vantage. 

 But make you ready your stiff bats and clubs: 

 Rome and her rats are at the point of battle; 

 The one side must have bale. 



 Enter CAIUS MARCIUS  Hail, noble Marcius! 

 MARCIUS  Thanks. What's the matter, you dissentious rogues, 

 That, rubbing the poor itch of your opinion, 

 Make yourselves scabs? 

 First Citizen  We have ever your good word. 

 MARCIUS  He that will give good words to thee will flatter 

 Beneath abhorring. What would you have, you curs, 

 That like nor peace nor war? the one affrights you, 

 The other makes you proud. He that trusts to you, 

 Where he should find you lions, finds you hares; 

 Where foxes, geese: you are no surer, no, 

 Than is the coal of fire upon the ice, 

 Or hailstone in the sun. Your virtue is 

 To make him worthy whose offence subdues him 

 And curse that justice did it. 

 Who deserves greatness 

 Deserves your hate; and your affections are 

 A sick man's appetite, who desires most that 

 Which would increase his evil. He that depends 

 Upon your favours swims with fins of lead 

 And hews down oaks with rushes. Hang ye! Trust Ye? 

 With every minute you do change a mind, 

 And call him noble that was now your hate, 

 Him vile that was your garland. What's the matter, 

 That in these several places of the city 

 You cry against the noble senate, who, 

 Under the gods, keep you in awe, which else 

 Would feed on one another? What's their seeking? 

 MENENIUS  For corn at their own rates; whereof, they say, 

 The city is well stored. 

 MARCIUS  Hang 'em! They say! 

 They'll sit by the fire, and presume to know 

 What's done i' the Capitol; who's like to rise, 

 Who thrives and who declines; side factions 

 and give out 

 Conjectural marriages; making parties strong 

 And feebling such as stand not in their liking 

 Below their cobbled shoes. They say there's 

 grain enough! 

 Would the nobility lay aside their ruth, 

 And let me use my sword, I'll make a quarry 

 With thousands of these quarter'd slaves, as high 

 As I could pick my lance. 

 MENENIUS  Nay, these are almost thoroughly persuaded; 

 For though abundantly they lack discretion, 

 Yet are they passing cowardly. But, I beseech you, 

 What says the other troop? 

 MARCIUS  They are dissolved: hang 'em! 

 They said they were an-hungry; sigh'd forth proverbs, 

 That hunger broke stone walls, that dogs must eat, 

 That meat was made for mouths, that the gods sent not 

 Corn for the rich men only: with these shreds 

 They vented their complainings; which being answer'd, 

 And a petition granted them, a strange one-- 

 To break the heart of generosity, 

 And make bold power look pale--they threw their caps 

 As they would hang them on the horns o' the moon, 

 Shouting their emulation. 

 MENENIUS  What is granted them? 

 MARCIUS  Five tribunes to defend their vulgar wisdoms, 

 Of their own choice: one's Junius Brutus, 

 Sicinius Velutus, and I know not--'Sdeath! 

 The rabble should have first unroof'd the city, 

 Ere so prevail'd with me: it will in time 

 Win upon power and throw forth greater themes 

 For insurrection's arguing. 

 MENENIUS  This is strange. 

 MARCIUS  Go, get you home, you fragments! 



 Enter a Messenger, hastily  Messenger  Where's Caius Marcius? 

 MARCIUS  Here: what's the matter? 

 Messenger  The news is, sir, the Volsces are in arms. 

 MARCIUS  I am glad on 't: then we shall ha' means to vent 

 Our musty superfluity. See, our best elders. 



 Enter COMINIUS, TITUS LARTIUS, and other Senators; JUNIUS BRUTUS and SICINIUS VELUTUS  First Senator  Marcius, 'tis true that you have lately told us; 

 The Volsces are in arms. 

 MARCIUS  They have a leader, 

 Tullus Aufidius, that will put you to 't. 

 I sin in envying his nobility, 

 And were I any thing but what I am, 

 I would wish me only he. 

 COMINIUS  You have fought together. 

 MARCIUS  Were half to half the world by the ears and he. 

 Upon my party, I'ld revolt to make 

 Only my wars with him: he is a lion 

 That I am proud to hunt. 

 First Senator  Then, worthy Marcius, 

 Attend upon Cominius to these wars. 

 COMINIUS  It is your former promise. 

 MARCIUS  Sir, it is; 

 And I am constant. Titus Lartius, thou 

 Shalt see me once more strike at Tullus' face. 

 What, art thou stiff? stand'st out? 

 TITUS  No, Caius Marcius; 

 I'll lean upon one crutch and fight with t'other, 

 Ere stay behind this business. 

 MENENIUS  O, true-bred! 

 First Senator  Your company to the Capitol; where, I know, 

 Our greatest friends attend us. 

 TITUS  [To COMINIUS]                Lead you on. 



 To MARCIUS  Right worthy you priority. 

 COMINIUS  Noble Marcius! 

 First Senator  [To the Citizens]  Hence to your homes; be gone! 

 MARCIUS  Nay, let them follow: 

 The Volsces have much corn; take these rats thither 

 To gnaw their garners. Worshipful mutiners, 

 Your valour puts well forth: pray, follow. 



 Citizens steal away. Exeunt all but SICINIUS and BRUTUS  SICINIUS  Was ever man so proud as is this Marcius? 

 BRUTUS  He has no equal. 

 SICINIUS  When we were chosen tribunes for the people,-- 

 BRUTUS  Mark'd you his lip and eyes? 

 SICINIUS  Nay. but his taunts. 

 BRUTUS  Being moved, he will not spare to gird the gods. 

 SICINIUS  Be-mock the modest moon. 

 BRUTUS  The present wars devour him: he is grown 

 Too proud to be so valiant. 

 SICINIUS  Such a nature, 

 Tickled with good success, disdains the shadow 

 Which he treads on at noon: but I do wonder 

 His insolence can brook to be commanded 

 Under Cominius. 

 BRUTUS  Fame, at the which he aims, 

 In whom already he's well graced, can not 

 Better be held nor more attain'd than by 

 A place below the first: for what miscarries 

 Shall be the general's fault, though he perform 

 To the utmost of a man, and giddy censure 

 Will then cry out of Marcius 'O if he 

 Had borne the business!' 

 SICINIUS  Besides, if things go well, 

 Opinion that so sticks on Marcius shall 

 Of his demerits rob Cominius. 

 BRUTUS  Come: 

 Half all Cominius' honours are to Marcius. 

 Though Marcius earned them not, and all his faults 

 To Marcius shall be honours, though indeed 

 In aught he merit not. 

 SICINIUS  Let's hence, and hear 

 How the dispatch is made, and in what fashion, 

 More than his singularity, he goes 

 Upon this present action. 

 BRUTUS  Lets along. 



 Exeunt  Shakespeare homepage  |  Coriolanus  | Act 1, Scene 1 

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