Prescanned Shakespeare.com
presented by Acoustic Learning


Coriolanus

Act III, Scene 2

A room in CORIOLANUS'S house.
 
[Enter CORIOLANUS with Patricians]
 
CORIOLANUS
       ,           ,     2    ,          ,         ,
      Let them | pull all^a|bout mine^|ears, pres|ent me
        ,              ,               ,    ,        ,
      Death on | the wheel,| or at / wild hors|es' heels,
           ,     ,    ,                  ,       ,
      Or pile | ten hills / on the | Tarpei|an rock,
        ,     2     ,    ,         T     T     T
      That the pre|cipi|tation | might down stretch
         ,          ,         ,           ,        ,
      Below | the beam | of sight;| yet will | I still
           ,      2
      Be thus | to them.
 
PATRICIAN
                         ,       2     ,     2
                        You | do* the nob|ler.  ??
 
CORIOLANUS
                                                   ,        ,      2->
                                               I muse | my moth|er
            ,        ,          ,        ,          ,
      Does^not | approve | me furth|er, who | was wont
           ,           ,       ,           ,        ,     2->
      To call | them wool|len vas|sals, things | creat||ed
          ,          ,            ,      .   T    T    T
      To buy | and sell | with groats,| to show bare heads
          ,      ,          x            ,           ,     ->
      In cong|rega|tions, to yawn,| be still,| and wond||er,
        ,     ,   ,             ,  2              ,
      When | one but / of my | ordinance | stood^up
           ,          ,         ,        ,        ,
      To speak | of peace,| or war.| I talk | of you,
       ,     2        ,        ,         ,           ,
      Why did you | wish me | milder?| Would you | have me
        ,            ,         ,      ,        ,
      False to | my na|ture? Rath|er say,| I play
           ,       ,
      The man | I am.
 
VOLUMNIA
                          ,    ___   ___
                      Oh sir,| sir,| sir,
          ,           ,         ,           x           ,
      I would | have had | you put | your power | well^on,
          ,       2      ,        ,
      Before | you had worn | it out.
 
CORIOLANUS
                                      ___   __
                                      Let | go.
 
VOLUMNIA
            ,            ,       ,          ,         ,
      You might | have been | enough | the man | you are,
             ,         ,             ,   ,     2      ,
      With striv|ing less | to be*/ so: les|ser had been
            ,          ,         ,     ,         ,
      The thwart|ings of | your dis|posi|tions, if
                 ,     ,           ,         ,         ,
      You had / not showed | them how | ye were | disposed
       T    T     T       x          ,         oo
      Ere they lacked | power to | cross you.|
 
CORIOLANUS
       T    T    T
      Let them hang.
 
PATRICIAN
                    ___    T    T   T
                    Aye,| and burn too.
 
[Enter MENENIUS and Senators]
 
MENENIUS
Come, come, you have been too rough, something too rough: you must return, and mend it.
 
FIRST SENATOR
There's no remedy,
          ,        ,         x           ,     ,
      Unless,| by not | so doing,| our good | city
         ,     2        ,           ,
      Cleave in the | midst, and | perish.
 
VOLUMNIA
                                             ,         ,
                                           Pray be | counselled;
      ,            ,         ,       ,         ,
      I have | a heart | as lit|tle apt | as yours,
           ,        ,            ,         ,        ,     2->
      But yet | a brain,| that leads | my use | of ang||er
          ,       ,
      To bet|ter vant|age.
 
MENENIUS
                             ,      T     Tx    Tx
                           Well | said, noble woman:  ??
          ,                  ,    ,       2      ,           ,
      Before | he should / thus stoop | to the heart,| but that
           ,  2     ,      2      ,          x         ,
      The vi|olent fit | of the time | craves it as | physic
                  ,     ,      2       ,          ,      ,
      For the / whole state;| I would put | mine^arm|or on,
        ,              ,        ,
      Which I | can scarce|ly bear.
 
CORIOLANUS
                                          ,       ,
                                   What must | I do?
 
MENENIUS
          ,      2     ,
      Return | to the tri|bunes*.
 
CORIOLANUS
                                   ,           ,           ,
                                 Well,| what then?| What then?
 
MENENIUS
          ,          ,           ,
      Repent,| what you | have spoke.  \\
 
CORIOLANUS
            ,       ,       ,       ,         ,
      For them,| I can|not do | it to | the gods,
           ,          x          ,
      Must I | then do it | to them?
 
VOLUMNIA
                                         ,     2      ,  2
                                        You are too^|absolute,
         ,          ,    2       ,       T  T    Tx
      Though there|in you can | never | be too noble,
            ,        ,   2      ,      2       ,          ,
      But when | extrem|ities speak.| I have heard | you say,
       ,           ,   2      ,       ,          ,
      Honor | and pol|icy*, like | unsev|ered friends,
        2     ,         ,       ,         ,          2      ,       2->
      In the war | do grow | togeth|er: grant | that, and tell || me
           ,            ,         ,      2    ,        ,
      In peace,| what each | of them | by the oth|er lose,
        ,              ,           ,
      That they | combine | not there?
 
CORIOLANUS
                                       __     __
                                      Tush,| tush.
 
MENENIUS
         ,        ,
      A good | demand.   \\
 
VOLUMNIA
          ,       ,      ,          ,         ,
      If it | be hon|or in | your wars,| to seem
            ,               ,     ,                  ,    ,
      The same | you are / not, which | for your / best ends
         2   ,          ,   2     ,      2     ,         ,
      You adopt | your pol|icy*: how | is it less | or worse
            ,           ,        ,       ,         ,
      That it | shall hold | compan|ionship | in peace
            ,       ,       ,            ,         ,
      With hon|or, as | in war;| since^that | to both
            ,          ,        ,
      It stands | in like | request?
 
CORIOLANUS
                                           ,           ,
                                     Why force | you this?
 
VOLUMNIA
          ,
      Because, that   ????
        ,        ,         ,        ,     2       ,
      Now it | lies you | on to | speak to the | people:
       ,    2        ,       ,          ,    2       ,
      Not by your | own in|struction,| nor by the | matter
        ,            T      T     T                 ,    ,
      Which your | heart prompts you,| but with / such words
            ,          ,      ,           ,
      That are | but root|ed in | your tongue;
         ,          ,              ,      ,
      Though but | bastards,| and syl|lables  (tetra with prev)
          ,      ,         ,         ,         ,
      Of no | allow|ance, to | your bos|om's truth.
       T     T   T     ,       ,          2    ,
      Now, this no | more dis|honors | you at all,
        ,         ,           ,           ,       ,
      Than to | take in | a town | with gent|le words,
              ,           ,         ,         ,    ,
      Which else | would put | you to | your for|tune, and
           ,             ,    ,
      The haz|ard of / much blood.  \\
      ,             ,        ,        ,         ,
      I would | dissem|ble with | my na|ture, where
          ,         ,          ,           ,          ,
      My for|tunes and | my friends | at stake,| required
           ,         ,       ,       x          ,
      I should | do so | in hon|or. I am | in this
             ,          ,           ,     ,          x
      Your wife,| your son:| these sen|ators,| the nobles,
           ,           ,       ,          ,        ,
      And you,| will rath|er show | our gene|ral louts,
       ,     2        ,             ,         ,     ,
      How you can | frown, than | spend a | fawn u|pon 'em,
       ,     2    ,  2        ,           T     .    T   T
      For the in|heritance | of their | loves, and safeguard
       .   T    T    T            x
      Of what that want | might^ruin.
 
MENENIUS
                                       ,       ,
                                      Noble | lady.
            ,               ,     ,                ,    ,
      Come^go | with us,/ speak fair:| you may / salve so,
       ,              ,          ,        ,          ,
      Not what | is dange|rous pres|ent, but | the loss
           ,         ,
      Of what | is past.
 
VOLUMNIA
                            ,       ,        ,
                        I prith|ee now,| my son,
       ,              ,          ,       ,         ,
      Go to | them, with | this bon|net in | thy hand,
       .    T   T   T          ,             ,     ,     2
      And thus far hav|ing stretched | it (here | be with them)
            ,     ,               ,        2     ,     ,
      Thy knee | bussing | the stones:| for in such | business
       ,    2     ,      ,       2        ,    2       ,  2
      Action is | elo|quence, and the | eyes of the | ignorant
              ,        ,          ,     ,             ,
      More* learn|ed than | the ears,| waving | thy head,
             ,       ,        ,               ,     ,
      Which of|ten thus | correc|ting thy / stout heart,
           ,       ,        ,       ,   ,
      Now hum|ble as | the rip|est mul|berry,
             ,          ,          ,         ,    ,    2
      That will | not hold | the hand|ling: or | say to them,
            ,           ,         ,      2     ,          ,
      Thou art | their sol|dier, and | being bred | in broils,
            ,     .    T   T     T            ,         ,
      Hast not | the soft way, which | thou dost | confess,
            ,          ,        ,         ,         ,
      Were fit | for thee | to use,| as they | to claim,
          ,                ,    ,           ,           ,
      In ask|ing their / good loves,| but thou | wilt frame
           ,         ,          ,        ,         ,
      Thyself |(forsooth)| hereaft|er theirs | so far,
           ,           x          ,
      As thou | hast power | and pers|on.
 
MENENIUS
                                           ,          ,
                                         This | but done,
      ,                  ,     ,             ,            ,
      Even | as she / speaks, why | their hearts | were yours:
            ,          ,         ,       ,          ,
      For they | have pard|ons, be|ing asked,| as free,
           ,         ,       ,
      As words | to lit|tle pur|pose.
 
VOLUMNIA
                                        ,       ,
                                      prith|ee now,
       ,     2       ,          ,         ,      2         ,
      Go, and be | ruled: al|though I | know thou hadst | rather
       ,             ,    ,     2   ,       ,
      Follow | thine^en|emy | in a fie|ry gulf,
             ,       ,      2    x
      Than flat|ter him | in a bower.
                                       ,     2    ,  2
                                      Here is Co|minius.
 
COMINIUS
       2       ,      2     ,        ,          ,         ,
      I have been | in the mark|et-place:| and sir |'tis fit
            ,       ,    ,               ,          ,
      You make | strong par/ty, or | defend | yourself
       ,   ,          2     ,          ,         ,
      By calm/ness, or by^|absence:| all's in | anger.
 
MENENIUS
Only fair speech.
 
COMINIUS
I think 'twill serve, if he can thereto frame his spirit.
 
VOLUMNIA
He must, and will:
       ,             ,          ,         ,        x
      Prithee | now say | you will,| and go | about it.
 
CORIOLANUS
        T  T  T     ,      2      T   T      T
      Must I go | show them my | unbarbed sconce?
        ,   2         T     T     T        ,       ,
      Must I with | base tongue give | my nob|le heart
         ,      ,              ,      ,              x
      A lie,| that it | must bear | well? I | will do it:
            ,           ,          ,        ,         ,
      Yet were | there but | this sing|le plot,| to lose
             ,        ,          ,         ,                x
      This mold | of Mar|tius, they | to dust | should grind it,
            ,       2    ,           ,      2     ,       ,
      And throw | it against | the wind.| To the mark|etplace:
         2      ,        ,         ,        ,            x
      You have put | me now | to such | a part,| which never
          ,           ,       2      ,
      I shall | discharge | to the life.
 
COMINIUS
        T     T     T        ,
      Come, come, we'll | prompt you.   (tri with prev)
 
VOLUMNIA
          ,       ,            ,         ,           ,
      I prith|ee now | sweet* son,| as thou | hast said
           ,        ,           ,        ,         ,
      My prais|es made | thee first | a sol|dier; so
           ,          ,           ,         ,        ,
      To have | my praise | for this,| perform | a part
          2      ,      ,       T
      Thou hast not | done be|fore.
 
CORIOLANUS
                                     T   T          x
                                   Well, I | must^do it:
        ,        ,     ,        ,         ,       2->
      Away | my dis|posi|tion, and | possess || me
             ,          x           ,         ,          ,
      Some harl|ot's spirit:| my throat | of war | be turned,
              ,       ,         ,       ,       ,
      Which quir|ed with | my drum | into | a pipe,
        ,           ,        ,        ,        ,
      Small as | a eun|uch, or | the vir|gin voice
            ,       ,        ,            ,           ,
      That ba|ies lulls | asleep:| the smiles | of knaves
        ,    2        ,             T    T     T           ,
      Tent in my | cheeks, and | schoolboys' tears | take^up
            ,       ,        ,        ,           ,
      The glas|ses of | my sight:| a beg|gar's tongue
            ,         ,           ,               ,     ,
      Make^mo|tion through | my lips,| and my / armed knees
            ,          ,        ,         ,          ,
      Who bowed | but in | my stir|rup, bend | like^his
             ,         ,          ,              ,    x
      That hath | received | an alms.| I will / not do it,
        ,           ,         ,            ,    ,
      Lest I | surcease | to hon|or mine^/own truth,
       ,           ,       ,         ,          ,
      And by | my bo|dy's ac|tion, teach | my mind
          ,       ,        ,
      A most | inher|ent base|ness.
 
VOLUMNIA
                                      2         ,     ,
                                    At thy / choice then:
          ,         ,     ,   2       ,       ,
      To beg | of thee,| it is my | more dis|honor,
             ,         ,          ,        ,      ,
      Than thou | of them.| Come^all | to ru|in, let
            ,       ,       ,          ,            ,
      Thy moth|er rath|er feel | thy pride,| than fear
            ,    2     ,          ,        ,         ,
      Thy dang|erous stout|ness: for | I mock | at death
                 ,    ,          ,     ,             ,
      With as / big heart | as thou.| Do as | thou list,
           ,   2    ,          ,               x           ,
      Thy val|iantness | was mine,| thou suckst it | from me:
           ,          ,          ,
      But owe | thy pride | thyself.
 
CORIOLANUS
                                            ,        ,
                                     Pray* be | content:
       ,                x    ,        ,       ,
      Mother,| I am / going to | the mark|etplace:
        ,             ,           ,      ,            ,
      Chide me | no more.| I'll mount|ebank | their loves,
       ,             ,         2       ,           ,        ,
      Cog their | hearts | from them, and | come^home | beloved
          ,           ,          ,      ,    2      ,
      Of all | the trades | in Rome.| Look, I am | going:
           ,     ,   2       ,              ,     ,
      Commend | me to my | wife, I'll | return | consul,
          ,       ,          ,          ,          ,
      Or nev|er trust | to what | my tongue | can do
        2     ,         ,   2    ,
      In the way | of flat|tery furth|er.
 
VOLUMNIA
                                          ,          ,
                                         Do | your will.
 
[Exit]
 
COMINIUS
        ,         ,    ,     2     ,         ,     2
      Away,| the tri|bunes do at|tend you:| arm yourself  ??
          ,        ,       ,          ,         ,
      To ans|wer mild|ly: for | they are | prepared
            ,    ,         ,       ,            ,
      With ac|cusa|tions, as | I hear | more strong
            ,      ,         ,
      Than are | upon | you yet.  \\
 
CORIOLANUS
            ,          ,        ,         ,        ,
      The word | is, mild|ly. Pray | you let | us go,
       ,             ,        ,      ,        ,
      Let them | accuse | me by | invent|ion: I
            ,       ,         ,
      Will ans|wer in | mine^hon|or.
 
MENENIUS
                                      ,          ,      ->
                                     Aye,| but mild||ly.
 
CORIOLANUS
        ,      ,       ,        T     T  T
      Well | mildly | be it | then, mildly.
 
[Exeunt]

← Previous Scene | Next Scene →


Home