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Coriolanus

Act V, Scene 6

Antium. A public place.
 
[Enter TULLUS AUFIDIUS, with Attendants]
 
AUFIDIUS
           ,          ,       2     ,     ,        ,
      Go tell | the lords | of the ci|ty, I | am here:
         ,       ,          ,       ,          x
      Deliv|er them | this pap|er: hav|ing read it,
       ,             ,      2     ,        ,           ,
      Bid them | repair | to the mark|et place,| where I
      ,            ,          ,        ,          ,
      Even | in theirs,| and in | the com|mons' ears
             ,           ,         ,    ,          ,
      Will vouch | the truth | of it.| Him I | accuse:
           ,      ,          ,          ,         ,
      The ci|ty ports | by this | hath ent|ered, and
          ,       2    ,        ,         ,        ,      2->
      Intends | to appear | before | the peo|ple, hop||ing
           ,          ,           ,          ,     oo
      To purge | herself | with words.| Dispatch.|
        ,   ,
      Most wel/come.  \\
 
[Exeunt Attendants. Enter three or four Conspirators of AUFIDIUS' faction]
 
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
            ,      ,        ,         ,          ,        ,
      Most^nob|le sir,| if you | do hold | the same | intent
            ,          ,         ,          ,        ,      ,
      Wherein | you wished | us part|ies: we'll | deliv|er you   (hex with prev)
                  ,    ,
      Of your / great dang|er.
 
AUFIDIUS
                                ,       ,        ,
                               Sir,| I can|not tell,
           ,         ,        ,        ,         ,      2->
      We must | proceed | as we | do find | the peo||ple.
 
THIRD CONSPIRATOR
           ,        ,        ,       ,           ,
      The peo|ple will | remain | uncert|ain, whilst
         ,            ,     ,    2                  ,        ,      ->
      'Twixt you | there's dif/ference: but | the fall | of eith||er
        ,        2    ,       ,        ,
      Makes | the surviv|or heir | of all.
 
AUFIDIUS
                                                 x
                                           I know it:
       ,        T   T   .    T         ,       ,
      And my | pretext to strike | at him,| admits
          ,         ,         ,      ,            2     ,
      A good | construc|tion. I | raised him,| and I pawned
            ,    2     ,      ,            x          ,
      Mine^hon|or for his | truth: who | being so | heightened,
          ,      2     ,       ,            ,         ,   2
      He wat|ered his new | plants with | dews of | flattery,
         ,       ,         ,       ,             ,
      Sedu|cing so | my friends:| and to | this end,
           ,          ,        ,       ,         ,
      He bowed | his na|ture, nev|er known | before,
       ,            ,         ,    ,          ,
      But to | be rough,| unsway|able,| and free.
 
THIRD CONSPIRATOR
       ,         ,
      Sir, his stoutness   ????
        ,             ,          ,         ,          ,
      When he | did stand | for cons|ul, which | he lost
           ,         ,
      By lack | of stoo|ping.
 
AUFIDIUS
                               ,        ,               x
                             That | I would | have spoke of:
        2    ,           x          ,       ,         ,
      Being ban|ished for it,| he came | unto | my hearth,
          ,       ,        ,            ,           x
      Present|ed to | my knife | his throat:| I took him,
        ,          ,     ,                   ,         ,
      Made him | joint-serv/ant with | me: gave | him way
          ,         ,        ,      ,               ,
      In all | his own | desires:| nay, let^|him choose
        ,   2       ,           ,   ,             ,
      Out of my | files, his | projects,/ to ac|complish
           ,          ,        ,       ,      2     ,
      My best | and fresh|est men,| served his de|signments
                 ,    ,        ,         ,          ,
      In mine / own pers|on: holp | to reap | the fame
        ,     2      T   T   T          ,           ,
      Which he did^|end all his;| and took | some pride
          ,       ,           ,       ,             ,
      To do | myself | this wrong:| till at | the last
           ,          ,     ,           ,        ,
      I seemed | his fol|lower,| not* part|ner; and
           ,          ,          ,      ,         ,
      He waged | me with | his count|enance,| as if
         ,          ,      x
      I had | been mer|cenary.
 
FIRST CONSPIRATOR
                                 2    ,         ,
                               So he did | my lord:
           ,      ,          x          ,         ,
      The ar|my marv|elled at it,| and in | the last,
        ,            ,         ,          ,          ,
      When he | had car|ried Rome,| and that | we looked
           ,          ,           ,
      For no | less^spoil,| than glo|ry.
 
AUFIDIUS
                                           ,          ,
                                         There | was it:
            ,         ,        ,            ,           x
      For which | my sin|ews shall | be stretched | upon him,
              ,    ,         ,         ,            ,
      At a / few drops | of wom|en's rheum,| which are
           ,          ,         ,          ,          ,     2->
      As cheap | as lies,| he sold | the blood | and lab||or
          ,      ,    ,               ,              ,
      Of our | great ac/tion; there|fore shall | he die,
            ,       ,        ,         ,          ,
      And I'll | renew | me in | his fall.| But hark.
 
[Drums and trumpets sound, with great shouts of the People]
 
FIRST CONSPIRATOR
            ,        ,         ,         ,        ,
      Your nat|ive town | you ent|ered like | a post,
           ,        ,          ,         ,       ,
      And had | no wel|comes home,| but he | returns
         ,             ,           ,
      Splitting | the air | with noise.
 
SECOND CONSPIRATOR
                                             ,         ,
                                        And pa|tient fools,
        ,     ,         2         ,              T     T      T
      Whose child/ren he hath | slain, their | base throats tear
            ,     2     ,    2
      With giv|ing him glo|ry.
 
THIRD CONSPIRATOR
                                     ,     ,         ,
                              Therefore,| at your | vantage,
       ,    2     ,         ,          ,         ,
      Ere he ex|press him|self, or | move the | people
             ,                ,    ,          ,           ,
      With what | he would / say, let | him feel | your sword:
             ,         ,         ,         ,       ,
      Which we | will sec|ond, when | he lies | along
       ,            ,          ,          ,             ,    ->
      After | your way.| His tale | pronounced,| shall bu||ry
           ,          ,         ,
      His reas|ons, with | his bo|dy.  \\
 
AUFIDIUS
       T   T   T           ,          ,     oo
      Say no more.| Here come | the lords.|
 
[Enter the Lords of the city]
 
LORDS
         2      ,     ,          ,
      You are most | welcome | home.
 
AUFIDIUS
                                      2        ,        ,
                                     I have | not de|served it.
            ,       ,           ,           ,        ,
      But worth|y lords,| have you | with heed | perused
        ,   2         ,    3  3
      What I have | written to you?
 
LORDS
                                         ,
                                    We have.
 
FIRST LORD
                                                    ,            x
                                             And grieve | to hear it:
              ,          ,        ,          ,        ,
      What faults | he made | before | the last,| I think
        ,                 ,      ,           ,         ,
      Might have | found^ea|sy fines:| but there | to end
        ,         ,          ,          ,      ,
      Where he | was to | begin,| and give | away
           ,    ,      2     ,        ,    2     ,
      The ben|efit | of our lev|ies, ans|wering us
                  ,     ,      ,           ,        ,
      With our / own charge:| making | a trea|ty, where
             ,        ,          ,        ,      2    ,
      There was | a yield|ing; this | admits | no excuse.
 
AUFIDIUS
       ,      ,         ,            ,        oo
      He ap|proaches,| you shall | hear him.|
 
[Enter CORIOLANUS, marching with drum and colors; commoners being with him]
 
CORIOLANUS
        T    T    T    ,       ,           ,
      Hail lords, I | am re|turned your | soldier:
       ,           ,       ,         ,          ,
      No more^|infect|ed with | my count|ry's love
             ,        ,       ,           ,         ,       ->
      Than when | I part|ed hence:| but still | subsist||ing
       ,    2       ,          ,         ,         ,
      und|er your great | command.| You are | to know,
             ,     2   ,       ,        ,        ,
      That pros|perously | I have | attempt|ed, and
             ,      ,        ,           ,    ,         2->
      With bloo|dy pas|sage led | your wars,| even || to
            ,          ,           ,                  ,      ,
      The gates | of Rome:| Our spoils | we have / brought home
             ,           ,       ,     .   T    T     T
      Doth^more | than count|erpoise | a full third part
            ,       ,        ,         2         ,    ,
      The charg|es of | the ac|tion. We have / made peace
            ,     ,   ,               ,     ,
      With no | less hon/or to | the Ant|iates
             ,       2     ,        ,         ,       ,     ->
      Than shame | to the Rom|ans. And | we here | deliv||er
       ,     ,      2       ,         ,      ,
      Sub|scribed by the | consuls,| and pa|tricians,
          ,       ,          ,      2     ,         ,
      Togeth|er with | the seal | of the sen|ate, what
       ,             ,       ,
      We have | compound|ed on.
 
AUFIDIUS
        ,        T   Tx     T
      Read it | not noble lords,  (tri with prev)
            ,          ,       ,         ,     2    ,
      But tell | the trait|or in | the high|est degree
       ,          ,             x
      He hath^|abused | your powers.
 
CORIOLANUS
                                      ,             ,
                                    Traitor?| How* now?
 
AUFIDIUS
      ___     ,        ,
      Aye | traitor,| Martius.
 
CORIOLANUS
                               ,
                              Martius?
 
AUFIDIUS
      <- ___     ,         ,         ,        T    T     T
         Aye || Martius,| Martius | Caius:| dost thou think
             ,       ,               ,   2             x     ,
      I'll grace | thee with | that rob|bery, thy / stolen name
         ,   ,      ,      ,   ,
      Cori|olan|us in | Cori|oli?
            ,           ,       2      ,         ,   2   ,
      You lords | and heads | of the state,| perfid|iously
       ,            ,           ,                 x    ,
      He has | betrayed | your bus|iness, and / given up
            ,        ,          ,          ,      ,
      For cert|ain drops | of salt,| your ci|ty Rome:
         ,      ,   ,      2        ,         ,
      I say | your ci/ty to his | wife and | mother,
        ,              ,         ,    ,         ,
      Breaking | his oath | and res|olu|tion, like
          ,         ,        ,     ,   2    ,
      A twist | of rot|ten silk,| never ad|mitting
        ,         2     ,     ,            ,         ,
      Counsel | of the war:| but at | his nur|se's tears
            ,            ,       ,          ,     ,
      He whined | and roared | away | your vic|tory,
            ,        ,          ,         ,         ,
      That pag|es blushed | at him,| and men | of heart
              ,    2      ,       ,
      Looked^wond|ering each | at oth|er.
 
CORIOLANUS
                                             ,            ,
                                          Hearst | thou Mars?
 
AUFIDIUS
        T   T   .   T          ,         ,
      Name not the god,| thou boy | of tears.
 
CORIOLANUS
                                             __
                                             Ha?
 
AUFIDIUS
           ,
      No more.  \\
 
CORIOLANUS
       ,            ,       ,           ,         ,
      Measure|less li|ar, thou | hast made | my heart
            ,           ,         ,          ,         ,
      Too great | for what | contains | it. Boy?| Oh slave,
       ,            ,                 ,       ,         ,
      Pardon me | lords, 'tis | the first | time that | ever
       2       ,          ,            ,                ,     ,
      I was forced | to scold.| Your judg|ments, my / grave lords,
             ,          ,         ,       2     ,     ,
      Must^give | this cur | the lie:| and his own | notion,
            ,           ,           ,        ,           ,
      Who wears | my stripes | impressed | upon | him, that
             ,        ,        ,         ,             ,
      Must^bear | my beat|ing to | his grave,| shall join
            ,          ,       ,
      To thrust | the lie | unto | him.  \\
 
FIRST LORD
        T     T    .    T         ,
      Peace both, and hear | me speak.  \\
 
CORIOLANUS
       ,           ,       ,       ,          ,
      Cut me | to pie|ces Vol|ces men | and lads,
        ,      2        ,       ,       T     T     T
      Stain all^your | edges | on me.| Boy, false hound:  ??
       ,              ,          ,        ,           ,
      If you | have writ | your an|nals true,| 'tis there,
             ,        ,               ,    ,   ,
      That like | an eag|le in a // dove-coat, I
        ,               ,          ,      ,   ,
      Fluttered | your Vol|scians in | Cori|oli.
         ,       ,         ,
      Alone | I did | it, Boy.
 
AUFIDIUS
                                   ,       ,
                              Why nob|le lords,
        ,            ,         ,      2      ,      ,
      Will you | be put | in mind | of his blind | fortune*,
             ,           ,      ,     2    ,       ,
      Which^was | your shame,| by this un|holy | braggart?
         ,               ,          ,
      'Fore your | own^eyes,| and ears?
 
CONSPIRATORS
                                         ,         ,     2
                                        Let him | die for it.
 
PEOPLE
        ,            ,        ,       ,       ,
      Tear him | to pie|ces, do | it pres|ently:
            ,         ,         ,         ,      ,          ,    ->
      He killed | my son,| my daught|er, he | killed my || cousin
       ,             ,         ,
      Marcus,| he killed | my fath|er.  \\
 
SECOND LORD
        T    T   T    T   T     T     oo
      Peace ho: no | outrage, peace.|
           ,        ,       ,          ,           ,
      The man | is nob|le, and | his fame | folds^in
            ,      2      ,           ,       ,        x
      This orb | of the earth:| his last | offen|ses to us
              ,       ,        ,          ,        ,    3 3->
      Shall have | judi|cious hear|ing. Stand | Aufid||ius,
            ,       ,          ,
      And troub|le not | the peace.
 
CORIOLANUS
      <- ,     2     ,               ,       ,  2  ,         ,
         O that I | had him,|| with six | Aufid|iuses,| or more:
      <-      ,          ,        ,        ,
        His tribe,|| to use | my law|ful sword.
 
AUFIDIUS
                                                 ,  2       ,
                                                Insolent | villain.
 
CONSPIRATORS
       __     __     __     __      ,
      Kill,| kill,| kill,| kill,| kill him.
 
[The Conspirators draw, and kill CORIOLANUS: AUFIDIUS stands on his body]
 
LORDS
       __     __     __     __    oo
      Hold,| hold,| hold,| hold.|
 
AUFIDIUS
          ,      ,          ,         ,
      My nob|le mast|ers, hear | me speak.
 
FIRST LORD
                                                x
                                           O Tullus.
 
SECOND LORD
        T    T    T        ,          ,
      Thou hast done | a deed,| whereat
       ,             ,
      Valor | will weep.  \\
 
THIRD LORD
             ,      ,          ,        ,         x
      Tread^not | upon | him mast|ers, all | be quiet,
           ,           ,
      Put up | your swords.
 
AUFIDIUS
                                 ,
                            My lords,  \\
            ,            ,        ,          ,
      When you | shall know |(as in | this rage,
           ,         ,       2    ,          ,      ,
      Provoked | by him,| you cannot)| the great | danger
              ,            ,         ,            ,         ,
      Which this | man's^life | did owe | you, you'll | rejoice
        ,    2       ,        ,      ,                ,
      That he is | thus cut^|off. Please / it your | honors
           ,     ,   2        ,         ,      ,
      To call | me to your | senate,| I'll de|liver
          ,          ,      ,         ,       ,
      Myself | your loy|al serv|ant, or | endure
             ,    2    ,
      Your heav|iest cens|ure.
 
FIRST LORD
                                 ,           ,          ,     ->
                               Bear | from hence | his bo||dy,
              ,    ,     ,         ,          2   ,      ->
      And / mourn you | for him.| Let him | be regard||ed
        2        ,   ,       ,          ,      ,      2->
      As the / most nob|le corse,| that ev|er her||ald
           ,       ,        ,
      Did fol|low to | his urn.
 
SECOND LORD
                                     ,       ,        ->
                                His own | impa||tience,
        ,         2   ,  2         ,     ,         ,
      Takes | from Aufid|ius a / great part | of blame:
              ,          ,        ,
      Let's^make | the best | of it.
 
AUFIDIUS
                                          ,         ,
                                     My rage | is gone,
       ,            ,           ,         ,         ,
      And I | am struck | with sor|row. Take | him up:
             ,       2      ,        ,           ,        ,
      Help^three | of the chief|est sol|diers, I'll | be one.
        ,               ,                ,     ,       ,
      Beat thou | the drum | that it / speak mourn|fully:
        ,            T     T       T       2      ,     ,
      Trail your | steel pikes. Though | in this ci|ty he
            ,        ,        ,       ,   2   ,
      Hath wid|owed and | unchild|ed ma|ny a one,
        ,               ,        ,         ,    ,
      Which to | this hour | bewail | the in|jury,
       ,    2          ,       ,       ,  2        ,
      Yet he shall | have a | noble | memory.| Assist.
 
[Exeunt, bearing the body of CORIOLANUS. A dead march sounded]

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