Coriolanus In Plain and Simple English (A Modern Translation and the Original Version)

By BookCaps

T.S. Eliot said Coriolanus was superior to even Hamlet; Ralph Fiennes loved it so much he directed, produced, and starred in modern telling of the play. So if everyone loves it so much, why is it so hard to understand? Let's face it...Shakespeare can be difficult to read! Let BookCaps help with this easy to read modern retelling.

If you have struggled in the past reading Shakespeare, then we can help you out. Our books and apps have been used and trusted by millions of students worldwide.

Plain and Simple English books, let you see both the original and the modern text (modern text is underneath in italics)--so you can enjoy Shakespeare, but have help if you get stuck on a passage.

• Language: English
• Publisher: BookCaps
• Release date: Dec 21, 2011
• ISBN: 9781465782250

BookCaps

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About This Series

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Characters

CAIUS MARCIUS CORIOLANUS, a noble Roman

TITUS LARTIUS, General against the Volscians

COMINIUS, General against the Volscians

MENENIUS AGRIPPA, Friend to Coriolanus

SICINIUS VELUTUS, Tribune of the People

JUNIUS BRUTUS, Tribune of the People

YOUNG MARCIUS, son to Coriolanus

A ROMAN HERALD

TULLUS AUFIDIUS, General of the Volscians

LIEUTENANT, to Aufidius

Conspirators with Aufidius

A CITIZEN of Antium

TWO VOLSCIAN GUARDS

VOLUMNIA, Mother to Coriolanus

VIRGILIA, Wife to Coriolanus

VALERIA, Friend to Virgilia

GENTLEWOMAN attending on Virgilia

Roman and Volscian Senators, Patricians, Aediles, Lictors,

Soldiers, Citizens, Messengers, Servants to Aufidius, and other

Attendants

Comparative Version

ACT I

SCENE: Partly in Rome, and partly in the territories of the

Volscians and Antiates.

SCENE I. Rome. A street.

[Enter a company of mutinous citizens, with staves, clubs, and

other weapons.]

FIRST CITIZEN.

Before anything else happens, listen to me!

Before we proceed any further, hear me speak.

ALL.

Speah, speech!

Speak, speak.

FIRST CITIZEN.

Is everyone here ready to die fighting instead of starving to death?

You are all resolved rather to die than to famish?

ALL.

Hell yes!

Resolved, resolved.

FIRST CITIZEN.

First of all, as you all know, Cauius Marcius is Public Enemy #1.

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

ALL.

You said it!

We know't, we know't.

FIRST CITIZEN.

Let’s kill him, and then we’ll buy grain for however much we want to pay!

Let us kill him, and we'll have corn at our own price. Is't a

Agreed?

verdict?

ALL.

Let’s stopping talking about it and do it! C’mon, let’s go!

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

SECOND CITIZEN.

Hold up a minute, folks.

One word, good citizens.

FIRST CITIZEN.

They say we’re poor, and the noblemen are rich.

We are accounted poor citizens; the patricians good.

What the powers that be gorge on would keep us from starving; if they just gave

What authority surfeits on would relieve us; if they would yield

us their extra food, as long it’s not spoiled, we would think

us but the superfluity, while it were wholesome, we might guess

that they were saving us for humanitarian reasons; but they think we’re too expensive:

they relieved us humanely; but they think we are too dear: the

our suffering, our misery

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

makes them feel richer; our suffering is

inventory to particularize their abundance; our sufferance is a

their gain. Let’s get even by killing them with our pitchforks before we

gain to them.--Let us revenge this with our pikes ere we become

become skinny as a rake: the gods know I’m only saying this stuff because I’m hungry,

rakes: for the gods know I speak this in hunger for bread, not in

not because I’m bloodthirsty.

thirst for revenge.

SECOND CITIZEN.

Would you go after Caius Marcius more than the other noblemen?

Would you proceed especially against Caius Marcius?

FIRST CITIZEN.

Yes, he’d be first: he’s a dog that attacks the common people.

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

SECOND CITIZEN.

Have you thought about everything he’s done for this country?

Consider you what services he has done for his country?

FIRST CITIZEN.

Yeah, I thought about, and I would praise him for it,

Very well; and could be content to give him good report for't,

but I don’t need to because he’s proud of himself for doing it.

but that he pays himself with being proud.

SECOND CITIZEN.

Don’t be so nasty.

Nay, but speak not maliciously.

FIRST CITIZEN.

I’m telling you, all that famous stuff he did, he did to stroke his own ego:

I say unto you, what he hath done famously he did it to that end:

maybe men without consciences are happy to say he did it for his

though soft-conscienced men can be content to say it was for his

country, I know he did it to make his mama proud, and in part to make himself proud,

country, he did it to please his mother, and to be partly proud;

which he is, at least as proud as he is good.

which he is, even to the altitude of his virtue.

SECOND CITIZEN.

You blame him for it, but he can’t help it—that’s just his nature. But at least

What he cannot help in his nature you account a vice in him. You

you can’t call him greedy.

must in no way say he is covetous.

FIRST CITIZEN.

Even if I can’t call him greedy, I can call him plenty of other names; he has

If I must not, I need not be barren of accusations; he hath

so many faults that I’d get tired of naming them, and have more to spare. [Shouts inside.]

faults, with surplus, to tire in repetition. [Shouts within.]

Who’s shouting? The other side of the city [Rome] is revolting, why

What shouts are these? The other side o' the city is risen: why

are we standing around talking? To the Capitoline Hill! [Location of the main temple.]

stay we prating here? to the Capitol!

ALL.

C’mon, let’s go.

Come, come.

FIRST CITIZEN.

Shut up! Who’s that?

Soft! who comes here?

SECOND CITIZEN.

That’s Menenius Agrippa. He’s cool, he’s always been a friend to the working man.

Worthy Menenius Agrippa; one that hath always loved the people.

FIRST CITIZEN.

Yeah, he’s alright; I wish the rest of the ruling class was like him!

He's one honest enough; would all the rest were so!

[Enter MENENIUS AGRIPPA.]

MENENIUS.

What’s going on here? Where are you going

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

with those bats and sticks? What’s the matter? Please, tell me.

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

FIRST CITIZEN.

The Senate knows what we’re doing; they’ve known

Our business is not unknown to the senate; they have had inkling

what we were going to do for two weeks now, and now we’ll do exactly what they

this fortnight what we intend to do, which now we'll show 'em in

expected. They say we poor dudes can’t get a date because we smell bad,

deeds. They say poor suitors have strong breaths; they shall know

but they’re going to find out that we are strong.

we have strong arms too.

MENENIUS.

Hey, fellas, my friends, my neighbors,

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

will you give up and go home?

Will you undo yourselves?

FIRST CITIZEN.

No, we can’t take it any more!

We cannot, sir; we are undone already.

MENENIUS.

I’m telling you, my friends,

I tell you, friends, most charitable care

the noblemen take good care of you. If you want to blame someone

Have the patricians of you. For your wants,

for your problems and your hunger, you’d be better off

Your suffering in this dearth, you may as well

attacking heaven with all your weapons than using them

Strike at the heaven with your staves as lift them

against the Roman government, which is so strong

Against the Roman state; whose course will on

that it would crush you even if you had ten thousand

The way it takes, cracking ten thousand curbs

more ways to block it than you could ever

Of more strong link asunder than can ever

possibly have. This recession

Appear in your impediment: for the dearth,

was caused by the gods, not the rich, and

The gods, not the patricians, make it; and

praying to the gods, not fighting, is the only thing that will help. I’m sorry

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

that times are so tough that you people all lost your minds,

You are transported by calamity

and are therefore even worse off, and that you’re all so crazy that you’re attacking

Thither where more attends you; and you slander

the good people who run this country, and who love you like they were your fathers,

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

even though you curse at them like enemies.

When you curse them as enemies.

FIRST CITIZEN.

Yeah, right, they care sure care about us! They never care about us yet. They let

Care for us! True, indeed! They ne'er cared for us yet. Suffer us

us starve, even though they have buildings full of extra food; they made laws

to famish, and their storehouses crammed with grain; make edicts

about loan-sharking, but they benefit the loan-sharks; they undo any good law

for usury, to support usurers; repeal daily any wholesome act

that was designed to hurt the rich, and make more bad laws

established against the rich, and provide more piercing statutes

every day to punish and enslave the poor. If the wars don’t take all our money,

daily to chain up and restrain the poor. If the wars eat us not

they will; that’s how much they love us.

up, they will; and there's all the love they bear us.

MENENIUS.

You have to admit

Either you must

that either you’re all just making trouble,

Confess yourselves wondrous malicious,

or you’re just stupid. Let me tell you

Or be accus'd of folly. I shall tell you

a little story: maybe you’ve heard it before,

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

but since it supports my point, I think I’ll just

But, since it serves my purpose, I will venture

bore you with it one more time.

To stale't a little more.

FIRST CITIZEN.

OK, I’ll listen; but don’t think you can make us forget our

Well, I'll hear it, sir; yet you must not think to fob off our

troubles with a story. But, if you want you, go ahead and say it.

disgrace with a tale: but, an't please you, deliver.

MENENIUS.

Once upon a time, all the organs in the human body

There was a time when all the body's members

rebelled against the belly, and accused it of

Rebell'd against the belly; thus accus'd it:--

of just sitting like a whirlpool

That only like a gulf it did remain

in the middle of the body, not doing anything

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

but sucking up food and never doing any real

Still cupboarding the viand, never bearing

work like the other organs; whereas the other organs

Like labour with the rest; where th' other instruments

did things like seeing, hearing, thinking, teaching, walking, feeling,

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

and, working together, did the bidding

And, mutually participate, did minister

of the appetites and inclinations

Unto the appetite and affection common

of the body as a whole. The belly answered:

Of the whole body. The belly answered,--

FIRST CITIZEN.

Well, what did the belly answer?

Well, sir, what answer made the belly?

MENENIUS.

I will tell you. It replied with a smile

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

that wasn’t an ordinary smile, but was like this—

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

look, I’m making my belly smile

For, look you, I may make the belly smile

as we speak—a smile that taunted

As well as speak,--it tauntingly replied

the angry organs

To the discontented members, the mutinous parts

that were jealous of what he received; just like

That envied his receipt; even so most fitly

you people trash talk the rich senators because

As you malign our senators for that

they’re not like you.

They are not such as you.

FIRST CITIZEN.

What! That was your belly’s answer?

Your belly's answer? What!

The awesome, king-like head, the ever-watchful eye,

The kingly crowned head, the vigilant eye,

the wise heart, the arm our which is like our soldier,

The counselor heart, the arm our soldier,

the leg that carries us like a horse, the tongue that acts as our trumpet,

Our steed the leg, the tongue our trumpeter,

and all the other furniture and little touches

With other muniments and petty helps

is what makes us, as people, and if they—

Is this our fabric, if that they,--

MENENIUS.

What then?

What then?--

I do declare, this guy’s talking! What then? What then?

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

FIRST CITIZEN.

…if all our body parts are held back by the greedy belly,

Should by the cormorant belly be restrain'd,

which is the sewer of the body—

Who is the sink o' the body,--

MENENIUS.

Well, what then?

Well, what then?

FIRST CITIZEN.

If all those organs complained,

The former agents, if they did complain,

what could the belly actually say?

What could the belly answer?

MENENIUS.

I’ll tell you;

I will tell you;

If you could just have a little—and I know you only have a little—

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

patience for a while, you’ll hear the belly’s answer.

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

FIRST CITIZEN.

You’re taking too long.

You are long about it.

MENENIUS.

Listen close, my good friend:

Note me this, good friend;

This belly was careful,

Your most grave belly was deliberate,

not reckless like the other organs, and so he answered:

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

"It’s true, my friends," he said,

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

"That I’m the one that gets the food first,

'That I receive the general food at first

"though you all live on it; and it’s only fair,

Which you do live upon; and fit it is,

"because I’m the warehouse and the factory

Because I am the storehouse and the shop

"of the whole body: but, as you may recall,

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

"I send it out through the arteries of your blood,

I send it through the rivers of your blood,

"and even to the heart, to the brain;

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

"and down the winding paths and through the workshops of a body,

And, through the cranks and offices of man,

"the tendons and the smallest veins

The strongest nerves and small inferior veins

"all get a supply adequate to their natural needs,

From me receive that natural competency

"which they live on. And even though all of you organs,

Whereby they live: and though that all at once

"you, my good friends—" This is all still the belly talking, mind you—

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

FIRST CITIZEN.

Yes, we get it, go on.

Ay, sir; well, well.

MENENIUS.

"…Even though all of you organs can’t

'Though all at once cannot

"tell how I deliver all the food to each of you,

See what I do deliver out to each,

"I can prove that all of you

Yet I can make my audit up, that all

"get your food from me,

From me do back receive the flour of all,

"and leave me with the scraps." What do you think of that?

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

FIRST CITIZEN.

I admit it was answer, but what does it have to do anything?

It was an answer: how apply you this?

MENENIUS.

The Senators of Rome are like the belly,

The senators of Rome are this good belly,

and you are like the rebellious organs; take a look at

And you the mutinous members; for, examine

their advice and their concerns: they deal with

Their counsels and their cares; digest things rightly

the welfare of the public; you won’t find

Touching the weal o' the common; you shall find

any benefit that you receive

No public benefit which you receive

that doesn’t come from them to you,

But it proceeds or comes from them to you,

and from you yourselves.—What do you think,

And no way from yourselves.--What do you think,

you there, the big toe of this crowd?

You, the great toe of this assembly?

FIRST CITIZEN.

I’m the big toe? Why the big toe?

I the great toe? why the great toe?

MENENIUS.

Because, even though you are one of the lowest, worst, poorest members

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

of this wise rebellion, you are leading this whole group:

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

You, the hunting dog with the worst breeding,

Thou rascal, that art worst in blood to run,

are in the lead in this hunt, trying to win some advantage.

Lead'st first to win some vantage.—

Anyway, get ready with your big bats and clubs:

But make you ready your stiff bats and clubs:

Rome and her rats are about to do battle,

Rome and her rats are at the point of battle;

and one side is going to lose—

The one side must have bale.--

[Enter CAIUS MARCIUS.]

Hail, noble Marcius!

Hail, noble Marcius!

MARCIUS.

Thanks.—What’s the matter, you disagreeable bastards?

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

Have you complained so much

That, rubbing the poor itch of your opinion,

that you’ve made yourselves ugly?

Make yourselves scabs?

FIRST CITIZEN.

We trust you’re dealing in good faith.

We have ever your good word.

MARCIUS.

He who treats you with good faith will flatter

He that will give good words to thee will flatter

anything. What do you want, you dogs,

Beneath abhorring.--What would you have, you curs,

who don’t like peace or war? Peace scares you,

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

and war makes you proud. Whoever puts his trust in you,

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

expecting to find that you are brave as lions, instead finds out you are cowardly rabbits;

Where he should find you lions, finds you hares;

Instead of being like cunning foxes, you’re like stupid geese; you are no more dependable

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

than a fire burning on top of ice,

Than is the coal of fire upon the ice,

or a snowball in hell. You think highly of people

Or hailstone in the sun. Your virtue is

who have gotten in trouble for breaking the law,

To make him worthy whose offence subdues him,

and curse the good people who enforced those laws.

And curse that justice did it. Who deserves greatness

You hate great people, and the things you like

Deserves your hate; and your affections are

are the things a sick man would want if he wanted

A sick man's appetite, who desires most that

to make himself worse. Whoever depends on you

Which would increase his evil. He that depends

is going to sink like a metal fish,

Upon your favours swims with fins of lead,

and he might as well try to chop down a tree with a blade of grass. Screw you!

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

You change your minds every minute,

With every minute you do change a mind;

you praise people you used to hate,

And call him noble that was now your hate,

and hate people you used to love. What’s the matter?

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

All over town

That in these several places of the city

you’re complaining about the senate,

You cry against the noble senate, who,

which keeps you all in line, because otherwise

Under the gods, keep you in awe, which else

you would eat each other? What do they want?

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

MENENIUS.

They want to buy grain at their own prices, and they say

For corn at their own rates; whereof they say

the city is full of it.

The city is well stor'd.

MARCIUS.

Screw ‘em! They say…!

Hang 'em! They say!

They sit around at home and think they know

They'll sit by th' fire and presume to know

what’s going on in high politics: who’s on his way up,

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

who is doing well, and who is headed downhill; they join political parties

Who thrives and who declines; side factions, and give out

and try to join parties together (in a bad way); they make some parties strong,

Conjectural marriages; making parties strong,

and weaken the ones they don’t like by

And feebling such as stand not in their liking

trampling them underfoot. They say there’s enough grain!

Below their cobbled shoes. They say there's grain enough!

If only the noblemen would stop being so nice

Would the nobility lay aside their ruth

and let me get violent, I’d make a pile of dead bodies

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

out of thousands of these slaves, a pile as high off the ground

With thousands of these quarter'd slaves, as high

as I can lift my spear.

As I could pick my lance.

MENENIUS.

No, don’t worry about these idiots here.

Nay, these are almost thoroughly persuaded;

They may be stupid,

For though abundantly they lack discretion,

but they’re also a bunch of cowards. But, please tell me,

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

what does the other gang of rioters want?

What says the other troop?

MARCIUS.

They dispersed: damn ‘em!

They are dissolved: hang 'em!

They said they were hungry. They babbled on in hick clichés:

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

"Hunger is strong enough to break stone wall, Even dogs have to eat,"

That hunger broke stone walls, that dogs must eat,

"Food was made to be eaten, The gods didn’t make

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

food only for rich people." They complained

Corn for the rich men only:--with these shreds

using those silly old sayings, and when they heard the government’s response,

They vented their complainings; which being answer'd,

that a new law had been made in their favor—a strange law,

And a petition granted them,--a strange one,

that’s going to destroy the generous noblemen,

To break the heart of generosity,

and make the powerful look weak—they threw their hats up in celebration,

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

so high that it was as if they wanted to hang them on the crescent moon,

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

all while shouting in support of the new law.

Shouting their emulation.

MENENIUS.

What did the law give them?

What is granted them?

MARCIUS.

Five representatives of the people, who will talk all kinds of ghetto nonsense.

Five tribunes, to defend their vulgar wisdoms,

The people got to choose these representative: one of them is Junius Brutus,

Of their own choice: one's Junius Brutus,

one is Sicinius Velutus, and I don’t who the rest are. This is terrible!

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

The mob might as well as have taken all of the roofs in town,

The rabble should have first unroof'd the city

that’s what I think. The mob will eventually

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

defeat the rich and powerful, and come up with bigger issues

Win upon power, and throw forth greater themes

for the rebels to debate.

For insurrection's arguing.

MENENIUS.

That is strange.

This is strange.

MARCIUS.

Oh, go home, you worthless people!

Go get you home, you fragments!

[Enter a MESSENGER, hastily.]

MESSENGER.

Where’s Caius Marcius?

Where's Caius Marcius?

MARCIUS.

I’m here, what’s the matter?

Here: what's the matter?

MESSENGER.

The news is, the Volscians [an Italian tribe south of Rome] are getting ready to attack us.

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

MARCIUS.

I’m glad of it. Now I’ll have a way to get rid of

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

our extra stuff, and extra people.—Look, here come my favorite old men.

Our musty superfluity.--See, our best elders.

[Enter COMINIUS, TITUS LARTIUS, and other SENATORS; JUNIUS BRUTUS

and SICINIUS VELUTUS.]

FIRST SENATOR.

Marcius, you were right when you warned us recently about the Volscians—

Marcius, 'tis true that you have lately told us:--

Now they want to fight us.

The Volsces are in arms.

MARCIUS.

They have a leader,

They have a leader,

Tullus Aufidius, who is going to put up a good fight.

Tullus Aufidius, that will put you to't.

I know it’s wrong, but I wish I worked for him,

I sin in envying his nobility;

and if I could be anyone but who I am,

And were I anything but what I am,

I would want to be him.

I would wish me only he.

COMINIUS.

You fought him before.

You have fought together.

MARCIUS.

If the world was upside down, and he

Were half to half the world by the ears, and he

was on my side, I’d switch sides, and only

Upon my party, I'd revolt, to make

fight him.

Only my wars with him: he is a lion

He is a worthy opponent.

That I am proud to hunt.

FIRST SENATOR.

So, good Marcius,

Then, worthy Marcius,

you are now working for Cominius [a top general] while you fight this war.

Attend upon Cominius to these wars.

COMINIUS.

That’s what you promised.

It is your former promise.

MARCIUS.

Yes, you’re right,

Sir, it is;

and I’m keeping my word. Titus Lartius, you

And I am constant.--Titus Lartius, thou

will see me beat the leader of the Volscians yet again.

Shalt see me once more strike at Tullus' face.

What, are not fighting? Staying home?

What, art thou stiff? stand'st out?

TITUS LARTIUS.

No, Caius Marcius.

No, Caius Marcius;

I’d use on of my crutches to stand up and I’ll fight with the other one,

I'll lean upon one crutch and fight with the other

rather than stay behind on this one.

Ere stay behind this business.

MENENIUS.

You’re true blue!

O, true bred!

FIRST SENATOR.

Come with us to the Capitol, where

Your company to the Capitol; where, I know,

our most important friends are waiting for us.

Our greatest friends attend us.

TITUS LARTIUS.

Lead on!

Lead you on.

C’mon Cominius; we have to do what you say,

Follow, Cominius; we must follow you;

because you deserve to be the boss.

Right worthy your priority.

COMINIUS.

You rock, Marcius!

Noble Marcius!

FIRST SENATOR.

Go home, get out of here!

Hence to your homes; be gone!

[To the crowd.]

[To the Citizens.]

MARCIUS.

No, let them come with us to war:

Nay, let them follow:

The Volscians have plenty of grain; bring these hungry, rat-like poor people

The Volsces have much corn; take these rats thither

to eat the Volscians’ food.—My dear rebels,

To gnaw their garners.--Worshipful mutineers,

you bravery is promising: come with us, please.

Your valour puts well forth: pray follow.

[Exeunt Senators, COM., MAR, TIT., and MENEN. Citizens steal

away.]

SICINIUS.

Man, did you ever see anyone as cocky as that Marcius?

Was ever man so proud as is this Marcius?

BRUTUS.

There’s no one like him.

He has no equal.

SICINIUS.

When the people chose us to represent them—

When we were chosen tribunes for the people,--

BRUTUS.

Did you see his face?

Mark'd you his lip and eyes?

SICINIUS.

No, but I heard his insults!

Nay, but his taunts!

BRUTUS.

If provoked, he would insult the gods.

Being mov'd, he will not spare to gird the gods.

SICINIUS.

He’d even make fun of the moon.

Bemock the modest moon.

BRUTUS.

This war is all he cares about, but for someone so violent, he is

The present wars devour him: he is grown

too proud for his own good—he’s going to do something stupid.

Too proud to be so valiant.

SICINIUS.

A jerk like that,

Such a nature,

if they have some success, they think they’re too good

Tickled with good success, disdains the shadow

for everyone. What I wonder about

Which he treads on at noon: but I do wonder

is how someone so insolent is going to feel about taking orders

His insolence can brook to be commanded

from Cominius.

Under Cominius.

BRUTUS.

He wants to be more famous—

Fame, at the which he aims,--

even though he already he is famous—and there’s no

In whom already he is well grac'd,--cannot

better way to get really famous than by

Better be held, nor more attain'd, than by

being the second in command, because if something goes wrong,

A place below the first: for what miscarries

people will blame the commander in chief, even if he did

Shall be the general's fault, though he perform

nothing wrong; and then

To th' utmost of a man; and giddy censure

Marcius will tell everyone, "If I had been

Will then cry out of Marcius 'O, if he

in charge, everything would have been better!"

Had borne the business!'

SICINIUS.

Besides, if things go well,

Besides, if things go well,

Everyone will give credit to Marcius

Opinion, that so sticks on Marcius, shall

for Cominius’ success.

Of his demerits rob Cominius.

BRUTUS.

Yeah,

Come:

Marcius gets credit for half the great stuff that Cominius has done,

Half all Cominius' honours are to Marcius,

though Marcius didn’t earn it, and everything Cominius does wrong

Though Marcius earn'd them not; and all his faults

will make Marcius look good, even though

To Marcius shall be honours, though, indeed,

he doesn’t really deserve it.

In aught he merit not.

SICINIUS.

Let’s go find out

Let's hence and hear

how this war is going to be fought, and in what way,

How the dispatch is made; and in what fashion,

other than his usual bizarre methods, Marcius is going to

More than in singularity, he goes

plan this military action.

Upon this present action.

BRUTUS.

Let’s go.

Let's along.

[Exeunt.]

SCENE II. Corioli. The Senate House.

[Enter TULLUS AUFIDIUS and certain Vulscian SENATORS.]

FIRST SENATOR.

So, your opinion is, Aufidius,

So, your opinion is, Aufidius,

that the Romans are aware of what we’ve been discussing

That they of Rome are enter'd in our counsels

and know our plans.

And know how we proceed.

AUFIDIUS.

Isn’t that your opinion, too?

Is it not yours?

When have we ever talked about attacking Rome in this country

What ever have been thought on in this state,

and managed to pull it off before Rome

That could be brought to bodily act ere Rome

found out about it and foiled us? Just four days ago

Had circumvention? 'Tis not four days gone

I heard from a spy in Rome, and I quote:

Since I heard thence; these are the words: I think

(If I can find the letter—yes, here it is:)

I have the letter here; yes, here it is:

[Reads from the letter]

[Reads.]

"The Romans have massed an army, but I don’t know

'They have pressed a power, but it is not known

whether they intend to march east or west. The famine is bad,

Whether for east or west: the dearth is great;

the people are getting ready to revolt, and the rumor is

The people mutinous: and it is rumour'd,

that Cominius, Marcius (your old enemy,

Cominius, Marcius your old enemy,--

who the Romans hate more than you do),

Who is of Rome worse hated than of you,--

and Titus Lartius (a very brave Roman general),

And Titus Lartius, a most valiant Roman,

are all three in charge of organizing this expedition,

These three lead on this preparation

wherever it’s going, though most likely it’s headed your way.

Whither 'tis bent: most likely 'tis for you:

Think about it."

Consider of it.'

FIRST SENATOR.

Our army’s in the field.

Our army's in the field:

We’ve never been able to prepare an attack before was ready

We never yet made doubt but Rome was ready

to counterattack.

To answer us.

AUFIDIUS.

And you tried

Nor did you think it folly

to keep our grand plans secret until they

To keep your great pretences veil'd till when

had to be revealed, but it seems the Romans found out about them

They needs must show themselves; which in the hatching,

during the early planning stages. Because they found out,

It seem'd, appear'd to Rome. By the discovery

we won’t be able to do what we hoped, which was

We shall be shorten'd in our aim; which was,

to make a surprise attack and capture

To take in many towns ere, almost, Rome

a lot of small towns under Roman control before Rome knew what was up.

Should know we were afoot.

SECOND SENATOR.

My man Aufidius,

Noble Aufidius,

you’re job is to the lead the army in war with Rome: go to your soldiers.

Take your commission; hie you to your bands;

Leave us here to guard Corioles [a Volscian city].

Let us alone to guard Corioli:

If the Roman come and besiege us,

If they set down before's, for the remove

you can come back and relieve us, but I think you’ll find

Bring up your army; but I think you'll find

that they’re not prepared for the fight we’re going to give them.

They've not prepared for us.

AUFIDIUS.

Oh, I don’t doubt that.

O, doubt not that;

I’m sure of it. No, more than sure.

I speak from certainties. Nay, more,

Some Volscian units have already been deployed, but only

Some parcels of their power are forth already,

to attack us here, not to defend themselves. I’m out of here, gentlemen.

And only hitherward. I leave your honours.

If I happen to run into Caius Marcius,

If we and Caius Marcius chance to meet,

I promise I’ll fight him

'Tis sworn between us we shall ever strike

to the death.

Till one can do no more.

ALL.

Good luck!

The gods assist you!

AUFIDIUS.

And y’all be careful now!

And keep your honours safe!

FIRST SENATOR.

Good bye.

Farewell.

SECOND SENATOR.

Good bye.

Farewell.