DRAMATIS PERSONÆ. MEN. CAIUS MARCIUS CORIOLANUS, a noble Roman. TITUS LARTIUS, } Generals against the Volfcians. MENENIUS AGRIPPA, Friend to Coriolanus. JUNIUS BRUTUS, } Tribunes of the People. TULLUS AUFIDIUS, General of the Volfcians. Young MARCIUS, Son to Coriolanus. Confpirators with Aufidius. WOMEN, VOLUMNIA, Mother to Coriolanus. VIRGILIA, Wife to Coriolanus. VALERIA, Friend to Virgilia. Roman and Volfcian Senators, Ædiles, Lictors, Soldiers, Common People, Servants to Aufidius, and other Attendants. \ The SCENE is partly in Rome; and partly in the Territories of the Volfcians and Antiates. " ACT I. SCENE 1. A Street in Rome. Enter a Company of mutinous Citizens, with Staves, Clubs, and other Weapons. B I Citizen. EFORE we proceed any further, hear me speak. All. Speak, fpeak. 1 Cit. You are refolv'd rather to die, than to famish? All. Refolv'd, refolv'd. 1 Cit. First, you know Caius Marcius is chief enemy to the people. All. We know't, we know't. 1 Cit. 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. 2 Cit. One word, good citizens. 1 Cit. We are accounted poor citizens; the pa tricians, good: What authority furfeits on, would relieve us: If they would yield us but the fuperfluity, while it were wholefome, 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 particularize their abundance; our fufferance is a gain to them.-Let : us revenge this with our pikes, ere we become rakes: for the gods know, I fpeak this in hunger for bread, not in thirst for revenge. 2 Cit. Would you proceed efpecially against Caius Marcius? All. Against him firft; he's a very dog to the commonalty. 2 Cit. Confider you what fervices he has done for his country. 1 Cit. Very well; and could be content to give him good report for't, but that he pays himself with being proud. All. Nay, but fpeak not maliciously. 1 Cit. I fay unto you, what he hath done famously, he did it to that end: though foft-conscienc❜d men can be content to fay, it was not for his country, he did it to please his mother, and to be partly proud; which he is, even to the altitude of his virtue. 2 Cit. What he cannot help in his nature, you account a vice in him: You must in no way fay, he is covetous. 1 Cit. If I muft not, I need not be barren of ac cufations; he hath faults, with furplus, to tire in repetition. [Shouts within.] What shouts are these? The other fide o' the city is rifen: Why stay we prating here? to the Capitol. All. Come, come. 1 Cit. Soft; who comes here? Enter MENENIUS AGRIPPA. 2. Cit. Worthy Menenius Agrippa; one that hath always lov'd the people. 1 Cit. He's one honest enough; 'Would all the reft were so! Men |