Bid them repair to th’ market-place, where I,

Even in theirs and in the commons’ ears,

Will vouch the truth of it. Him I accuse

The city ports by this hath entered, and

Intends t’appear before the people, hoping

To purge himself with words. Dispatch.

Exeunt attendants

Enter three or four Conspirators of Aufidius’ faction

Most welcome.

FIRST CONSPIRATOR

How is it with our general?

AUFIDIUS Even so

As with a man by his own alms impoisoned,

And with his charity slain.

SECOND CONSPIRATOR Most noble sir,

If you do hold the same intent wherein

You wished us parties, we’ll deliver you

Of your great danger.

AUFIDIUS

Sir, I cannot tell.

We must proceed as we do find the people.

THIRD CONSPIRATOR

The people will remain uncertain whilst

’Twixt you there’s difference, but the fall of either

Makes the survivor heir of all.

AUFIDIUS

I know it,

And my pretext to strike at him admits

A good construction. I raised him, and I pawned

Mine honour for his truth; who being so heightened,

He watered his new plants with dews of flattery,

Seducing so my friends; and to this end

He bowed his nature, never known before

But to be rough, unswayable, and free.

THIRD CONSPIRATOR Sir, his stoutness

When he did stand for consul, which he lost

By lack of stooping—

AUFIDIUS

That I would have spoke of.

Being banished for’t, he came unto my hearth,

Presented to my knife his throat. I took him,

Made him joint-servant with me, gave him way

In all his own desires; nay, let him choose

Out of my files, his projects to accomplish,

My best and freshest men; served his designments

In mine own person, holp to reap the fame

Which he did end all his, and took some pride

To do myself this wrong, till at the last

I seemed his follower, not partner, and

He waged me with his countenance as if

I had been mercenary.

FIRST CONSPIRATOR

So he did, my lord.

The army marvelled at it, and in the last,

When he had carried Rome and that we looked

For no less spoil than glory—

AUFIDIUS

There was it,

For which my sinews shall be stretched upon him.

At a few drops of women’s rheum, which are

As cheap as lies, he sold the blood and labour

Of our great action; therefore shall he die,

And I’ll renew me in his fall.

Drums and trumpets sound, with great shouts of the people

But hark.

FIRST CONSPIRATOR

Your native town you entered like a post,

And had no welcomes home; but he returns

Splitting the air with noise.

SECOND CONSPIRATOR And patient fools,

Whose children he hath slain, their base throats tear

With giving him glory.

THIRD CONSPIRATOR Therefore, at your vantage,

Ere he express himself or move the people

With what he would say, let him feel your sword,

Which we will second. When he lies along,

After your way his tale pronounced shall bury

His reasons with his body.

Enter the Lords of the city

AUFIDIUS

Say no more.

Here come the lords.

ALL THE LORDS You are most welcome home.

AUFIDIUS I have not deserved it.

But, worthy lords, have you with heed perused

What I have written to you?

ALL THE LORDS

We have.

FIRST LORD

And grieve to hear’t.

What faults he made before the last, I think

Might have found easy fines. But there to end

Where he was to begin, and give away

The benefit of our levies, answering us

With our own charge, making a treaty where

There was a yielding—this admits no excuse.

AUFIDIUS He approaches. You shall hear him.

Enter Coriolanus marching with drum and colours, the Commoners being with him

CORIOLANUS

Hail, lords! I am returned your soldier,

No more infected with my country’s love

Than when I parted hence, but still subsisting

Under your great command. You are to know

That prosperously I have attempted, and

With bloody passage led your wars even to

The gates of Rome. Our spoils we have brought home

Doth more than counterpoise a full third part

The charges of the action. We have made peace

With no less honour to the Antiates

Than shame to th’ Romans. And we here deliver,

Subscribed by th’ consuls and patricians,

Together with the seal o’th’ senate, what

We have compounded on.

He gives the Lords a paper

AUFIDIUS

Read it not, noble lords,

But tell the traitor in the highest degree

He hath abused your powers.

CORIOLANUS Traitor? How now?

AUFIDIUS Ay, traitor, Martius.

CORIOLANUS Martius?

AUFIDIUS

Ay, Martius, Caius Martius. Dost thou think

I’ll grace thee with that robbery, thy stol’n name,

‘Coriolanus’, in Corioles?

You lords and heads o‘th’ state, perfidiously

He has betrayed your business, and given up,

For certain drops of salt, your city, Rome—

I say your city—to his wife and mother,

Breaking his oath and resolution like

A twist of rotten silk, never admitting

Counsel o’th’ war. But at his nurse’s tears

He whined and roared away your victory,