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,