The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated)

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The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated) Page 482

by William Shakespeare


  Were he to stand for consul, never would he

  campaign in the market-place, and nor would he

  Appear i' the market-place, nor on him put

  ever pretend to be humble.

  The napless vesture of humility;

  Nor would he show his battle scars

  Nor, showing, as the manner is, his wounds

  to the people, as a way to beg for their support.

  To the people, beg their stinking breaths.

  SICINIUS.

  That’s right.

  'Tis right.

  BRUTUS.

  That’s what he promised. He would rather lose the consulship

  It was his word: O, he would miss it rather

  than win it by any means but by the support of the rich

  Than carry it but by the suit of the gentry to him,

  and aristocratic.

  And the desire of the nobles.

  SICINIUS.

  I hope

  I wish no better

  he does exactly what he says, and puts that

  Than have him hold that purpose, and to put it

  plan into effect.

  In execution.

  BRUTUS.

  He most likely will.

  'Tis most like he will.

  SICINIUS.

  It will lead him, as we strongly desire,

  It shall be to him then, as our good wills,

  to political destruction.

  A sure destruction.

  BRUTUS.

  Either he loses

  So it must fall out

  or we do. To force the issue,

  To him or our authorities. For an end,

  we must remind the people of how much

  We must suggest the people in what hatred

  he’s always hated them, and that he would

  He still hath held them; that to's power he would

  like to make them his mules, and silence their representatives,

  Have made them mules, silenc'd their pleaders, and

  and take away their freedoms.; and that he regards them,

  Dispropertied their freedoms; holding them,

  in terms of their human abilities,

  In human action and capacity,

  no more worthwhile

  Of no more soul nor fitness for the world

  than camels for his wars, who are only fed so that

  Than camels in their war; who have their provand

  they can carry heavy loads, and be beaten

  Only for bearing burdens, and sore blows

  for failing to carry those burdens.

  For sinking under them.

  SICINIUS.

  Yes, as you say, if we remind the people of all that,

  This, as you say, suggested

  at a time when he is particularly haughty and cruel

  At some time when his soaring insolence

  to the common people (and that time will come soon enough,

  Shall touch the people,--which time shall not want,

  if he is provoked, and that’s as easy

  If it be put upon't; and that's as easy

  as provoking a dog to attack sheep), then they will

  As to set dogs on sheep,--will be his fire

  rise up against him,

  To kindle their dry stubble; and their blaze

  and destroy him forever.

  Shall darken him for ever.

  [Enter A MESSENGER.]

  BRUTUS.

  What’s the matter?

  What's the matter?

  MESSENGER.

  You are needed at the Capitol. It is thought

  You are sent for to the Capitol. 'Tis thought

  that Marcius will be consul:

  That Marcius shall be consul:

  I have seen mute men crowd around to see him, and

  I have seen the dumb men throng to see him, and

  blind men to hear him speak. Older women throw their gloves,

  The blind to hear him speak: matrons flung gloves,

  and young ladies throw their scarves and handkerchiefs (as tokens of their affection)

  Ladies and maids their scarfs and handkerchers,

  at him as he passed. The noblemen bowed to him as they

  Upon him as he pass'd; the nobles bended

  would to the statue of God, and the common people

  As to Jove's statue; and the commons made

  threw up their hats and cheered him.

  A shower and thunder with their caps and shouts:

  I never saw anything like it,

  I never saw the like.

  BRUTUS.

  Let’s go to the Capitol

  Let's to the Capitol;

  to see and hear what’s going on,

  And carry with us ears and eyes for the time,

  but secretly thinking about the outcome.

  But hearts for the event.

  SICINIUS.

  I’m coming with you.

  Have with you.

  [Exeunt.]

  [Enter two OFFICERS, to lay cushions.]

  FIRST OFFICER.

  Come, come, they are almost here. How many people are running for consulships?

  Come, come; they are almost here. How many stand for consulships?

  SECOND OFFICER.

  Three, they say. But everyone thinks that Coriolanus will

  Three, they say; but 'tis thought of every one Coriolanus will

  win it.

  carry it.

  FIRST OFFICER.

  He’s a brave fellow. But he’s very proud, and he doesn’t love the

  That's a brave fellow; but he's vengeance proud and loves not the

  common people.

  common people.

  SECOND OFFICER.

  Well, there have been many great men who have tried to win the support of the

  Faith, there have been many great men that have flattered the

  people, but who never really loved them; and there are many that the common people

  people, who ne'er loved them; and there be many that they have

  have loved, without knowing why. So, if they love without knowing

  loved, they know not wherefore; so that, if they love they know

  why. they hate with no better reason. Therefore, for

  not why, they hate upon no better a ground: therefore, for

  Coriolanus to not care about whether they love or hate him

  Coriolanus neither to care whether they love or hate him

  shows how well he knows the true nature of the common people; and, because

  manifests the true knowledge he has in their disposition; and,

  he doesn’t care about their opinion, he lets them know how little he cares about them.

  out of his noble carelessness, lets them plainly see't.

  FIRST OFFICER.

  If he didn’t care whether they loved him or not, he would waver

  If he did not care whether he had their love or no, he waved

  indecisively between doing them good and harm. But in fact he

  indifferently 'twixt doing them neither good nor harm; but he

  wants them to hate him even more than they actually do,

  seeks their hate with greater devotion than they can render it

  and does everything he can to show them that he is their

  him; and leaves nothing undone that may fully discover him their

  enemy. And to try to make the people hate you

  opposite. Now to seem to affect the malice and displeasure of the

  is as bad the opposite, which he dislikes: to flatter them and try to make

  people is as bad as that which he dislikes,--to flatter them for

  them love you.

  their love.

  SECOND OFFICER.

  He has served his country well, and his rise to fame was not done

  He hath deserved worthily of his country: and his ascent is not

  by the methods
of those who, having been compliant and

  by such easy degrees as those who, having been supple and

  polite to the people, took off their hats to flatter the people, without doing anything else

  courteous to the people, bonnetted, without any further deed to

  to win their respect and esteem. But Coriolanus has

  have them at all into their estimation and report: but he hath

  made his honors so clear to them, and won them over with his

  so planted his honours in their eyes, and his actions in their

  actions, that for them to be silent, and not say how much

  hearts, that for their tongues to be silent, and not confess

  they really love him would be ungrateful, and to say they didn’t love him

  so much, were a kind of ingrateful injury; to report otherwise

  would be an act of ill will so bad that it would make anyone who

  were a malice that, giving itself the lie, would pluck reproof

  heard it scold the speaker for lying.

  and rebuke from every ear that heard it.

  FIRST OFFICER.

  That’s enough about him. He is a fine man. Get out of the way, they are coming.

  No more of him; he is a worthy man.: make way, they are coming.

  [A sennet. Enter, with Lictors before them, COMINIUS the Consul,

  MENENIUS, CORIOLANUS, Senators, SICINIUS and BRUTUS. The Senators

  take their places; the Tribunes take theirs also by themselves.]

  MENENIUS.

  Having made a decision about the Volscians, and

  Having determined of the Volsces, and

  having sent for Titus Lartius to come, it remains for us,

  To send for Titus Lartius, it remains,

  as the main point of this meeting after the close of the Senate,

  As the main point of this our after-meeting,

  to reward Coriolanus for his service

  To gratify his noble service that

  in defending his country. Therefore,

  Hath thus stood for his country: therefore please you,

  honored old men, please ask the

  Most reverend and grave elders, to desire

  the present consul, and former General

  The present consul, and last general

  in our successful war [Cominius], to tell us

  In our well-found successes, to report

  a little about the good work performed

  A little of that worthy work perform'd

  by Caius Marcius Coriolus, who

  By Caius Marcius Coriolanus; whom

  we are to thank and to distinguish

  We met here both to thank and to remember

  with honors that are as honorable as he is.

  With honours like himself.

  FIRST SENATOR.

  Tell us, Cominius:

  Speak, good Cominius:

  Leave nothing out to make the story shorter, and make us think

  Leave nothing out for length, and make us think

  the Senate is stingy for not rewarding him rather

  Rather our state's defective for requital

  than that we are crazy for wanting to hear more. Tribunes,

  Than we to stretch it out.--Masters o' the people,

  we kindly request you to listen up. And, after you’ve heard everything,

  We do request your kindest ears; and, after,

  that you use your influence on the common people

  Your loving motion toward the common body,

  to convince them to approve what we say here.

  To yield what passes here.

  SICINIUS.

  We came here

  We are convented

  to have a pleasant discussion, and we are

  Upon a pleasing treaty; and have hearts

  inclined to endorse

  Inclinable to honour and advance

  the ideas that come out of this meeting.

  The theme of our assembly.

  BRUTUS.

  And we will happily

  Which the rather

  say so soon, as long as he decides

  We shall be bless'd to do, if he remember

  that the common people are of more value than

  A kinder value of the people than

  he has thought until now.

  He hath hereto priz'd them at.

  MENENIUS.

  That’s besides the point.

  That's off, that's off;

  I wish you had kept your mouths shut. Would you like

  I would you rather had been silent. Please you

  to hear Cominius speak?

  To hear Cominius speak?

  BRUTUS.

  Yes, willingly.

  Most willingly.

  But what I said was more relevant

  But yet my caution was more pertinent

  than you say it is.

  Than the rebuke you give it.

  MENENIUS.

  He loves the people;

  He loves your people;

  but you can’t force him get into bed with them.

  But tie him not to be their bedfellow.--

  Cominius, please speak.

  Worthy Cominius, speak.

  [CORIOLANUS rises, and offers to go away.]

  No, stay put.

  Nay, keep your place.

  FIRST SENATOR.

  Sit down, Coriolanus, don’t be ashamed to hear

  Sit, Coriolanus; never shame to hear

  about the great things you’ve done.

  What you have nobly done.

  CORIOLANUS.

  I’m sorry.

  Your Honours' pardon:

  I would rather get wounded all over again

  I had rather have my wounds to heal again

  than hear about how I got them.

  Than hear say how I got them.

  BRUTUS.

  I hope

  Sir, I hope

  my words didn’t make you stand up.

  My words disbench'd you not.

  CORIOLANUS.

  No, but often,

  No, sir; yet oft,

  where I stayed to fight, I ran away to avoid people talking.

  When blows have made me stay, I fled from words.

  You didn’t truy to flatter me, so it didn’t bother me. But as for the people,

  You sooth'd not, therefore hurt not: but your people,

  I love them as much as their worth.

  I love them as they weigh.

  MENENIUS.

  Please, sit down.

  Pray now, sit down.

  CORIOLANUS.

  I would rather sit around and scratch myself in the sun

  I had rather have one scratch my head i' the sun

  when the call came for war, than sit idly by

  When the alarum were struck, than idly sit

  and hear my small deeds described as marvels.

  To hear my nothings monster'd.

  [Exit.]

  MENENIUS.

  Tribunes,

  Masters o' the people,

  how can he flatter your expanding horde—

  Your multiplying spawn how can he flatter,--

  there’s one good out of a thousand—when as you can see

  That's thousand to one good one,--when you now see

  that he would rather risk his life for honor

  He had rather venture all his limbs for honour

  than one of his ears to hear about it? Go ahead, Cominius.

  Than one on's ears to hear it?--Proceed, Cominius.

  COMINIUS.

  My voice won’t be strong enough: the actions of Coriolanus

  I shall lack voice: the deeds of Coriolanus

  should not be told in a weak voice. It is believed

  Should not be utter'd feebly.--It is held

  that bravery is the most important virtue and

  That valour is the chiefest virtue, and

&
nbsp; gives most dignity those who posses it. If that is the case,

  Most dignifies the haver: if it be,

  Coriolanus has only one equal in

  The man I speak of cannot in the world

  the history of the world. At the age of 16,

  Be singly counterpois'd. At sixteen years,

  when Tarquin [last king of Rome] raised army against Rome, he fought

  When Tarquin made a head for Rome, he fought

  better than all the others. Our then dictator [military leader],

  Beyond the mark of others; our then dictator,

  whom I also praise, saw him fight,

  Whom with all praise I point at, saw him fight,

  when, with his girlish, beardless chin he scattered

  When with his Amazonian chin he drove

  all the grown men he fought against. Tarquin stood over

  The bristled lips before him: he bestrid

  a defeated Roman and while the dictator watched

  An o'erpress'd Roman and i' the consul's view

  he killed three opponents. The dictator fought Tarquin

  Slew three opposers: Tarquin's self he met,

  man to man, and Tarquin brought him to his knees. In that battle,

  And struck him on his knee: in that day's feats,

  when he might have fought like a woman,

  When he might act the woman in the scene,

  he turned out to be the best man on the field,

  He proved best man i' the field, and for his meed

  and was rewarded with the oak wreath honor.

  Was brow-bound with the oak. His pupil age

  The boy became a man that day, and he grew like the rising tide.

  Man-enter'd thus, he waxed like a sea;

  And in the 17 other battles he fought in

  And in the brunt of seventeen battles since

  he was always the best. As for Coriolanus,

  He lurch'd all swords of the garland. For this last,

  in Corioles and all previous battles, let me say,

  Before and in Corioli, let me say,

  I cannot find words to express how great he was. He stopped the deserters,

  I cannot speak him home: he stopp'd the fliers;

  and his brave example made the cowards

  And by his rare example made the coward

  stop being afraid start having fun. Like seaweed

  Turn terror into sport: as weeds before

 

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