The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated)
Page 490
And we of thee: so, if the time thrust forth
is overturned and you’re allowed to return, we won’t have to look
A cause for thy repeal, we shall not send
all over the world to find you,
O'er the vast world to seek a single man;
and maybe lose the opportunity for you to come back, which
And lose advantage, which doth ever cool
won’t last.
I' the absence of the needer.
CORIOLANUS.
Good luck to you.
Fare ye well:
You are old, and you have seen too much
Thou hast years upon thee; and thou art too full
of war to go wandering around with someone
Of the wars' surfeits to go rove with one
who hasn’t been properly wounded yet. You can walk me to the gate, no further.
That's yet unbruis'd: bring me but out at gate.—
Come, wife and mother, and
Come, my sweet wife, my dearest mother, and
my friends. When I am going,
My friends of noble touch; when I am forth,
say good bye, and smile. Please, come.
Bid me farewell, and smile. I pray you, come.
As long as I’m alive you’ll
While I remain above the ground, you shall
hear from me, and you won’t hear anything about me
Hear from me still; and never of me aught
but what I was always like.
But what is like me formerly.
MENENIUS.
That’s well said.
That's worthily
Alright, let’s stop crying.
As any ear can hear.--Come, let's not weep.--
If I were only a little younger,
If I could shake off but one seven years
by God,
From these old arms and legs, by the good gods,
I’d go with you anywhere.
I'd with thee every foot.
CORIOLANUS.
Give me your hand.
Give me thy hand:--
Come.
Come.
[Exeunt.]
[Enter SICINIUS, BRUTUS, and an AEDILE.]
SICINIUS.
Tell them all to go home. He’s gone, it’s over.
Bid them all home; he's gone, and we'll no further.--
The noblemen are upset; it seems they are
The nobility are vex'd, whom we see have sided
on his side.
In his behalf.
BRUTUS.
Now that we have proven our power,
Now we have shown our power,
let’s back down and look
Let us seem humbler after it is done
more humble.
Than when it was a-doing.
SICINIUS.
Tell them to go home.
Bid them home:
Say their enemy is gone, and they
Say their great enemy is gone, and they
have shown their old strength again.
Stand in their ancient strength.
BRUTUS.
Tell them to go home.
Dismiss them home.
[Exit AEDILE.]
Here comes his mother.
Here comes his mother.
SICINIUS.
Let’s avoid her?
Let's not meet her.
BRUTUS.
Why?
Why?
SICINIUS.
They say she’s crazy.
They say she's mad.
BRUTUS.
They’ve seen us. Pretend you haven’t noticed them.
They have ta'en note of us: keep on your way.
[Enter VOLUMNIA, VIRGILIA, and MENENIUS.]
VOLUMNIA.
Oh, I’m glad we ran into you—I hope you
O, you're well met: the hoarded plague o' the gods
get a horrible disease!
Requite your love!
MENENIUS.
Quiet, don’t be so loud.
Peace, peace, be not so loud.
VOLUMNIA.
If I could stop crying long enough to speak, you would hear—
If that I could for weeping, you should hear,--
No, you’ll hear it anyway. [To BRUTUS.] Won’t you go away?
Nay, and you shall hear some.--[To BRUTUS.] Will you be gone?
VIRGILIA.
No, you will stay. [To SICINIUS] I wish I had the power
You shall stay too[To SICINIUS.]: I would I had the power
make my husband stay, too.
To say so to my husband.
SICINIUS.
Re you manly?
Are you mankind?
VOLUMNIA.
Yes, you fool. What’s wrong with that? Think about this, you idiot:
Ay, fool; is that a shame?--Note but this, fool.—
Wasn’t my father a man? Do you have the cunning
Was not a man my father? Hadst thou foxship
to banish the man who’s done more for Rome by fighting
To banish him that struck more blows for Rome
than you have by talking?
Than thou hast spoken words?--
SICINIUS.
Oh God!
O blessed heavens!
VOLUMNIA.
More fighting than you talked,
More noble blows than ever thou wise words;
all for the good of Rome. I’ll tell you what: go away.
And for Rome's good.--I'll tell thee what;--yet go;--
No, stay. I wish my son
Nay, but thou shalt stay too:--I would my son
were in the lawless desert, with your family lined up in front of him,
Were in Arabia, and thy tribe before him,
and a weapon in his hand.
His good sword in his hand.
SICINIUS.
What then?
What then?
VIRGILIA.
What then!
What then!
He’d kill your whole family.
He'd make an end of thy posterity.
VOLUMNIA.
Bastards and all.
Bastards and all.--
Coriolanus is such a good man, and he was wounded for Rome!
Good man, the wounds that he does bear for Rome!
MENENIUS.
Alright, that’s a enough, quiet.
Come, come, peace.
SICINIUS.
I wish he had continued serving his country
I would he had continu'd to his country
like he used to, and not undone
As he began, and not unknit himself
all the good work he’s accomplished.
The noble knot he made.
BRUTUS.
I wish he had,
I would he had.
VOLUMNIA.
I wish he had! It was you you riled up the mob.
I would he had! 'Twas you incens'd the rabble;--
You bitches, you can judge his worth
Cats, that can judge as fitly of his worth
as well as I can judge the mysteries of heaven
As I can of those mysteries which heaven
which are a secret to mortals.
Will not have earth to know.
BRUTUS.
Sicinius, let’s go.
Pray, let us go.
VOLUMNIA.
Yes, please go away.
Now, pray, sir, get you gone:
You have done a brave deed. Before you go, listen to this:
You have done a brave deed. Ere you go, hear this,--
My son (that lady’s husband)
As far as doth the Capitol exceed
is as far better than you all
The meanest house in Rome, so far my son,--
as the Capitol temple is
This lady's husband here; this, do you see?--
better than the smallest house in Rome.
>
Whom you have banish'd does exceed you all.
BRUTUS.
Well, we’ll leave you.
Well, well, we'll leave you.
SICINIUS.
Why should we stick around and be tormented
Why stay we to be baited
by somebody who’s lost her mind?
With one that wants her wits?
VOLUMNIA.
I’ll pray for you.
Take my prayers with you.--
[Exeunt TRIBUNES.]
I wish the gods had nothing better to do
I would the gods had nothing else to do
but carry out my curses! If I could see them
But to confirm my curses! Could I meet 'em
everyday, it would take a weight
But once a day, it would unclog my heart
off of my fettered heart.
Of what lies heavy to't.
MENENIUS.
You have talked to them bluntly,
You have told them home,
and I’m sure you have good reason. Will you have dinner with me?
And, by my troth, you have cause. You'll sup with me?
VOLUMNIA.
I eat anger, I east myself,
Anger's my meat; I sup upon myself,
and I’m so full of it that I may starve. Come on, let’s go.
And so shall starve with feeding.--Come, let's go:
Stop this weak whining and grieve like I do:
Leave this faint puling and lament as I do,
in anger, like Juno [vengeful queen of the Roman gods]. Come.
In anger, Juno-like. Come, come, come.
[Exeunt.]
MENENIUS.
Ah, this is terrible!
Fie, fie, fie!
[Enter a ROMAN and a VOLSCE, meeting.]
ROMAN.
I know you well, and you know me. Your name, I think,
I know you well, sir, and you know me; your name, I think,
is Adrian.
is Adrian.
VOLSCE.
It is, but I don’t remember you.
It is so, sir: truly, I have forgot you.
ROMAN.
I am a Roman, but, like you, I’m working against Rome. Do you know
I am a Roman; and my services are, as you are, against 'em: know
me yet?
you me yet?
VOLSCE.
Nicanor, right?
Nicanor? no!
ROMAN.
That’s me.
The same, sir.
VOLSCE.
Your beard was long the last time I saw you but I recognize you
You had more beard when I last saw you; but your favour is
from your words. What’s going on in Rome? I had
well approved by your tongue. What's the news in Rome? I have a
orders from the Volscian government to find you in Rome. You
note from the Volscian state, to find you out there; you have
saved me a day’s journey by meeting me here.
well saved me a day's journey.
ROMAN.
There have been rebellions in Rome: the people
There hath been in Rome strange insurrections: the people
rose up against the senators, aristocrats and noblemen.
against the senators, patricians, and nobles.
VOLSCE.
Have been, in the past tense? Is it over then? The Volscians don’t think so.
Hath been! is it ended, then? Our state thinks not so;
They are getting ready to go to war, and hope to attack the Romans when
they are in a most warlike preparation, and hope to come upon
they are most divided against themselves.
them in the heat of their division.
ROMAN.
The worst of the rioting is over, but any little thing could make it
The main blaze of it is past, but a small thing would make it
start again. The upper classes were so upset by the banishment
flame again; for the nobles receive so to heart the banishment
of Coriolanus that they are ready to take away
of that worthy Coriolanus that they are in a ripe aptness to take
all power from the people, and to get rid of the tribunes
all power from the people, and to pluck from them their tribunes
forever. The conflict is simmering, I can tell you, and is almost ready
for ever. This lies glowing, I can tell you, and is almost mature
to break out in violence again.
for the violent breaking out.
VOLSCE.
Coriolanus was banished?
Coriolanus banished!
ROMAN.
Banished.
Banished, sir.
VOLSCE.
That is very good news, Nicanor.
You will be welcome with this intelligence, Nicanor.
ROMAN.
It’s a good day for the Volscians. They say the
The day serves well for them now. I have heard it said the
best time to seduce a man’s wife is when she’s fighting
fittest time to corrupt a man's wife is when she's fallen out
with her husband. Your leader Tullus Aufidius will do well in
with her husband. Your noble Tullus Aufidius will appear well in
this upcoming war, now that his biggest enemy, Coriolanus, is no longer
these wars, his great opposer, Coriolanus, being now in no
wanted by his country.
request of his country.
VOLSCE.
He can’t do otherwise. It’s very lucky that I ran into you.
He cannot choose. I am most fortunate thus accidentally to
You have brought this spying mission to an end, and now I will happily
encounter you; you have ended my business, and I will merrily
accompany you home.
accompany you home.
ROMAN.
Between now and dinnertime I will tell you all the strange news
I shall between this and supper tell you most strange things
from Rome, all of which is good news for its enemies. You have
from Rome; all tending to the good of their adversaries. Have you
an army ready, you say?
an army ready, say you?
VOLSCE.
A big one: the officers and their men, enrolled
A most royal one; the centurions and their charges, distinctly
separately, are already being paid, and can be ready to march with an
billeted, already in the entertainment, and to be on foot at an
hour’s notice.
hour's warning.
ROMAN.
I’m glad to hear that they are ready, and I am the man, I think,
I am joyful to hear of their readiness, and am the man, I think,
who will give them the word to march. So, it was very nice to
that shall set them in present action. So, sir, heartily well
see you, and I’m glad of your company.
met, and most glad of your company.
VOLSCE.
You take the words out my mouth. I have more cause to be
You take my part from me, sir; I have the most cause to be
glad to have met you.
glad of yours.
ROMAN.
Well, let us go together.
Well, let us go together.
[Exeunt.]
[Enter CORIOLANUS, in mean apparel, disguised and muffled.]
CORIOLANUS.
Antium is a good city. Anitum,
A goodly city is this Antium. City,
it was I that killed your men. I’ve seen many
'Tis I that made thy widows: many an heir
of the men of this town die
Of these fair edifices 'fore my wars
when I attacked them. So don’t recog
nize me,
Have I heard groan and drop: then know me not.
in case the woman and children of the town kill me
Lest that thy wives with spits and boys with stones,
with kitchen implements and stones.
In puny battle slay me.
[Enter a CITIZEN.]
God bless you, sir.
Save you, sir.
CITIZEN.
Likewise.
And you.
CORIOLANUS.
Can you tell me, please,
Direct me, if it be your will,
where I can find Aufidius? Is he in Antium?
Where great Aufidius lies; is he in Antium?
CITIZEN.
He is, and he’s having a dinner party for some senators
He is, and feasts the nobles of the state
at his house tonight.
At his house this night.
CORIOLANUS.
Where is his house?
Which is his house, beseech you?
CITIZEN.
This one here, in front of you.
This, here, before you.
CORIOLANUS.
Thank you, sir. Good bye.
Thank you, sir; farewell.
[Exit CITIZEN.]
Oh world, you’re full of fickle changes. Good friends,
O world, thy slippery turns! Friends now fast sworn,
who seem to share a single heart,
Whose double bosoms seems to wear one heart,
whose prayer-time, bed-time, meal-time and exercise times
Whose hours, whose bed, whose meal and exercise
are together, whose love makes them
Are still together, who twin, as 'twere, in love
inseparable, will now,
Unseparable, shall within this hour,
because of a fight over a mere penny, become
On a dissension of a doit, break out
bitterest enemies. Likewise, worst enemies,
To bitterest enmity; so fellest foes,