The Complete Tragedies of William Shakespeare - All 12 Books in One Edition. William Shakespeare

Together with the seal o’ the senate, what

       We have compounded on.

       AUFIDIUS.

       Read it not, noble lords;

       But tell the traitor, in the highest degree

       He hath abus’d your powers.

       CORIOLANUS.

       Traitor!—How now?

       AUFIDIUS.

       Ay, traitor, Marcius.

       CORIOLANUS.

       Marcius!

       AUFIDIUS.

       Ay, Marcius, Caius Marcius! Dost thou think

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

       Coriolanus, in Corioli?—

       You lords and heads o’ the state, perfidiously

       He has betray’d 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’ the war; but at his nurse’s tears

       He whin’d and roar’d away your victory;

       That pages blush’d at him, and men of heart

       Look’d wondering each at others.

       CORIOLANUS.

       Hear’st thou, Mars?

       AUFIDIUS.

       Name not the god, thou boy of tears,—

       CORIOLANUS.

       Ha!

       AUFIDIUS.

       No more.

       CORIOLANUS.

       Measureless liar, thou hast made my heart

       Too great for what contains it. Boy! O slave!—

       Pardon me, lords, ‘tis the first time that ever

       I was forc’d to scold. Your judgments, my grave lords,

       Must give this cur the lie: and his own notion,—

       Who wears my stripes impress’d upon him; that must bear

       My beating to his grave,—shall join to thrust

       The lie unto him.

       FIRST LORD.

       Peace, both, and hear me speak.

       CORIOLANUS.

       Cut me to pieces, Volsces; men and lads,

       Stain all your edges on me.—Boy! False hound!

       If you have writ your annals true, ‘tis there,

       That, like an eagle in a dovecote, I

       Flutter’d your Volscians in Corioli:

       Alone I did it.—Boy!

       AUFIDIUS.

       Why, noble lords,

       Will you be put in mind of his blind fortune,

       Which was your shame, by this unholy braggart,

       ‘Fore your own eyes and ears?

       CONSPIRATORS.

       Let him die for’t.

       CITIZENS. Tear him to pieces, do it presently:—he killed my son; my daughter; he killed my cousin Marcus; he killed my father,— SECOND LORD.

       Peace, ho!—no outrage;—peace!

       The man is noble, and his fame folds in

       This orb o’ the earth. His last offences to us

       Shall have judicious hearing.—Stand, Aufidius,

       And trouble not the peace.

       CORIOLANUS.

       O that I had him,

       With six Aufidiuses, or more, his tribe,

       To use my lawful sword!

       AUFIDIUS.

       Insolent villain!

       CONSPIRATORS.

       Kill, kill, kill, kill, kill him!

       [AUFIDIUS and the CONSPIRATORS draw, and kill CORIOLANUS,who falls. AUFIDIUS stands on him.]

       LORDS.

       Hold, hold, hold, hold!

       AUFIDIUS.

       My noble masters, hear me speak.

       FIRST LORD.

       O Tullus,—

       SECOND LORD.

       Thou hast done a deed whereat valour will weep.

       THIRD LORD.

       Tread not upon him.—Masters all, be quiet;

       Put up your swords.

       AUFIDIUS.

       My lords, when you shall know,—as in this rage,

       Provok’d by him, you cannot,—the great danger

       Which this man’s life did owe you, you’ll rejoice

       That he is thus cut off. Please it your honours

       To call me to your senate, I’ll deliver

       Myself your loyal servant, or endure

       Your heaviest censure.

       FIRST LORD.

       Bear from hence his body,

       And mourn you for him. Let him be regarded

       As the most noble corse that ever herald

       Did follow to his um.

       SECOND LORD.

       His own impatience

       Takes from Aufidius a great part of blame.

       Let’s make the best of it.

       AUFIDIUS.

       My rage is gone;

       And I am struck with sorrow.—Take him up:—

       Help, three o’ the chiefest soldiers; I’ll be one.—

       Beat thou the drum, that it speak mournfully;

       Trail your steel pikes. Though in this city he

       Hath widow’d and unchilded many a one,

       Which to this hour bewail the injury,

       Yet he shall have a noble memory.—

       Assist.

       [Exeunt, bearing the body of CORIOLANUS. A dead march sounded.]

       THE END

      TITUS ANDRONICUS

       Table of Contents

      By William Shakespeare

       PERSONS REPRESENTED.

       SATURNINUS, Son to the late Emperor of Rome, afterwards declared

       Emperor.

       BASSIANUS, Brother to Saturninus, in love with Lavinia.

       TITUS ANDRONICUS, a noble Roman, General against the Goths.

       MARCUS ANDRONICUS, Tribune of the People, and Brother to Titus.

       LUCIUS, Son to Titus Andronicus.

       QUINTUS, Son to Titus Andronicus.

       MARTIUS, Son to Titus Andronicus.

       MUTIUS, Son to Titus Andronicus.