Текст книги "William Shakespeare: The Complete Works 2nd Edition"

Автор книги: William Shakespeare

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1.2 Enter Aufidius, with Senators of Corioles

FIRST SENATOR

So, your opinion is, Aufidius,

That they of Rome are entered in our counsels

And know how we proceed.

AUFIDIUS

Is it not yours?

What ever have been thought on in this state

That could be brought to bodily act ere Rome

Had circumvention? ’Tis not four days gone

Since I heard thence. These are the words. I think

I have the letter here—yes, here it is.

⌈He reads the letter⌉

‘They have pressed a power, but it is not known

Whether for east or west. The dearth is great,

The people mutinous, and it is rumoured

Cominius, Martius your old enemy,

Who is of Rome worse hated than of you,

And Titus Lartius, a most valiant Roman,

These three lead on this preparation

Whither ’tis bent. Most likely ‘tis for you.

Consider of it.’

FIRST SENATOR Our army’s in the field.

We never yet made doubt but Rome was ready

To answer us.

AUFIDIUS Nor did you think it folly

To keep your great pretences veiled till when

They needs must show themselves, which in the

hatching,

It seemed, appeared to Rome. By the discovery

We shall be shortened in our aim, which was

To take in many towns ere, almost, Rome

Should know we were afoot.

SECOND SENATOR

Noble Aufidius,

Take your commission, hie you to your bands.

Let us alone to guard Corioles.

If they set down before’s, for the remove

Bring up your army, but I think you’ll find

They’ve not prepared for us.

AUFIDIUS

O, doubt not that.

I speak from certainties. Nay, more,

Some parcels of their power are forth already,

And only hitherward. I leave your honours.

If we and Caius Martius chance to meet,

’Tis sworn between us we shall ever strike

Till one can do no more.

ALL THE SENATORS

The gods assist you!

AUFIDIUS

And keep your honours safe.

FIRST SENATOR Farewell.

SECOND SENATOR Farewell.

ALL Farewell.

Exeunt, ⌈Aufidius at one door,

Senators at another door⌉

1.3 Enter Volumnia and Virgilia, mother and wife to Martius. They set them down on two low stools and sew

VOLUMNIA I pray you, daughter, sing, or express yourself in a more comfortable sort. If my son were my husband, I should freelier rejoice in that absence wherein he won honour than in the embracements of his bed where he would show most love. When yet he was but tender-bodied and the only son of my womb, when youth with comeliness plucked all gaze his way, when for a day of kings’ entreaties a mother should not sell him an hour from her beholding, I, considering how honour would become such a person—that it was no better than, picture-like, to hang by th’ wall if renown made it not stir—was pleased to let him seek danger where he was like to find fame. To a cruel war I sent him, from whence he returned his brows bound with oak. I tell thee, daughter, I sprang not more in joy at first hearing he was a man-child than now in first seeing he had proved himself a man.

VIRGILIA But had he died in the business, madam, how then?

VOLUMNIA Then his good report should have been my son. I therein would have found issue. Hear me profess sincerely: had I a dozen sons, each in my love alike, and none less dear than thine and my good Martius’, I had rather had eleven die nobly for their country than one voluptuously surfeit out of action.

Enter a Gentlewoman

GENTLEWOMAN Madam, the Lady Valeria is come to visit you.

VIRGILIA (to Volumnia) Beseech you give me leave to retire myself.

VOLUMNIA Indeed you shall not.

Methinks I hear hither your husband’s drum,

See him pluck Aufidius down by th’ hair;

As children from a bear, the Volsces shunning him.

Methinks I see him stamp thus, and call thus:

‘Come on, you cowards, you were got in fear

Though you were born in Rome!’ His bloody brow

With his mailed hand then wiping, forth he goes,

Like to a harvest-man that’s tasked to mow

Or all or lose his hire.

VIRGILIA

His bloody brow? O Jupiter, no blood!

VOLUMNIA

Away, you fool! It more becomes a man

Than gilt his trophy. The breasts of Hecuba

When she did suckle Hector looked not lovelier

Than Hector’s forehead when it spit forth blood

At Grecian sword, contemning.

(To the Gentlewoman) Tell Valeria

We are fit to bid her welcome. Exit Gentlewoman

VIRGILIA

Heavens bless my lord from fell Aufidius!

VOLUMNIA

He’ll beat Aufidius’ head below his knee

And tread upon his neck.

Enter Valeria, with an usher and the Gentlewoman

VALERIA My ladies both, good day to you.

VOLUMNIA Sweet madam.

VIRGILIA I am glad to see your ladyship.

VALERIA How do you both? You are manifest housekeepers. What are you sewing here? A fine spot, in good faith. How does your little son?

VIRGILIA

I thank your ladyship; well, good madam.

VOLUMNIA He had rather see the swords and hear a drum than look upon his schoolmaster.

VALERIA O’ my word, the father’s son! I’ll swear ‘tis a very pretty boy. O’ my troth, I looked upon him o’ Wednesday half an hour together. He’s such a confirmed countenance! I saw him run after a gilded butterfly, and when he caught it he let it go again, and after it again, and over and over he comes, and up again, catched it again. Or whether his fall enraged him, or how ’twas, he did so set his teeth and tear it! O, I warrant, how he mammocked it!

VOLUMNIA One on’s father’s moods.

VALERIA Indeed, la, ’tis a noble child.

VIRGILIA A crack, madam.

VALERIA Come, lay aside your stitchery. I must have you play the idle housewife with me this afternoon.

VIRGILIA No, good madam, I will not out of doors.

VALERIA Not out of doors?

VOLUMNIA She shall, she shall.

VIRGILIA Indeed, no, by your patience. I’ll not over the threshold till my lord return from the wars.

VALERIA Fie, you confine yourself most unreasonably. Come, you must go visit the good lady that lies in.

VIRGILIA I will wish her speedy strength, and visit her with my prayers, but I cannot go thither.

VOLUMNIA Why, I pray you?

VIRGILIA ’Tis not to save labour, nor that I want love.

VALERIA You would be another Penelope. Yet they say all the yarn she spun in Ulysses’ absence did but fill Ithaca full of moths. Come, I would your cambric were sensible as your finger, that you might leave pricking it for pity. Come, you shall go with us.

VIRGILIA No, good madam, pardon me, indeed I will not forth.

VALERIA In truth, la, go with me, and I’ll tell you excellent news of your husband.

VIRGILIA O, good madam, there can be none yet.

VALERIA Verily, I do not jest with you: there came news from him last night.

VIRGILIA Indeed, madam?

VALERIA In earnest, it’s true. I heard a senator speak it. Thus it is: the Volsces have an army forth, against whom Cominius the general is gone with one part of our Roman power. Your lord and Titus Lartius are set down before their city Corioles. They nothing doubt prevailing, and to make it brief wars. This is true, on mine honour; and so, I pray, go with us.

VIRGILIA Give me excuse, good madam, I will obey you in everything hereafter.

VOLUMNIA (to Valeria) Let her alone, lady. As she is now she will but disease our better mirth.

VALERIA In truth, I think she would. Fare you well, then. Come, good sweet lady. Prithee, Virgilia, turn thy solemness out o’ door and go along with us.

VIRGILIA No, at a word, madam. Indeed, I must not. I wish you much mirth.

VALERIA Well then, farewell.

Exeunt ⌈Valeri, Volumnia, and usher at one door, Virgilia and Gentlewoman at another door⌉

1.4 Enter Martius, Lartius with a drummer, ⌈a trumpeter,⌉ and colours, with captains and Soldiers ⌈carrying scaling ladders⌉, as before the city Corioles; to them a Messenger

MARTIUS

Yonder comes news. A wager they have met.

LARTIUS

My horse to yours, no.

MARTIUS ’Tis done.

LARTIUS Agreed.

MARTIUS (to the Messenger)

Say, has our general met the enemy?

MESSENGER

They lie in view, but have not spoke as yet.

LARTIUS

So, the good horse is mine.

MARTIUS I’ll buy him of you.

LARTIUS

No, I’ll nor sell nor give him. Lend you him I will,

For half a hundred years.

(To the trumpeter) Summon the town.

MARTIUS (to the Messenger)

How far off lie these armies?

MESSENGER Within this mile and half.

MARTIUS

Then shall we hear their ’larum, and they ours.

Now Mars, I prithee, make us quick in work,

That we with smoking swords may march from hence

To help our fielded friends.

(To the trumpeter) Come, blow thy blast.

They sound a parley. Enter two Senators, with others, on the walls of Corioles

(To the Senators) Tullus Aufidius, is he within your walls?

FIRST SENATOR

No, nor a man that fears you less than he:

That’s lesser than a little.

Drum afar off

⌈To the Volscians⌉ Hark, our drums

Are bringing forth our youth. We’ll break our walls

Rather than they shall pound us up. Our gates,

Which yet seem shut, we have but pinned with rushes.

They’ll open of themselves.

Alarum far off

(To the Romans) Hark you, far off

There is Aufidius. List what work he makes

Amongst your cloven army.

⌈Exeunt Volscians from the walls⌉

MARTIUS O, they are at it!

LARTIUS

Their noise be our instruction. Ladders, ho!

⌈They prepare to assault the walls.⌉

Enter the army of the Volsces from the gates

MARTIUS

They fear us not, but issue forth their city.

Now put your shields before your hearts, and fight

With hearts more proof than shields. Advance, brave

Titus.

They do disdain us much beyond our thoughts,

Which makes me sweat with wrath. Come on, my

fellows.

He that retires, I’ll take him for a Volsce,

And he shall feel mine edge.

Alarum. The Romans are beat back ⌈and exeunt⌉ to their trenches, ⌈the Volsces following⌉

1.5 Enter ⌈Roman Soldiers, in retreat, followed by⌉ Martius, cursing

MARTIUS

All the contagion of the south light on you,

You shames of Rome! You herd of—boils and plagues

Plaster you o’er, that you may be abhorred

Farther than seen, and one infect another

Against the wind a mile! You souls of geese

That bear the shapes of men, how have you run

From slaves that apes would beat! Pluto and hell:

All hurt behind! Backs red, and faces pale

With flight and agued fear! Mend and charge home,

Or by the fires of heaven I’ll leave the foe

And make my wars on you. Look to’t. Come on.

If you’ll stand fast, we’ll beat them to their wives,

As they us to our trenches. Follow.

⌈The Romans come forward towards the walls.⌉ Another alarum, and ⌈enter the army of the Volsces.⌉ Martius beats them back ⌈through⌉ the gates

So, now the gates are ope. Now prove good seconds.

’Tis for the followers fortune widens them,

Not for the fliers. Mark me, and do the like.

He enters the gates

FIRST SOLDIER

Foolhardiness! Not I.

SECOND SOLDIER Nor I.

Alarum continues. The gates close, and Martius is shut in

FIRST SOLDIER

See, they have shut him in.

⌈THIRD SOLDIER⌉ To th’ pot, I warrant him.

Enter Lartius

LARTIUS

What is become of Martius?

⌈FOURTH SOLDIER⌉

Slain, sir, doubtless.

FIRST SOLDIER

Following the fliers at the very heels,

With them he enters, who upon the sudden

Clapped-to their gates. He is himself alone

To answer all the city.

LARTIUS

O noble fellow,

Who sensibly outdares his senseless sword

And, when it bows, stand‘st up! Thou art lost, Martius.

A carbuncle entire, as big as thou art,

Were not so rich a jewel. Thou wast a soldier

Even to Cato’s wish, not fierce and terrible

Only in strokes, but with thy grim looks and

The thunder-like percussion of thy sounds

Thou mad’st thine enemies shake as if the world

Were feverous and did tremble.

Enter Martius, bleeding, assaulted by the enemy

FIRST SOLDIER Look, sir.

LARTIUS O, ’tis Martius!

Let’s fetch him off, or make remain alike.

They fight, and all exeunt into the city

1.6 Enter certain Romans with spoils

FIRST ROMAN This will I carry to Rome.

SECOND ROMAN And I this.

THIRD ROMAN A murrain on’t, I took this for silver.

⌈He throws it away.⌉

Alarum continues still afar off. Enter Martius,

bleeding, and Lartius with a trumpeter. Exeunt

Romans with spoils

MARTIUS

See here these movers that do prize their honours

At a cracked drachma! Cushions, leaden spoons,

Irons of a doit, doublets that hangmen would

Bury with those that wore them, these base slaves,

Ere yet the fight be done, pack up. Down with them!

And hark what noise the general makes. To him.

There is the man of my soul’s hate, Aufidius,

Piercing our Romans. Then, valiant Titus, take

Convenient numbers to make good the city,

Whilst I, with those that have the spirit, will haste

To help Cominius.

LARTIUS Worthy sir, thou bleed’st.

Thy exercise hath been too violent

For a second course of fight.

MARTIUS Sir, praise me not.

My work hath yet not warmed me. Fare you well.

The blood I drop is rather physical

Than dangerous to me. To Aufidius thus

I will appear and fight.

LARTIUS Now the fair goddess fortune

Fall deep in love with thee, and her great charms Misguide thy opposers’ swords! Bold gentleman, Prosperity be thy page.

MARTIUS Thy friend no less

Than those she placeth highest. So farewell.

LARTIUS Thou worthiest Martius!

Exit Martius

Go sound thy trumpet in the market-place.

Call thither all the officers o’th’ town,

Where they shall know our mind. Away.

Exeunt ⌈severally⌉

1.7 Enter Cominius, as it were in retire, with soldiers

COMINIUS

Breathe you, my friends. Well fought. We are come off

Like Romans, neither foolish in our stands

Nor cowardly in retire. Believe me, sirs,

We shall be charged again. Whiles we have struck,

By interims and conveying gusts we have heard

The charges of our friends. The Roman gods

Lead their successes as we wish our own,

That both our powers, with smiling fronts

encount’ring,

May give you thankful sacrifice!

Enter a Messenger

Thy news?

MESSENGER

The citizens of Corioles have issued,

And given to Lartius and to Martius battle.

I saw our party to their trenches driven,

And then I came away.

COMINIUS Though thou speak‘st truth, Methinks thou speak’st not well. How long is’t since?

MESSENGER Above an hour, my lord.

COMINIUS

’Tis not a mile; briefly we heard their drums.

How couldst thou in a mile confound an hour,

And bring thy news so late?

MESSENGER Spies of the Volsces

Held me in chase, that I was forced to wheel

Three or four miles about; else had I, sir,

Half an hour since brought my report. ⌈Exit⌉

Enter Martius, bloody

COMINIUS Who’s yonder,

That does appear as he were flayed? O gods!

He has the stamp of Martius, and I have

Before-time seen him thus.

MARTIUS Come I too late?

COMINIUS

The shepherd knows not thunder from a tabor

More than I know the sound of Martius’ tongue

From every meaner man.

MARTIUS Come I too late?

COMINIUS

Ay, if you come not in the blood of others,

But mantled in your own.

MARTIUS O, let me clip ye

In arms as sound as when I wooed, in heart

As merry as when our nuptial day was done,

And tapers burnt to bedward!

⌈They embrace⌉

COMINIUS

Flower of warriors! How is’t with Titus Lartius?

MARTIUS

As with a man busied about decrees,

Condemning some to death and some to exile,

Ransoming him or pitying, threat‘ning th’other;

Holding Corioles in the name of Rome

Even like a fawning greyhound in the leash,

To let him slip at will.

COMINIUS Where is that slave

Which told me they had beat you to your trenches?

Where is he? Call him hither.

MARTIUS

Let him alone.

He did inform the truth. But for our gentlemen,

The common file—a plague—tribunes for them?—

The mouse ne’er shunned the cat as they did budge

From rascals worse than they.

COMINIUS

But how prevailed you?

MARTIUS

Will the time serve to tell? I do not think.

Where is the enemy? Are you lords o’th’ field?

If not, why cease you till you are so?

COMINIUS

Martius, we have at disadvantage fought,

And did retire to win our purpose.

MARTIUS

How lies their battle? Know you on which side

They have placed their men of trust?

COMINIUS

As I guess, Martius,

Their bands i‘th’ vanguard are the Antiates,

Of their best trust; o’er them Aufidius,

Their very heart of hope.

MARTIUS

I do beseech you

By all the battles wherein we have fought,

By th’ blood we have shed together, by th’ vows we

have made

To endure friends, that you directly set me

Against Aufidius and his Antiates,

And that you not delay the present, but,

Filling the air with swords advanced and darts,

We prove this very hour.

COMINIUS

Though I could wish

You were conducted to a gentle bath

And balms applied to you, yet dare I never

Deny your asking. Take your choice of those

That best can aid your action.

MARTIUS

Those are they

That most are willing. If any such be here—

As it were sin to doubt—that love this painting

Wherein you see me smeared; if any fear

Lesser his person than an ill report;

If any think brave death outweighs bad life,

And that his country’s dearer than himself,

Let him alone, or so many so minded,

He waves his sword

Wave thus to express his disposition,

And follow Martius.

They all shout and wave their swords, ⌈then some⌉ take him up in their arms and they cast up their caps

O’ me alone, make you a sword of me?

If these shows be not outward, which of you

But is four Volsces? None of you but is

Able to bear against the great Aufidius

A shield as hard as his. A certain number—

Though thanks to all—must I select from all.

The rest shall bear the business in some other fight

As cause will be obeyed. Please you to march,

And I shall quickly draw out my command,

Which men are best inclined.

COMINIUS

March on, my fellows.

Make good this ostentation, and you shall

Divide in all with us. Exeunt marching

1.8 Enter Lartius ⌈Through the gates of Corioles⌉, with a drummer and a trumpeter, a Lieutenant, other soldiers, and a scout

LARTIUS (to the Lieutenant)

So, let the ports be guarded. Keep your duties

As I have set them down. If I do send, dispatch

Those centuries to our aid. The rest will serve

For a short holding. If we lose the field

We cannot keep the town.

LIEUTENANT Fear not our care, sir.

LARTIUS Hence, and shut your gates upon’s.

⌈Exit Lieutenant⌉

(To the scout) Our guider, come; to th’ Roman camp

conduct us.

Exeunt towards Cominius and Caius Martius

1.9 Alarum, as in battle. Enter Martius, bloody, and Aufidius, at several doors

MARTIUS

I’ll fight with none but thee, for I do hate thee

Worse than a promise-breaker.

AUFIDIUS We hate alike.

Not Afric owns a serpent I abhor

More than thy fame and envy. Fix thy foot.

MARTIUS

Let the first budger die the other’s slave,

And the gods doom him after.

AUFIDIUS

If I fly, Martius,

Holla me like a hare.

MARTIUS Within these three hours, Tullus,

Alone I fought in your Corioles’ walls,

And made what work I pleased. ’Tis not my blood

Wherein thou seest me masked. For thy revenge,

Wrench up thy power to th’ highest.

AUFIDIUS

Wert thou the Hector

That was the whip of your bragged progeny,

Thou shouldst not scape me here.

Here they fight, and certain Volsces come in the aid of Aufidius. Martius fights till the Volsces be driven in breathless, ⌈Martius following⌉

Officious and not valiant, you have shamed me

In your condemned seconds.

Exit

1.10 Alarum. A retreat is sounded. ⌈Flourish.⌉Enter at one door Cominius with the Romans, at another door Martius with his arm in a scarf

COMINIUS (to Martius)

If I should tell thee o‘er this thy day’s work

Thou’lt not believe thy deeds. But I’ll report it

Where senators shall mingle tears with smiles,

Where great patricians shall attend and shrug,

I‘th’ end admire; where ladies shall be frighted

And, gladly quaked, hear more; where the dull

tribunes,

That with the fusty plebeians hate thine honours,

Shall say against their hearts ‘We thank the gods

Our Rome hath such a soldier.’

Yet cam’st thou to a morsel of this feast,

Having fully dined before.

Enter Lartius, with his power, from the pursuit

LARTIUS O general,

Here is the steed, we the caparison.

Hadst thou beheld—

MARTIUS

Pray now, no more. My mother,

Who has a charter to extol her blood,

When she does praise me grieves me. I have done

As you have done, that’s what I can; induced

As you have been, that’s for my country.

He that has but effected his good will

Hath overta’en mine act.

COMINIUS

You shall not be

The grave of your deserving. Rome must know

The value of her own. ’Twere a concealment

Worse than a theft, no less than a traducement,

To hide your doings and to silence that

Which, to the spire and top of praises vouched,

Would seem but modest. Therefore, I beseech you—

In sign of what you are, not to reward

What you have done—before our army hear me.

MARTIUS

I have some wounds upon me, and they smart

To hear themselves remembered.

COMINIUS

Should they not,

Well might they fester ‘gainst ingratitude,

And tent themselves with death. Of all the horses—

Whereof we have ta’en good, and good store—of all

The treasure in this field achieved and city,

We render you the tenth, to be ta’en forth

Before the common distribution

At your only choice.

MARTIUS

I thank you, general,

But cannot make my heart consent to take

A bribe to pay my sword. I do refuse it,

And stand upon my common part with those

That have upheld the doing.

A long flourish. They all cry ‘Martius, Martius!’, casting up their caps and lances. Cominius and Lartius stand bare

May these same instruments which you profane

Never sound more. When drums and trumpets shall

I’th’ field prove flatterers, let courts and cities be

Made all of false-faced soothing. When steel grows

Soft as the parasite’s silk, let him be made

An overture for th’ wars. No more, I say.

For that I have not washed my nose that bled,

Or foiled some debile wretch, which without note

Here’s many else have done, you shout me forth

In acclamations hyperbolical,

As if I loved my little should be dieted

In praises sauced with lies.

COMINIUS

Too modest are you,

More cruel to your good report than grateful

To us that give you truly. By your patience,

If ‘gainst yourself you be incensed we’ll put you,

Like one that means his proper harm, in manacles,

Then reason safely with you. Therefore be it known,

As to us, to all the world, that Caius Martius

Wears this war’s garland, in token of the which

My noble steed, known to the camp, I give him,

With all his trim belonging; and from this time,

For what he did before Corioles, call him,

With all th’applause and clamour of the host,

Martius Caius Coriolanus. Bear th’addition

Nobly ever!

Flourish. Trumpets sound, and drums

ALL Martius Caius Coriolanus!

CORIOLANUS (to Cominius) I will go wash,

And when my face is fair you shall perceive

Whether I blush or no. Howbeit, I thank you.

I mean to stride your steed, and at all times

To undercrest your good addition

To th’ fairness of my power.

COMINIUS

So, to our tent,

Where, ere we do repose us, we will write

To Rome of our success. You, Titus Lartius,

Must to Corioles back. Send us to Rome

The best, with whom we may articulate

For their own good and ours.

LARTIUS

I shall, my lord.

CORIOLANUS

The gods begin to mock me. I, that now

Refused most princely gifts, am bound to beg

Of my lord general.

COMINIUS

Take‘t, ’tis yours. What is’t?

CORIOLANUS

I sometime lay here in Corioles,

And at a poor man’s house. He used me kindly.

He cried to me; I saw him prisoner;

But then Aufidius was within my view,

And wrath o’erwhelmed my pity. I request you

To give my poor host freedom.

COMINIUS

O, well begged!

Were he the butcher of my son he should

Be free as is the wind. Deliver him, Titus.

LARTIUS

Martius, his name?

CORIOLANUS By Jupiter, forgot!

I am weary, yea, my memory is tired.

Have we no wine here?

COMINIUS

Go we to our tent.

The blood upon your visage dries; ’tis time

It should be looked to. Come.

⌈A flourish of cornetts.⌉ Exeunt