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PERSONS REPRESENTED.

CAIUS MARCIUS CORIOLANUS, a noble Roman.

Appears, Act I. sc. 1;

sc. 4; sc. 5; sc. 6; sc. 8; sc. 9. Act II. sc. 1; sc. 2; sc. 3. Act III. sc. 1; sc. 2; sc. 3. sc. 4; sc. 5, Act V. sc. 2; sc. 3; sc. 5.

Act IV. sc. 1;

TITUS LARTIUs, a general, against the Volces. Appears, Act I. sc. 1; sc. 4; sc. 5; sc. 7; sc. 9.

Act III. sc. 1.

Act II. sc. 1.

COMINIUS, a general, against the Volces.

Appears, Act I. sc. 1; sc. 6; sc. 9. Act II. sc. 1; sc. 2. Act III. sc. 1; sc. 2; sc. 3. Act IV. sc. 1; sc. 6. Act V. sc. 1.

MENENIUS AGRIPPA, friend to Coriolanus.

Appears, Act I. sc. 1. Act II. sc. 1; sc. 2; sc. 3. Act III. sc. 1; sc. 2; sc. 3. Act IV. sc. 1; sc. 2; sc. 6. Act V. sc. 1; sc. 2; sc. 4.

SICINIUS VELUTUS, a tribune of the people. Appears, Act I. sc. 1. Act II. sc. 1; sc. 1; sc. 3. Act IV. sc. 2; sc. 6.

sc. 2; sc. 3. Act III. Act V. sc. 1; sc. 4.

JUNIUS BRUTUS, a tribune of the people.

Act III.

Appears, Act I. sc. 1. Act II. sc. 1; sc. 2; sc. 3.
sc. 1; sc. 3. Act IV. sc. 2; sc. 6. Act V. sc. 1.

Young Marcius, son to Coriolanus.
Appears, Act V. sc. 3.

A Roman Herald.

Appears, Act II. sc. 1.

TULLUS AUFIDIUS, general of the Volces.

Appears, Act I. sc. 2; sc. 8; sc. 10.

Act V. sc. 2; sc. 3;

Act IV. sc. 5; sc. 7.

sc. 5.

Lieutenant to Aufidius.
Appears, Act IV. sc. 7.
Conspirators with Aufidius.
Appear, Act V. sc. 5.

A Citizen of Antium.
Appears, Act IV. sc. 4.

Two Volcian Guards.

Appear, Act V. sc. 2.

VOLUMNIA, mother to Coriolanus.

Appears, Act I. sc. 3. Act II. sc. 1. Act III. sc. 2. sc. 1; sc. 2. Act V. sc. 3.

VIRGILIA, wife to Coriolanus.

Act IV.

Appears, Act I. sc. 3. Act II. sc. 1. Act IV. sc. 1; sc. 2. Act V. sc. 3.

VALERIA, friend to Virgilia.

Appears, Act I. sc. 3. Act II. sc. 1. Act V. sc. 3.

Gentlewoman attending Virgilia.
Appears, Act I. sc. 3.

Roman and Volcian Senators, Patricians, Ædiles,
Lictors, Soldiers, Citizens, Messengers, Servants to
Aufidius, and other Attendants.

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SCENE,-PARTLY IN ROME; AND PARTLY IN THE TERRITORIES OF THE VOLCIANS AND ANTIATES.

CORIOLANUS.

ACT I.

SCENE I.-Rome. A Street.

Enter a company of mutinous Citizens, with staves, clubs, and other weapons.

1 Cit. Before we proceed any further, hear me speak. Cit. Speak, speak. [Several speaking at once. 1 Cit. You are all resolved rather to die than to famish?

Cit. Resolved, resolved.

1 Cit. First, you know, Caius Marcius is chief enemy to the people.

Cit. We know 't, we know 't.

1 Cit. Let us kill him, and we'll have corn at our own price. Is 't a verdict?

Cit. No more talking on 't: let it be done: away, away!

2 Cit. One word, good citizens.

1 Cit. We are accounted poor citizens; the patricians, good: What authority surfeits on would relieve us. If they would yield us but the superfluity, while it were wholesome, we might guess they relieved us humanely; but they think we are too dear: the leanness that afflicts us, the object of our misery, is as an inventory to particularize their abundance; our suffer

a Good-in the mercantile sense. So Shylock says, "Antonio is a good man."

ance is a gain to them.-Let us revenge this with our pikes, ere we become rakes: for the gods know, I speak this in hunger for bread, not in thirst for revenge.

2 Cit. Would you proceed especially against Caius Marcius?

Cit. Against him first: he's a very dog to the commonalty.

2 Cit. Consider you what services he has done for his country?

1 Cit. Very well; and could be content to give him good report for 't, but that he pays himself with being proud.

All. Nay, but speak not maliciously.

1 Cit. I say unto you, what he hath done famously he did it to that end; though soft-conscienced men can be content to say it was for his country, he did it to please his mother, and to be partly proud; which he is, even to the altitude of his virtue.

2 Cit. What he cannot help in his nature you account a vice in him: You must in no way say he is

covetous.

1 Cit. If I must not, I need not be barren of accusations; he hath faults, with surplus, to tire in repetition. [Shouts within.] What shouts are these? The other side o' the city is risen: Why stay we prating here? to the Capitol!

All. Come, come.

1 Cit. Soft! who comes here?

Enter MENENIUS AGRIPPA.

2 Cit. Worthy Menenius Agrippa; one that hath always loved the people.

1 Cit. He 's one honest enough: 'Would all the rest were so !

a Rakes.

tool so called.

The allusion, there can be little doubt, is to the
The simile is very old; we find in Chaucer-
"As lean was his horse as is a rake."

Men. What work 's, my countrymen, in hand?

Where go you

With bats and clubs? The matter? Speak, I pray you. 2 Cit. Our business is not unknown to the senate; they have had inkling, this fortnight, what we intend to do, which now we 'll show 'em in deeds. They say poor suitors have strong breaths; they shall know we have strong arms too.

Men. Why, masters, my good friends, mine honest neighbours,

Will you undo yourselves?

2 Cit. We cannot, sir, we are undone already.
Men. I tell you, friends, most charitable care
Have the patricians of you. For your wants,
Your suffering in this dearth, you may as well
Strike at the heaven with your staves, as lift them
Against the Roman state; whose course will on
The way it takes, cracking ten thousand curbs
Of more strong link asunder than can ever
Appear in your impediment: For the dearth,
The gods, not the patricians, make it; and
Your knees to them, not arms, must help. Alack,
You are transported by calamity

Thither where more attends you; and you slander
The helms o' the state, who care for you like fathers,
When you curse them as enemies.

2 Cit. Care for us!-True, indeed!-They ne'er, cared for us yet. Suffer us to famish, and their storehouses crammed with grain; make edicts for usury, to support usurers; repeal daily any wholesome act esta

a All the subsequent dialogue with Menenius is given by the modern editors to the first citizen. The first citizen is a hater of public men, the second of public measures; the first would kill Coriolanus,-the second would repeal the laws relating to corn and usury. He says not one word against Coriolanus. We are satisfied that it was not Shakspere's intention to make the low brawler against an individual argue so well with Mene. nius in the matter of the "kingly-crowned head," &c.

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