The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated) (801 page)

not only what is dangerous now but also the loss of love

Not what is dangerous present, but the loss

we just experienced.

Of what is past.

VOLUMNIA.

Please son,

I pr'ythee now, my son,

go to them with your hat in hand,

Go to them with this bonnet in thy hand;

and having stretched it like this (here do what they want),

And thus far having stretch'd it,--here be with them,--

on bended knee (because in these situations

Thy knee bussing the stones,--for in such busines  

actions speak louder than words, and ignorant people

Action is eloquence, and the eyes of the ignorant

believe what they see), nodding at each poor man,

More learned than the ears,--waving thy head,

and so correct your proud heart,

Which often, thus correcting thy stout heart,

which will by this point be as humble as a soft fruit

Now humble as the ripest mulberry

that cannot endure being handled. Or say to them

That will not hold the handling: or say to them

that you are a soldier, and being trained for chaos and war,

Thou art their soldier, and, being bred in broils,

you don’t have the soft touch, which, you do confess,

Hast not the soft way which, thou dost confess,

would have been appropriate for you to use, as they claim,

Were fit for thee to use, as they to claim,

when asking for their love and votes. But you will make

In asking their good loves; but thou wilt frame

yourself theirs from now on, honestly, as much

Thyself, forsooth, hereafter theirs, so far

as you can.

As thou hast power and person.

MENENIUS.

If you did

This but done

exactly what she says, why, their hearts would be yours:

Even as she speaks, why, their hearts were yours:

they grant requested pardons as generously as they use

For they have pardons, being ask'd, as free

useless words.

As words to little purpose.

VOLUMNIA.

Please now,

Pr'ythee now,

go, and be humbled. Although I know you would rather

Go, and be rul'd; although I know thou had'st rather

follow your enemy into a fiery abyss

Follow thine enemy in a fiery gulf

than flatter him in a boudoir.

Than flatter him in a bower.

[Enter COMINIUS.]

Here is Cominius.

Here is Cominius.

COMINIUS.

I have been to the market place, and you should either

I have been i' the market-place; and, sir, 'tis fit

go with a strong party of supporters,

You make strong party, or defend yourself

or else apologize or don’t go. They are very angry.

By calmness or by absence: all's in anger.

MENENIUS.

Remember: be nice.

Only fair speech.

COMINIUS.

I think it will work, if he

I think 'twill serve, if he

can adjust his spirit properly.

Can thereto frame his spirit.

VOLUMNIA.

He must, and he will.

He must, and will.—

Please, now, say you will, and go do it.

Pr'ythee now, say you will, and go about it.

CORIOLANUS.

Must I show them my bare head? Must I

Must I go show them my unbarb'd sconce? must I

use my lowly tongue to make my noble heart

With my base tongue, give to my noble heart

a liar? Well, I will do it.

A lie, that it must bear? Well, I will do't:

But, if it was only a case of losing my own life,

Yet, were there but this single plot to lose,

I would let them kill me

This mould of Marcius, they to dust should grind it,

and scatter my body to the wind. Let’s go to the market place.

And throw't against the wind.--To the market-place:--

You have forced me to do play a part which I will  

You have put me now to such a part which never

never play convincingly.

I shall discharge to the life.

COMINIUS.

Come, come, we’ll tell you what to say.

Come, come, we'll prompt you.  

VOLUMNIA.

Now, please, my son. You have said

I pr'ythee now, sweet son,--as thou hast said

my praise made you a soldier. If you want to earn

My praises made thee first a soldier, so,

my praise for this, do something

To have my praise for this, perform a part

you’ve never done before.

Thou hast not done before.

CORIOLANUS.

Well, I must do it.

Well, I must do't:

Leave me, my usual character, and give me the

Away, my disposition, and possess me

spirit of a whore! My warlike voice,

Some harlot's spirit! My throat of war be turn'd,

which used to sing with my war drum, is being turned into a

Which quired with my drum, into a pipe

high little voice like a castrated man’s or a virgin,

Small as an eunuch, or the virgin voice

that might lull a baby to sleep! Let me smile

That babies lulls asleep! the smiles of knaves

like a jerk, and cry like a

Tent in my cheeks; and school-boys' tears take up

school boy! Let me speak like a beggar,

The glasses of my sight! a beggar's tongue

and let my armored knees,

Make motion through my lips; and my arm'd knees,

which used to bend only on horseback,

Who bow'd but in my stirrup, bend like his

bend like a beggar kneeling in the street! I will not do it.

That hath receiv'd an alms!--I will not do't;

If I do, I’d stop honoring my own truth,

Lest I surcease to honour mine own truth,

and my body’s dishonesty would teach my mind

And by my body's action teach my mind

to be permanently no good.

A most inherent baseness.

VOLUMNIA.

It’s your choice.

At thy choice, then:

It would be more dishonorable for them to beg you,

To beg of thee, it is my more dishonour  

than for you to beg them. Everything will be ruined.

Than thou of them. Come all to ruin: let

But your mother will share your pride, rather than fearing

Thy mother rather feel thy pride than fear

its dangerous consequences, for I am as little afraid of death

Thy dangerous stoutness; for I mock at death

as you are. Do as you please.

With as big heart as thou. Do as thou list.

You got your bravery from me, you sucked it from my breast,

Thy valiantness was mine, thou suck'dst it from me;

but your pride is your own.

But owe thy pride thyself.

CORIOLANUS.

Never mind, be happy.

Pray, be content:

Mother, I am going to the market place.

Mother, I am going to the market-place;

Stop scolding me. I’ll win back their love with wicked tricks,

Chide me no more. I'll mountebank their loves,

obtain their hearts by flattery, and come home beloved

Cog their hearts from them, and come home belov'd

by everyone in Rome. Look, I am going.

Of all the trades in Rome. Look, I am going.

Remember me to my wife. I’ll return as consul,

Commend me to my wife. I'll return consul;

and if I don’t, never trust me to

Or never trust to what my tongue can do

flatter anyone again.

I' the way of flattery further.

VOLUMNIA.

Do what you want.

Do your will.

[Exit.]

COMINIUS.

Go! The tribunes are waiting for you. Get ready

Away! The tribunes do attend you: arm yourself

to answer them politely, for they are prepared

To answer mildly; for they are prepar'd

with accusations, which I hear are stronger

With accusations, as I hear, more strong

than any we’ve seen yet.

Than are upon you yet.

CORIOLANUS.

The password is, “Politely.” Please, let’s go:

The word is, mildly.--Pray you let us go:

let them make up charges against me, I

Let them accuse me by invention, I

will answer honorably.

Will answer in mine honour.

MENENIUS.

Yes, but politely.

Ay, but mildly.

CORIOLANUS.

Well, politely it will be, then. Politely.

Well, mildly be it then; mildly.

[Exeunt.]

[Enter SICINIUS and BRUTUS.]

BRUTUS.  

Hit him hard with the charge that he aspires to be

In this point charge him home, that he affects

a dictator. If he gets out of that one,

Tyrannical power: if he evade us there,

urge against him with his malice towards the people,

Enforce him with his envy to the people;

and that the booty captured from Antiates

And that the spoil got on the Antiates

was never distributed to the troops.

Was ne'er distributed.

[Enter an AEDILE.]

Well, is he coming?

What, will he come?

AEDILE.

He’s coming.

He's coming.

BRUTUS.

Who with?

How accompanied?

AEDILE.

With old Menenius, and those senators

With old Menenius, and those senators

who always liked him.

That always favour'd him.

SICINIUS.

Do you have a list

Have you a catalogue

of all the votes we have gathered,

Of all the voices that we have procur'd,

based on a simple head count?

Set down by the poll?

AEDILE.

I have it, it’s ready.

I have; 'tis ready.