Coriolanus Quotes
A banished hero of Rome allies with a sworn enemy to take his revenge on the city.
Caius Martius Coriolanus: He that will give good words to thee will flatter beneath abhorring. What would you have, you curs that like nor peace nor war? The one affrights you, the other makes you proud. He that trusts to you where he should find you lions, finds you hares; where foxes, geese. Who deserves greatness, deserves your hate.
TV Anchorman: [wide shot of the TV news desk and three people] How many stand for the consulship?
TV Pundit: [male pundit] Three, they say, but 'tis thought of everyone that Coriolanus will carry it.
TV Anchorman: [to the male pundit] That's a brave fellow, but he's vengeance proud and loves not the common people.
TV Pundit: [male pundit] There have been many great men that have flattered the people who never loved them. Therefore, for Coriolanus, neither to care whether they love or hate him manifests the true knowledge he has in their disposition. And, out of his noble carelessness, lets them plainly see it.
TV Pundit: [female pundit] But he seeks their hate with greater devotion than they can render at him. Now to seem to desire the malice and displeasure of the people is as bad as that which he dislikes, to flatter them for their love.
TV Anchorman: [to the female pundit] Consider you what services he has done for his country?
TV Pundit: [female pundit] Very well. And I would be content to give him good report for it, but that he pays himself with being proud.
TV Pundit: [turns and admonishes the female pundit] Nay, but speak not maliciously. He hath deserve worthily of his country
TV Pundit: [male pundit] Three, they say, but 'tis thought of everyone that Coriolanus will carry it.
TV Anchorman: [to the male pundit] That's a brave fellow, but he's vengeance proud and loves not the common people.
TV Pundit: [male pundit] There have been many great men that have flattered the people who never loved them. Therefore, for Coriolanus, neither to care whether they love or hate him manifests the true knowledge he has in their disposition. And, out of his noble carelessness, lets them plainly see it.
TV Pundit: [female pundit] But he seeks their hate with greater devotion than they can render at him. Now to seem to desire the malice and displeasure of the people is as bad as that which he dislikes, to flatter them for their love.
TV Anchorman: [to the female pundit] Consider you what services he has done for his country?
TV Pundit: [female pundit] Very well. And I would be content to give him good report for it, but that he pays himself with being proud.
TV Pundit: [turns and admonishes the female pundit] Nay, but speak not maliciously. He hath deserve worthily of his country
[first lines]
Second Citizen: Before we proceed any further, hear me speak. You are all resolved rather to die than to famish?
Gathered Citizens: [in unison] Resolved.
Second Citizen: First, you know Caius Martius is chief enemy to the people.
Gathered Citizens: We know it.
First Citizen: Let us kill him. And we'll have corn at our own price.
Second Citizen: We are accounted poor citizens, the patricians of good. The leanness that afflicts us, the object of our misery, our suffering, is a gain to them.
Gathered Citizens: Aye.
Second Citizen: Let us revenge this with our sticks, ere we become rakes.
First Citizen: No more talking on it. Come!
Second Citizen: Before we proceed any further, hear me speak. You are all resolved rather to die than to famish?
Gathered Citizens: [in unison] Resolved.
Second Citizen: First, you know Caius Martius is chief enemy to the people.
Gathered Citizens: We know it.
First Citizen: Let us kill him. And we'll have corn at our own price.
Second Citizen: We are accounted poor citizens, the patricians of good. The leanness that afflicts us, the object of our misery, our suffering, is a gain to them.
Gathered Citizens: Aye.
Second Citizen: Let us revenge this with our sticks, ere we become rakes.
First Citizen: No more talking on it. Come!
Volumnia: [kneeling] Think for thyself how more unfortunate than all living women are we come hither, since that thy sight, which should make our eyes flow with joy, hearts dance with comforts, constrains them weep and shake with fear and sorrow. Making the mother, wife, and child to see the son, the husband, and the father, tearing his country's bowels out. And we must find an evident calamity, though we had our wish, which side should win. For either thou must, as a foreign recreant, be led with manacles through our streets, or else triumphantly tread on thy country's ruin and bear the palm for having bravely shed thy wife and children's blood.
Volumnia: [getting to her feet] For myself, son, I purpose not to wait on fortune till these wars determine. If I cannot persuade thee rather to show a noble grace to both parts than seek the end to one, thou shalt no sooner march to assault thy country than to tread on thy mother's womb... that brought thee to this world.
Virgilia: Aye, and mine, that brought you forth this boy to keep your name living to time.
Young Martius: You shall not tread on me. I'll run away till I'm bigger. But then I'll fight!
Volumnia: [getting to her feet] For myself, son, I purpose not to wait on fortune till these wars determine. If I cannot persuade thee rather to show a noble grace to both parts than seek the end to one, thou shalt no sooner march to assault thy country than to tread on thy mother's womb... that brought thee to this world.
Virgilia: Aye, and mine, that brought you forth this boy to keep your name living to time.
Young Martius: You shall not tread on me. I'll run away till I'm bigger. But then I'll fight!
Tullus Aufidius: What's thy name?
Caius Martius Coriolanus: A name unmusical to the Volscians' ears, and harsh in sound to thine.
Tullus Aufidius: Say... what's thy name? Thou has a grim appearance. What's thy name?
Caius Martius Coriolanus: [taking a step forward] Know'st thou me yet?
Tullus Aufidius: I know thee not. Thy name?
Caius Martius Coriolanus: My name is Caius Martius, who hath done to thee particularly, and to all the Volsces, great hurt and mischief. Thereto witness my surname... Coriolanus. Only that name remains. The cruelty and envy of the people who have all forsook me, hath devoured the rest and suffered me by the voice of slaves, be whooped out of Rome. Now this extremity hath brought me to thy hearth. Not out of hope, mistake me not to save my life. For if I had feared death, of all men in the world I would have avoided thee. But, in mere spite, to be full quit of those my banishers, stand I before thee here. I will fight against my cankered country with the spleen of all the under fiends. But if thou dares not this, then I present my throat to thee and to thy ancient malice. Which not to cut would show thee but a fool, since I have ever followed thee with hate, and cannot live but to thy shame, unless it be to do thee service.
Caius Martius Coriolanus: A name unmusical to the Volscians' ears, and harsh in sound to thine.
Tullus Aufidius: Say... what's thy name? Thou has a grim appearance. What's thy name?
Caius Martius Coriolanus: [taking a step forward] Know'st thou me yet?
Tullus Aufidius: I know thee not. Thy name?
Caius Martius Coriolanus: My name is Caius Martius, who hath done to thee particularly, and to all the Volsces, great hurt and mischief. Thereto witness my surname... Coriolanus. Only that name remains. The cruelty and envy of the people who have all forsook me, hath devoured the rest and suffered me by the voice of slaves, be whooped out of Rome. Now this extremity hath brought me to thy hearth. Not out of hope, mistake me not to save my life. For if I had feared death, of all men in the world I would have avoided thee. But, in mere spite, to be full quit of those my banishers, stand I before thee here. I will fight against my cankered country with the spleen of all the under fiends. But if thou dares not this, then I present my throat to thee and to thy ancient malice. Which not to cut would show thee but a fool, since I have ever followed thee with hate, and cannot live but to thy shame, unless it be to do thee service.
Caius Martius Coriolanus: [shouting agitated] By Jove himself, it makes the consuls base, and my soul aches to know when two authorities are up, neither supreme, how soon confusion may enter twixt the gap of both and take the one by the other. Thus we debase the nature of our seats and make the rabble call our cares fears, which will, in time, break open the locks of the senate, and bring in the crows to peck the eagles!
