In this point charge him home, that he affects
Tyrannical power. If he evade us there,
Enforce him with his envy to the people,
And that the spoil got on the Antiates
Was ne’er distributed.
In this matter, pin him down on this: that he wants tyrannical power. If he escapes from that charge, hit him with the anger of the people, and mention that the plunder from the Antiates was never distributed among the people.
Nail him on this one thing: the guy's after absolute power. If he tries to weasel out of that, go after him with what the people hate—tell them about all that loot from the Antiates that never got split up.
call him out for wanting power if he denies it, remind people he kept all the war spoils
What, will he come?
Is he going to come?
So, is he actually coming?
he coming?
He’s coming.
He is coming.
He's coming.
he's coming
How accompanied?
Who is accompanying him?
Who's with him?
who's with him?
With old Menenius, and those senators
That always favoured him.
Accompanied by old Menenius and those senators who have always favored him.
He's with old Menenius and a bunch of senators who've always been on his side.
he's got menenius + his fan club senators
Have you a catalogue
Of all the voices that we have procured,
Set down by th’ poll?
Do you have a proper catalogue of all the voices we've collected, recorded by individual count?
You got the full vote count? Like, everyone counted up individually?
got the vote tally yet?
I have. ’Tis ready.
Yes, I do. It's ready.
Yeah, I got it. All set.
yup, ready to go
Have you collected them by tribes?
Have you organized them by tribes?
Did you group them by tribes?
organized by tribe?
I have.
I have.
I have.
yes
Assemble presently the people hither;
And when they hear me say “It shall be so
I’ th’ right and strength o’ th’ commons,” be it either
For death, for fine, or banishment, then let them
If I say “Fine,” cry “Fine,” if “Death,” cry “Death,”
Insisting on the old prerogative
And power i’ th’ truth o’ th’ cause.
Gather the people here right away. And when they hear me declare "It will be so, according to the rights and strength of the common people," whether the verdict is death, a fine, or exile, then let them respond accordingly: if I say "Fine," they cry "Fine"; if "Death," they cry "Death," insisting on their ancient right and the power to enforce their judgment.
Get everyone assembled here now. When I announce whatever we decide—death, fine, or banishment—I want them to repeat it back at me. I say "fine," they shout "fine." I say "death," they shout "death." They need to stand firm on their right to make these calls.
get the crowd assembled when i say the sentence, make them echo it back they gotta own it
I shall inform them.
I'll inform them.
I'll tell them.
i'll let em know
And when such time they have begun to cry,
Let them not cease, but with a din confused
Enforce the present execution
Of what we chance to sentence.
And when they once start shouting, don't let them stop—but keep them making noise until we can force through whatever punishment we decide to give.
Once they start yelling, keep that momentum going. Don't let them quiet down—use all that noise to push through whatever sentence we hand down.
keep the crowd noise loud use it to force through the verdict
Very well.
Very good.
Fine.
ok
Make them be strong and ready for this hint
When we shall hap to give’t them.
Make sure they're prepared and ready for this signal when we give it to them.
Get them pumped up and ready for our cue.
get em pumped wait for our signal
Go about it.
Begin with the task.
Get it done.
do it
Put him to choler straight. He hath been used
Ever to conquer and to have his worth
Of contradiction. Being once chafed, he cannot
Be reined again to temperance; then he speaks
What’s in his heart; and that is there which looks
With us to break his neck.
Provoke him to anger immediately. He's been used to always winning and expects to be contradicted, which feeds his pride. Once he's angered, he can't be calmed back down; then he speaks what's truly in his heart, and that's exactly what will help us destroy him.
Get him mad right now. He's been winning his whole life and loves the fight, so contradicting him just gets him going. Once you anger him, he loses control and can't settle back down. That's when he says what he really thinks, and that's exactly what we need to bring him down.
make him angry he always wins & loves conflict once mad he can't chill says what's in his heart that's how we get him
Well, here he comes.
So, look who's arriving now.
Here he comes now.
here he is
Calmly, I do beseech you.
Calmly, I beg you.
Take it easy, please.
stay calm
Ay, as an ostler, that for th’ poorest piece
Will bear the knave by th’ volume.—Th’ honoured gods
Keep Rome in safety and the chairs of justice
Supplied with worthy men! Plant love among’s!
Throng our large temples with the shows of peace
And not our streets with war!
Yes, as a stable hand for the tiniest coin will endure abuse by the volume. I pray the honored gods keep Rome safe and keep the seats of justice filled with worthy men! Plant love among us! Fill our great temples with signs of peace, not our streets with war!
Yeah, like some stable guy who'll put up with endless insults for pocket change. I pray the gods keep Rome safe and put good people in power! Give us peace among ourselves! Fill our temples with peace instead of filling our streets with fighting!
like a guy taking abuse for pocket change gods, keep rome safe fill us with peace not war
Scene 3-3 demonstrates with precision how the tribunes manage the people like an orchestra. They position the Aedile to gather supporters; they instruct him when to signal the crowd to shout; they coordinate accusations with the shouting. The people themselves are less agents than instruments — they respond to cues, they obey the tribunes' direction. What makes this fascinating rather than simple propaganda is that the tribunes aren't lying about Coriolanus. He does disdain the people. His contempt is real. The tribunes are simply orchestrating the revelation of what's already true. The people aren't tricked so much as they are made conscious of a reality they already sensed. In this way, the play suggests that democratic power, when manipulated by sophisticated rhetoricians, becomes as managed as tyranny — the people have agency, but only within parameters set by those who understand how to direct them.
Amen, amen.
So be it, so be it.
Amen, amen.
amen yes
A noble wish.
That is a noble wish.
That's a great wish.
great wish
Draw near, ye people.
Come closer, you people.
Come here, everyone.
gather around
List to your tribunes. Audience! Peace, I say!
Listen to your tribunes. Everyone, pay attention! Quiet, I say!
Listen up for your tribunes. Quiet now, everyone!
listen to us quiet!
First, hear me speak.
First, let me speak.
Let me go first.
hold up, i'm talking
Well, say.—Peace, ho!
Go ahead then—speak. Quiet, everyone!
Okay, go on. Everybody quiet!
go ahead shh everyone
Shall I be charged no further than this present?
Must all determine here?
Is this all the questioning I'll face? Must everything be decided right here?
Is that it? That's all the charges? Everything gets decided today?
that's all the charges? we deciding this now?
I do demand
If you submit you to the people’s voices,
Allow their officers, and are content
To suffer lawful censure for such faults
As shall be proved upon you.
I ask: do you submit to the people's votes, accept their officials, and agree to accept legal punishment for whatever faults can be proved against you?
We're asking: will you accept what the people vote? Will you respect their authority and take whatever punishment they find is fair?
will you accept the people's vote? respect their authority? face punishment if guilty?
I am content.
I agree to this.
I'm fine with it.
ok
Lo, citizens, he says he is content.
The warlike service he has done, consider. Think
Upon the wounds his body bears, which show
Like graves i’ th’ holy churchyard.
Look, citizens, he says he accepts this. Consider the military service he's done. Think about the wounds his body bears, which show like graves in a holy graveyard.
Look, people, he's willing to accept this. Remember all he's done for Rome in war. Look at the scars on him—they're like graves carved into a graveyard.
he's agreed think about his battle wounds they're like graves on his body
Scratches with briars,
Scars to move laughter only.
Minor scratches from briars—scars that only provoke laughter.
Just scratches and scars that make people laugh.
just scratches nothing serious
Consider further,
That when he speaks not like a citizen,
You find him like a soldier. Do not take
His rougher accents for malicious sounds,
But, as I say, such as become a soldier
Rather than envy you.
Consider further: when he doesn't speak like an ordinary citizen, you find him speaking like a soldier. Don't take his rougher manner for real hostility, but rather as something that befits a soldier more than any desire to offend you.
And think about this: when he talks roughly, that's because he's a soldier, not because he hates you. Don't take his blunt speech as an attack—that's just how soldiers talk. It's not personal.
he talks rough cuz he's a soldier not cuz he hates you don't take it personal
Well, well, no more.
That's enough.
Okay, that's it.
stop
What is the matter,
That, being passed for consul with full voice,
I am so dishonoured that the very hour
You take it off again?
What's this about? After being elected consul by universal vote, I'm now being dishonored as you take it away on this very same day?
What's going on here? I just got elected consul by everyone, and now you're stripping it away on the same day?
you just made me consul now you're ripping it back? same day?
Answer to us.
Answer our charge.
Respond to us.
answer us
Say then. ’Tis true, I ought so.
Say it then. It's true—I should answer.
Go ahead. You're right, I should answer.
go ahead, ask
We charge you that you have contrived to take
From Rome all seasoned office and to wind
Yourself into a power tyrannical,
For which you are a traitor to the people.
We charge you with plotting to remove experienced officials from Rome and seizing tyrannical power for yourself, which makes you a traitor to the people.
We're charging you with scheming to take out experienced leaders and grab power for yourself. That makes you a traitor to the people.
you've been scheming to seize power that makes you a traitor
How? Traitor?
What? You call me a traitor?
What? A traitor?
traitor? what?
Nay, temperately! Your promise.
No, stay calm! Remember your promise.
Calm down! You made a promise to stay calm.
calm down you promised
The fires i’ th’ lowest hell fold in the people!
Call me their traitor? Thou injurious tribune!
Within thine eyes sat twenty thousand deaths,
In thy hands clutched as many millions, in
Thy lying tongue both numbers, I would say
“Thou liest” unto thee with a voice as free
As I do pray the gods.
May the fires of the lowest hell consume the people! Call me their traitor? You unjust tribune! Within your eyes sits twenty thousand deaths, within your hands I could count millions of them, your lying tongue speaks both these numbers—I would say "You lie" to you with a voice as free as I pray to the gods.
The fires of hell can take the people! Me, a traitor? You corrupt tribune! You've got the power to kill thousands in your eyes, millions in your hands—your lying mouth controls both. I'd call you a liar just as boldly as I pray to heaven.
hell can take em traitor?? you corrupt judge you got thousands in your hands i'd call you a liar
Mark you this, people?
Are you hearing this, people?
You all hearing this?
you hearing this
To th’ rock, to th’ rock with him!
To the rock, to the rock with him!
Throw him off the rock! Off the rock with him!
off the rock! kill him!
The crucial moment is when Sicinius accuses Coriolanus of aiming at tyranny — and Coriolanus, hearing an outrageous lie, loses control. This is not where he originally intended to show contempt. He was trying, at least temporarily, to follow Volumnia's instructions. But when attacked unfairly, his contempt erupts as righteous anger. And once it starts, it cannot stop. He calls the citizens 'common fools,' wishes the city harm, refuses to remain its citizen. The tribunes have calculated correctly: they know that Coriolanus's pride is so deep that any accusation of aiming at tyranny will shatter him, because the accusation suggests he cares what the people think. His denial becomes his defeat. He would be safer saying nothing, but he cannot let the lie stand. His integrity — his refusal to let falsehood triumph — is weaponized against him.
Peace!
We need not put new matter to his charge.
What you have seen him do and heard him speak,
Beating your officers, cursing yourselves,
Opposing laws with strokes, and here defying
Those whose great power must try him—even this,
So criminal and in such capital kind,
Deserves th’ extremest death.
Wait! We don't need to add new charges. You've seen him beat your officers, heard him curse you, seen him oppose laws with violence, and now he defies those in power who must judge him—even this alone is so criminal and serious a crime that it deserves the most extreme death.
Hold on! We don't need more charges. You've all seen him attack your officials, heard him insult you, watched him fight the law with force, and now he's defying the judges themselves. That's enough—it's serious enough to deserve execution.
we don't need more charges you saw him attack officials hit the law with violence defy the judges that's execution-worthy
But since he hath
Served well for Rome—
But since he has served Rome well—
But he's done good things for Rome—
but he served rome well—
What do you prate of service?
What are you talking about, service?
What do you know about service?
service? lol ok
I talk of that that know it.
I'm talking about something I actually understand.
I'm talking about something I actually know about.
i know what i'm talking about
You?
You?
You?
you?
Is this the promise that you made your mother?
Is this what you promised your mother?
Is this what you swore to your mother you'd do?
did you promise your mom this?
Know, I pray you—
Know this, I beg you—
Please understand—
hear me out—
I’ll know no further.
Let them pronounce the steep Tarpeian death,
Vagabond exile, flaying, pent to linger
But with a grain a day, I would not buy
Their mercy at the price of one fair word,
Nor check my courage for what they can give,
To have’t with saying “Good morrow.”
I won't hear any more. Let them sentence me to death by throwing me from the Tarpeian rock, to wandering exile, to flaying, to being locked up with nothing but a grain of food a day—I wouldn't buy their mercy for one nice word, nor would I hold back my pride for anything they can give me, not even if it means a simple "Good morning."
I'm done listening. They can throw me off the Tarpeian rock, exile me, flay me, lock me up with bread crumbs—I don't care. I won't sell my dignity for their kindness. I won't swallow my pride to get whatever scraps they'd offer me, not even for them being nice.
i'm done throw me off rocks exile me i won't sell my dignity not for their scraps
For that he has,
As much as in him lies, from time to time
Envied against the people, seeking means
To pluck away their power, as now at last
Given hostile strokes, and that not in the presence
Of dreaded justice, but on the ministers
That do distribute it, in the name o’ th’ people
And in the power of us the Tribunes, we,
Even from this instant, banish him our city
In peril of precipitation
From off the rock Tarpeian, never more
To enter our Rome gates. I’ th’ people’s name,
I say it shall be so.
Because he has, as much as he could, continually worked against the people, seeking ways to strip away their power—and now has resorted to violence, and that not just against ordinary people but against the officers of justice themselves—in the name of the people and by the authority we tribunes hold, from this very instant we banish him from our city, on pain of being thrown from the Tarpeian rock, and he shall never again enter our Roman gates. In the people's name, I declare it shall be so.
He's been working against the people this whole time, trying to strip away their power. Now he's turned violent—not just against ordinary citizens but against the judges themselves. By our authority as tribunes, speaking for the people, we're banishing him from Rome right now. He gets thrown off the rock if he comes back. He'll never enter our city again. The people have spoken.
he's conspired against the people tried to steal their power now he's violent against judges we banish him forever off the tarpeian rock if he returns
It shall be so, it shall be so! Let him away!
He’s banished, and it shall be so.
It will be so, it will be so! Let him be gone! He's banished, and it will be so.
It will be so! Let him go! He's banished, and that's final!
yes! let him go! he's banished!
Hear me, my masters and my common friends—
Hear me, my friends and my fellow citizens—
Listen to me, everyone—
hear me out—
He’s sentenced. No more hearing.
He's been sentenced. There's nothing more to hear.
He's been sentenced. No more talking.
he's sentenced. that's it.
Let me speak.
I have been consul and can show for Rome
Her enemies’ marks upon me. I do love
My country’s good with a respect more tender,
More holy and profound, than mine own life,
My dear wife’s estimate, her womb’s increase,
And treasure of my loins. Then if I would
Speak that—
Let me speak. I've been consul before and can show Rome's wounds on my own body—my enemies' marks. I love my country's good with a respect more profound, more sacred, and deeper than my own life or my dear wife's worth, or my own children. If I would speak about that—
Let me talk. I was consul before. I have the scars of Rome's enemies all over me. I love my country more than my own life, more than my wife, more than my own children. If I'm asking for something—
let me speak i was consul before i got wounds for rome i love my country more than my life
We know your drift. Speak what?
We know where you're going with this. Speak what?
Yeah, we know what you're about to say. What is it?
we know where this is going speak what?
There’s no more to be said, but he is banished
As enemy to the people and his country.
It shall be so.
There's nothing more to be said. He is banished as an enemy to the people and his country. It will be so.
That's it. There's no more discussion. He's an enemy to the people and Rome, and he's banished. That's final.
that's it he's banished case closed
It shall be so, it shall be so!
It will be so, it will be so!
That's right! That's right!
yes! yes!
You common cry of curs, whose breath I hate
As reek o’ th’ rotten fens, whose loves I prize
As the dead carcasses of unburied men
That do corrupt my air, I banish you!
And here remain with your uncertainty;
Let every feeble rumour shake your hearts;
Your enemies, with nodding of their plumes,
Fan you into despair! Have the power still
To banish your defenders, till at length
Your ignorance—which finds not till it feels,
Making but reservation of yourselves,
Still your own foes—deliver you,
As most abated captives to some nation
That won you without blows! Despising
For you the city, thus I turn my back.
There is a world elsewhere.
You rabble of curs, whose breath I hate as I hate the stench of rotten marshes, whose love I value as I would value the rotting corpses of unburied dead that poison my air—I banish you! Go and remain with your constant uncertainty; let every silly rumor shake your hearts; let your enemies, by simply nodding their feathers, blow you into despair! You keep the power to banish your own defenders, until at last your ignorance—which doesn't understand until it hurts—while only looking after yourselves and becoming your own worst enemies—delivers you as broken prisoners to some foreign nation that will conquer you without any real fight! I scorn this city and turn my back on it. There's a whole world elsewhere.
You dogs—your breath smells worse to me than rotten swamps, and I care about your love about as much as I care about dead bodies rotting in graves. I banish you! Stay here with your stupid worries. Let every little rumor scare you. Let your enemies laugh you into despair. You'll keep having the power to get rid of your own defenders until you're so dumb and selfish that you end up as slaves to some country that'll barely have to fight to take you over. Disgusting. I'm done with this city. There's a better world out there somewhere.
you dogs your breath stinks worse than rot i banish you stay scared let rumors destroy you you'll destroy yourselves some nation will enslave you i'm done with rome there's a better world
The people’s enemy is gone, is gone.
Rome's enemy is gone, is gone.
The enemy of Rome is gone, he's gone.
enemy's gone finally
Our enemy is banished; he is gone. Hoo, hoo!
Our enemy is banished; he is gone. Hurrah, hurrah!
Our enemy is banished! He's gone! Hoo, hoo!
he's gone! banished! hoo hoo
Go see him out at gates, and follow him,
As he hath followed you, with all despite.
Give him deserved vexation. Let a guard
Attend us through the city.
Go watch him leave by the gates and follow him with all the hostility he showed you. Make him suffer what he deserves. Let a guard escort us through the city.
Go watch him leave at the gates and follow him—show him as much respect he showed you. Give him everything he deserves. Get guards to walk us through town.
watch him leave at the gates follow him give him what he deserves get guards for us
Come, come, let’s see him out at gates! Come!
The gods preserve our noble tribunes! Come.
Everyone, let's go escort him to the gates and watch him depart! Come on! May the gods keep our excellent tribunes safe! Move!
Come on, let's watch him leave at the gates! Come on! The gods protect our great tribunes! Let's go.
let's watch him leave come on gods save our tribunes
The Reckoning
Scene 3-3 is the play's point of no return. Coriolanus does try, briefly, to follow Volumnia's instructions — but the moment he feels attacked, his contempt erupts. The tribunes and the people are not being fair; they're distorting what he said; they're attacking his character. His response is to lose control completely and insult them openly. The moment of his banishment is swift and almost inevitable. He curses Rome as he's exiling, ensuring that his enemies are now an entire city he's sworn against.
If this happened today…
The candidate from 2-3 goes back for a second town hall, supposedly humbled. He's doing okay — saying mostly the right things. But when someone asks a challenging question about his past statements, he snaps. 'You people are morons,' he says. 'I don't know why I'm wasting my time on you.' The crowd turns immediately hostile. The moderators formally reject him. He storms off the stage cursing everyone. That's 3-3.