We hear not of him, neither need we fear him.
His remedies are tame—the present peace,
And quietness of the people, which before
Were in wild hurry. Here do we make his friends
Blush that the world goes well, who rather had,
Though they themselves did suffer by’t, behold
Dissentious numbers pest’ring streets than see
Our tradesmen singing in their shops and going
About their functions friendly.
We don't hear anything about him, and we don't need to fear him either. His solutions are gentle—we have peace right now, and the people are calm, which is different from before when everything was chaotic. We're making his supporters ashamed that things are going well, because they would have preferred to see angry crowds disturbing the streets instead, even if they suffered for it themselves, rather than see our traders singing happily in their shops and going about their business in a friendly way.
Nobody's hearing anything about him, and we don't even need to worry. His approach is really mellow—we've got peace and everyone's calm now, nothing like the chaos we had before. We're basically making his friends feel embarrassed that everything's going well. They'd rather see riots in the streets, even if it hurt them personally, than watch our shopkeepers actually singing while they work and being friendly to each other.
nobody hearing about him, don't need to fear him. peace & calm now - totally different from before. his friends embarrassed things going well - they'd rather have riots than happy traders
We stood to’t in good time.
We took the right action at the right time.
We did the right thing at exactly the right moment.
perfect timing
Is this Menenius?
Is this Menenius?
Is that Menenius?
that menenius?
’Tis he, ’tis he. O, he is grown most kind
Of late.—Hail, sir!
There he is, there he is. Oh, he's become very kind recently. Greetings, sir!
That's him, that's him! Wow, he's been really nice lately. Hey, sir!
there he is! he's been so nice lately. hey sir!
Hail to you both.
I greet you both.
Hey, you two.
hey both
Your Coriolanus is not much missed
But with his friends. The commonwealth doth stand,
And so would do were he more angry at it.
Your Coriolanus is not much missed, except by his friends. The state is stable, and it would be just as stable even if he were angrier about it.
Nobody's really missing Coriolanus except his friends. The government's doing fine, and honestly, it'd be fine even if he was furious about things.
nobody missing coriolanus except his friends. govt's stable - would be fine even if he was mad
All’s well, and might have been much better if
He could have temporized.
Everything's fine, and things might have been much better if he had been able to compromise.
Things are going okay, and they could've been way better if he'd just known how to back down.
things fine but could be better if he'd compromised
Where is he, hear you?
Where is he, do you know?
Any idea where he's gone?
where's he at?
Nay, I hear nothing;
His mother and his wife hear nothing from him.
No, I haven't heard anything. His mother and his wife haven't heard anything from him either.
Nope, I haven't heard a thing. His mom and his wife haven't heard from him either.
haven't heard anything. his mom & wife haven't heard from him either
The gods preserve you both!
May the gods protect you both!
May the gods keep you both safe!
gods protect u both
Good e’en, our neighbours.
Good evening, our neighbors.
Good evening, neighbors.
hey neighbors
Good e’en to you all, good e’en to you all.
Good evening to you all, good evening to you all.
Hey there, everyone. Hey there, everyone.
hey everyone x2
Ourselves, our wives, and children, on our knees
Are bound to pray for you both.
All of us—me, our wives, our children—we're going to pray for you on our knees.
We, our wives, and our kids are all going to get on our knees and pray for you both.
us wives kids on knees praying 4 u both
Live and thrive!
Live and thrive!
Live and thrive!
live and thrive!
Farewell, kind neighbours. We wished Coriolanus
Had loved you as we did.
Goodbye, generous neighbors. If only Coriolanus had shown you the affection we have.
Take care, good people. We wish Coriolanus had felt about you the way we do.
goodbye neighbors. wish coriolanus loved u like we do
Now the gods keep you!
May the gods look after you!
May the gods take care of you!
gods keep u safe
Farewell, farewell.
Farewell, farewell.
Farewell, farewell.
farewell, farewell.
This is a happier and more comely time
Than when these fellows ran about the streets
Crying confusion.
This is a happier and more pleasant time than when these people were running around the streets crying chaos.
This is way better and nicer than when these guys were running around yelling about everything falling apart.
better time now than when ppl were screaming chaos in streets
Caius Martius was
A worthy officer i’ th’ war, but insolent,
O’ercome with pride, ambitious, past all thinking
Self-loving.
Caius Martius was a worthy officer in war, but he was arrogant, overcome with pride, ambitious beyond all reason, and completely self-centered.
Caius Martius was good at being a soldier, but he was full of himself—proud, power-hungry, and just completely narcissistic.
caius martius good soldier but so arrogant proud ambitious selfish
And affecting one sole throne, without assistance.
And wanting to rule alone, without anyone else's help.
And wanting complete power all by himself, with nobody else having any say.
wanted to rule alone no help from anyone
I think not so.
I don't agree with that.
I don't think that's right.
disagree
We should by this, to all our lamentation,
If he had gone forth consul, found it so.
By this point, to our great sorrow, if he had been made consul, we would have discovered it was true.
By now, sadly, if he'd become consul, we'd definitely be seeing that was the case.
if he'd been consul we'd see it was true - sadly
The gods have well prevented it, and Rome
Sits safe and still without him.
The gods have prevented it wisely, and Rome sits safely and quietly without him.
Thank goodness the gods stopped it. Rome is safe and peaceful without him.
gods stopped it. rome safe & peaceful without him
The citizens' collective revisionism in this scene — 'I always said it was a pity' 'So did I' 'We willingly consented, yet it was against our will' — is one of Shakespeare's shrewdest political observations. It takes no more than twenty lines of dialogue for a group of people who voted for a banishment to have convinced themselves they opposed it all along. Shakespeare is not being merely comic: this is what happens when people's political convictions are driven by social performance rather than genuine belief. The vote for banishment was crowd psychology; the revision is equally crowd psychology. Nobody in this group is consciously lying — they have genuinely reconstructed their memories to match the new consensus. The tribunes, who understand exactly what's happening, have to stand there and watch it.
Worthy tribunes,
There is a slave, whom we have put in prison,
Reports the Volsces with two several powers
Are entered in the Roman territories,
And with the deepest malice of the war
Destroy what lies before ’em.
Worthy tribunes, there is a slave whom we have put in prison who reports that the Volsces with two separate armies have entered Roman territories and with the deepest hostility of war are destroying everything in front of them.
Respected tribunes, we've got a prisoner who says the Volsces have invaded with two separate armies and they're destroying everything they come across with serious brutality.
tribunes got prisoner saying volsces invaded 2 armies destroying everything
’Tis Aufidius,
Who, hearing of our Martius’ banishment,
Thrusts forth his horns again into the world,
Which were inshelled when Martius stood for Rome,
And durst not once peep out.
It's Aufidius. He, hearing that our Martius has been banished, thrusts his power back into the world, which he had kept hidden when Martius was active in Rome's defense and did not dare to show itself at all.
It's Aufidius. He heard that Martius was banished, so he's pushing back out into the open now. He'd been lying low while Martius was out there fighting for Rome—didn't even dare stick his head out.
it's aufidius. heard martius banished so he's back. was hiding while martius defended rome
Come, what talk you of Martius?
Come on, why are you talking about Martius?
Why are we even talking about Martius?
why we talking about martius?
Go see this rumourer whipped. It cannot be
The Volsces dare break with us.
Go have this rumor-spreader whipped. The Volsces cannot possibly dare to break with us.
Go have this guy who's spreading rumors whipped. There's no way the Volsces would dare attack us.
whip this rumor spreader. volsces won't dare attack
Cannot be?
We have record that very well it can,
And three examples of the like hath been
Within my age. But reason with the fellow
Before you punish him, where he heard this,
Lest you shall chance to whip your information
And beat the messenger who bids beware
Of what is to be dreaded.
Impossible? We have a record that it can very well happen, and three examples of similar events have occurred within my lifetime. But talk to the man before you punish him—ask where he heard this—so you don't end up whipping your source of information and beating the messenger who's warning you about what's coming.
Impossible? We've got proof it can happen, and I've seen three times in my life when it did. But before you whip the guy, talk to him first. Find out where he heard this, or you might end up punishing the person giving you the warning.
not impossible - seen it 3 times. talk 2 him first b4 whipping or you'll punish the messenger warning u
Tell not me.
I know this cannot be.
Don't tell me this. I know this cannot possibly be true.
Don't even tell me. I know this can't possibly be real.
can't be real
Not possible.
Not possible.
Not possible.
not possible.
The nobles in great earnestness are going
All to the Senate House. Some news is coming
That turns their countenances.
The nobles are leaving in great haste and going to the Senate House. Some news is coming that is changing their expressions.
The important people are rushing off to the Senate. Some news is arriving that's making them look worried.
nobles rushing to senate. news coming that's worrying them
’Tis this slave—
Go whip him ’fore the people’s eyes—his raising,
Nothing but his report.
It's just this slave. Go have him whipped in front of the people. His spreading of this story is nothing but his report.
It's just this prisoner. Have him whipped right in front of everyone. This whole thing is nothing but his story.
just this slave. whip him in front of people. his story started all this
Yes, worthy sir,
The slave’s report is seconded, and more,
More fearful, is delivered.
Yes, respected sir, the slave's report is confirmed by others, and even more terrifying news has been delivered.
Yes, sir, other people are confirming what the slave said, and there's even scarier news on top of it.
yes sir slave's report confirmed & scarier news too
What more fearful?
What more fearful?
What more fearful?
what more fearful?
It is spoke freely out of many mouths—
How probable I do not know—that Martius,
Joined with Aufidius, leads a power ’gainst Rome
And vows revenge as spacious as between
The young’st and oldest thing.
It is being spoken freely by many people—I don't know how reliable it is—that Martius, joined with Aufidius, is leading an army against Rome and vows revenge as vast as the difference between the youngest and oldest thing.
People are saying—though I can't say how true it is—that Martius is teaming up with Aufidius to lead an army against Rome and he's swearing revenge on a massive scale.
ppl saying martius & aufidius leading army against rome, swearing huge revenge. not sure how true
This is most likely!
This is very likely!
That sounds very likely!
sounds likely
Raised only that the weaker sort may wish
Good Martius home again.
Spread only so that the common people might wish good Martius would come home again.
Just spread to make ordinary people want Martius to come back.
spread so ppl want martius back
The very trick on ’t.
Exactly that trick.
That's exactly the trick.
exactly
This is unlikely;
He and Aufidius can no more atone
Than violent’st contrariety.
This is unlikely. He and Aufidius can come together no more than the most violent opposites can.
That doesn't make sense. Martius and Aufidius getting together would be like the most opposite forces in the world combining.
unlikely. martius & aufidius together? complete opposites
You are sent for to the Senate.
A fearful army, led by Caius Martius
Associated with Aufidius, rages
Upon our territories, and have already
O’erborne their way, consumed with fire and took
What lay before them.
You are sent for to the Senate. A fearful army, led by Caius Martius joined with Aufidius, is raging over our territories and has already overwhelmed their way, destroyed with fire and taken what lay before them.
You're needed at the Senate. A terrifying army led by Caius Martius and Aufidius together is tearing through our lands and they've already destroyed everything in their path with fire.
needed at senate. terrifying army with martius & aufidius destroying everything
O, you have made good work!
Oh, you've done a wonderful job!
Oh, you've really done great!
oh great job
What news? What news?
What is the news? What is the news?
What's happening? What's the news?
tell me what happened!
You have holp to ravish your own daughters and
To melt the city leads upon your pates,
To see your wives dishonoured to your noses—
You have helped to allow your own daughters to be violated and to melt the lead from your city's roofs onto your heads, to see your wives shamed in front of you—
You've helped let your own daughters get attacked and melt down your city to destroy it, to watch your wives get humiliated right in front of you—
you helped let daughters get attacked, city destroyed, wives shamed in front of u
What’s the news? What’s the news?
What is the news? What is the news?
Come on, tell me! What is it?
what's the news x2?
Your temples burned in their cement, and
Your franchises, whereon you stood, confined
Into an auger’s bore.
Your temples burned into rubble, and your freedoms, which you stood on, confined to the size of an auger's hole.
Your temples burned to ash, and your freedom—which you valued—shrunk down to nothing.
temples burned, freedom shrunk 2 nothing
Pray now, your news?—
You have made fair work, I fear me.—Pray, your news?
If Martius should be joined with Volscians—
Please now, what is the news? You've done bad work, I'm afraid. Please, what is the news? If Martius has joined with the Volscians—
Please, what's the news? You've made a real mess, I'm afraid. Please, what's the news? If Martius has teamed up with the Volscians—
please what's news? u made mess. if martius joined volscians—
If?
He is their god; he leads them like a thing
Made by some other deity than Nature,
That shapes man better; and they follow him
Against us brats with no less confidence
Than boys pursuing summer butterflies
Or butchers killing flies.
If? He is their god. He leads them like a being made by some other deity than Nature, one who shapes people better than Nature does, and they follow him against us like nothing more than boys chasing summer butterflies or butchers swatting flies.
If? He's their god. He leads them like he's a creation of some higher power than Nature itself, and they follow him against us just like kids chasing butterflies or butchers killing flies.
he's their god. leads them perfectly. they follow like kids chasing butterflies or butchers killing flies
You have made good work,
You and your apron-men, you that stood so much
Upon the voice of occupation and
The breath of garlic eaters!
You've done a wonderful job, you and your shopkeepers, you who cared so much about what the working people said and the opinions of the common folk!
You've really done great, you and all the shopkeepers, you who were so obsessed with what ordinary workers thought!
great job you & shopkeepers who cared what working ppl thought
This scene is where Cominius and Menenius — the two patricians who most consistently warned against the banishment — finally get to speak the truth without restraint. 'You have holp to ravish your own daughters and to melt the city leads upon your pates' is Cominius in full savage honesty. But Shakespeare is careful to make them complicit too: Menenius admits 'we loved him, but like beasts / And cowardly nobles, gave way unto your clusters.' The patrician class, which prided itself on virtue, caved to mob pressure. The play is careful not to let anyone — tribunes, citizens, nobles — escape without owning their share of the catastrophe. That moral even-handedness is part of what makes Coriolanus one of Shakespeare's most politically complex plays.
He’ll shake your Rome about your ears.
He will shake your Rome about your ears.
He's going to tear Rome apart.
he'll destroy rome
As Hercules did shake down mellow fruit.
You have made fair work.
Like Hercules shaking down ripe fruit. You've done a wonderful job.
Like Hercules shaking fruit off a tree. You've really done a great job.
like hercules shaking down fruit. great job
But is this true, sir?
Is this report actually verified, sir?
Can we even trust this, sir?
is this even real?
Ay, and you’ll look pale
Before you find it other. All the regions
Do smilingly revolt, and who resists
Are mocked for valiant ignorance
And perish constant fools. Who is’t can blame him?
Your enemies and his find something in him.
Yes, and you'll look pale before you find it to be otherwise. All the regions are happily rebelling, and those who resist are mocked for their foolish bravery and die being stubborn. Who can blame him? Your enemies and his both find something to admire in him.
Yes, and you'll go pale before you discover otherwise. All the regions are cheerfully rebelling against Rome, and anyone who resists gets laughed at for being bravely stupid and dies stubborn. Who can blame him? Everyone—your enemies and his—finds something to respect in him.
yes. all regions rebelling. who resists gets mocked & dies. who blames him? everyone respects him
We are all undone unless
The noble man have mercy.
We are completely ruined unless the noble man shows us mercy.
We're finished unless this great man decides to have mercy on us.
we're done unless he has mercy
Who shall ask it?
The Tribunes cannot do’t for shame; the people
Deserve such pity of him as the wolf
Does of the shepherds. For his best friends, if they
Should say “Be good to Rome,” they charged him even
As those should do that had deserved his hate
And therein showed like enemies.
Who would ask for mercy from him? The tribunes cannot ask without shame. The people deserve no pity from him—as little as a wolf shows to shepherds. As for his best friends, if they were to say 'Show mercy to Rome,' they would address him in the same way as those who deserved his hatred should, and by doing so would appear to be his enemies.
Who's going to ask him for mercy? The tribunes can't ask without shame. The people don't deserve his pity—no more than a wolf pities shepherds. Even his best friends—if they asked him to spare Rome, they'd be speaking to him like his enemies do, which makes them look like enemies.
who asks for mercy? tribunes ashamed people get no pity even friends look like enemies
’Tis true.
If he were putting to my house the brand
That should consume it, I have not the face
To say “Beseech you, cease.”—You have made fair hands,
You and your crafts! You have crafted fair!
That's true. If he were setting fire to my house to burn it down, I wouldn't have the courage to say 'I ask you, please stop.' You've done wonderful work, you and your trades! You've worked so well!
That's right. If he was burning down my house, I wouldn't even have the guts to ask him to stop. You've done amazing work, you and your trades! You really pulled this off!
true. if burning my house i couldn't ask him stop. u done great work u & trades!
You have brought
A trembling upon Rome such as was never
S’ incapable of help.
You have brought such fear upon Rome as was never before so unable to be helped.
You've created a panic in Rome like nothing that's ever happened before, and there's no way to fix it.
u brought fear 2 rome that can't be fixed
Say not we brought it.
Don't say we caused it.
Don't say we're the ones who caused this.
don't blame us
How? Was it we? We loved him, but like beasts
And cowardly nobles, gave way unto your clusters,
Who did hoot him out o’ th’ city.
What? Was it us? We loved him, but like animals and cowardly nobles, we gave way to your groups, who drove him out of the city.
What? Was it us? We did love him, but like cowards and weak nobles, we let your people pressure us into driving him out.
was it us? we loved him but gave in 2 ur groups & drove him out
But I fear
They’ll roar him in again. Tullus Aufidius,
The second name of men, obeys his points
As if he were his officer. Desperation
Is all the policy, strength, and defence
That Rome can make against them.
But I fear they will bring him back in. Tullus Aufidius, the second most important man, obeys his orders as if he were his officer. Desperation is the only strategy, strength, and defense that Rome can make against them.
But I'm worried they'll bring him back. Aufidius, who's basically the second-most powerful person, takes orders from him like he's working for him. Desperation is literally the only thing Rome has left to defend itself.
worried they'll bring him back. aufidius takes his orders. rome's only hope is desperation
Here comes the clusters.—
And is Aufidius with him? You are they
That made the air unwholesome when you cast
Your stinking, greasy caps in hooting at
Coriolanus’ exile. Now he’s coming,
And not a hair upon a soldier’s head
Which will not prove a whip. As many coxcombs
As you threw caps up will he tumble down
And pay you for your voices. ’Tis no matter.
If he could burn us all into one coal
We have deserved it.
Here come the masses. And is Aufidius with him? You are the people who made the air smell bad when you threw your dirty, sweaty caps in the air while booing Coriolanus' exile. Now he's coming, and not a single hair on a soldier's head will escape—it will become a whip. However many caps you threw up, he will knock down, and he'll make you pay for every voice you gave. It doesn't matter. If he could burn us all into a single coal, we deserve it.
Here come the common people. And is Aufidius with him? You're the people who polluted the air throwing your filthy, greasy caps around and booing when they exiled Coriolanus. Now he's coming, and every soldier's hair will become a weapon. For every cap you threw up, he'll take revenge, and you'll pay for every vote you cast. Honestly, it doesn't matter. If he burns Rome to the ground, we deserve it.
here comes crowd. u threw dirty caps booing coriolanus' exile. now he's coming & will make u pay for ur votes. if burns rome 2 ground we deserve it
Faith, we hear fearful news.
We're hearing frightening news, truly.
We're hearing some really scary stuff.
hearing scary news
For mine own part,
When I said banish him, I said ’twas pity.
For my part, when I said to banish him, I said it was a pity.
As for me, when I voted to banish him, I thought it was a shame.
when i voted banish him i said shame
And so did I.
I did too.
I did also.
me too
And so did I. And, to say the truth, so did very many of us. That we
did we did for the best; and though we willingly consented to his
banishment, yet it was against our will.
I did too. And, to tell the truth, so did very many of us. What we did, we did because we thought it was best. And though we agreed to his banishment willingly, it was against our true wishes.
Me too. And honestly, so did a lot of us. What we did, we did because we thought it was the right choice. And even though we voted for his banishment, we didn't actually want to.
me too. lots of us did. we thought it was right but didn't actually want to banish him
You are goodly things, you voices!
You are wonderful things, you votes!
Oh, you're just wonderful, all of you with your votes!
so wonderful ur votes
You have made good work, you and your cry!—
Shall’s to the Capitol?
You've done wonderful work, you and your crowds! Should we go to the Capitol?
You've really done great, you and all your people! Should we head to the Capitol?
great work u & ur crowd. go 2 capitol?
O, ay, what else?
Oh yes, what else?
Oh yeah, what else would we do?
yeah what else
Go, masters, get you home. Be not dismayed.
These are a side that would be glad to have
This true which they so seem to fear. Go home,
And show no sign of fear.
Go, good people, go home. Don't be afraid. There are some people who would be happy if this scary thing actually came true. Go home and show no sign of fear.
Go on, everyone go home. Don't worry. Some people would actually love it if this threat was real. Head home and don't show you're scared.
go home don't worry. some ppl want this 2 b true. hide ur fear
The gods be good to us! Come, masters, let’s home. I ever said we were
i’ th’ wrong when we banished him.
May the gods be good to us! Come on, everyone, let's go home. I've always said we were wrong when we banished him.
May the gods help us! Come on, everyone, let's head home. I've always thought we were wrong for banning him.
gods help us! go home. i always said we were wrong 2 banish him
So did we all. But, come, let’s home.
All of us thought that too. Let's get going home.
Same here. Let's head out.
all of us. let's go home
I do not like this news.
I don't like this news.
I really don't like what I'm hearing.
not good
Nor I.
Nor I.
Nor I.
nor i.
Let’s to the Capitol. Would half my wealth
Would buy this for a lie!
Let's go to the Capitol. I wish half my wealth would buy that this is a lie!
Let's head to the Capitol. I'd give half everything I own just to find out this is false!
go 2 capitol. wish i could pay 4 this 2 b a lie
Pray let’s go.
Pray let’s go.
Pray let’s go.
pray let’s go.
The Reckoning
A scene that Shakespeare builds as a trap: the tribunes have everything they wanted — a quiet city, grateful citizens, no Coriolanus — and then the world falls out from underneath them. The arrival of the news is staged in waves, each more definite than the last, and between each wave the tribunes clutch at denial. Menenius and Cominius, who never wanted any of this, get to return the tribunes' smugness in full. The citizens — who voted for the banishment — immediately claim they never wanted it. Nobody wants to own what they've done.
If this happened today…
Two politicians who forced a controversial cabinet resignation are doing a PR tour — look, the economy is fine, the city is calm. Their phones start buzzing. They brush it off. More buzzing. 'That can't be right.' Then a press conference: the disgraced official has joined a foreign power's military and is leading an invasion force toward the capital. The politicians try to spin it. Every journalist in the room says: 'Didn't you do this?' The man in the street says: 'I never really wanted him gone.'