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 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 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 hear not of him, neither need we fear him. his remedies a
We stood to’t in good time.
We stood to’t in good time.
We stood to’t in good time.
we stood to’t in good time.
’Tis he, ’tis he. O, he is grown most kind
Of late.—Hail, sir!
’Tis he, ’tis he. O, he is grown most kind Of late.—Hail, sir!
’Tis he, ’tis he. O, he is grown most kind Of late.—Hail, sir!
’tis he, ’tis he. o, he is grown most kind of late.—hail, si
Hail to you both.
Hail to you both.
Hail to you both.
hail to you 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 But with his friends. The commonwealth doth stand, And so would do were he more angry at it.
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 but with his friends. the
All’s well, and might have been much better if
He could have temporized.
All’s well, and might have been much better if He could have temporized.
All’s well, and might have been much better if He could have temporized.
all’s well, and might have been much better if he could have
Where is he, hear you?
Where is he, hear you?
Where is he, hear you?
where is he, hear you?
Nay, I hear nothing;
His mother and his wife hear nothing from him.
Nay, I hear nothing; His mother and his wife hear nothing from him.
Nay, I hear nothing; His mother and his wife hear nothing from him.
nay, i hear nothing; his mother and his wife hear nothing fr
The gods preserve you both!
The gods preserve you both!
The gods preserve you both!
the gods preserve you both!
Good e’en, our neighbours.
Good e’en, our neighbours.
Good e’en, our neighbours.
good e’en, our neighbours.
Good e’en to you all, good e’en to you all.
Good e’en to you all, good e’en to you all.
Good e’en to you all, good e’en to you all.
good e’en to you all, good e’en to you all.
Ourselves, our wives, and children, on our knees
Are bound to pray for you both.
Ourselves, our wives, and children, on our knees Are bound to pray for you both.
Ourselves, our wives, and children, on our knees Are bound to pray for you both.
ourselves, our wives, and children, on our knees are bound t
Live and thrive!
Live and thrive!
Live and thrive!
live and thrive!
Farewell, kind neighbours. We wished Coriolanus
Had loved you as we did.
Farewell, kind neighbours. We wished Coriolanus Had loved you as we did.
Farewell, kind neighbours. We wished Coriolanus Had loved you as we did.
farewell, kind neighbours. we wished coriolanus had loved yo
Now the gods keep you!
Now the gods keep you!
Now the gods keep you!
now the gods keep you!
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 comely time Than when these fellows ran about the streets Crying confusion.
This is a happier and more comely time Than when these fellows ran about the streets Crying confusion.
this is a happier and more comely time than when these fello
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 i’ th’ war, but insolent, O’ercome with pride, ambitious, past all thinking Self-loving.
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 i’ th’ war, but insolent,
And affecting one sole throne, without assistance.
And affecting one sole throne, without assistance.
And affecting one sole throne, without assistance.
and affecting one sole throne, without assistance.
I think not so.
I think not so.
I think not so.
i think not so.
We should by this, to all our lamentation,
If he had gone forth consul, found it so.
We should by this, to all our lamentation, If he had gone forth consul, found it so.
We should by this, to all our lamentation, If he had gone forth consul, found it so.
we should by this, to all our lamentation, if he had gone fo
The gods have well prevented it, and Rome
Sits safe and still without him.
The gods have well prevented it, and Rome Sits safe and still without him.
The gods have well prevented it, and Rome Sits safe and still without him.
the gods have well prevented it, and rome sits safe and stil
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, 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, 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 priso
’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.
’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.
’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.
’tis aufidius, who, hearing of our martius’ banishment, thru
Come, what talk you of Martius?
Come, what talk you of Martius?
Come, what talk you of Martius?
come, what talk you of martius?
Go see this rumourer whipped. It cannot be
The Volsces dare break with us.
Go see this rumourer whipped. It cannot be The Volsces dare break with us.
Go see this rumourer whipped. It cannot be The Volsces dare break with us.
go see this rumourer whipped. it cannot be the volsces dare
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.
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.
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.
cannot be? we have record that very well it can, and three e
Tell not me.
I know this cannot be.
Tell not me. I know this cannot be.
Tell not me. I know this cannot be.
tell not me. i know this cannot be.
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 in great earnestness are going All to the Senate House. Some news is coming That turns their countenances.
The nobles in great earnestness are going All to the Senate House. Some news is coming That turns their countenances.
the nobles in great earnestness are going all to the senate
’Tis this slave—
Go whip him ’fore the people’s eyes—his raising,
Nothing but his report.
’Tis this slave— Go whip him ’fore the people’s eyes—his raising, Nothing but his report.
’Tis this slave— Go whip him ’fore the people’s eyes—his raising, Nothing but his report.
’tis this slave— go whip him ’fore the people’s eyes—his rai
Yes, worthy sir,
The slave’s report is seconded, and more,
More fearful, is delivered.
Yes, worthy sir, The slave’s report is seconded, and more, More fearful, is delivered.
Yes, worthy sir, The slave’s report is seconded, and more, More fearful, is delivered.
yes, worthy sir, the slave’s report is seconded, and more, m
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 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 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 spoke freely out of many mouths— how probable i do not
This is most likely!
This is most likely!
This is most likely!
this is most likely!
Raised only that the weaker sort may wish
Good Martius home again.
Raised only that the weaker sort may wish Good Martius home again.
Raised only that the weaker sort may wish Good Martius home again.
raised only that the weaker sort may wish good martius home
The very trick on ’t.
The very trick on ’t.
The very trick on ’t.
the very trick on ’t.
This is unlikely;
He and Aufidius can no more atone
Than violent’st contrariety.
This is unlikely; He and Aufidius can no more atone Than violent’st contrariety.
This is unlikely; He and Aufidius can no more atone Than violent’st contrariety.
this is unlikely; he and aufidius can no more atone than vio
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 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 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
O, you have made good work!
O, you have made good work!
O, you have made good work!
o, you have made good work!
What news? What news?
What news? What news?
What news? What news?
what news? what news?
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 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 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 holp to ravish your own daughters and to melt the c
What’s the news? What’s the news?
What’s the news? What’s the news?
What’s the news? What’s the news?
what’s the news? what’s the news?
Your temples burned in their cement, and
Your franchises, whereon you stood, confined
Into an auger’s bore.
Your temples burned in their cement, and Your franchises, whereon you stood, confined Into an auger’s bore.
Your temples burned in their cement, and Your franchises, whereon you stood, confined Into an auger’s bore.
your temples burned in their cement, and your franchises, wh
Pray now, your news?—
You have made fair work, I fear me.—Pray, your news?
If Martius should be joined with Volscians—
Pray now, your news?— You have made fair work, I fear me.—Pray, your news? If Martius should be joined with Volscians—
Pray now, your news?— You have made fair work, I fear me.—Pray, your news? If Martius should be joined with Volscians—
pray now, your news?— you have made fair work, i fear me.—pr
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 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 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 thing made by some
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 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 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 have made good work, you and your apron-men, you that st
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’ll shake your Rome about your ears.
He’ll shake your Rome about your ears.
he’ll shake your rome about your ears.
As Hercules did shake down mellow fruit.
You have made fair work.
As Hercules did shake down mellow fruit. You have made fair work.
As Hercules did shake down mellow fruit. You have made fair work.
as hercules did shake down mellow fruit. you have made fair
But is this true, sir?
But is this true, sir?
But is this true, sir?
but is this true, sir?
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.
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.
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.
ay, and you’ll look pale before you find it other. all the r
We are all undone unless
The noble man have mercy.
We are all undone unless The noble man have mercy.
We are all undone unless The noble man have mercy.
we are all undone unless the noble man have 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 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 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 shall ask it? the tribunes cannot do’t for shame; the pe
’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!
’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!
’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!
’tis true. if he were putting to my house the brand that sho
You have brought
A trembling upon Rome such as was never
S’ incapable of help.
You have brought A trembling upon Rome such as was never S’ incapable of help.
You have brought A trembling upon Rome such as was never S’ incapable of help.
you have brought a trembling upon rome such as was never s’
Say not we brought it.
Say not we brought it.
Say not we brought it.
say not we brought it.
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.
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.
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.
how? was it we? we loved him, but like beasts and cowardly n
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’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’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’ll roar him in again. tullus aufidius, the s
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 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 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 comes the clusters.— and is aufidius with him? you are
Faith, we hear fearful news.
Faith, we hear fearful news.
Faith, we hear fearful news.
faith, we hear fearful news.
For mine own part,
When I said banish him, I said ’twas pity.
For mine own part, When I said banish him, I said ’twas pity.
For mine own part, When I said banish him, I said ’twas pity.
for mine own part, when i said banish him, i said ’twas pity
And so did I.
And so did I.
And so did I.
and so did i.
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.
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.
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.
and so did i. and, to say the truth, so did very many of us.
You are goodly things, you voices!
You are goodly things, you voices!
You are goodly things, you voices!
you are goodly things, you voices!
You have made good work, you and your cry!—
Shall’s to the Capitol?
You have made good work, you and your cry!— Shall’s to the Capitol?
You have made good work, you and your cry!— Shall’s to the Capitol?
you have made good work, you and your cry!— shall’s to the c
O, ay, what else?
O, ay, what else?
O, ay, what else?
o, ay, 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, 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, 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, masters, get you home. be not dismayed. these are a side
The gods be good to us! Come, masters, let’s home. I ever said we were
i’ th’ wrong when we banished him.
The gods be good to us! Come, masters, let’s home. I ever said we were i’ th’ wrong when we banished him.
The gods be good to us! Come, masters, let’s home. I ever said we were i’ th’ wrong when we banished him.
the gods be good to us! come, masters, let’s home. i ever sa
So did we all. But, come, let’s home.
So did we all. But, come, let’s home.
So did we all. But, come, let’s home.
so did we all. but, come, let’s home.
I do not like this news.
I do not like this news.
I do not like this news.
i do not like this news.
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 to the Capitol. Would half my wealth Would buy this for a lie!
Let’s to the Capitol. Would half my wealth Would buy this for a lie!
let’s to the capitol. would half my wealth would buy this fo
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.'