Corioles. A Public Place.
 Enter TULLUS AUFIDIUS, with ATTENDANTS.

Aufidius	Go tell the lords o'th' city I am here.
	Deliver them this paper: having read it,
	Bid them repair to the market-place, where I,
	Even in theirs and in the commons' ears,
	Will vouch the truth of it. Him I accuse
	The city ports by this hath entered, and
	Intends t' appear before the people, hoping
	To purge himself with words. Dispatch.
												[Exeunt ATTENDANTS.

         Enter three or four CONSPIRATORS of Aufidius's faction.

	Most welcome.
1st
Conspirator	How is it with our general?

Aufidius										Even so
	As with a man by his own alms empoisoned,
	And with his charity slain.
2nd
Conspirator								Most noble sir,
	If you do hold the same intent wherein
	You wished us parties, we'll deliver you
	Of your great danger.

Aufidius							Sir, I cannot tell.
	We must proceed as we do find the people.
3rd
Conspirator	The people will remain uncertain whilst
	'Twixt you there's difference; but the fall of either
	Makes the survivor heir of all.

Aufidius										I know it;
	And my pretext to strike at him admits
	A good construction. I raised him, and I pawned
	Mine honour for his truth: who being so heightened,
	He watered his new plants with dews of flattery,
	Seducing so my friends; and to this end
	He bowed his nature, never known before
	But to be rough, unswayable and free.
3rd
Conspirator	Sir, his stoutness
	When he did stand for Consul, which he lost
	By lack of stooping-

Aufidius							That I would have spoke of.
	Being banished for't, he came unto my hearth;
	Presented to my knife his throat: I took him,
	Made him joint-servant with me, gave him way
	In all his own desires; nay, let him choose
	Out of my files, his projects to accomplish,
	My best and freshest men; served his designments
	In mine own person; holp to reap the fame
	Which he did end all his; and took some pride
	To do myself this wrong: till at the last
	I seemed his follower, not partner; and
	He waged me with his countenance, as if
	I had been mercenary.
1st
Conspirator							So he did, my lord.
	The army marvelled at it, and in the last,
	When he had carried Rome, and that we looked
	For no less spoil than glory-

Aufidius										There was it;
	For which my sinews shall be stretched upon him;
	At a few drops of women's rheum, which are
	As cheap as lies, he sold the blood and labour
	Of our great action: therefore shall he die,
	And I'll renew me in his fall. But hark.
												[Drums and trumpets sound,
									 with great shouts of the people.
1st
Conspirator	Your native town you entered like a post,
	And had no welcomes home; but he returns
	Splitting the air with noise.
2nd
Conspirator									And patient fools,
	Whose children he hath slain, their base throats tear
	With giving him glory.
3rd
Conspirator							Therefore, at your vantage,
	Ere he express himself or move the people
	With what he would say, let him feel your sword,
	Which we will second. When he lies along,
	After your way his tale pronounced shall bury
	His reasons with his body.

Aufidius								Say no more:
	Here come the lords.

                       Enter the LORDS of the city.

All Lords	You are most welcome home.

Aufidius									I have not deserved it.
	But, worthy lords, have you with heed perused
	What I have written to you?

All Lords								We have.

1st Lord										And grieve to hear't.
	What faults he made before the last, I think
	Might have found easy fines; but there to end
	Where he was to begin, and give away
	The benefit of our levies, answering us
	With our own charge, making a treaty where
	There was a yielding - this admits no excuse.

Aufidius	He approaches: you shall hear him.

             Enter CORIOLANUS marching with DRUM and COLOURS,
                      the COMMONERS being with him.

Coriolanus	Hail lords! I am returned your soldier,
	No more infected with my country's love
	Than when I parted hence, but still subsisting
	Under your great command. You are to know
	That prosperously I have attempted and
	With bloody passage led your wars even to
	The gates of Rome. Our spoils we have brought home
	Doth more than counterpoise a full third part
	The charges of the action. We have made peace
	With no less honour to the Antiates
	Than shame to the Romans; and we here deliver,
	Subscribed by the Consuls and patricians,
	Together with the seal o'th' Senate, what
	We have compounded on.

Aufidius							Read it not, noble lords;
	But tell the traitor in the highest degree
	He hath abused your powers.

Coriolanus	Traitor? How now?

Aufidius						Ay, traitor, Martius.

Coriolanus										Martius?

Aufidius	Ay, Martius, Caius Martius. Dost thou think
	I'll grace thee with that robbery, thy stol'n name
	Coriolanus, in Corioles?
	You lords and heads o'th' state, perfidiously
	He has betrayed your business, and given up,
	For certain drops of salt, your city Rome,
	I say 'your city', to his wife and mother;
	Breaking his oath and resolution like
	A twist of rotten silk, never admitting
	Counsel o'th' war, but at his nurse's tears
	He whined and roared away your victory,
	That pages blushed at him, and men of heart
	Looked wond'ring each at others.

Coriolanus										Hear'st thou, Mars?

Aufidius	Name not the god, thou boy of tears.

Coriolanus									Ha!

Aufidius	No more.

Coriolanus	Measureless liar, thou hast made my heart
	Too great for what contains it. 'Boy'? O slave!
	Pardon me, lords, 'tis the first time that ever
	I was forced to scold. Your judgements, my grave lords,
	Must give this cur the lie: and his own notion-
	Who wears my stripes impressed upon him, that
	Must bear my beating to his grave - shall join
	To thrust the lie unto him.

1st Lord	Peace, both, and hear me speak.

Coriolanus	Cut me to pieces, Volsces; men and lads,
	Stain all your edges on me. Boy? - false hound!
	If you have writ your annals true, 'tis there,
	That like an eagle in a dove-cote, I
	Fluttered your Volscians in Corioles.
	Alone I did it. Boy?

Aufidius							Why, noble lords,
	Will you be put in mind of his blind fortune,
	Which was your shame, by this unholy braggart,
	'Fore your own eyes and ears?

Conspirators									Let him die for't.

All People	Tear him to pieces. Do it presently. He killed my son - My 
	daughter. - He killed my cousin Marcus. - He killed my 
	father.

2nd Lord	Peace, ho! No outrage; peace!
	The man is noble, and his fame folds in
	This orb o'th' earth. His last offences to us
	Shall have judicious hearing. Stand, Aufidius,
	And trouble not the peace.

Coriolanus									O that I had him,
	With six Aufidiuses or more, his tribe,
	To use my lawful sword!

Aufidius								Insolent villain!

Conspirators	Kill, kill, kill, kill, kill him!
			 [CONSPIRATORS draw, and kill CORIOLANUS, who falls.
												AUFIDIUS stands on him.

Lords									Hold, hold, hold, hold!

Aufidius	My noble masters, hear me speak.

1st Lord										O Tullus!

2nd Lord	Thou hast done a deed whereat valour will weep.

3rd Lord	Tread not upon him. Masters all, be quiet;
	Put up your swords.

Aufidius	My lords, when you shall know - as in this rage,
	Provoked by him, you cannot - the great danger
	Which this man's life did owe you, you'll rejoice
	That he is thus cut off. Please it your honours
	To call me to your Senate, I'll deliver
	Myself your loyal servant or endure
	Your heaviest censure.

1st Lord							Bear from hence his body;
	And mourn you for him. Let him be regarded
	As the most noble corse that ever herald
	Did follow to his urn.

2nd Lord									His own impatience
	Takes from Aufidius a great part of blame.
	Let's make the best of it.

Aufidius								My rage is gone,
	And I am struck with sorrow. Take him up.
	Help, three o'th' chiefest soldiers; I'll be one.
	Beat thou the drum that it speak mournfully;
	Trail your steel pikes. Though in this city he
	Hath widowed and unchilded many a one,
	Which to this hour bewail the injury,
	Yet he shall have a noble memory.
	Assist.
								[Exeunt bearing the body of MARTIUS.
												A dead march sounded.
