Coriolanus Translation Act 4, Scene 6
Enter SICINIUS and BRUTUS
SICINIUS
We hear not of him, neither need we fear him; His remedies are tame i' 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 pestering streets than see Our tradesmen with in their shops and going About their functions friendly.
SICINIUS
We hear no news of him, and we shouldn't fear him. He can't do anything while the people are peaceful and quiet, when before they were rioting. We make his friends blush that everything is going so well; they would rather have crowds of dissenting people in the streets, even if it caused them problems, than they would see our tradesmen in their shops doing their jobs happily.
BRUTUS
We stood to't in good time.
BRUTUS
We did the right thing at the right time.
Enter MENENIUS
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Is this Menenius?
BRUTUS
Is this Menenius?
SICINIUS
'Tis he,'tis he: O, he is grown most kind of late.
SICINIUS
It's him, it's him. Oh, he's grown very kind lately.
BOTH TRIBUNES
Hail sir!
BOTH TRIBUNES
Hello there!
MENENIUS
Hail to you both!
MENENIUS
Hello to you both!
SICINIUS
Your Coriolanus Is not much miss'd, but with his friends: The commonwealth doth stand, and so would do, Were he more angry at it.
SICINIUS
No one but his friends seem to miss your Coriolanus. The commonwealth stands, and would even were he more angry at it.
MENENIUS
All's well; and might have been much better, ifHe could have temporized.
MENENIUS
All is well. It might have been much better, though, if he could have been calmed.
SICINIUS
Where is he, hear you?
SICINIUS
Where is he, have you heard?
MENENIUS
Nay, I hear nothing: his mother and his wifeHear nothing from him.
MENENIUS
No, I have heard nothing. His mother and his wife hear nothing from him.
Enter three or four Citizens
CITIZENS
The gods preserve you both!
CITIZENS
The gods save you both!
SICINIUS
God-den, our neighbours.
SICINIUS
Good evening, neighbours.
BRUTUS
God-den to you all, god-den to you all.
BRUTUS
Good evening, good evening to you all.
FIRST CITIZEN
Ourselves, our wives, and children, on our knees,Are bound to pray for you both.
FIRST CITIZEN
We, and our wives and children, pray for you both on our knees.
SICINIUS
Live, and thrive!
SICINIUS
Live, and thrive!
BRUTUS
Farewell, kind neighbours: we wish'd CoriolanusHad loved you as we did.
BRUTUS
Farewell, kind neighbors. We wish Coriolanus had loved you as we did!
CITIZENS
Now the gods keep you!
CITIZENS
Gods bless you!
BOTH TRIBUNES
Farewell, farewell.
BOTH TRIBUNES
Good-bye, good-bye.
Exeunt Citizens
SICINIUS
This is a happier and more comely timeThan when these fellows ran about the streets,Crying confusion.
SICINIUS
People are happier and more prosperous now than when these sort of people ran around in the street, rioting.
BRUTUS
Caius Marcius was A worthy officer i' the war; but insolent, O'ercome with pride, ambitious past all thinking, Self-loving,—
BRUTUS
Caius Marcius was a worthy officer in the war, but he was also insolent, overcome with pride, ambitious beyond imagination, self-absorbed—
SICINIUS
And affecting one sole throne,Without assistance.
SICINIUS
And he desired complete power.
MENENIUS
I think not so.
MENENIUS
I do not think so.
SICINIUS
We should by this, to all our lamentation,If he had gone forth consul, found it so.
SICINIUS
Well, had he become consul, we would have found that he did want complete power, and then much to our dismay.
BRUTUS
The gods have well prevented it, and RomeSits safe and still without him.
BRUTUS
The gods have done well to prevent that, and Rome sits safe and sound without him.
Enter an AEdile
AEDILE
Worthy tribunes, There is a slave, whom we have put in prison, Reports, the Volsces with two several powers Are enter'd in the Roman territories, And with the deepest malice of the war Destroy what lies before 'em.
Guard
Worthy tribunes: there is a slave in prison reporting that the Volsces have entered Roman territories with several battalions, and with the deep hatred of war, destroy everything that lies before them.
MENENIUS
'Tis Aufidius, Who, hearing of our Marcius' banishment, Thrusts forth his horns again into the world; Which were inshell'd when Marcius stood for Rome, And durst not once peep out.
MENENIUS
It must be Aufidius. He's heard of Marcius' banishment, and now he flexes his muscles; when Marcius stood to protect Rome, he wouldn't have dared to peep out of his hole.
SICINIUS
Come, what talk youOf Marcius?
SICINIUS
What? Why are you talking about Marcius?
BRUTUS
Go see this rumourer whipp'd. It cannot beThe Volsces dare break with us.
BRUTUS
Go make sure this gossiping prisoner gets whipped. There's no way the Volsces would dare to fight with us.
MENENIUS
Cannot be! We have record that very well it can, And three examples of the like have 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.
MENENIUS
No way! We have every reason to believe there is a way, and there are three examples of it within my lifetime. Just talk to the prisoner before you punish him. Find out where he heard this, or you will risk losing information and beating a messenger who warns us for good reason.
SICINIUS
Tell not me:I know this cannot be.
SICINIUS
Don't talk to me; I know this can't be true.
BRUTUS
Not possible.
BRUTUS
It's not possible.
Enter a Messenger
MESSENGER
The nobles in great earnestness are goingAll to the senate-house: some news is comeThat turns their countenances.
MESSENGER
The nobles are all going to the senate with great urgency. Some news has come which made them all frown.
SICINIUS
'Tis this slave;—Go whip him, 'fore the people's eyes:—his raising;Nothing but his report.
SICINIUS
It's this prisoner! Go whip him before their very eyes. He has nothing but this report.
MESSENGER
Yes, worthy sir,The slave's report is seconded; and more,More fearful, is deliver'd.
MESSENGER
Yes, worthy sir, the slave's report has been backed up by another, and others, even more fearful, have been delivered.
SICINIUS
What more fearful?
SICINIUS
What do you mean, more fearful?
MESSENGER
It is spoke freely out of many mouths— How probable I do not know— that Marcius, Join'd with Aufidius, leads a power 'gainst Rome, And vows revenge as spacious as between The young'st and oldest thing.
MESSENGER
All the people are saying—I don't know if it's true—that Marcius has joined forces with Aufidius to lead an army against Rome, vowing revenge as spacious as between the youngest and oldest things.
SICINIUS
This is most likely!
SICINIUS
Yeah, right!
BRUTUS
Raised only, that the weaker sort may wishGood Marcius home again.
BRUTUS
This rumor has been spread only so that weak people will wish to have good Marcius home again.
SICINIUS
The very trick on't.
SICINIUS
That's the trick of it.
MENENIUS
This is unlikely:He and Aufidius can no more atoneThan violentest contrariety.
MENENIUS
This news is unlikely. He and Aufidius could never work together, no more than the most violent opposites.
Enter a second Messenger
SECOND MESSENGER
You are sent for to the senate: A fearful army, led by Caius Marcius Associated with Aufidius, rages Upon our territories; and have already O'erborne their way, consumed with fire, and took What lay before them.
SECOND MESSENGER
The senate sends for you. A fearful army, led by Caius Marcius, who is allied with Aufidius, rages upon our territories. They have already crushed everyone in their path, burned towns and villages, and took everything that lay before them.
Enter COMINIUS
COMINIUS
O, you have made good work!
COMINIUS
[To the TRIBUNES] Oh, look what you have done!
MENENIUS
What news? what news?
MENENIUS
What's the news?
COMINIUS
You have holp to ravish your own daughters andTo melt the city leads upon your pates,To see your wives dishonour'd to your noses,—
COMINIUS
[To the TRIBUNES] You have helped to rape your own daughters, to melt the city's lead roofs down onto your heads, and to see your wives raped while you watch.
MENENIUS
What's the news? what's the news?
MENENIUS
What's the news? What's the news?
COMINIUS
Your temples burned in their cement, andYour franchises, whereon you stood, confinedInto an auger's bore.
COMINIUS
[Ignoring MENENIUS, still directed at the TRIBUNES] Your temples will burn on their foundations, and your freedoms, on which you so insisted, made into machinery of your own misery.
MENENIUS
Pray now, your news?You have made fair work, I fear me.—Pray, your news?—If Marcius should be join'd with Volscians,—
MENENIUS
[To COMINIUS] Pray now, what news? [To the TRIBUNES] You have done something terrible, I'm afraid. Please, your news? If Marcius has joined with the Volscians—
COMINIUS
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.
COMINIUS
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, children that we are, with all the confidence of boys pursuing summer butterflies, or butchers killing flies.
MENENIUS
You have made good work, You and your apron-men; you that stood so up much on the voice of occupation and The breath of garlic-eaters!
MENENIUS
You've done it now, you and your lowly laborers, you tribunes that carried on about the votes of the working, garlic-eating common man!
COMINIUS
He will shakeYour Rome about your ears.
COMINIUS
He will, like an earthquake, shake your Rome around your ears.
MENENIUS
As HerculesDid shake down mellow fruit.You have made fair work!
MENENIUS
As Hercules did shake down ripened fruit. You've done it now!
BRUTUS
But is this true, sir?
BRUTUS
But is this true, sir?
COMINIUS
Ay; and you'll look pale Before you find it other. All the regions Do smilingly revolt; and who resist Are mock'd for valiant ignorance, And perish constant fools. Who is't can blame him? Your enemies and his find something in him.
COMINIUS
Yes, and you'll look pale before you find it false. All our territories willingly revolt against Rome, and the ones that resist are mocked for their brave stupidity and then perish like fools. And who can blame him, Coriolanus? Even your enemies find something worthy in him.
MENENIUS
We are all undone, unlessThe noble man have mercy.
MENENIUS
We're all doomed, unless that noble Coriolanus will be merciful.
COMINIUS
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 show'd like enemies.
COMINIUS
Who can ask mercy of him? The disgraced tribunes cannot do it; the people deserve his pity no more than shepherds deserve the pity of a wolf. As for his best friends, if they tell him "be good to Rome," they're asking of him the same thing his enemies would ask, and so they too would show themselves to be enemies.
MENENIUS
'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!
MENENIUS
It's true. If he were burning my own house, I don't have the right to say "Please, stop." You tribunes have made something extraordinary, you and your cleverness—you've made a clever thing indeed!
COMINIUS
You have broughtA trembling upon Rome, such as was neverSo incapable of help.
COMINIUS
You have brought a trembling upon Rome, a terror which nothing can stop.
BOTH TRIBUNES
Say not we brought it.
BOTH TRIBUNES
Don't say we brought it.
MENENIUS
How! Was it we? we loved him but, like beastsAnd cowardly nobles, gave way unto your clusters,Who did hoot him out o' the city.
MENENIUS
What?! Did we bring on this terror, then? We loved him, but like dumb animals and cowardly nobles, we let you and your crowds throw him out of the city.
COMINIUS
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.
COMINIUS
I'm afraid they'll drag him in again. Tullus Aufidius, the second strongest man, obeys Coriolanus as though he were the leader. Desperation is the only plan, the only strength, and the only defense that Rome has left.
Enter a troop of Citizens
MENENIUS
Here come 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.
MENENIUS
Here come the crowds. So is Aufidius with Coriolanus?
[To the CITIZENS] You are to blame for poisoning the air when you threw your stinking greasy hats up, hooting and celebrating Coriolanus's exile. Now he's coming back, and there's not a hair on his head which will not be like a whip for your backs. He'll pay you for your voices now: as many caps as you threw up, that many heads will he cut off. But no matter. If he could burn us all into ashes and shape us into a coal, we would deserve it.
CITIZENS
Faith, we hear fearful news.
CITIZENS
Oh, that's fearful news.
FIRST CITIZEN
For mine own part,When I said, banish him, I said 'twas pity.
FIRST CITIZEN
As far as I'm concerned, when I said he had to be banished, I thought it was a shame.
SECOND CITIZEN
And so did I.
SECOND CITIZEN
And so did I.
THIRD CITIZEN
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.
THIRD CITIZEN
And so did I; to tell the truth, so did many of us. We did it because we thought it was for the best, and though we willingly agreed to his banishment, it was not what we really wanted.
COMINIUS
Ye re goodly things, you voices!
COMINIUS
[Sarcastically] You're wonderful people, you voices!
MENENIUS
You have madeGood work, you and your cry! Shall's to the Capitol?
MENENIUS
You've gone and done it now, you and your crying! Shall we go to the Capitol?
COMINIUS
O, ay, what else?
COMINIUS
Oh, yes, what else can we do?
Exeunt COMINIUS and MENENIUS
SICINIUS
Go, masters, get you home; be not dismay'd: 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.
SICINIUS
Go, sirs, go home. Don't worry. Those two are actually hoping for what they seem to be afraid of. Go home, and show no sign of fear.
FIRST CITIZEN
The gods be good to us! Come, masters, let's home.I ever said we were i' the wrong when we banishedhim.
FIRST CITIZEN
May the gods be good to us! Come, friends, lets go home. I've always said we were making a mistake to banish him.
SECOND CITIZEN
So did we all. But, come, let's home.
SECOND CITIZEN
We all did. But come on, let's go home.
Exeunt Citizens
BRUTUS
I do not like this news.
BRUTUS
I do not like this news.
SICINIUS
Nor I.
SICINIUS
Neither do I.
BRUTUS
Let's to the Capitol. Would half my wealthWould buy this for a lie!
BRUTUS
Let's get to the Capitol. I'd give half of what I own for this to be a lie!
SICINIUS
Pray, let us go.
SICINIUS
Yeah, let's go.
Exeunt
