I think he’ll be to Rome As is the osprey to the fish
I think he’ll be to Rome
As is the osprey to the fish, who takes it
By sovereignty of nature.
Coriolanus
Written: c. 1608; Text: First Folio 1623 (Tragedy); no quarto editions
Sources: Holinshed, Raphael (c. 1528-c. 1580). The Chronicles of England, Scotland and Ireland. (2nd ed., 1587): William Baldwin ed). The Mirror for Magistrates (1559 ed.); Anonymous. Frederyke of Jennen 3rd ed., (1560); Anonymous. The Rare Triumphs of Love and Fortune (performed 158, printed 1589); Boccaccio, Giovanni (1313-75). Decameron 2nd Day, 9th story
Characters: Coriolanus (Caius Martius), Menenius Agrippa, Sicinius Velutus, Cominius, Volumnia, Tullus Aufidius, Junius Brutus, Firgilia
Setting: Rome, Corioles, Atrium
Time: 494-490 BC
Populism, Fascism and Machiavelli all appear as themes in this political drama. Even the “trickle-down” theory of economics gets its moment, but Shakespeare uses the digestive and cardiovascular systems as analogies for the distribution of wealth. The patricians are compared to the stomach that hordes the food while the plebeians are the body’s extremities, which in time will get what they need. Coriolanus is perhaps Shakespeare’s least subtle or internally conflicted tragic character.
Featured Quotes
I cannot help it now
I cannot help it now,
Unless by using means I lame the foot
Of our design. He bears himself more proudlier,
He is their god
He is their god; he leads them like a thing
Made by some other deity than Nature,
That shapes man better;
Tomorrow, today, presently; you shall have the drum strook up
Third Servingman
Tomorrow, today, presently; you shall have the drum strook up this afternoon. ’Tis, as it were,
O world, thy slippery turns!
O world, thy slippery turns! Friends now fast sworn,
Whose double bosoms seems to wear one heart,
Whose hours,
I have heard it said, the fittest time to corrupt a man’s wife
I have heard it said, the fittest time to corrupt a man’s wife is when she’s fall’n out with her husband.
Come leave your tears: a brief farewell
Come leave your tears: a brief farewell. The beast
With many heads butts me away. Nay, mother,
Where is your ancient courage?
You common cry of curs, whose breath I hate
You common cry of curs, Anaphorawhose breath I hate
SimileAs reek a’ th’ rotten fens,
Well, I must do’t
Well, I must do’t.
Away, my disposition, and possess me
Some harlot’s spirit! My throat of war be turn’d,
Go, and be rul’d
Go, and be rul’d; although I know thou hadst rather
Follow thine enemy in a fiery gulf
Than flatter him in a bower.
I have a heart as little apt as yours
I have a heart as little apt as yours,
But yet a brain that leads my use of anger
To better vantage.
His nature is too noble for the world
His nature is too noble for the world;
He would not flatter Neptune for his trident,
Or Jove for’s power to thunder.
On fair ground I could beat forty of them
Coriolanus
On fair ground
I could beat forty of them.
Menenius Agrippa
I could myself
Take up a brace o’ th’ best of them,
With a proud heart he wore his humble weeds
With a proud heart he wore his humble weeds.
Better it is to die, better to starve
Better it is to die, better to starve,
Than crave the hire which first we do deserve.
Why in this woolvish toge should I stand here
To beg of Hob and Dick,
You have been a scourge to her enemies
Fourth Roman Citizen
You have been a scourge to her enemies, you have been a rod to her friends;
And to make us no better thought of, a little help will serve
First Roman Citizen
And to make us no better thought of, a little help will serve; for once we stood up about the corn,
Our spoils he kick’d at
Our spoils he kick’d at,
And look’d upon things precious as they were
The common muck of the world.
That’s a brave fellow; but he’s vengeance proud
First Officer
That’s a brave fellow; but he’s vengeance proud, and loves not the common people.
Second Officer
Faith,
You are sent for to the Capitol
You are sent for to the Capitol. ’Tis thought
That Martius shall be consul.
I have seen the dumb men throng to see him,
All tongues speak of him
All tongues speak of him, and the bleared sights
Are spectacled to see himSynecdoche.
The Volsces are in arms
First Roman Senator
The Volsces are in arms.
Caius Martius
They have a leader,
What’s the matter, you dissentious rogues
What’s the matter, you dissentious rogues,
That rubbing the poor itch of your opinion
Make yourselves scabsMetaphor?…
There was a time when all the body’s members
Menenius Agrippa
There was a time when all the body’s members
Rebell’d against the belly; thus accus’d it:
That only like a gulf it did remain
I’ th’ midst a’ th’ body,
We are accounted poor citizens, the patricians good
We are accounted poor citizens, the patricians goodEllipsis. What authority surfeits on would relieve us.