The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated) (792 page)

To gratify his noble service that

in defending his country. Therefore,

Hath thus stood for his country: therefore please you,

honored old men, please ask the

Most reverend and grave elders, to desire

the present consul, and former General

The present consul, and last general

in our successful war [Cominius], to tell us

In our well-found successes, to report

a little about the good work performed

A little of that worthy work perform'd

by Caius Marcius Coriolus, who

By Caius Marcius Coriolanus; whom

we are to thank and to distinguish

We met here both to thank and to remember

with honors that are as honorable as he is.

With honours like himself.

FIRST SENATOR.

Tell us, Cominius:

Speak, good Cominius:

Leave nothing out to make the story shorter, and make us think

Leave nothing out for length, and make us think

the Senate is stingy for not rewarding him rather

Rather our state's defective for requital

than that we are crazy for wanting to hear more. Tribunes,

Than we to stretch it out.--Masters o' the people,

we kindly request you to listen up. And, after you’ve heard everything,

We do request your kindest ears; and, after,  

that you use your influence on the common people

Your loving motion toward the common body,

to convince them to approve what we say here.

To yield what passes here.

SICINIUS.

We came here

We are convented

to have a pleasant discussion, and we are

Upon a pleasing treaty; and have hearts

inclined to endorse

Inclinable to honour and advance

the ideas that come out of this meeting.

The theme of our assembly.

BRUTUS.

And we will happily

Which the rather

say so soon, as long as he decides

We shall be bless'd to do, if he remember

that the common people are of more value than

A kinder value of the people than

he has thought until now.

He hath hereto priz'd them at.

MENENIUS.

That’s besides the point.

That's off, that's off;

I wish you had kept your mouths shut. Would you like

I would you rather had been silent. Please you

to hear Cominius speak?

To hear Cominius speak?

BRUTUS.

Yes, willingly.

Most willingly.

But what I said was more relevant

But yet my caution was more pertinent

than you say it is.

Than the rebuke you give it.

MENENIUS.

He loves the people;

He loves your people;

but you can’t force him get into bed with them.

But tie him not to be their bedfellow.--

Cominius, please speak.

Worthy Cominius, speak.

[CORIOLANUS rises, and offers to go away.]  

No, stay put.

Nay, keep your place.

FIRST SENATOR.

Sit down, Coriolanus, don’t be ashamed to hear

Sit, Coriolanus; never shame to hear

about the great things you’ve done.

What you have nobly done.

CORIOLANUS.

I’m sorry.

Your Honours' pardon:

I would rather get wounded all over again

I had rather have my wounds to heal again

than hear about how I got them.

Than hear say how I got them.

BRUTUS.

I hope

Sir, I hope

my words didn’t make you stand up.

My words disbench'd you not.

CORIOLANUS.

No, but often,

No, sir; yet oft,

where I stayed to fight, I ran away to avoid people talking.

When blows have made me stay, I fled from words.

You didn’t truy to flatter me, so it didn’t bother me. But as for the people,

You sooth'd not, therefore hurt not: but your people,

I love them as much as their worth.

I love them as they weigh.

MENENIUS.

Please, sit down.

Pray now, sit down.

CORIOLANUS.

I would rather sit around and scratch myself in the sun

I had rather have one scratch my head i' the sun

when the call came for war, than sit idly by

When the alarum were struck, than idly sit

and hear my small deeds described as marvels.

To hear my nothings monster'd.  

[Exit.]

MENENIUS.

Tribunes,

Masters o' the people,

how can he flatter your expanding horde—

Your multiplying spawn how can he flatter,--

there’s one good out of a thousand—when as you can see

That's thousand to one good one,--when you now see

that he would rather risk his life for honor

He had rather venture all his limbs for honour  

than one of his ears to hear about it? Go ahead, Cominius.

Than one on's ears to hear it?--Proceed, Cominius.

COMINIUS.

My voice won’t be strong enough: the actions of Coriolanus

I shall lack voice: the deeds of Coriolanus

should not be told in a weak voice. It is believed

Should not be utter'd feebly.--It is held

that bravery is the most important virtue and

That valour is the chiefest virtue, and

gives most dignity those who posses it. If that is the case,

Most dignifies the haver: if it be,

Coriolanus has only one equal in

The man I speak of cannot in the world

the history of the world. At the age of 16,

Be singly counterpois'd. At sixteen years,

when Tarquin [last king of Rome] raised army against Rome, he fought

When Tarquin made a head for Rome, he fought

better than all the others. Our then dictator [military leader],

Beyond the mark of others; our then dictator,

whom I also praise, saw him fight,

Whom with all praise I point at, saw him fight,

when, with his girlish, beardless chin he scattered

When with his Amazonian chin he drove

all the grown men he fought against. Tarquin stood over

The bristled lips before him: he bestrid

a defeated Roman and while the dictator watched

An o'erpress'd Roman and i' the consul's view

he killed three opponents. The dictator fought Tarquin

Slew three opposers: Tarquin's self he met,

man to man, and Tarquin brought him to his knees. In that battle,

And struck him on his knee: in that day's feats,

when he might have fought like a woman,

When he might act the woman in the scene,

he turned out to be the best man on the field,

He proved best man i' the field, and for his meed

and was rewarded with the oak wreath honor.

Was brow-bound with the oak. His pupil age

The boy became a man that day, and he grew like the rising tide.

Man-enter'd thus, he waxed like a sea;

And in the 17 other battles he fought in

And in the brunt of seventeen battles since  

he was always the best. As for Coriolanus,

He lurch'd all swords of the garland. For this last,

in Corioles and all previous battles, let me say,

Before and in Corioli, let me say,

I cannot find words to express how great he was. He stopped the deserters,

I cannot speak him home: he stopp'd the fliers;

and his brave example made the cowards

And by his rare example made the coward

stop being afraid start having fun. Like seaweed

Turn terror into sport: as weeds before

under a moving boat, men obeyed him

A vessel under sail, so men obey'd,

and he ran them over like a boat. His sword was deadly,

And fell below his stem: his sword,--death's stamp,--

and when it hit people, it killed them. From head to toe

Where it did mark, it took; from face to foot

he was covered in blood, and every time he moved

He was a thing of blood, whose every motion

people died. He entered Corioles alone,

Was timed with dying cries: alone he enter'd

though he should have died there, and he covered the gates

The mortal gate of the city, which he painted

with the blood of those who couldn’t escape their destiny. He escaped without help,

With shunless destiny; aidless came off,

and with renewed strength he hit

And with a sudden re-enforcement struck

Corioles like a plague. Then he had won everything,

Corioli like a planet. Now all's his:

but eventually, the noise and commotion of war began to

When, by and by, the din of war 'gan pierce

reinvigorate him, and suddenly his renewed spirit

His ready sense; then straight his doubled spirit

brought his fatigued body back to life,

Re-quick'ned what in flesh was fatigate,

and he returned to the battle, where he

And to the battle came he; where he did

ran bleeding and killing, as if

Run reeking o'er the lives of men, as if

it was a perpetual slaughter. And until we claimed

'Twere a perpetual spoil: and till we call'd  

the battle and the city for Rome he never stopped

Both field and city ours he never stood

to breathe.

To ease his breast with panting.

MENENIUS.

What a good man!

Worthy man!

FIRST SENATOR.

He will definitely live up to the honors

He cannot but with measure fit the honours

that we’ll think up for him.

 Which we devise him.

COMINIUS.

He didn’t want any of our booty,

Our spoils he kick'd at;

and he look at precious things as if they were

And looked upon things precious as they were

common muck. He wants less

The common muck of the world: he covets less

than he would have if he were poor, the only reward he

Than misery itself would give; rewards

gets are his deeds themselves, and he’s content

His deeds with doing them; and is content

to live it up in action.

To spend the time to end it.

MENENIUS.

He’s great.

He's right noble:

He should be recognized.

Let him be call'd for.

FIRST SENATOR.

Call Coriolanus.

Call Coriolanus.

OFFICER.

Here he is.

He doth appear.

[Re-enter CORIOLANUS.]

MENENIUS.

The Senate, Coriolanus, are happy

The Senate, Coriolanus, are well pleas'd

to make you a consul.

To make thee consul.

CORIOLANUS.