coriolanus(科利奥兰纳斯)-第16章
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CORIOLANUS
ACT V。
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CORIOLANUS
SCENE I。 Rome。 A public place
Enter MENENIUS； COMINIUS； SICINIUS and BRUTUS； the two
Tribunes； with others
MENENIUS。 No； I'll not go。 You hear what he hath said Which was
sometime his general； who lov'd him In a most dear particular。 He call'd
me father； But what o' that？ Go； you that banish'd him： A mile before his
tent fall down； and knee The way into his mercy。 Nay； if he coy'd To hear
Cominius speak； I'll keep at home。 COMINIUS。 He would not seem to
know me。 MENENIUS。 Do you hear？ COMINIUS。 Yet one time he did
call me by my name。 I urg'd our old acquaintance； and the drops That we
have bled together。 'Coriolanus' He would not answer to； forbid all names；
He was a kind of nothing； titleless； Till he had forg'd himself a name i' th'
fire Of burning Rome。 MENENIUS。 Why； so！ You have made good work。
A pair of tribunes that have wrack'd for Rome To make coals cheap… a
noble memory！ COMINIUS。 I minded him how royal 'twas to pardon
When it was less expected； he replied； It was a bare petition of a state To
one whom they had punish'd。 MENENIUS。 Very well。 Could he say less？
COMINIUS。 I offer'd to awaken his regard For's private friends； his
answer to me was； He could not stay to pick them in a pile Of noisome
musty chaff。 He said 'twas folly； For one poor grain or two； to leave
unburnt And still to nose th' offence。 MENENIUS。 For one poor grain or
two！ I am one of those。 His mother； wife； his child； And this brave fellow
too… we are the grains： You are the musty chaff； and you are smelt Above
the moon。 We must be burnt for you。 SICINIUS。 Nay； pray be patient； if
you refuse your aid In this so never…needed help； yet do not Upbraid's with
our distress。 But sure； if you Would be your country's pleader； your good
tongue； More than the instant army we can make； Might stop our
countryman。 MENENIUS。 No； I'll not meddle。 SICINIUS。 Pray you go to
him。 MENENIUS。 What should I do？ BRUTUS。 Only make trial what
your love can do For Rome； towards Marcius。 MENENIUS。 Well； and say
that Marcius Return me； as Cominius is return'd； Unheard… what then？ But
as a discontented friend； grief…shot With his unkindness？ Say't be so？
SICINIUS。 Yet your good will Must have that thanks from Rome after the
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measure As you intended well。 MENENIUS。 I'll undertake't； I think he'll
hear me。 Yet to bite his lip And hum at good Cominius much unhearts me。
He was not taken well： he had not din'd； The veins unfill'd； our blood is
cold； and then We pout upon the morning； are unapt To give or to forgive；
but when we have stuff'd These pipes and these conveyances of our blood
With wine and feeding； we have suppler souls Than in our priest…like fasts。
Therefore I'll watch him Till he be dieted to my request； And then I'll set
upon him。 BRUTUS。 You know the very road into his kindness And
cannot lose your way。 MENENIUS。 Good faith； I'll prove him； Speed how
it will。 I shall ere long have knowledge Of my success。 Exit COMINIUS。
He'll never hear him。 SICINIUS。 Not？ COMINIUS。 I tell you he does sit
in gold； his eye Red as 'twould burn Rome； and his injury The gaoler to his
pity。 I kneel'd before him； 'Twas very faintly he said 'Rise'； dismiss'd me
Thus with his speechless hand。 What he would do； He sent in writing after
me； what he would not； Bound with an oath to yield to his conditions； So
that all hope is vain； Unless his noble mother and his wife； Who； as I hear；
mean to solicit him For mercy to his country。 Therefore let's hence； And
with our fair entreaties haste them on。 Exeunt
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SCENE II。 The Volscian camp before Rome
Enter MENENIUS to the WATCH on guard
FIRST WATCH。 Stay。 Whence are you？ SECOND WATCH。 Stand；
and go back。 MENENIUS。 You guard like men； 'tis well； but； by your
leave； I am an officer of state and come To speak with Coriolanus。 FIRST
WATCH。 From whence？ MENENIUS。 From Rome。 FIRST WATCH。 You
may not pass； you must return。 Our general Will no more hear from thence。
SECOND WATCH。 You'll see your Rome embrac'd with fire before You'll
speak with Coriolanus。 MENENIUS。 Good my friends； If you have heard
your general talk of Rome And of his friends there； it is lots to blanks My
name hath touch'd your ears： it is Menenius。 FIRST WATCH。 Be it so； go
back。 The virtue of your name Is not here passable。 MENENIUS。 I tell
thee； fellow； Thy general is my lover。 I have been The book of his good
acts whence men have read His fame unparallel'd haply amplified； For I
have ever verified my friends… Of whom he's chief… with all the size that
verity Would without lapsing suffer。 Nay； sometimes； Like to a bowl upon
a subtle ground； I have tumbled past the throw； and in his praise Have
almost stamp'd the leasing； therefore； fellow； I must have leave to pass。
FIRST WATCH。 Faith； sir； if you had told as many lies in his behalf as you
have uttered words in your own； you should not pass here； no； though it
were as virtuous to lie as to live chastely。 Therefore go back。 MENENIUS。
Prithee； fellow； remember my name is Menenius； always factionary on the
party of your general。 SECOND WATCH。 Howsoever you have been his
liar； as you say you have； I am one that； telling true under him； must say
you cannot pass。 Therefore go back。 MENENIUS。 Has he din'd； canst thou
tell？ For I would not speak with him till after dinner。 FIRST WATCH。 You
are a Roman； are you？ MENENIUS。 I am as thy general is。 FIRST
WATCH。 Then you should hate Rome； as he does。 Can you； when you
have push'd out your gates the very defender of them； and in a violent
popular ignorance given your enemy your shield； think to front his
revenges with the easy groans of old women； the virginal palms of your
daughters； or with the palsied intercession of such a decay'd dotant as you
seem to be？ Can you think to blow out the intended fire your city is ready
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to flame in with such weak breath as this？ No； you are deceiv'd； therefore
back to Rome and prepare for your execution。 You are condemn'd； our
general has sworn you out of reprieve and pardon。 MENENIUS。 Sirrah； if
thy captain knew I were here； he would use me with estimation。 FIRST
WATCH。 Come； my captain knows you not。 MENENIUS。 I mean thy
general。 FIRST WATCH。 My general cares not for you。 Back； I say； go；
lest I let forth your half pint of blood。 Back… that's the utmost of
your having。 Back。 MENENIUS。 Nay； but fellow； fellow…
Enter CORIOLANUS with AUFIDIUS
CORIOLANUS。 What's the matter？ MENENIUS。 Now； you
companion； I'll say an errand for you； you shall know now that I am in
estimation； you shall perceive that a Jack guardant cannot office me from
my son Coriolanus。 Guess but by my entertainment with him if thou
stand'st not i' th' state of hanging； or of some death more long in
spectatorship and crueller in suffering； behold now presently； and swoon
for what's to come upon thee。 The glorious gods sit in hourly synod about
thy particular prosperity； and love thee no worse than thy old father
Menenius does！ O my son！ my son！ thou art preparing fire for us； look
thee； here's water to quench it。 I was hardly moved to come to thee； but
being assured none but myself could move thee； I have been blown out of
your gates with sighs； and conjure thee to pardon Rome and thy
petitionary countrymen。 The good gods assuage thy wrath； and turn the
dregs of it upon this varlet here； this； who； like a block； hath denied my
access to thee。 CORIOLANUS。 Away！ MENENIUS。 How！ away！
CORIOLANUS。 Wife； mother； child； I know not。 My affairs Are servanted
to others。 Though I owe My revenge properly； my remission lies In
Volscian breasts。 That we have been familiar； Ingrate forgetfulness shall
poison rather Than pity note how much。 Therefore be gone。 Mine ears
against your suits are stronger than Your gates against my force。 Yet； for I
lov'd thee； Take this along； I writ it for thy sake ＇Gives a letter＇ And would
have sent it。 Another word； Menenius； I will not hear thee speak。 This man；
Aufidius； Was my belov'd in Rome； yet thou behold'st。 AUFIDIUS。 You
keep a constant temper。 Exeunt CORIOLANUS and Aufidius FIRST
WATCH。 Now； sir； is your name Menenius？ SECOND WATCH。 'Tis a
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spell； you see； of much power！ You know the way home again。 FIRST
WATCH。 Do you hear how we are shent for keeping your greatness back？
SECOND WATCH。 What cause； do you think； I have to swoon？
MENENIUS。 I neither care for th' world nor your general； for such things
as you； I can scarce think there's any； y'are so slight。 He that hath a will to
die by himself fears it not from another。 Let your general do his worst。 For
you； be that you are； long； and your misery increase with your age！ I say
to you； as I was said to： Away！ Exit FIRST WATCH。 A noble fellow； I
warrant him。 SECOND WATCH。 The worthy fellow is our general； he's
the rock； the oak not to be wind…shaken。 Exeunt
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SCENE III。 The tent of CORIOLANUS
Enter CORIOLANUS； AUFIDIUS； and others
CORIOLANUS。 We will before the walls of Rome to…morrow Set
down our host。 My partner in this action； You must report to th' Volscian
lords how plainly I have borne this business。 AUFIDIUS。 Only their ends
You have re
