Coriolanus (2014)

Mark Gatiss: Menenius

Quotes 

• Coriolanus : You are plebeians if they be senators! They choose their magistrates and such a one as she, who puts her 'shall'- her popular 'shall' - against a graver bench than ever frowned in Greece. By Jove herself, it makes the consuls base, and my soul aches to know, when two authorities are up-neither supreme-how soon confusion may enter 'twixt the gap of both and take the one by the other. Whoever gave the consul, to give forth the corn of the store-house gratis, as 'twas used sometime in Greece...

  Menenius : Well, well. We'll have no more of that.

  Coriolanus : ...though there the people had more absolute power, I say they nourished disobedience, fed the ruin of the state...

  Brutus : Why should the people give one that speaks thus their voices?

  Coriolanus : I'll give my reasons! More worthier than their voices! They know the corn was not our recompense, resting well assured that never did service for it. Being pressed to the war, even when the navel of the state was touched, they would not thread the gates. This kind of service did not deserve corn gratis. Being in the war, their mutinies and revolts, wherein they showed most valour, spoke not for them. The accusation they have often made against the senate - all cause unborn - could never be the motice of our so frank donation. Well, what then? How shall this bosom multiplied digest the senate's courtesy? Let deeds express what's like to be their words.

  [Coriolanus takes a pompous stand] 

  Coriolanus : 'We did request it, we are the greater poll; and in true fear they gave us our demands.' Thus we debase the nature of our seats and make the rabble call our cares fears, which will in time break ope the locks of the senate and bring in the crows to peck the eagles.

  Menenius : Come, enough!

  Brutus : Enough! with overmeasure.

  Coriolanus : No! Take more! What may be sworn by, both divine and human, seal with I end withal.

  [Coriolanus slams his hand down and addresses crowd] 

  Coriolanus : This double worship, where one part disdain with cause, the other insult without all reason. Where gentry, title, wisdom, cannot conclude but by the yea or no of general ignorance. It must omit real necessities, and give way the while to unstable slightness. Purpose so barred, it follows, nothing is done to purpose. Therefore, beseech you - you that would be more cowardly than wise, that love the fundamental part of the state more than you fear the change on it, and prefer a noble life before a long: pluck out the multitudinous tongue, let them not lick the sweet which is their poison. Your! dishonour mangles true judgment and bereaves the state of that integrity which shall become it. Not having the power to do the good it would for the ill which doth control it.

  Brutus : Has said enough.

  Sicinia : He has spoken like a traitor, and shall answer as traitors do!

• Menenius : I tell you, friends, most charitable care have the patricians of you and you slander the helms o' the state, who care for you like fathers, when you curse them as enemies.

  Emsemble : Care for us! They never cared for us yet: they suffer us to famish, and their store-houses crammed with grain. Repeal daily any wholesome act established against the rich to provide more piercing statues daily, to chain up and restrain the poor.

• Menenius : You blame Martius for being proud.

  Brutus : We do it not alone, sir.

  Menenius : I know you can do very little alone; for your helps are many, or else your actions would grow wondrous single: your abilities are too infant-like for doing much alone. You talk of pride: O that you could turn your eyes toward the napes of your necks, and make but an interior of your good selves. O that you could.

  Brutus : What then, sir?

  Menenius : Why, then you should discover a brace of unmeriting, proud, violent, testy magistrates, alias fools, as any in Rome.

• Menenius : Is he not wounded? He was wont to come home wounded.

  Virgilia : O, no, no, no.

  Volumnia : O, he is wounded. I thank the gods for it.

  Menenius : So do I too, if it be not too much. Brings he victory in his pocket, the wounds become him.

  Volumnia : On his brows, Menenius, he comes the third time home with the oaken garland.

  Menenius : Is the senate possessed of this?

  Volumnia : Good ladies, let's go... Yes, yes, yes, the senate has letters from the general in which he gives *my son* the whole name of the war. He has in this action outdone his former deeds doubly.

  Menenius : God save your good worships, Martius is coming home. He has cause to be proud. Where is he wounded?

  Volumnia : In the shoulder and in the left arm. There will be large cicatrices to show the people, when he shall stand for his place. He received in the repulse of Tarquin seven hurts in the body.

  Menenius : One in the neck and two in the thigh, there's nine that I know.

  Volumnia : He had, before this last expedition, twenty-five wounds upon him!

  Menenius : Now it's twenty-seven. Every gash was an enemy's grave.

  [Drums beat] 

  Menenius : Hark, the drums.

  Volumnia : These are the ushers of Martius. Before him he carries noise, and behind him he leaves tears. Death, that dark spirit, in his nervy arm doth lie, which being advances, declines, and then men die...

• [Coriolanus picks up Brutus and tosses him from the podium] 

  Coriolanus : For the mutable, rank-scented many, let them regard me as I do not flatter, and therein behold themselves. I say again, in soothing them, we nourish against our senate the cockle of rebellion, insolence, sedition, which we ourselves have ploughed for, sowed, and scattered by mingling *them* with *us*, the honoured numbered, who lack not virtue, no, nor power, but that which they have given to beggars.

  Menenius : Well, not more!

  Valeria : We beg you, no more words, pray.

  Coriolanus : How now, no more? As for my country, I have shed my blood, not fearing outward force, so shall my lungs coin words till their decay against those measles, which we disdain, should tatter us, yet sought the very way to catch them.

  Brutus : You speak of the people as if you were a god to punish.

  Sicinia : 'Twere well we let the people know it.

  Menenius : What, what? His choler?

  Coriolanus : Choler! Were I as patient as the midnight sleep, by Jove, 'twould be my mind.

  Sicinia : It is a mind that *shall* remain a poison where it is, not a poison any further.

  Coriolanus : 'Shall remain'? Hear you this Triton of the minnows? Mark you hear her absolute 'shall'?

  Cominius : 'Twas from the canon.

  Coriolanus : 'Shall'? O good but most unwise patricians. Why, you grave but reckless senators have you thus given...

  [Coriolanus drops to the floor, picking up vouchers] 

  Coriolanus : ...Hydra here to choose an officer that with peremptory 'shall', being but the horn and noise of the monster's, wants not spirit say she'll turn your current in a ditch, and make your channels hers? If she have power, then vail your ignorance. If none, awake your dangerous lenity. If you are learned, be not as common fools. If you are not, let them have cushions by you.

  [Coriolanus throws the vouchers at Sicinia]