QUOTES FROM THE BARD

PLAY: Coriolanus
ACT/SCENE: 3.3
SPEAKER: Sicinius
CONTEXT:
SICINIUS
Have you a catalogue
Of all the voices that we have procured
Set down by the poll?
AEDILE
I have; ’tis ready.
SICINIUS
Have you collected them by tribes?
AEDILE
I have.
SICINIUS
Assemble presently the people hither;
And when they bear me say ‘It shall be so
I’ the right and strength o’ the commons,’ be it either
For death, for fine, or banishment, then let them
If I say fine, cry ‘Fine;’ if death, cry death.’
Insisting on the old prerogative
And power i’ the truth o’ the cause.
AEDILE
I shall inform them.
BRUTUS
And when such time they have begun to cry,
Let them not cease, but with a din confused
Enforce the present execution
Of what we chance to sentence.

DUTCH:
Roep het volk dan daad’lijk hier;
En hooren zij mij zeggen: „Zoo zal ‘t zijn,
Naar recht en eisch van ‘t volk,” hetzij een boete,
Dood of verbanning, laat hen „boete” roepen
Wanneer ik „boete” zeg; „dood “, zeg ik „dood”
Dit vord’rend krachtens onze aloude rechten
En onze goede zaak.

MORE:
Catalogue=Record
Voices=Votes
By the poll=By name
Tribes=Votes were cast by tribe (each tribe having one vote for the favoured person of that tribe)
Old prerogative=Traditional right
Compleat:
Catalogue=Een lyst, naamrol, naamlyst, register
Voice=Stem, recht van stemmen
Poll=Alle de naamen der geenen die een stem in ‘t verkiezen hebben opneemen
Tribe=(A kindred or company of people that dwells together in the same ward or liberty): Stam, gedeete van een gantsch volk; soort
Prerogative=Een voorrecht

Burgersdijk notes:
En naar de wijken opgemaakt, nietwaar? In ‘t Engelsch: Have you collected then by tribes? Plutarchus moge hier opheldering geven: And first of all, the tribunes would in any case (whatsoever came of it) that the people should proceed to give their voices by tribes, and not by hundreds, for by this means the multitude of the poor needy people — — came to be of greater force — because their voices were numbered by the poll — than the noble honest citizens etc.

Topics: leadership, independence, free will, intellect

PLAY: Coriolanus
ACT/SCENE: 2.1
SPEAKER: Brutus
CONTEXT:
BRUTUS
What’s the matter?
MESSENGER
You are sent for to the Capitol. ‘Tis thought
That Marcius shall be consul:
I have seen the dumb men throng to see him and
The blind to hear him speak: matrons flung gloves,
Ladies and maids their scarfs and handkerchers,
Upon him as he pass’d: the nobles bended,
As to Jove’s statue, and the commons made
A shower and thunder with their caps and shouts:
I never saw the like.
BRUTUS
Let’s to the Capitol;
And carry with us ears and eyes for the time,
But hearts for the event.
SICINIUS
Have with you.

DUTCH:
Ik zag doofstommen
In ‘t dicht gedrang om hem te zien, en blinden
Om hem te hooren spreken.

MORE:
Bended=Bowed
Commons=Commoners
Hearts for=Keep in our hearts
Event=The matter in hand, enterprise, plan
Have with you=I agree, I’m with you
Compleat
To bend=Buigen, krommen, aanspannen
The common (vulgar) people=Het gemeene Volk
To be heart and hand for a thing=Van ganscher harte tot iets geneegen zyn

Topics: leadership, independence, free will, intellect