QUOTES FROM THE BARD

PLAY: Coriolanus ACT/SCENE: 5.2 SPEAKER: Coriolanus CONTEXT: 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 loved thee,
Take this along; I writ it for thy sake
And would have rent it. Another word, Menenius,
I will not hear thee speak. This man, Aufidius,
Was my beloved in Rome: yet thou behold’st!
AUFIDIUS
You keep a constant temper.
FIRST SENTINEL
Now, sir, is your name Menenius?
SECOND SENTINEL
‘Tis a spell, you see, of much power: you know the
way home again.
FIRST SENTINEL
Do you hear how we are shent for keeping your
greatness back?
SECOND SENTINEL
What cause, do you think, I have to swoon?
MENENIUS
I neither care for the world nor your general: for
such things as you, I can scarce think there’s any,
ye’re 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!
FIRST “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 loved thee,
Take this along; I writ it for thy sake
And would have rent it. Another word, Menenius,
I will not hear thee speak. This man, Aufidius,
Was my beloved in Rome: yet thou behold’st!
AUFIDIUS
You keep a constant temper.
FIRST SENTINEL
Now, sir, is your name Menenius?
SECOND SENTINEL
‘Tis a spell, you see, of much power: you know the
way home again.
FIRST SENTINEL
Do you hear how we are shent for keeping your
greatness back?
SECOND SENTINEL
What cause, do you think, I have to swoon?
MENENIUS
I neither care for the world nor your general: for
such things as you, I can scarce think there’s any,
ye’re 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!
FIRST SENATOR
A noble fellow, I warrant him.
SECOND “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 loved thee,
Take this along; I writ it for thy sake
And would have rent it. Another word, Menenius,
I will not hear thee speak. This man, Aufidius,
Was my beloved in Rome: yet thou behold’st!
AUFIDIUS
You keep a constant temper.
FIRST SENTINEL
Now, sir, is your name Menenius?
SECOND SENTINEL
‘Tis a spell, you see, of much power: you know the
way home again.
FIRST SENTINEL
Do you hear how we are shent for keeping your
greatness back?
SECOND SENTINEL
What cause, do you think, I have to swoon?
MENENIUS
I neither care for the world nor your general: for
such things as you, I can scarce think there’s any,
ye’re 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!
FIRST SENTINEL
A noble fellow, I warrant him.
SECOND SENTINEL
The worthy fellow is our general: he’s the rock, the
oak not to be wind-shaken.” DUTCH: Vrouw, moeder, zoon, ik ken die niet. Mijn doen
Is and’ren dienstbaar; zij mijn wraak ook mijn,
In Volsker boezems woont mijn medelijden. MORE: Servanted=Subjected
Owe=Am owed
Remission=Forgiveness
Ingrate=Ungrateful
Rent=Torn up
Compleat:
Remission=Vergiffenis, vergeeving, quytschelding
Rent=Scheur, scheuring Topics: friendship, pity, revenge