Coriolanus Quotes 434x4v

Coriolanus Thanks. What’s the matter, you dissentious rogues, That, rubbing the poor itch of your opinion, Make yourselves scabs? (1.1.161-164) What would you have, you curs, That like nor peace nor war? the one affrights you, The other makes you proud. He that trusts to you, Where he should find you lions, finds you hares; Where foxes, geese: you are no surer, no. (1. 1. 166-139). They have a leader, Tullus Aufidius, that will put you to’t. I sin in envying his nobility; And were I anything but what I am, I would wish me only he … Were half to half the world by th’ears, and he Upon my party, I’d revolt to make Only my wars with him. He is a lion That I am proud to hunt. (I.i.227-235) Cut me to pieces, Volsces; men and lads, Stain all your edges on me. Boy! false hound! If you have writ your annals true, ‘tis there, That, like an eagle in a dove-cote, I Flutter’d your Volscians in Corioli Alone I did it. Boy! (V.v. …)

Aufidius Let me twine Mine arms about that body, where against My grained ash an hundred times hath broke, And scarr’d the moon with splinters. Here I clip The anvil of my sword, and do contest As hotly and as nobly with thy love As ever in ambitious strength I did Content against thy valour. Know thou first, I lov’d the maid I married; never man Sigh’d truer breath; but that I see thee here, Thou noble thing, more dances my rapt heart Than when I first my wedded mistress saw Bestride my threshold. (IV.v.107-119)

Menenius

Commented [n1]: Zoomorphism, curs are unkempt mongrels.

Commented [n2]: Zoomorphism

Commented [n3]: Commented [n4]: Coriolanus states that if he wasn’t born in this life, he would want to be Aufidius. Commented [n5]: Coriolanus states that if he was to be in battle and Aufidius arrive upon his party, he would relieve himself of his current fight to be make a war with Aufidius. Their relationship holds more importance to Coriolanus than the entire war. Commented [n6]: Shakespeare uses zoomorphism, which is a common occurrence in Coriolanus’ direct speech. Coriolanus gives Aufidius a higher status than everyone else. In previous case, he refers to other soldiers are curs or diseases but not with Aufidius. This symbolises that Coriolanus and Aufidius are in a world of their own. Commented [n7]: Coriolanus is extremely angered by the fact that Aufidius called him a boy. He states that he would rather die than be called a boy. Commented [n8]: Coriolanus has degraded the status of Aufidius from a lion to a false hound (zoomorphism) in retaliation for Aufidius calling him a ‘boy’. Commented [n9]: Coriolanus says that if Aufidius has written his records of the events in the war accurately than there should be written how he single-handedly won the battle much alike when an eagle enters a dovecote, two beasts that contrast heavily.

Commented [n10]: In this quote Shakespeare illustrates that Aufidius has completed everything in his life. He is successful and has married someone he loves. Since he has done everything that society offers he is not content with his life, therefore, when he encounters Coriolanus he feels much more joy than seeing his wife in his honeymoon night. Emphasising that the relationship he has formed in battle with Coriolanus is of greater essence than his societal values.

I tell you, friends, most charitable care Have the patricians of you. For your wants, Your suffering in this dearth, you may as well Strike at the heaven with your staves as lift them Against the Roman state, whose course will on The way it takes, cracking ten thousand curbs Of more strong link asunder than can ever Appear in you impediment. For the dearth, The gods, not the patricians, make it, and Your knees to them, not arms, must help. Alack! You are transported by calamity Thither where more attends you ; and you slander The helms o’ the state, who care for you like fathers, When you curse them as enemies. (I.i.64-77) Menenius: There was a time when all the body’s Rebell’d against the belly ; thus accus’d it : That only like a gulf it did remain I’ the midst o’ the body, idle and unactive, Still cupboarding the viand, never bearing Like labour with the rest, where the other instruments Did see and hear, devise, instruct, walk, feel, And, mutually participate, did minster Unto the appetite and affection common Of the whole body. The belly answer’d, – Menenius: Sir, I shall tell you. With a kind of smile, Which ne’er came from the lungs, but even thus,– For, look you, I may make the belly smile As well as speak–it tauntingly replied To the discontented , the mutinous parts That envied his receipt ; even so most fitly, As you malign our senators for that They are not such as you (I.i.106-113) Menenius: Note me this, good friend ; Your most grave belly was deliberate, “True is it, my incorporate friends,” quoth he, “That I receive the general food at first, Which you do live upon ; and fit it is, Because I am the store-house and the shop Of the whole body : but, if you do , I send it through the rivers of your blood, Even to the court, the heart, to the seat o’ the brain ; And, through the cranks and offices of man, The strongest nerves and small inferior veins From me receive that natural competency Whereby they live. And though that all at once, You, my good friends,”—this says the bely, mark me, – (I.i.127-140) Menenius: The senators of Rome are this good belly,

And you the mutinous ; for examine Their counsels and their cares, digest things rightly Touching the weal o’ the common, you shall find No public benefit which you receive But it proceeds or comes from them to you, And no way from yourselves. What do you think, You, the great toe of this assembly. Menenius: For that, being one o’ the lowest, basest, poorest, Of this most wise rebellion, thou go’st foremost : Thou rascal, that art worse in blood to run Lead’st first to win some vantage. But make you ready your stiff bats and clubs : Rome and her rats are at the point of battle ; The one side must have bale.