First folio
| Modern text
| Definitions
| Key line
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| Enter Menenius to the Watch or Guard. | Enter Menenius to the Watch on guard | | Cor V.ii.1 | |
| 1. Wat. | FIRST WATCH | | | |
| Stay: whence are you. | Stay. Whence are you? | | Cor V.ii.1.1 | |
| 2. Wat. | SECOND WATCH | | | |
| Stand, and go backe. | Stand, and go back. | | Cor V.ii.1.2 | |
| Me. | MENENIUS | | | |
| You guard like men, 'tis well. But by your leaue, | You guard like men, 'tis well. But, by your leave, | | Cor V.ii.2 | |
| I am an Officer of State, & come | I am an officer of state and come | | Cor V.ii.3 | |
| to speak with Coriolanus | To speak with Coriolanus. | | Cor V.ii.4.1 | |
| 1 | FIRST WATCH | | | |
| From whence? | From whence? | | Cor V.ii.4.2 | |
| Mene. | MENENIUS | | | |
| From Rome. | From Rome. | | Cor V.ii.4.3 | |
| 1 | FIRST WATCH | | | |
| You may not passe, you must returne: our Generall | You may not pass, you must return. Our general | | Cor V.ii.5 | |
| will no more heare from thence. | Will no more hear from thence. | | Cor V.ii.6 | |
| 2 | SECOND WATCH | | | |
| You'l see your Rome embrac'd with fire, before | You'll see your Rome embraced with fire before | | Cor V.ii.7 | |
| You'l speake with Coriolanus. | You'll speak with Coriolanus. | | Cor V.ii.8.1 | |
| Mene. | MENENIUS | | | |
| Good my Friends, | Good my friends, | | Cor V.ii.8.2 | |
| If you haue heard your Generall talke of Rome, | If you have heard your general talk of Rome, | | Cor V.ii.9 | |
| And of his Friends there, it is Lots to Blankes, | And of his friends there, it is lots to blanks | lots to blanks [in a lottery] drawing of a winning ticket rather than a blank ticket | Cor V.ii.10 | |
| My name hath touch't your eares: it is Menenius. | My name hath touched your ears: it is Menenius. | | Cor V.ii.11 | |
| 1 | FIRST WATCH | | | |
| Be it so, go back: the vertue of your name, | Be it so; go back. The virtue of your name | | Cor V.ii.12 | |
| Is not heere passable. | Is not here passable. | | Cor V.ii.13.1 | |
| Mene. | MENENIUS | | | |
| I tell thee Fellow, | I tell thee, fellow, | | Cor V.ii.13.2 | |
| Thy Generall is my Louer: I haue beene | Thy general is my lover. I have been | lover (n.)companion, comrade, dear friend | Cor V.ii.14 | |
| The booke of his good Acts, whence men haue read | The book of his good acts whence men have read | | Cor V.ii.15 | |
| His Fame vnparalell'd, happely amplified: | His fame unparalleled haply amplified. | haply (adv.)perhaps, maybe, by chance, with luck | Cor V.ii.16 | |
| For I haue euer verified my Friends, | For I have ever varnished my friends – | verify (v.)support, back up, bolster | Cor V.ii.17 | |
| (Of whom hee's cheefe) with all the size that verity | Of whom he's chief – with all the size that verity | verity (n.)truth, truthfulness, veracity | Cor V.ii.18 | |
| Would without lapsing suffer: Nay, sometimes, | Would without lapsing suffer. Nay, sometimes, | lapsing (n.)slipping, collapsing, failing | Cor V.ii.19 | |
| Like to a Bowle vpon a subtle ground | Like to a bowl upon a subtle ground, | subtle, subtile (adj.)tricky, deceptive, treacherous | Cor V.ii.20 | |
| | ground (n.)green, surface, lawn | | |
| | like to / unto (conj./prep.)similar to, comparable with | | |
| I haue tumbled past the throw: and in his praise | I have tumbled past the throw, and in his praise | tumble (v.)[bowling] overshoot, move too far | Cor V.ii.21 | |
| | throw (n.)throwing distance, mark | | |
| Haue (almost) stampt the Leasing. Therefore Fellow, | Have almost stamped the leasing. Therefore, fellow, | stamp (v.)authenticate, endorse, validate | Cor V.ii.22 | |
| | leasing (n.)lie, falsehood, untruth | | |
| I must haue leaue to passe. | I must have leave to pass. | | Cor V.ii.23 | |
| 1 | FIRST WATCH | | | |
| Faith Sir, if you had told as many lies in | Faith, sir, if you had told as many lies in | | Cor V.ii.24 | |
| his behalfe, as you haue vttered words in your owne, you | his behalf as you have uttered words in your own, you | | Cor V.ii.25 | |
| should not passe heere: no, though it were as vertuous to | should not pass here; no, though it were as virtuous to | | Cor V.ii.26 | |
| lye, as to liue chastly. Therefore go backe. | lie as to live chastely. Therefore go back. | | Cor V.ii.27 | |
| Men. | MENENIUS | | | |
| Prythee fellow, remember my name is Menenius, | Prithee, fellow, remember my name is Menenius, | | Cor V.ii.28 | |
| alwayes factionary on the party of your Generall. | always factionary on the party of your general. | party (n.)side, faction, camp | Cor V.ii.29 | |
| | factionary (n.)activist, partisan, champion | | |
| 2 | SECOND WATCH | | | |
| Howsoeuer you haue bin his Lier, as | Howsoever you have been his liar, as | | Cor V.ii.30 | |
| you say you haue, I am one that telling true vnder him, | you say you have, I am one that, telling true under him, | | Cor V.ii.31 | |
| must say you cannot passe. Therefore go backe. | must say you cannot pass. Therefore, go back. | | Cor V.ii.32 | |
| Mene. | MENENIUS | | | |
| Ha's he din'd can'st thou tell? For I would not | Has he dined, canst thou tell? For I would not | | Cor V.ii.33 | |
| speake with him, till after dinner. | speak with him till after dinner. | | Cor V.ii.34 | |
| 1 | FIRST WATCH | | | |
| You are a Roman, are you? | You are a Roman, are you? | | Cor V.ii.35 | |
| Mene. | MENENIUS | | | |
| I am as thy Generall is. | I am, as thy general is. | | Cor V.ii.36 | |
| 1 | FIRST WATCH | | | |
| Then you should hate Rome, as he do's. | Then you should hate Rome, as he does. | | Cor V.ii.37 | |
| Can you, when you haue pusht out your gates, the very | Can you, when you have pushed out your gates the very | | Cor V.ii.38 | |
| Defender of them, and in a violent popular ignorance, | defender of them, and in a violent popular ignorance | ignorance (n.)negligence, obtuseness, lack of understanding | Cor V.ii.39 | |
| giuen your enemy your shield, thinke to front his reuenges | given your enemy your shield, think to front his revenges | front (v.)confront, face, meet | Cor V.ii.40 | |
| with the easie groanes of old women, the Virginall Palms of | with the easy groans of old women, the virginal palms of | easy (adj.)slight, petty, insignificant | Cor V.ii.41 | |
| | virginal (adj.)of young girls | | |
| your daughters, or with the palsied intercession of such | your daughters, or with the palsied intercession of such | | Cor V.ii.42 | |
| a decay'd Dotant as you seeme to be? Can you think to | a decayed dotant as you seem to be? Can you think to | dotant (n.)dotard, dullard, one whose mind is impaired by age | Cor V.ii.43 | |
| blow out the intended fire, your City is ready to flame in, | blow out the intended fire your city is ready to flame in | | Cor V.ii.44 | |
| with such weake breath as this? No, you are deceiu'd, | with such weak breath as this? No, you are deceived, | | Cor V.ii.45 | |
| therfore backe to Rome, and prepare for your execution: | therefore back to Rome and prepare for your execution. | | Cor V.ii.46 | |
| you are condemn'd, our Generall has sworne you out of | You are condemned, our general has sworn you out of | | Cor V.ii.47 | |
| repreeue and pardon. | reprieve and pardon. | | Cor V.ii.48 | |
| Mene. | MENENIUS | | | |
| Sirra, if thy Captaine knew I were heere, / He | Sirrah, if thy captain knew I were here, he | | Cor V.ii.49 | |
| would vse me with estimation. | would use me with estimation. | estimation (n.)esteem, respect, reputation | Cor V.ii.50 | |
| | use (v.)treat, deal with, manage | | |
| 1 | FIRST WATCH | | | |
| Come, my Captaine knowes you not. | Come, my captain knows you not. | | Cor V.ii.51 | |
| Mene. | MENENIUS | | | |
| I meane thy Generall. | I mean thy general. | | Cor V.ii.52 | |
| 1 | FIRST WATCH | | | |
| My Generall cares not for you. Back I say, | My general cares not for you. Back, I say, | | Cor V.ii.53 | |
| go: least I let forth your halfe pinte of blood. Backe, that's | go, lest I let forth your half-pint of blood. Back – that's | | Cor V.ii.54 | |
| the vt- most of your hauing, backe. | the utmost of your having. Back. | | Cor V.ii.55 | |
| Mene. | MENENIUS | | | |
| Nay but Fellow, Fellow. | Nay, but fellow, fellow – | | Cor V.ii.56 | |
| Enter Coriolanus with Auffidius. | Enter Coriolanus with Aufidius | | Cor V.ii.57 | |
| Corio. | CORIOLANUS | | | |
| What's the matter? | What's the matter? | | Cor V.ii.57 | |
| Mene. | MENENIUS | | | |
| Now you Companion: Ile say an arrant for you: | Now, you companion, I'll say an errand for | errand (n.)message, report, news | Cor V.ii.58 | |
| | say (v.)deliver, report, tell | | |
| | companion (n.)rogue, rascal, fellow | | |
| you shall know now that I am in estimation: you | you. You shall know now that I am in estimation. You | estimation (n.)esteem, respect, reputation | Cor V.ii.59 | |
| shall perceiue, that a Iacke gardant cannot office me from | shall perceive that a Jack guardant cannot office me from | office (v.)officiously withhold, use petty authority to block | Cor V.ii.60 | |
| | Jack (n.)jack-in-office, ill-mannered fellow, lout, knave | | |
| | guardant (n.)guard, protector, keeper | | |
| my Son Coriolanus, guesse but my entertainment with | my son Coriolanus. Guess but by my entertainment with | entertainment (n.)pleasant reception, favourable welcome | Cor V.ii.61 | |
| him: if thou stand'st not i'th state of hanging, or of | him. If thou stand'st not i'th' state of hanging, or of | | Cor V.ii.62 | |
| some death more long in Spectatorship, and crueller in | some death more long in spectatorship and crueller in | spectatorship (n.)presentation to onlookers, display before spectators | Cor V.ii.63 | |
| suffering, behold now presently, and swoond for what's to | suffering, behold now presently and swoon for what's to | presently (adv.)immediately, instantly, at once | Cor V.ii.64 | |
| | swound (v.)faint, swoon | | |
| come vpon thee. The glorious Gods sit in | come upon thee. (To Coriolanus) The glorious gods sit in | | Cor V.ii.65 | |
| hourely Synod about thy particular prosperity, and loue | hourly synod about thy particular prosperity and love | particular (adj.)personal, special, private | Cor V.ii.66 | |
| | synod (n.)assembly, council, gathering | | |
| thee no worse then thy old Father Menenius do's. O my | thee no worse than thy old father Menenius does! O my | | Cor V.ii.67 | |
| Son, my Son! thou art preparing fire for vs: looke thee, | son, my son, thou art preparing fire for us. Look thee, | | Cor V.ii.68 | |
| heere's water to quench it. I was hardly moued to come | here's water to quench it. I was hardly moved to come | hardly (adv.)with great difficulty, only with difficulty | Cor V.ii.69 | |
| to thee: but beeing assured none but my selfe could moue | to thee; but being assured none but myself could move | | Cor V.ii.70 | |
| thee, I haue bene blowne out of your Gates with sighes: | thee, I have been blown out of your gates with sighs, | | Cor V.ii.71 | |
| and coniure thee to pardon Rome, and thy petitionary | and conjure thee to pardon Rome and thy petitionary | petitionary (adj.)imploring, suppliant, entreating | Cor V.ii.72 | |
| Countrimen. The good Gods asswage thy wrath, and turne | countrymen. The good gods assuage thy wrath and turn | | Cor V.ii.73 | |
| the dregs of it, vpon this Varlet heere: This, who like a | the dregs of it upon this varlet here – this, who, like a | varlet (n.)knave, rogue, rascal, ruffian | Cor V.ii.74 | |
| blocke hath denyed my accesse to thee. | block, hath denied my access to thee. | block (n.)blockhead | Cor V.ii.75 | |
| Corio. | CORIOLANUS | | | |
| Away. | Away! | | Cor V.ii.76 | |
| Mene. | MENENIUS | | | |
| How? Away? | How? Away? | | Cor V.ii.77 | |
| Corio. | CORIOLANUS | | | |
| Wife, Mother, Child, I know not. My affaires | Wife, mother, child, I know not. My affairs | | Cor V.ii.78 | |
| Are Seruanted to others: Though I owe | Are servanted to others. Though I owe | owe (v.)own, possess, have | Cor V.ii.79 | |
| | servant (v.)put in service, make submissive | | |
| My Reuenge properly, my remission lies | My revenge properly, my remission lies | properly (adv.)privately, personally | Cor V.ii.80 | |
| | remission (n.)power to pardon, inclination to forgive | | |
| In Volcean brests. That we haue beene familiar, | In Volscian breasts. That we have been familiar, | | Cor V.ii.81 | |
| Ingrate forgetfulnesse shall poison rather | Ingrate forgetfulness shall poison rather | ingrate (adj.)ungrateful, unthankful, unappreciative | Cor V.ii.82 | |
| Then pitty: Note how much, therefore be gone. | Than pity note how much. Therefore be gone. | | Cor V.ii.83 | |
| Mine eares against your suites, are stronger then | Mine ears against your suits are stronger than | suit (n.)formal request, entreaty, petition | Cor V.ii.84 | |
| Your gates against my force. Yet for I loued thee, | Your gates against my force. Yet, for I loved thee, | | Cor V.ii.85 | |
| Take this along, I writ it for thy sake, | Take this along. I writ it for thy sake | | Cor V.ii.86 | |
| (gives a letter) | | Cor V.ii.86 | |
| And would haue sent it. Another word Menenius, | And would have sent it. Another word, Menenius, | | Cor V.ii.87 | |
| I will not heare thee speake. This man Auffidius | I will not hear thee speak. This man, Aufidius, | | Cor V.ii.88 | |
| Was my belou'd in Rome: yet thou behold'st. | Was my beloved in Rome; yet thou behold'st. | | Cor V.ii.89 | |
| Auffid. | AUFIDIUS | | | |
| You keepe a constant temper. | You keep a constant temper. | temper (n.)frame of mind, temperament, disposition | Cor V.ii.90 | |
| Exeunt | Exeunt | | Cor V.ii.90 | |
| Manet the Guard and Menenius. | The Guard and Menenius stay behind | | Cor V.ii.91 | |
| 1 | FIRST WATCH | | | |
| Now sir, is your name Menenius? | Now, sir, is your name Menenius? | | Cor V.ii.91 | |
| 2 | SECOND WATCH | | | |
| 'Tis a spell you see of much power: | 'Tis a spell, you see, of much power. | | Cor V.ii.92 | |
| You know the way home againe. | You know the way home again. | | Cor V.ii.93 | |
| 1 | FIRST WATCH | | | |
| Do you heare how wee are shent for keeping | Do you hear how we are shent for keeping | shent (v.)[from earlier verb ‘shend’] blamed, rebuked, reproached | Cor V.ii.94 | |
| your greatnesse backe? | your greatness back? | | Cor V.ii.95 | |
| 2 | SECOND WATCH | | | |
| What cause do you thinke I haue to | What cause do you think I have to | | Cor V.ii.96 | |
| swoond? | swoon? | swound (v.)faint, swoon | Cor V.ii.97 | |
| Menen. | MENENIUS | | | |
| I neither care for th' world, nor your General: | I neither care for th' world nor your general. | | Cor V.ii.98 | |
| for such things as you. I can scarse thinke ther's any, | For such things as you, I can scarce think there's any, | | Cor V.ii.99 | |
| y'are so slight. He that hath a will to die by himselfe, feares | y'are so slight. He that hath a will to die by himself fears | slight (adj.)worthless, insignificant, good-for-nothing | Cor V.ii.100 | |
| | die by oneselfdie by one's own hand, commit suicide | | |
| it not from another: Let your Generall do his worst. For | it not from another. Let your general do his worst. For | | Cor V.ii.101 | |
| you, bee that you are, long; and your misery encrease | you, be that you are, long; and your misery increase | | Cor V.ii.102 | |
| with your age. I say to you, as I was said to, Away. | with your age! I say to you, as I was said to, Away! | | Cor V.ii.103 | |
| Exit | Exit | | Cor V.ii.103 | |
| 1 | FIRST WATCH | | | |
| A Noble Fellow I warrant him. | A noble fellow, I warrant him. | | Cor V.ii.104 | |
| 2 | SECOND WATCH | | | |
| The worthy Fellow is our General. He's | The worthy fellow is our general. He's | | Cor V.ii.105 | |
| the Rock, / The Oake not to be winde-shaken. | the rock, the oak not to be wind-shaken. | | Cor V.ii.106 | |
| Exit Watch. | Exit Watch | | Cor V.ii.106 | |