First folio
| Modern text
| Definitions
| Key line
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| Enter Menenius and Sicinius. | Enter Menenius and Sicinius | | Cor V.iv.1.1 | |
| Mene. | MENENIUS | | | |
| See you yon'd Coin a'th Capitol, yon'd | See you yond coign o'th' Capitol, yond | Capitol (n.) geographical and ceremonial centre of ancient Rome, the seat of government | Cor V.iv.1 | |
| | coign (n.)corner of a building, quoin | | |
| corner stone? | cornerstone? | | Cor V.iv.2 | |
| Sicin. | SICINIUS | | | |
| Why what of that? | Why, what of that? | | Cor V.iv.3 | |
| Mene. | MENENIUS | | | |
| If it be possible for you to displace it with | If it be possible for you to displace it with | | Cor V.iv.4 | |
| your little finger, there is some hope the Ladies of Rome, | your little finger, there is some hope the ladies of Rome, | | Cor V.iv.5 | |
| especially his Mother, may preuaile with him. But I say, | especially his mother, may prevail with him. But I say | | Cor V.iv.6 | |
| there is no hope in't, our throats are sentenc'd, and stay | there is no hope in't, our throats are sentenced and stay | stay on / upon (v.)wait for, await | Cor V.iv.7 | |
| vppon execution. | upon execution. | | Cor V.iv.8 | |
| Sicin. | SICINIUS | | | |
| Is't possible, that so short a time can alter the | Is't possible that so short a time can alter the | | Cor V.iv.9 | |
| condition of a man. | condition of a man? | condition (n.)disposition, temper, mood, character | Cor V.iv.10 | |
| Mene. | MENENIUS | | | |
| There is differency between a Grub & a | There is differency between a grub and a | differency (n.)difference, dissimilarity | Cor V.iv.11 | |
| Butterfly, yet your Butterfly was a Grub: this Martius, is | butterfly, yet your butterfly was a grub. This Martius is | | Cor V.iv.12 | |
| growne from Man to Dragon: He has wings, hee's more | grown from man to dragon. He has wings; he's more | | Cor V.iv.13 | |
| then a creeping thing. | than a creeping thing. | | Cor V.iv.14 | |
| Sicin. | SICINIUS | | | |
| He lou'd his Mother deerely. | He loved his mother dearly. | | Cor V.iv.15 | |
| Mene. | MENENIUS | | | |
| So did he mee: and he no more remembers his | So did he me; and he no more remembers his | | Cor V.iv.16 | |
| Mother now, then an eight yeare old horse. The tartnesse | mother now than an eight-year-old horse. The tartness | | Cor V.iv.17 | |
| of his face, sowres ripe Grapes. When he walks, he moues | of his face sours ripe grapes. When he walks, he moves | | Cor V.iv.18 | |
| like an Engine, and the ground shrinkes before his Treading. | like an engine, and the ground shrinks before his treading. | engine (n.)weapon, instrument of warfare | Cor V.iv.19 | |
| He is able to pierce a Corslet with his eye: Talkes like | He is able to pierce a corslet with his eye, talks like | corslet (n.)piece of armour protecting the torso | Cor V.iv.20 | |
| a knell, and his hum is a Battery. He sits in his State, as | a knell, and his hum is a battery. He sits in his state as | state (n.)throne, chair of state | Cor V.iv.21 | |
| | hum (v.)say ‘hum’ [as a sign of displeasure, dissatisfaction, impatience, etc] | | |
| | knell (n.)death-knell, omen of death | | |
| | battery (n.)assault, bombardment, blitz | | |
| a thing made for Alexander. What he bids bee done, is | a thing made for Alexander. What he bids be done is | Alexander (n.)Alexander the Great; Macedonian king in 4th-c BC, known for his extensive empire | Cor V.iv.22 | |
| finisht with his bidding. He wants nothing of a God but | finished with his bidding. He wants nothing of a god but | | Cor V.iv.23 | |
| Eternity, and a Heauen to Throne in. | eternity and a heaven to throne in. | | Cor V.iv.24 | |
| Sicin. | SICINIUS | | | |
| Yes, mercy, if you report him truly. | Yes, mercy, if you report him truly. | report (v.)give an account [of], describe in words | Cor V.iv.25 | |
| Mene. | MENENIUS | | | |
| I paint him in the Character. Mark what mercy | I paint him in the character. Mark what mercy | character (n.)personality sketch, personal description | Cor V.iv.26 | |
| | mark (v.)note, pay attention [to], take notice [of] | | |
| his Mother shall bring from him: There is no more | his mother shall bring from him. There is no more | | Cor V.iv.27 | |
| mercy in him, then there is milke in a male-Tyger, that | mercy in him than there is milk in a male tiger. That | | Cor V.iv.28 | |
| shall our poore City finde: and all this is long of you. | shall our poor city find. And all this is 'long of you. | along / 'long of (prep.)on account of | Cor V.iv.29 | |
| Sicin. | SICINIUS | | | |
| The Gods be good vnto vs. | The gods be good unto us! | | Cor V.iv.30 | |
| Mene. | MENENIUS | | | |
| No, in such a case the Gods will not bee good | No, in such a case the gods will not be good | | Cor V.iv.31 | |
| vnto vs. When we banish'd him, we respected not them: | unto us. When we banished him we respected not them; | | Cor V.iv.32 | |
| and he returning to breake our necks, they respect not vs. | and, he returning to break our necks, they respect not us. | | Cor V.iv.33 | |
| Enter a Messenger. | Enter a Messenger | | Cor V.iv.34 | |
| Mes. | MESSENGER | | | |
| Sir, if you'ld saue your life, flye to your House, | Sir, if you'd save your life, fly to your house. | | Cor V.iv.34 | |
| The Plebeians haue got your Fellow Tribune, | The plebeians have got your fellow Tribune | | Cor V.iv.35 | |
| And hale him vp and downe; all swearing, if | And hale him up and down, all swearing if | hale (v.)drag, pull, haul | Cor V.iv.36 | |
| The Romane Ladies bring not comfort home, | The Roman ladies bring not comfort home | | Cor V.iv.37 | |
| They'l giue him death by Inches. | They'll give him death by inches. | inches, byvery gradually, bit by bit, by small degrees | Cor V.iv.38.1 | |
| Enter another Messenger. | Enter another Messenger | | Cor V.iv.38 | |
| Sicin. | SICINIUS | | | |
| What's the Newes? | What's the news? | | Cor V.iv.38.2 | |
| Mess. | SECOND MESSENGER | | | |
| Good Newes, good newes, the Ladies haue preuayl'd, | Good news, good news! The ladies have prevailed, | | Cor V.iv.39 | |
| The Volcians are dislodg'd, and Martius gone: | The Volscians are dislodged and Martius gone. | dislodge (v.)withdraw, retreat, pull back | Cor V.iv.40 | |
| A merrier day did neuer yet greet Rome, | A merrier day did never yet greet Rome, | | Cor V.iv.41 | |
| No, not th' expulsion of the Tarquins. | No, not th' expulsion of the Tarquins. | TarquinTarquinius Superbus, seventh king of Rome, 6th-c BC; also his son, Sextus Tarquinius, the ravisher of Lucrece | Cor V.iv.42.1 | |
| Sicin. | SICINIUS | | | |
| Friend, | Friend, | | Cor V.iv.42.2 | |
| art thou certaine this is true? / Is't most certaine. | Art thou certain this is true? Is't most certain? | | Cor V.iv.43 | |
| Mes. | SECOND MESSENGER | | | |
| As certaine as I know the Sun is fire: | As certain as I know the sun is fire. | | Cor V.iv.44 | |
| Where haue you lurk'd that you make doubt of it: | Where have you lurked that you make doubt of it? | | Cor V.iv.45 | |
| Ne're through an Arch so hurried the blowne Tide, | Ne'er through an arch so hurried the blown tide | blown (adj.)swollen; or: wind-driven | Cor V.iv.46 | |
| As the recomforted through th' gates. Why harke you: | As the recomforted through th' gates. Why, hark you! | | Cor V.iv.47 | |
| Trumpets, Hoboyes, Drums beate, altogether. | Trumpets, hautboys, drums beat, all together | | Cor V.iv.48.1 | |
| The Trumpets, Sack-buts, Psalteries, and Fifes, | The trumpets, sackbuts, psalteries, and fifes, | psaltery (n.)type of plucked stringed instrument | Cor V.iv.48 | |
| | sackbut (n.)type of bass trumpet, with a trombone-like slide | | |
| Tabors, and Symboles, and the showting Romans, | Tabors and cymbals and the shouting Romans | tabor (n.)type of small drum, especially used in revelling | Cor V.iv.49 | |
| Make the Sunne dance. Hearke you. | Make the sun dance. Hark you! | | Cor V.iv.50.1 | |
| A shout within | A shout within | | Cor V.iv.50 | |
| Mene. | MENENIUS | | | |
| This is good Newes: | This is good news. | | Cor V.iv.50.2 | |
| I will go meete the Ladies. This Volumnia, | I will go meet the ladies. This Volumnia | | Cor V.iv.51 | |
| Is worth of Consuls, Senators, Patricians, | Is worth of consuls, senators, patricians, | | Cor V.iv.52 | |
| A City full: Of Tribunes such as you, | A city full; of tribunes such as you, | | Cor V.iv.53 | |
| A Sea and Land full: you haue pray'd well to day: | A sea and land full. You have prayed well today. | | Cor V.iv.54 | |
| This Morning, for ten thousand of your throates, | This morning for ten thousand of your throats | | Cor V.iv.55 | |
| I'de not haue giuen a doit. Harke, how they ioy. | I'd not have given a doit. Hark, how they joy! | doit (n.)[small Dutch coin = half an English farthing] trivial sum, worthless amount, trifle | Cor V.iv.56 | |
| Sound still with the Shouts. | Sound still with the shouts | still (adv.)constantly, always, continually | Cor V.iv.57 | |
| Sicin. | SICINIUS | | | |
| First, the Gods blesse you for your tydings: / Next, | First, the gods bless you for your tidings; next, | | Cor V.iv.57 | |
| accept my thankefulnesse. | Accept my thankfulness. | | Cor V.iv.58 | |
| Mess. | SECOND MESSENGER | | | |
| Sir, we haue all great cause to giue great thanks. | Sir, we have all great cause to give great thanks. | | Cor V.iv.59 | |
| Sicin. | SICINIUS | | | |
| They are neere the City. | They are near the city? | | Cor V.iv.60 | |
| Mes. | SECOND MESSENGER | | | |
| Almost at point to enter. | Almost at point to enter. | | Cor V.iv.61 | |
| Sicin. | SICINIUS | | | |
| Wee'l meet them, and helpe the ioy. | We'll meet them, and help the joy. | | Cor V.iv.62 | |
| Exeunt. | Exeunt | | Cor V.iv.62 | |