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CO RIOLANUS.
PERSONS OF THE DRAMA.
Caius Mahcius Corioi.anus, a noble Roman.Titus Lartius, \ generals against the Volsei-CominiUS, j ans.
Menenius Agritpa, friend to Coriolanus .Sicinius Velutus. i . j . .
Junius Brutus , / trlbunes °f the P eo P !e ‘Young Mahcius, son to Coriolanus .
A Roman Herald.
Tullus Aufidius, general of the Volscians.Lieutenant to Aufidius.
Conspirators with Aufidius.
A Citizen of Antium.
Two Volscian Guards.
Volumnia, mother to Coriolanus .
Virgilia, (vife to Coriolanus .
Valeria, friend to Virgilia.
Gentlewoman attending Virgilia.
Roman and Volscian Senators, Patricians, Mdiles,Lictors, Soldiers, Citizens, Messengers, Ser-vants to Aufidius, and other Attendants.
ACT I.
SCENE I.— Rome. A street.
Enter a Company of mutinous Citizens, withstaves, clubs, and other weapons.
1 Cit. Before we proceed any farther, hear mespeak.
Cit. Speak, speak. £ Several speaking at once.
1 Cit. You are all resolved rather to die, thanto famish ?
Cit. Resolved, resolved.
1 Cit. First you know, Caius Marcius is chiefenemy to the people.
Cit. We know’t, we know’t.
1 Cit. Let us kill him, and we’ll have corn atour own price. Is’t a verdict ?
Cit. No more talking on’t; let it be done:away, away.
2 Cit. One word, good citizens.
1 Cit. We are accounted poor citizens; thepatricians, good: What authority surfeits on,would relieve us; If they would yield us but thesuperfluity, while it were wholesome, we mightguess, they relieved us humanely; but theythink, we are too dear: the leanness that af-flicts us, the object of our misery, is as an in-ventory to particularize their abundance; oursufferance is a gain to them.—Let us revengethis with our pikes, ere we become rakes: forthe gods know, I speak this in hunger for bread,not in thirst for revenge.