TN6

Source
Oxford | TBA. London: Oxford University Press, 2008

AUFIDIUS
O Martius, Martius!
Each word thou hast spoke hath weeded from my heart
A root of ancient envy. If Jupiter
Should from yond cloud speak divine things
And say ‘Tis true’, I’d not believe them more
Than thee, all-noble Martius. Let me twine
Mine arms about that body, where-against
My grainèd ash an hundred times hath broke,
And scarr’d the moon with splinters.

He embraces Coriolanus

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
Contend against thy valour. Know thou first,
I loved the maid I married; never a 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. Why, thou Mars, I tell thee
We have a power on foot, and I had purpose
Once more to hew thy target from thy brawn,
Or lose mine arm fort. Thou hast beat me out
Twelve several times, and I have nightly since
Dreamt of encounters ‘twixt thyself and me–
We have been down together in my sleep,
Unbuckling helms, fisting each other’s throat–
And waked half dead with nothing. Worthy Martius,
Had we no quarrel else to Rome but that
Thou art thence banished, we would muster all
From twelve to seventy, and, pouring war
Into the bowels of ungrateful Rome,
Like a bold flood o’er-bear’t. O, come, go in,
And take our friendly senators by th’ hands;
Who now are here, taking their leaves of me,
Who am prepared against your territories,
Though not for Rome itself.

Line Analysis
Oxford | 2008

Short: 3
Medium: 6
Long: 2
Total: 11

End-stopped: 1
Mid-line: 10

Periods: 10
Exclamations: 1
Questions: 0
Unfinished: 0

Thoughts
Oxford | 2008

AUFIDIUS
1. O Martius, Martius!
2. Each word thou hast spoke hath weeded from my heart
A root of ancient envy. 3. If Jupiter
Should from yond cloud speak divine things
And say ‘Tis true’, I’d not believe them more
Than thee, all-noble Martius. 4. Let me twine
Mine arms about that body, where-against
My grainèd ash an hundred times hath broke,
And scarr’d the moon with splinters.

He embraces Coriolanus

                                                  5. 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
Contend against thy valour. 6. Know thou first,
I loved the maid I married; never a man
Sigh’d truer breath. 7. 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. 8. Why, thou Mars, I tell thee
We have a power on foot, and I had purpose
Once more to hew thy target from thy brawn,
Or lose mine arm fort. 9. Thou hast beat me out
Twelve several times, and I have nightly since
Dreamt of encounters ‘twixt thyself and me–
We have been down together in my sleep,
Unbuckling helms, fisting each other’s throat–
And waked half dead with nothing. 10. Worthy Martius,
Had we no quarrel else to Rome but that
Thou art thence banished, we would muster all
From twelve to seventy, and, pouring war
Into the bowels of ungrateful Rome,
Like a bold flood o’er-bear’t. 11. O, come, go in,
And take our friendly senators by th’ hands;
Who now are here, taking their leaves of me,
Who am prepared against your territories,
Though not for Rome itself.

Line Analysis
Oxford | 2008

AUFIDIUS
O Martius, Martius!                                                   5w – 7w | finishing
Each word thou hast spoke hath weeded from my heart    11
A root of ancient envy. If Jupiter                                         11
Should from yond cloud speak divine things                8
And say ‘Tis true’, I’d not believe them more                 10R
Than thee, all-noble Martius. Let me twine               10R | 11
Mine arms about that body, where-against              10R
My grainèd ash an hundred times hath broke,           10R
And scarr’d the moon with splinters.

He embraces Coriolanus

Here I clip            10R
The anvil of my sword, and do contest             10R
As hotly and as nobly with thy love                 10R
As ever in ambitious strength I did                     10R
Contend against thy valour. Know thou first,         10R
I loved the maid I married; never a man                      10R | 11
Sigh’d truer breath. But that I see thee here,              10R | 10
Thou noble thing, more dances my rapt heart         10R | 10 
Than when I first my wedded mistress saw                  10R 
Bestride my threshold. Why, thou Mars, I tell thee     11w | 11
We have a power on foot, and I had purpose             11w | 12w
Once more to hew thy target from thy brawn,           10R
Or lose mine arm fort. Thou hast beat me out            10R
Twelve several times, and I have nightly since             10R
Dreamt of encounters ‘twixt thyself and me–          10
We have been down together in my sleep,                10R
Unbuckling helms, fisting each other’s throat–        10
And waked half dead with nothing. Worthy Martius,      11 | 12
Had we no quarrel else to Rome but that                    12w
Thou art thence banished, we would muster all         10 | 10R
From twelve to seventy, and, pouring war               10R 
Into the bowels of ungrateful Rome,                      10R | 10
Like a bold flood o’er-bear’t. O, come, go in,            10
And take our friendly senators by th’ hands;          10R
Who now are here, taking their leaves of me,           10     
Who am prepared against your territories,              10R | 11w
Though not for Rome itself.                                    6  unfinished

Phrasing and Tempo
Oxford | 2008

AUFIDIUS
O Martius, Martius!               pause
Each word thou hast spoke <c> hath weeded from my heart
A root of ancient envy. <c, quickly> If Jupiter
Should from yond cloud <c> speak divine things
And say <c> ‘Tis true’, <c> I’d not believe them more →
Than thee, <c> all-noble Martius. <c, quickly> Let me twine →
Mine arms about that body, <c> where-against →
My grainèd ash <c> an hundred times hath broke,
And scarr’d the moon with splinters. <c>

He embraces Coriolanus

Here I clip
The anvil of my sword, <c> and do contest →
As hotly <c> and as nobly with thy love
As ever in ambitious strength I did →
Contend against thy valour. <c> Know thou first,
I loved the maid I married; <c> never a man →
Sigh’d truer breath. <c, quickly> But that I see thee here,
Thou noble thing, <c> more dances my rapt heart
Than when I first my wedded mistress saw →
Bestride my threshold. <c> Why, <c> thou Mars, <c> I tell thee
We have a power on foot, <c> and I had purpose →
Once more to hew thy target from thy brawn,
Or lose mine arm fort. <c, quickly> Thou hast beat me out
Twelve several times, <c> and I have nightly since →
Dreamt of encounters ‘twixt thyself and me–
We have been down together in my sleep,
Unbuckling helms, <c> fisting each other’s throat–
And waked <c> half dead <c> with nothing. <c> Worthy Martius,
Had we no quarrel else to Rome but that →
Thou art thence banished, <c> we would muster all
From twelve to seventy, <c> and, <c> pouring war →
Into the bowels of ungrateful Rome,
Like a bold flood o’er-bear’t. <c> O, come, <c> go in,
And take our friendly senators by th’ hands;
Who now are here, <c> taking their leaves of me,
Who am prepared against your territories,
Though not for Rome itself.

Sounds
Oxford | 2008

AUFIDIUS
O Martius, Martius!
Each word thou hast spoke hath weeded from my heart
A root of ancient envy. If Jupiter
Should from yond cloud speak divine things
And say ‘Tis true’, I’d not believe them more
Than thee, all-noble Martius. Let me twine
Mine arms about that body, where-against
My grainèd ash an hundred times hath broke,
And scarr’d the moon with splinters.

He embraces Coriolanus

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
Contend against thy valour. Know thou first,
I loved the maid I married; never a 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. Why, thou Mars, I tell thee
We have a power on foot, and I had purpose
Once more to hew thy target from thy brawn,
Or lose mine arm fort. Thou hast beat me out
Twelve several times, and I have nightly since
Dreamt of encounters ‘twixt thyself and me–
We have been down together in my sleep,
Unbuckling helms, fisting each other’s throat–
And waked half dead with nothing. Worthy Martius,
Had we no quarrel else to Rome but that
Thou art thence banished, we would muster all
From twelve to seventy, and, pouring war
Into the bowels of ungrateful Rome,
Like a bold flood o’er-bear’t. O, come, go in,
And take our friendly senators by th’ hands;
Who now are here, taking their leaves of me,
Who am prepared against your territories,
Though not for Rome itself.

Rhetoric
Oxford | 2008

AUFIDIUS
O Martius, Martius!
Each word thou hast spoke hath weeded from my heart .   (imagery, metaphor)
A root of ancient envy. If Jupiter                                           (imagery, metaphor, personification, comparison)
Should from yond cloud speak divine things
And say ‘Tis true’, I’d not believe them more
Than thee, all-noble Martius. Let me twine                           (imagery, metaphor)
Mine arms about that body, where-against
My grainèd ash an hundred times hath broke,                     (imagery)
And scarr’d the moon with splinters.                             (imagery)

He embraces Coriolanus

Here I clip
The anvil of my sword, and do contest                           (metaphor, imagery)
As hotly and as nobly with thy love                       (this and that, antithesis)
As ever in ambitious strength I did
Contend against thy valour. Know thou first,
I loved the maid I married; never a man                (imagery)
Sigh’d truer breath. But that I see thee here,
Thou noble thing, more dances my rapt heart           (parenthesis, metaphor, imagery, comparison)
Than when I first my wedded mistress saw
Bestride my threshold. Why, thou Mars, I tell thee       (parenthesis, metaphor)
We have a power on foot, and I had purpose
Once more to hew thy target from thy brawn,                 (imagery)
Or lose mine arm fort. Thou hast beat me out
Twelve several times, and I have nightly since
Dreamt of encounters ‘twixt thyself and me–                (parenthesis)
We have been down together in my sleep,                       (imagery)
Unbuckling helms, fisting each other’s throat–
And waked half dead with nothing. Worthy Martius,
Had we no quarrel else to Rome but that
Thou art thence banished, we would muster all         (imagery)
From twelve to seventy, and, pouring war         (imagery, metaphor, parenthesis)
Into the bowels of ungrateful Rome,
Like a bold flood o’er-bear’t. O, come, go in,        (simile)
And take our friendly senators by th’ hands;
Who now are here, taking their leaves of me,
Who am prepared against your territories,
Though not for Rome itself.

Before and After
Oxford | 2008

Third Servingman
Pray you, poor gentleman, take up some other station; here’s no place for you; pray you, avoid: come.

CORIOLANUS
Follow your function, go, and batten on cold bits.

Pushes him away

Third Servingman
What, you will not? Prithee, tell my master what a strange guest he has here.

Second Servingman
And I shall.

Exit

Third Servingman
Where dwellest thou?

CORIOLANUS
Under the canopy.

Third Servingman
Under the canopy!

CORIOLANUS
Ay.

Third Servingman
Where’s that?

CORIOLANUS
I’ the city of kites and crows.

Third Servingman
I’ the city of kites and crows! What an ass it is!
Then thou dwellest with daws too?

CORIOLANUS
No, I serve not thy master.

Third Servingman
How, sir! do you meddle with my master?

CORIOLANUS
Ay; ’tis an honester service than to meddle with thy mistress. Thou pratest, and pratest; serve with thy trencher, hence!

Beats him away. Exit third Servingman

Enter AUFIDIUS with the second Servingman

AUFIDIUS
Where is this fellow?

Second Servingman
Here, sir: I’ld have beaten him like a dog, but for disturbing the lords within.

Retires

AUFIDIUS
Whence comest thou? what wouldst thou? thy name?
Why speak’st not? speak, man: what’s thy name?

CORIOLANUS
If, Tullus,

Unmuffling

Not yet thou knowest me, and, seeing me, dost not
Think me for the man I am, necessity
Commands me name myself.

AUFIDIUS
What is thy name?

CORIOLANUS
A name unmusical to the Volscians’ ears,
And harsh in sound to thine.

AUFIDIUS
Say, what’s thy name?
Thou hast a grim appearance, and thy face
Bears a command in’t; though thy tackle’s torn.
Thou show’st a noble vessel: what’s thy name?

CORIOLANUS
Prepare thy brow to frown: know’st
thou me yet?

AUFIDIUS
I know thee not: thy name?

CORIOLANUS
My name is Caius Marcius, who hath done
To thee particularly and to all the Volsces
Great hurt and mischief; thereto witness may
My surname, Coriolanus: the painful service,
The extreme dangers and the drops of blood
Shed for my thankless country are requited
But with that surname; a good memory,
And witness of the malice and displeasure
Which thou shouldst bear me: only that name remains;
The cruelty and envy of the people,
Permitted by our dastard nobles, who
Have all forsook me, hath devour’d the rest;
And suffer’d me by the voice of slaves to be
Whoop’d out of Rome. Now this extremity
Hath brought me to thy hearth; not out of hope–
Mistake me not–to save my life, for if
I had fear’d death, of all the men i’ the world
I would have ‘voided thee, but in mere spite,
To be full quit of those my banishers,
Stand I before thee here. Then if thou hast
A heart of wreak in thee, that wilt revenge
Thine own particular wrongs and stop those maims
Of shame seen through thy country, speed thee straight,
And make my misery serve thy turn: so use it
That my revengeful services may prove
As benefits to thee, for I will fight
Against my canker’d country with the spleen
Of all the under fiends. But if so be
Thou darest not this and that to prove more fortunes
Thou’rt tired, then, in a word, I also am
Longer to live most weary, and present
My throat to thee and to thy ancient malice;
Which not to cut would show thee but a fool,
Since I have ever follow’d thee with hate,
Drawn tuns of blood out of thy country’s breast,
And cannot live but to thy shame, unless
It be to do thee service.

AUFIDIUS
O Martius, Martius!
Each word thou hast spoke hath weeded from my heart
A root of ancient envy. If Jupiter
Should from yond cloud speak divine things
And say ‘Tis true’, I’d not believe them more
Than thee, all-noble Martius. Let me twine
Mine arms about that body, where-against
My grainèd ash an hundred times hath broke,
And scarr’d the moon with splinters.

He embraces Coriolanus

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
Contend against thy valour. Know thou first,
I loved the maid I married; never a 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. Why, thou Mars, I tell thee
We have a power on foot, and I had purpose
Once more to hew thy target from thy brawn,
Or lose mine arm fort. Thou hast beat me out
Twelve several times, and I have nightly since
Dreamt of encounters ‘twixt thyself and me–
We have been down together in my sleep,
Unbuckling helms, fisting each other’s throat–
And waked half dead with nothing. Worthy Martius,
Had we no quarrel else to Rome but that
Thou art thence banished, we would muster all
From twelve to seventy, and, pouring war
Into the bowels of ungrateful Rome,
Like a bold flood o’er-bear’t. O, come, go in,
And take our friendly senators by th’ hands;
Who now are here, taking their leaves of me,
Who am prepared against your territories,
Though not for Rome itself.

CORIOLANUS
You bless me, gods!

AUFIDIUS
Therefore, most absolute sir, if thou wilt have
The leading of thine own revenges, take
The one half of my commission; and set down–
As best thou art experienced, since thou know’st
Thy country’s strength and weakness,–thine own ways;
Whether to knock against the gates of Rome,
Or rudely visit them in parts remote,
To fright them, ere destroy. But come in:
Let me commend thee first to those that shall
Say yea to thy desires. A thousand welcomes!
And more a friend than e’er an enemy;
Yet, Marcius, that was much. Your hand: most welcome!

Exeunt CORIOLANUS and AUFIDIUS. The two Servingmen come forward

Definitions
Oxford | 2008

AUFIDIUS
O Martius, Martius!
Each word thou hast spoke hath weeded from my heart
A root of ancient envy. If Jupiter
Should from yond cloud speak divine things
And say ‘Tis true’, I’d not believe them more
Than thee, all-noble Martius. Let me twine
Mine arms about that body, where-against
My grainèd ash an hundred times hath broke,
And scarr’d the moon with splinters.

He embraces Coriolanus

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
Contend against thy valour. Know thou first,
I loved the maid I married; never a 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. Why, thou Mars, I tell thee
We have a power on foot, and I had purpose
Once more to hew thy target from thy brawn,
Or lose mine arm fort. Thou hast beat me out
Twelve several times, and I have nightly since
Dreamt of encounters ‘twixt thyself and me–
We have been down together in my sleep,
Unbuckling helms, fisting each other’s throat–
And waked half dead with nothing. Worthy Martius,
Had we no quarrel else to Rome but that
Thou art thence banished, we would muster all
From twelve to seventy, and, pouring war
Into the bowels of ungrateful Rome,
Like a bold flood o’er-bear’t. O, come, go in,
And take our friendly senators by th’ hands;
Who now are here, taking their leaves of me,
Who am prepared against your territories,
Though not for Rome itself.

Translation
Oxford | 2008

AUFIDIUS
O Martius, Martius!
Each word thou hast spoke hath weeded from my heart
A root of ancient envy. If Jupiter
Should from yond cloud speak divine things
And say ‘Tis true’, I’d not believe them more
Than thee, all-noble Martius. Let me twine
Mine arms about that body, where-against
My grainèd ash an hundred times hath broke,
And scarr’d the moon with splinters.

He embraces Coriolanus

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
Contend against thy valour. Know thou first,
I loved the maid I married; never a 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. Why, thou Mars, I tell thee
We have a power on foot, and I had purpose
Once more to hew thy target from thy brawn,
Or lose mine arm fort. Thou hast beat me out
Twelve several times, and I have nightly since
Dreamt of encounters ‘twixt thyself and me–
We have been down together in my sleep,
Unbuckling helms, fisting each other’s throat–
And waked half dead with nothing. Worthy Martius,
Had we no quarrel else to Rome but that
Thou art thence banished, we would muster all
From twelve to seventy, and, pouring war
Into the bowels of ungrateful Rome,
Like a bold flood o’er-bear’t. O, come, go in,
And take our friendly senators by th’ hands;
Who now are here, taking their leaves of me,
Who am prepared against your territories,
Though not for Rome itself.