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The Tragedy of Coriolanus
 
   
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First Citizen complete text
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First Citizen. Before we proceed any further, hear me speak. 1.1.1
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First Citizen. You are all resolved rather to die than to famish? 1.1.3
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First Citizen. First, you know Caius Marcius is chief enemy to the people. 1.1.5
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First Citizen. Let us kill him, and we'll have corn at our own price.1.1.7
        Is't a verdict? 1.1.8
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First Citizen. We are accounted poor citizens, the patricians good.1.1.11
        What authority surfeits on would relieve us: if they1.1.12
        would yield us but the superfluity, while it were1.1.13
        wholesome, we might guess they relieved us humanely;1.1.14
        but they think we are too dear: the leanness that1.1.15
        afflicts us, the object of our misery, is as an1.1.16
        inventory to particularise their abundance; our1.1.17
        sufferance is a gain to them Let us revenge this with1.1.18
        our pikes, ere we become rakes: for the gods know I1.1.19
        speak this in hunger for bread, not in thirst for revenge. 1.1.20
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First Citizen. Very well; and could be content to give him good1.1.24
        report fort, but that he pays himself with being proud. 1.1.25
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First Citizen. I say unto you, what he hath done famously, he did1.1.27
        it to that end: though soft-conscienced men can be1.1.28
        content to say it was for his country he did it to1.1.29
        please his mother and to be partly proud; which he1.1.30
        is, even till the altitude of his virtue. 1.1.31
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First Citizen. If I must not, I need not be barren of accusations;1.1.34
        he hath faults, with surplus, to tire in repetition.1.1.35

Shouts within

        What shouts are these? The other side o' the city1.1.36
        is risen: why stay we prating here? to the Capitol! 1.1.37
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First Citizen. Soft! who comes here?1.1.39

Enter MENENIUS AGRIPPA

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First Citizen. He's one honest enough: would all the rest were so! 1.1.42
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First Citizen. Our business is not unknown to the senate; they have1.1.45
        had inkling this fortnight what we intend to do,1.1.46
        which now we'll show 'em in deeds. They say poor1.1.47
        suitors have strong breaths: they shall know we1.1.48
        have strong arms too. 1.1.49
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First Citizen. We cannot, sir, we are undone already. 1.1.52
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First Citizen. Care for us! True, indeed! They ne'er cared for us1.1.67
        yet: suffer us to famish, and their store-houses1.1.68
        crammed with grain; make edicts for usury, to1.1.69
        support usurers; repeal daily any wholesome act1.1.70
        established against the rich, and provide more1.1.71
        piercing statutes daily, to chain up and restrain1.1.72
        the poor. If the wars eat us not up, they will; and1.1.73
        there's all the love they bear us. 1.1.74
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First Citizen. Well, I'll hear it, sir: yet you must not think to1.1.81
        fob off our disgrace with a tale: but, an 't please1.1.82
        you, deliver. 1.1.83
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First Citizen. Well, sir, what answer made the belly? 1.1.94
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First Citizen. Your belly's answer? What!1.1.103
        The kingly-crowned head, the vigilant eye,1.1.104
        The counsellor heart, the arm our soldier,1.1.105
        Our steed the leg, the tongue our trumpeter.1.1.106
        With other muniments and petty helps1.1.107
        In this our fabric, if that they-- 1.1.108
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First Citizen. Should by the cormorant belly be restrain'd,1.1.111
        Who is the sink o' the body,-- 1.1.112
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First Citizen. The former agents, if they did complain,1.1.114
        What could the belly answer? 1.1.115
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First Citizen. Ye're long about it. 1.1.119
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First Citizen. Ay, sir; well, well. 1.1.135
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First Citizen. It was an answer: how apply you this? 1.1.141
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First Citizen. I the great toe! why the great toe? 1.1.150
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First Citizen. We have ever your good word. 1.1.162
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First Citizen. Once, if he do require our voices, we ought not to deny him. 2.3.1
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First Citizen. And to make us no better thought of, a little help2.3.13
        will serve; for once we stood up about the corn, he2.3.14
        himself stuck not to call us the many-headed multitude. 2.3.15
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First Citizen. The price is to ask it kindly. 2.3.77
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First Citizen. He has our voices, sir. 2.3.160
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First Citizen. No,'tis his kind of speech: he did not mock us. 2.3.166
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First Citizen. I twice five hundred and their friends to piece 'em. 2.3.224
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First Citizen. He shall well know3.1.339
        The noble tribunes are the people's mouths,3.1.340
        And we their hands. 3.1.341
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First Citizen. Ourselves, our wives, and children, on our knees,4.6.27
        Are bound to pray for you both. 4.6.28
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First Citizen. For mine own part,4.6.176
        When I said, banish him, I said 'twas pity. 4.6.177
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First Citizen. The gods be good to us! Come, masters, let's home.4.6.191
        I ever said we were i' the wrong when we banished4.6.192
        him. 4.6.193
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