Coriolanus Act 5.4.2 & 5.4.3

Scene 5.4.2

A gloomy event unturned

The mood of the drinking place was soon shattered by the arrival of a boy who brought good tidings.

“We are saved.” The boy shouted when he appeared at the doorway. He then ran off before anyone could question him. The other patrons were all sobering to the message.

“Have we won with the grace of the Gods? Or we are spared our life by the Volsces?” The lady owner asked. “My grandmother was from Volsces.”

There was none to reply to her, but another messenger arrived. That time it was a man in the battle fatigue still armed with his blaster. The lady gasped when she saw the man with the blaster. She quickly added in her later words.

“But I am true Roman. My mother was disowned by her mother on marriage to my father. I praised the Roman laws for saving her and me too.”

“Good news to all. The Volsces have stopped their attack. Marcius was said to have left their army.” The newly arrived soldier announced. He walked to Menenius and took hold the jar to quench his thirst. The later was dumb struck and stood there unmoving. It was Sicinius who asked.

“Are you sure this is true? Is it most certain?”

”As certain as the sun is fire.” The soldier looked to Sicinius. A fine man not maimed by any attacks yet he sits behind the lines drinking. “Where have you lurked when we were fighting? Now you make doubt of my words.”

“I…” Sicinius was to reply when he heard the cheering outside on the streets. The soldier forgotten the man and lauded the merry making outside.

“The music and noise make the sun dance.” The soldier soon took leave to join the outside crowd. More from the drinking place joined them outside; hoping on crutches or swaying with bandages on their limbs. All except Menenius and Sicinius; one sobering up and the other looking to cry in happiness.

“This is good news. I will go and see the ladies.” Menenius pushed him to walk. “Volumnia speaks well of herself compared to the other Consuls.”

“Let me join you, dear sir. I am praying to the gods for such good tidings.” Sicinius stood up to assist the older man. They joined the merry making crowds and soon were jostled to the main gates of Rome.

Scene 5.4.3

The grass yonder is dying

While the city of Rome was in merriment, the city of Corioli still in rebuilding but then its inhabitants had all stopped works. They were not in despair but in relief for the war had really come to be over. Maybe for some years and they could actually stop their rebuilding. They had heard of the peace treaty where the Generals have come to their senses and one named Coriolanus had absconded. To them, he was a saint and then the devil to lead them into this war. He trampled his feet over Corioli as a Roman invader, and then rode through on the roof of the armored vehicles waving at them. A number of very important persons had come there and offered all kinds of assistance but the latest batch was different. They were there to make themselves as part of Corioli. Some of them told the inhabitants that they want to make Corioli the monument for the war as the city that survived.

“Go tell the lords of the city I am here: deliver them this paper, bid them repair to the market square where I, even in theirs and in the common’s ears, will vouch the truth of it.” Audifius passed the declaration to his officer. He saw the poster of Caius Marcius. It was partially tore off and graffiti written on it. It said; ‘killer, murderer and rapist’.

“Him,” Audifius continued on. “I accuse the city ports by his hath entered, and intend to appear before the people, hoping to purge himself with words.”

Audifius eyed his inner circle of officers; the fraternity of his confidante. He saw the signs that they need to meet. He knew the place; the public square, with reliable sentries to keep the crowd away. He excused himself to meet his officers. 

There were five of them there; three Colonels, one General and one was just a Major.

“How is it with our General?” The Major asked. He was lest in the know for he was always in the battlefield with the combatants. “Why have we called for a truce?”

“Like a man by his own alms empoisoned and with his charity slain.” Audifius replied with his words to denote the man had poisoned himself and was destined to be destroyed by it.

“If you do hold the same intent wherein you wished us parties, we will deliver you of you great danger.” The General assured their leader. He would not be harmed while they could do something of it but Audifius was not fleeing from the people.

“Sir, I cannot tell; we must proceed as we do find the people.”

“The people will remain uncertain which of you will make the difference, but the fall of one make the survivor of the other.” The Major replied.

“I know it.” Audifius spoke out. “I raised him, pawned him, mine honors for his truth, and who being so heightened, he watered new plants with dews of flattery, seducing my friends, and to this end, he bowed his nature, never known before but to be rough, unswayable, and free.”

“Sir, his stoutness when he did stand for Consul, which he lost by lack of stooping…” The General remarked.

“When banished, he came into our hearts, presented to my knife his throat: I took him to my bosom. Made him joint servant with me,; gave him way in all his own desires.” Audifius sighed. He had been a fool; like lovers do when they are in love; blindness leads to woes in the heart. “He took the projects to accomplish, my best and freshest men, help to reap the fame which he did end all his, and till at the last, I seemed his follower, not equal.”

“He waged me countenance as if I had been a mercenary.” Audifius spat out the last word. He fought for Volsces not for fame or ranks, for the love of the nation. He was no gold seeking mercenary but a patriotic warrior.

“So he did, my Lord; the army marveled at his conquest, and in the last of it, when he had carried Rome, and that we 

looked for no less spoil then glory….” The General cut in again. He had envisage a fortune to retire on, but then with the truce, all he would have was his old rocking chair.

“There was it. For a few drops of the women rheum, he sold the blood and labor of our great nation; therefore he shall die and I will renew in his fall.” Audifius was furious then in his blood. The war hero had fallen to a foe which only needed to shed some tears. He was no Man, but a Wo-Man beneath his skin. He then heard the sirens from the city klaxons; it was used as a warning system, and in times of peace, it was to announce good events. On that day, it called on the people of Corioli to celebrate the heroes who were in the city.

“Your native town you entered like a post; uncalled and had no welcome home; but he returns splitting the air with noise. “ The Major ever the cynical one commented on the two they were welcoming.

“And patient fools, whose children he hath slain, their base throats tear with giving him glory.” The General spat out the breakfast leftovers.

“Say no more, here are the Lords.” Audifius cautioned his men. The Lords of the city were seven of them; elderly folks all covered in the red cloak with the tall cone hat with the tailing behind them. The leader of the Lords approached Audifius. He had known the later during the last war, when he was pleading with Audifius to do better in the defense.

“Audifius, you are welcome here.” The Lord looked around him and saw the lack of crowd. “Maybe they are coming later.”

“I have not deserved it, my Lords.” Audifius replied. “Have you with heed perused what I have written to you?”

“We have.” The Lord replied. He shook his head while lowering his head. “And grieve to hear it. What faults he made before the last, I think might have found easy fines. But to end where he was to begin, and give away the benefits of our levies, and answering us with our own charge, making a treaty where there was a yielding.”

 “We admit no such excuse.” The Lord spoke out in a low tone to Audifius. The Lords were upset for the treaty was never their agreement, but Coriolanus was persuasive with his debate. The treaty with  Rome was signed with the Volsces after Coriolanus signed it with the Romans after he bulldozed the decision from the Volsces Senates.

“Here comes the devil himself.” The Lord motioned to the newly arrived hero.