Coriolanus Act 2.1.6

Scene 2.2.2

The Hall resonanted once again

The high doorway of the Main Hall, which was engraved with the images of fighting heroes; battling the enemies of the Romans while at the sides of the doorways, there was scores of cheerful faces who hailed the heroes. It had been there since the hall was constructed but no Consuls ever noticed it, except the tour guides who explained it to the children who came to study the process of the Senate. Many a times, one of the kids would point to an imaginary hero figure and said pappy. The Consuls marched in to take their seats. Among them were Coriolanus with Menenius, led by General Cominius who himself was a Consul. At the rear were Brutus and Sicinius who marched in with the last ones.

Coriolanus who was not yet elected took to stand by the first row of the seats near Cominius while Menenius took to the centre of the Hall. He looked to the Speaker who had stepped in last and close the high doors. None may come in after him, and the Senate was in session once the Speaker took his seat. He sat down and looked around at the seated. He was mentally counting the numbers to form the quorum, and then he let off the flatulence; an indigestion of his early lunch which he had induced much into the salsa.

“Pardon me, Consuls. The digestion of the stomach does not know the protocols of this hall.” The Speaker spoke out and gave everyone a laugh, even the cynical Brutus. The Speaker then looked to Menenius. “You may have the floor.”

Menenius bowed to the Speaker before he speaks. .

“Having determined of the Volsces, and to send for Titus Lartius, it remains, as the main point of this our after-meeting,” Menenius raised up his arms to the Consuls. “To gratify his ‘Noble’ service that had thus stood for his country; therefore, please you most reverend and grave elders, to desire the present consul, and last general in our well formed successes, to report a little of that worthy work performed by Caius Marcius Coriolanus; whom we met here both to thank and to remember with honors like himself.”

Menenius look to the other Consul which he was in cahoots to voice out on his cue.

“Speak, good Cominius.” The Consul stood up. “Leave nothing out for length, and make us think rather our state’s defective for requital than we to stretch it out.”

The Consul looked to the Consuls appointed from among the Commoners. He snarled at them with his words.

“Masters of the Commoners, we do request your kindest ears; and after you loving motion toward the common body, to yield what passes here.” The Consul glared to them. It was a message of told what transpired and not hex the words of what transpired.

“We are convened upon a pleasing treaty and have hearts inclinable to honor and advance the theme of our assembly.” Sicinius leaned back on his seat while he crosses his legs. He looked to Brutus.

“Which the rather we shall be blessed to do, if he remembers a kinder value of the people than he had prized them at.” The other evil twins add his words to the unsigned treaty.

“That’s off, that’s off.” Menenius interjected in on the cynical attestation of those two fools. “I would you rather had been silent. Please you hear out what Cominius had to speak?”

“Most willingly”, Brutus smiled. “But yet my caution was more pertinent than the rebuke you give it.”

“He loves your people; but ties him not to be their bedfellow.” Menenius state the fact on Coriolanus character. Then he looked to the waiting Cominius who stood by the rows of seats.  “Worthy Cominius, speak.”

It was then Coriolanus who had heard enough chose to excuse himself. He does not want to hear any more of his exploits. Menenius rushed to hold him when he stood up...

“Sit, Coriolanus; never shame to hear what you nobly done.”

“You honors; pardon.” Coriolanus lowered his head before he replied. “I would rather have my wounds to heal again than hear how I got them.”

“Sir, I hope my words disbenched you not.”Brutus added in his sarcasm. Coriolanus looked to the Consul who spoke.

“No, Sir; yet off when blows made me stay, I fled from your words.” Coriolanus looked to the Consul who spoke, and placed his right hand over his heart. “You soothed not, therefore hurt not, but your people I love them as they weigh~”

“Pray now, sit down.” Menenius led the hero to sit down. The hero looked to in pain to search the words to continue. He thus did.

“I had rather have one hit my head when the alarm were struck than to hear nothing me.” Coriolanus pushed his way towards the doorway. Menenius saw the need to call on the Senate to hear now or never.

“Masters of the Commoners, your multiplying spawn” Menenius called on the elected by the Commoners whose numbers were increasing. “How can he flatter that thousand to one good of you when you now see he had rather venture all his limbs for honor than to hear of it.”

Menenius tried to show the humble side of Coriolanus. He then looked to the ever anxious Cominius to proceed on his speech. The General took his cue to step forth and held up his arms towards his chest.

“I shall lack voice; the deeds of Coriolanus should not be uttered feebly.” The General cleared his throat and continued once he seen the seated are waiting anxiously. “It’s held that valor is the chiefest virtue and most dignifies the haver: if it be, the man I speak of cannot in the world be singly counterpoised.”

“At sixteen years, when Tarquin made a head for Rome, he fought beyond the mark of others: our then dictator.” Tarquin was the ruler of Rome; a tyrant that the Commoner had rebelled and then assisted by the Noble, they saw the ‘noble’ need to do suit although Tarquin was one of theirs. It was after toppling the ruler that Rome became the Republic of Rome. One of the Noble who took to the streets was one named Caius Marcius; himself rebelled against his widowed mother.

“At sixteen years, when Tarquin made a head for Rome, he fought beyond the marks of others, our then dictator whom with all praise I point at saw him fight, when with his Amazonian chin he drove the bridled lips before him, The Commoners of Rome led him, he fought off the three opposers before he slew Tarquin. He struck him to his knees.”

“For seventeen years, he slay in all the battles since. For this and last before in Corioli, he stopped the enemy. He was the thing of blood, whose every motion was timed with dying cries. Alone he entered the mortal gate of the city, with shunless destiny, he struck Corioli like a planet.”

“Worthy man!” Menenius shouted out in admiration.

“He cannot but with measure fit the honors which we devise him.” The same Consul who had taken favors from 

Menenius once again took the cue to praise the hero.

“He’s right; let him be called for.” Menenius supported the call.

The Senate Hall resonated with the voice for Coriolanus.