Speeches (Lines) for First Citizen
in "Coriolanus"
Total: 33

1

I,1,3

Before we proceed any further, hear me speak.

2

I,1,5

You are all resolved rather to die than to famish?

3

I,1,7

First, you know Caius CORIOLANUS is chief enemy to the people.

4

I,1,9

Let us kill him, and we'll have corn at our own price.
Is't a verdict?

5

I,1,13

We are accounted poor citizens, the patricians good.
What authority surfeits on would relieve us: if they
would yield us but the superfluity, while it were
wholesome, we might guess they relieved us humanely;
but they think we are too dear: the leanness that
afflicts us, the object of our misery, is as an
inventory to particularise their abundance; our
sufferance is a gain to them Let us revenge this with
our pikes, ere we become rakes: for the gods know I
speak this in hunger for bread, not in thirst for revenge.

6

I,1,26

Very well; and could be content to give him good
report fort, but that he pays himself with being proud.

7

I,1,29

I say unto you, what he hath done famously, he did
it to that end: though soft-conscienced men can be
content to say it was for his country he did it to
please his mother and to be partly proud; which he
is, even till the altitude of his virtue.

8

I,1,36

If I must not, I need not be barren of accusations;
he hath faults, with surplus, to tire in repetition.
[Shouts within]
What shouts are these? The other side o' the city
is risen: why stay we prating here? to the Capitol!

9

I,1,42

Soft! who comes here?

10

I,1,46

He's one honest enough: would all the rest were so!

11

I,1,49

Our business is not unknown to the senate; they have
had inkling this fortnight what we intend to do,
which now we'll show 'em in deeds. They say poor
suitors have strong breaths: they shall know we
have strong arms too.

12

I,1,56

We cannot, sir, we are undone already.

13

I,1,71

Care for us! True, indeed! They ne'er cared for us
yet: suffer us to famish, and their store-houses
crammed with grain; make edicts for usury, to
support usurers; repeal daily any wholesome act
established against the rich, and provide more
piercing statutes daily, to chain up and restrain
the poor. If the wars eat us not up, they will; and
there's all the love they bear us.

14

I,1,85

Well, I'll hear it, sir: yet you must not think to
fob off our disgrace with a tale: but, an 't please
you, deliver.

15

I,1,98

Well, sir, what answer made the belly?

16

I,1,107

Your belly's answer? What!
The kingly-crowned head, the vigilant eye,
The counsellor heart, the arm our soldier,
Our steed the leg, the tongue our trumpeter.
With other muniments and petty helps
In this our fabric, if that they—

17

I,1,115

Should by the cormorant belly be restrain'd,
Who is the sink o' the body,—

18

I,1,118

The former agents, if they did complain,
What could the belly answer?

19

I,1,123

Ye're long about it.

20

I,1,139

Ay, sir; well, well.

21

I,1,145

It was an answer: how apply you this?

22

I,1,154

I the great toe! why the great toe?

23

I,1,167

We have ever your good word.

24

II,3,1425

Once, if he do require our voices, we ought not to deny him.

25

II,3,1437

And to make us no better thought of, a little help
will serve; for once we stood up about the corn, he
himself stuck not to call us the many-headed multitude.

26

II,3,1507

The price is to ask it kindly.

27

II,3,1598

He has our voices, sir.

28

II,3,1604

No,'tis his kind of speech: he did not mock us.

29

II,3,1662

I twice five hundred and their friends to piece 'em.

30

III,1,2076

He shall well know
The noble tribunes are the people's mouths,
And we their hands.

31

IV,6,3034

Ourselves, our wives, and children, on our knees,
Are bound to pray for you both.

32

IV,6,3189

For mine own part,
When I said, banish him, I said 'twas pity.

33

IV,6,3205

The gods be good to us! Come, masters, let's home.
I ever said we were i' the wrong when we banished
him.