Coriolanus Quotes

“Let me have war, say I: it exceeds peace as far as day does night; it's spritely, waking, audible, and full of vent. Peace is a very apoplexy, lethargy; mulled, deaf, sleepy, insensible; a getter of more bastard children than war's a destroyer of men.”
― William Shakespeare, Coriolanus

“These are the ushers of Martius: before him
He carries noise, and behind him he leaves tears.
Death, that dark spirit, in's nervy arm doth lie,
Which being advanc'd, declines, and then men die.”
― William Shakespeare, Coriolanus

“Then be kind, Coryo, and try not to look down on people who had to choose between death and disgrace”
― Suzanne Collins, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes

“O mother, mother!
What have you done? Behold, the heavens do ope,
The gods look down, and this unnatural scene
They laugh at. O my mother, mother! O!
You have won a happy victory to Rome;
But, for your son,--believe it, O, believe it,
Most dangerously you have with him prevail'd,
If not most mortal to him.”
― William Shakespeare

“Ladies, you deserve
To have a temple built you: all the swords
In Italy, and her confederate arms,
Could not have made this peace.”
― William Shakespeare, Coriolanus

“No, take more! What may be sworn by, both divine and human, Seal what I end withal! This double worship, Where [one] part does disdain with cause, the other Insult without all reason; where gentry, title, wisdom, Cannot conclude but by the yea and no Of general ignorance— it must omit Real necessities, and give way the while To unstable slightness. Purpose so barr’d, it follows Nothing is done to purpose. Therefore beseech you— You that will be less fearful than discreet; That love the fundamental part of state More than you doubt the change on’t; that prefer A noble life before a long, and wish To jump a body with a dangerous physic That’s sure of death without it— at once pluck out The multitudinous tongue; let them not lick The sweet which is their poison. Your dishonor Mangles true judgment, and bereaves the state Of that integrity which should become’t; Not having the power to do the good it would, For th’ ill which doth control’t.”
― William Shakespeare, Coriolanus

“The mouse ne'er shunn'd the cat as they did budge
From rascals worse than they.

(from, Coriolanus)”
― William Shakespeare

“When I was a boy, my grandfather taught me the list of kings: Romulus, Numa Pompilius, Tullus Hostilius, Ancus Marcius, Tarquinius the Elder, Servius Tullius. Tarquinius the Proud was to be the last, the very last, cast out and replaced forever by something called a republic. A mockery! A mistake! An experiment that failed! Today is the republic’s final day. Tomorrow, men will shout in the Forum, ‘All hail King Coriolanus!”
― Steven Saylor, Roma

“Well, I must do’t. Away, my disposition, and possess me Some harlot’s spirit! My throat of war be turn’d, Which quier’d with my drum, into a pipe Small as an eunuch, or the virgin voice That babies lull asleep! The smiles of knaves Tent in my cheeks, and schoolboys’ tears take up The glasses of my sight! A beggar’s tongue Make motion through my lips, and my arm’d knees, Who bow’d but in my stirrup, bend like his That hath receiv’d an alms! I will not do’t, Lest I surcease to honor mine own truth, And by my body’s action teach my mind A most inherent baseness.”
― William Shakespeare, Coriolanus

“Were half to half the world by the ears and he
Upon my party, I'ld revolt to make
Only my wars with him: he is a lion
That I am proud to hunt.”
― William Shakespeare, Coriolanus

“La mort, ce sombre fantôme, est assise sur son bras vigoureux : ce bras se lève, retombe, et alors les hommes meurent.”
― William Shakespeare, Coriolanus

“My wife comes foremost; then the honour'd mould
Wherein this trunk was framed, and in her hand
The grandchild to her blood. But, out, affection!
All bond and privilege of nature, break!
Let it be virtuous to be obstinate.
What is that curt'sy worth? or those doves' eyes,
Which can make gods forsworn? I melt, and am not
Of stronger earth than others. My mother bows;
As if Olympus to a molehill should
In supplication nod: and my young boy
Hath an aspect of intercession, which
Great nature cries 'Deny not.' let the Volsces
Plough Rome and harrow Italy: I'll never
Be such a gosling to obey instinct, but stand,
As if a man were author of himself
And knew no other kin.”
― William Shakespeare

“Je vous ai ouï dire que l’honneur et la politique, comme deux amis inséparables, marchaient de compagnie à la guerre. Eh bien ! dites-moi quel tort l’un fait à l’autre dans la paix, pour qu’ils ne s’y trouvent pas également unis ?”
― William Shakespeare, Coriolanus

“souvenez-vous des blessures dont son corps est couvert, comme un cimetière hérissé de tombeaux.”
― William Shakespeare, Coriolanus

“O mother, mother! What have you done?
Behold, the heavens do ope,
The gods look down, and this unnatural scene
They laugh at.
Act 5, Scene 3”
― William Shakespeare, Coriolanus

“He’s a very
dog to the commonality”
― William Shakespeare, Coriolanus

“Peace is a very apoplexy, lethargy; mulled, deaf, sleepy, insensible; a getter of more bastard children than war’s a destroyer of men”
― William Shakespeare, Coriolanus

“His sword, death’s stamp,
Where it did mark, it took. From face to foot
He was a thing of blood,
whose every motion
Was timed with dying cries.”
― William Shakespeare, Coriolanus

“There is a world elsewhere”
― William Shakespeare, Coriolanus