Original
Modern English
In this point charge him home, that he affects Tyrannical power: if he evade us there, Enforce him with his envy to the people, And that the spoil got on the Antiates Was ne’er distributed.
Focus on this issue: accuse him of wanting Tyrannical power. If he tries to avoid this, Use his hatred of the people against him, And say that the loot taken from the Antiates Was never shared out.
What, will he come?
What, is he coming?
He’s coming.
He’s on his way.
How accompanied?
Who’s with him?
With old Menenius, and those senators That always favour’d him.
Old Menenius, and those senators Who’ve always supported him.
Have you a catalogue Of all the voices that we have procured Set down by the poll?
Do you have a list Of all the votes we’ve gathered, Sorted by name?
I have; ’tis ready.
Yes, it’s ready.
Have you collected them by tribes?
Have you organized them by tribes?
I have.
Yes, I have.
Assemble presently the people hither; And when they bear me say ’It shall be so I’ the right and strength o’ the commons,’ be it either For death, for fine, or banishment, then let them If I say fine, cry ’Fine;’ if death, cry ’Death.’ Insisting on the old prerogative And power i’ the truth o’ the cause.
Gather the people here right now; And when they listen to me, say, “It shall be so, In the name and strength of the commons,” whether it’s For death, a fine, or banishment, let them If I say fine, shout, “Fine;” if death, shout, “Death.” Sticking to the old right And the power of truth in the cause.
I shall inform them.
I’ll let them know.
And when such time they have begun to cry, Let them not cease, but with a din confused Enforce the present execution Of what we chance to sentence.
And when they start shouting, Don’t let them stop, but make a loud, chaotic noise To demand that whatever we decide Be carried out immediately.
Very well.
Alright.
Make them be strong and ready for this hint, When we shall hap to give ’t them.
Make sure they’re strong and ready for this signal, When we get the chance to give it to them.
Go about it.
Go ahead and do it.
Put him to choler straight: he hath been used Ever to conquer, and to have his worth Of contradiction: being once chafed, he cannot Be rein’d again to temperance; then he speaks What’s in his heart; and that is there which looks With us to break his neck.
Put him into a rage right away: he’s always been Used to winning, and to having his worth Challenged: once he’s upset, he can’t Be calmed down to reason; then he says What’s on his mind; and what’s on his mind is what looks To us like it will get him killed.
Well, here he comes.
Well, here he comes.
Calmly, I do beseech you.
Please, stay calm.
Ay, as an ostler, that for the poorest piece Will bear the knave by the volume. The honour’d gods Keep Rome in safety, and the chairs of justice Supplied with worthy men! plant love among ’s! Throng our large temples with the shows of peace, And not our streets with war!
Yes, like a stableman who for the smallest fee Will carry the scoundrel by the load. May the honored gods Keep Rome safe, and may the courts of justice Be filled with worthy men! Let love grow among us! Fill our grand temples with displays of peace, And not our streets with war!
Amen, amen.
Amen, amen.
A noble wish.
A noble wish.
Draw near, ye people.
Gather around, people.
List to your tribunes. Audience: peace, I say!
Listen to your tribunes. Quiet, I say!
First, hear me speak.
First, let me speak.
Well, say. Peace, ho!
Go ahead. Quiet, ho!
Shall I be charged no further than this present? Must all determine here?
Am I only to be blamed for what I’ve done so far? Is everything decided here?
I do demand, If you submit you to the people’s voices, Allow their officers and are content To suffer lawful censure for such faults As shall be proved upon you?
I ask you, If you agree to listen to the people’s opinions, Let their officers judge you and are you willing To accept lawful punishment for any wrongs That are proven against you?
I am content.
I agree.
Lo, citizens, he says he is content: The warlike service he has done, consider; think Upon the wounds his body bears, which show Like graves i’ the holy churchyard.
Look, citizens, he says he agrees: Consider the military service he’s done; think About the wounds he carries, which look Like graves in a holy cemetery.
Scratches with briers, Scars to move laughter only.
Scratches from brambles, Scars that only make people laugh.
Consider further, That when he speaks not like a citizen, You find him like a soldier: do not take His rougher accents for malicious sounds, But, as I say, such as become a soldier, Rather than envy you.
Think about it more, That when he doesn’t speak like a common citizen, You see him as a soldier: don’t mistake His rough speech for ill-will, But instead, as I say, it’s the way a soldier speaks, Not to make you jealous.
Well, well, no more.
Alright, alright, no more.
What is the matter That being pass’d for consul with full voice, I am so dishonour’d that the very hour You take it off again?
What’s going on That, even though I was elected consul with unanimous support, I am so dishonoured that the very moment You strip me of the title again?
Answer to us.
Answer us.
Say, then: ’tis true, I ought so.
Say this then: it’s true, I deserve it.
We charge you, that you have contrived to take From Rome all season’d office and to wind Yourself into a power tyrannical; For which you are a traitor to the people.
We accuse you of plotting to take All the established offices in Rome and seize Power for yourself, becoming a tyrant; For this, you are a traitor to the people.
How! traitor!
What! A traitor?
Nay, temperately; your promise.
No, stay calm; remember your promise.
The fires i’ the lowest hell fold-in the people! Call me their traitor! Thou injurious tribune! Within thine eyes sat twenty thousand deaths, In thy hand clutch’d as many millions, in Thy lying tongue both numbers, I would say ’Thou liest’ unto thee with a voice as free As I do pray the gods.
May the fires of hell consume the people! Call me their traitor! You unjust tribune! In your eyes, I see twenty thousand deaths, In your hand, you hold millions of them, and With your lying tongue, you could count them all; I would say “You’re lying” to your face, with a voice as free As when I pray to the gods.
Mark you this, people?
Do you hear this, people?
To the rock, to the rock with him!
To the rock, to the rock with him!
Peace! We need not put new matter to his charge: What you have seen him do and heard him speak, Beating your officers, cursing yourselves, Opposing laws with strokes and here defying Those whose great power must try him; even this, So criminal and in such capital kind, Deserves the extremest death.
Quiet! We don’t need to accuse him of anything new: What you’ve seen him do and heard him say, Beating your officers, cursing yourselves, Defying the laws with violence and openly challenging Those in power who must judge him; even this, So criminal and so serious, Deserves the most extreme punishment.
But since he hath Served well for Rome,--
But since he has Served Rome well,--
What do you prate of service?
What are you talking about, service?
I talk of that, that know it.
I’m talking about something I know well.
You?
You?
Is this the promise that you made your mother?
Is this the promise you made to your mother?
Know, I pray you,--
Please, listen,--
I know no further: Let them pronounce the steep Tarpeian death, Vagabond exile, raying, pent to linger But with a grain a day, I would not buy Their mercy at the price of one fair word; Nor cheque my courage for what they can give, To have’t with saying ’Good morrow.’
I don’t need to hear more: Let them give me the harsh Tarpeian death, Banish me, make me suffer, even if it’s just a little every day, I wouldn’t beg For their mercy with a single kind word; Nor would I lessen my courage for whatever they might offer, Just to hear them say ’Good morning.’
For that he has, As much as in him lies, from time to time Envied against the people, seeking means To pluck away their power, as now at last Given hostile strokes, and that not in the presence Of dreaded justice, but on the ministers That do distribute it; in the name o’ the people And in the power of us the tribunes, we, Even from this instant, banish him our city, In peril of precipitation From off the rock Tarpeian never more To enter our Rome gates: i’ the people’s name, I say it shall be so.
Because he has, As much as he could, over time Resented the people, looking for ways To strip them of their power, and now at last He’s struck out violently, and not in the presence Of feared justice, but against the officials Who enforce it; in the name of the people And by our power as tribunes, we, Starting now, banish him from our city, At the risk of being thrown From the Tarpeian rock, never again To enter Rome: in the people’s name, I say it will be so.
It shall be so, it shall be so; let him away: He’s banish’d, and it shall be so.
It will be so, it will be so; let him go: He’s banished, and it will be so.
Hear me, my masters, and my common friends,--
Listen to me, my friends and fellow citizens,--
He’s sentenced; no more hearing.
He’s been sentenced; no more speeches.
Let me speak: I have been consul, and can show for Rome Her enemies’ marks upon me. I do love My country’s good with a respect more tender, More holy and profound, than mine own life, My dear wife’s estimate, her womb’s increase, And treasure of my loins; then if I would Speak that,--
Let me speak: I’ve been consul, and I carry Rome’s enemies’ scars on my body. I love My country’s welfare more deeply, More sacred and profound, than my own life, My beloved wife’s worth, her children, And the legacy of my family; so if I were to Speak on this,--
We know your drift: speak what?
We know your intentions: speak what?
There’s no more to be said, but he is banish’d, As enemy to the people and his country: It shall be so.
There’s nothing more to say, he’s banished, As an enemy of the people and his country: It will be so.
It shall be so, it shall be so.
It will be so, it will be so.
You common cry of curs! whose breath I hate As reek o’ the rotten fens, whose loves I prize As the dead carcasses of unburied men That do corrupt my air, I banish you; And here remain with your uncertainty! Let every feeble rumour shake your hearts! Your enemies, with nodding of their plumes, Fan you into despair! Have the power still To banish your defenders; till at length Your ignorance, which finds not till it feels, Making not reservation of yourselves, Still your own foes, deliver you as most Abated captives to some nation That won you without blows! Despising, For you, the city, thus I turn my back: There is a world elsewhere.
You common pack of dogs! I hate your breath As much as the smell of the rotten swamps, whose love I value As much as the dead bodies of men left unburied That pollute my air, I banish you; And you stay here, uncertain of what to do! Let every weak rumor frighten you! Your enemies, by just waving their feathers, Will drive you into despair! They still have the power To get rid of your protectors; until eventually Your ignorance, which doesn’t understand until it’s too late, And makes no effort to save yourselves, Will cause you, your own enemies, to be handed over as the most Defeated captives to a nation That conquered you without lifting a finger! Scornfully, I turn my back on you and the city; There’s a whole world out there.
The people’s enemy is gone, is gone!
The people’s enemy is gone, gone!
Our enemy is banish’d! he is gone! Hoo! hoo!
Our enemy is banished! He’s gone! Hoo! Hoo!
Go, see him out at gates, and follow him, As he hath followed you, with all despite; Give him deserved vexation. Let a guard Attend us through the city.
Go, see him out the gates, and follow him, Just as he followed you, with all his spite; Give him the trouble he deserves. Let a guard Escort us through the city.
Come, come; let’s see him out at gates; come. The gods preserve our noble tribunes! Come.
Come, come; let’s see him out the gates; come. May the gods protect our noble tribunes! Come.