Speeches (Lines) for Messenger in "The Tragedy of Coriolanus"

Coriolanus. Go, get you home, you fragments!

Messenger. Where's Caius CORIOLANUS?

Coriolanus. Here: what's the matter?

Messenger. The news is, sir, the Volsces are in arms.

Coriolanus. Say, has our general met the enemy?

Messenger. They lie in view; but have not spoke as yet.

Coriolanus. How far off lie these armies?

Messenger. Within this mile and half.

Cominius. Breathe you, my friends: well fought;
we are come off
Like Romans, neither foolish in our stands,
Nor cowardly in retire: believe me, sirs,
We shall be charged again. Whiles we have struck,
By interims and conveying gusts we have heard
The charges of our friends. Ye Roman gods!
Lead their successes as we wish our own,
That both our powers, with smiling
fronts encountering,
May give you thankful sacrifice.
[Enter a Messenger]
Thy news?

Messenger. The citizens of Corioli have issued,
And given to TITUS and to CORIOLANUS battle:
I saw our party to their trenches driven,
And then I came away.

Cominius. Though thou speak'st truth,
Methinks thou speak'st not well.
How long is't since?

Messenger. Above an hour, my lord.

Cominius. 'Tis not a mile; briefly we heard their drums:
How couldst thou in a mile confound an hour,
And bring thy news so late?

Messenger. Spies of the Volsces
Held me in chase, that I was forced to wheel
Three or four miles about, else had I, sir,
Half an hour since brought my report.

Junius Brutus. What's the matter?

Messenger. You are sent for to the Capitol. 'Tis thought
That CORIOLANUS shall be consul:
I have seen the dumb men throng to see him and
The blind to bear him speak: matrons flung gloves,
Ladies and maids their scarfs and handkerchers,
Upon him as he pass'd: the nobles bended,
As to Jove's statue, and the commons made
A shower and thunder with their caps and shouts:
I never saw the like.

Junius Brutus. Not possible.

Messenger. The nobles in great earnestness are going
All to the senate-house: some news is come
That turns their countenances.

Sicinius Velutus. 'Tis this slave;--
Go whip him, 'fore the people's eyes:--his raising;
Nothing but his report.

Messenger. Yes, worthy sir,
The slave's report is seconded; and more,
More fearful, is deliver'd.

Sicinius Velutus. What more fearful?

Messenger. It is spoke freely out of many mouths--
How probable I do not know--that CORIOLANUS,
Join'd with Aufidius, leads a power 'gainst Rome,
And vows revenge as spacious as between
The young'st and oldest thing.

Menenius Agrippa. No, in such a case the gods will not be good unto
us. When we banished him, we respected not them;
and, he returning to break our necks, they respect not us.

Messenger. Sir, if you'ld save your life, fly to your house:
The plebeians have got your fellow-tribune
And hale him up and down, all swearing, if
The Roman ladies bring not comfort home,
They'll give him death by inches.