Coriolanus: Act 4, Scene 6 Summary & Analysis

In a public place in Rome, Sicinius and Brutus discuss Coriolanus. Sicinius says that they haven’t heard anything of him, so they need not fear him. There is little likelihood of his banishment being revoked, since things have calmed down and gone so well since his exile began. Menenius enters and is greeted by the tribunes, who comment that Coriolanus isn’t missed much in the city. Menenius says that all is well, but it could have been better if only Coriolanus were willing to compromise. He has no idea where Coriolanus is, and neither do Volumnia or Virgilia.

Some citizens enter, and they praise the tribunes, who respond that they wish Coriolanus had loved the people as well as they do. The citizens then leave, and Sicinius notes that it is a much happier time now that citizens aren’t running in the streets in confusion. Brutus believes Caius Martius was an excellent officer in war, but also overcome with pride and too ambitious for tyrannical power. Menenius disagrees, but Sicinius thinks that if Coriolanus had been named consul he’d already be a dictator by now. Brutus believes Rome is safer without Coriolanus around.

An aedile enters and announces that there is a slave (who’s now imprisoned) who reports that the Volscians have gathered two armies and entered Roman territory with the intent of starting another war. Menenius guesses that Aufidius has heard of Coriolanus’s banishment and been emboldened to attack by it. The tribunes think the report cannot be true, assuming that the slave is spreading a rumor, but Menenius says it’s very likely that the Volscians have indeed gathered new armies. A messenger then enters, saying that the nobles are gathering in the senate house. Menenius urges the tribunes to be reasonable before passing judgment, but they believe the report to be impossible and tell the messenger to whip the slave in front of the people.

The messenger, though, says that the slave’s report has been confirmed, with the addition of even more terrifying information: Coriolanus has joined with Aufidius, and the exiled Roman now leads an army against Rome seeking revenge. Sicinius and Brutus believe the news at once, but Menenius says it’s unlikely, since Coriolanus and Aufidius are mortal enemies. A second messenger then enters and calls Menenius to the senate. He reports that Coriolanus’s army is associated with Aufidius, and has ravaged all Roman territories in its path.

Cominius enters, and sarcastically tells the tribunes that they have done good work, helping to “ravish [their] own daughters.” Menenius repeatedly asks for news, but Cominius keeps berating the tribunes. Menenius asks Cominius if Coriolanus is really fighting alongside the Volscians, and Cominius responds that Coriolanus “is their god; he leads them like a thing made by some other deity than nature.” Menenius then echoes Cominius’s sarcastic comment, telling the tribunes they have done good work in creating this situation. Menenius and Cominius fear that Coriolanus will destroy Rome. Roman territories are revolting or perishing in Coriolanus’s wake.

Menenius thinks they are “all undone,” unless Coriolanus shows mercy. Cominius wonders who will ask for this mercy, since the tribunes and the people certainly cannot, and even his close friends will seem like enemies if they beg for mercy, since they will ask just like enemies would. Menenius agrees, and continues chiding the tribunes, who Cominius says have brought a “trembling” beyond help to Rome, the likes of which has never been seen before.

The tribunes try to avoid blame, but Menenius says that the nobles loved Coriolanus, but, cowardly, they gave way to the tribunes and the common people, who shouted Coriolanus out of the city. Cominius fears they’ll soon shout him back in, since Aufidius is acting as an officer to Coriolanus. Rome needs to mount a desperate defense. A mob of citizens enters, and Menenius chides them for banishing Coriolanus, who is now coming in a fury. He calls them fools, and says that if Coriolanus burns the city into one coal, the Romans will have deserved it.

The citizens all claim that when they banished Coriolanus, they thought it was a pity, and they only did it because they thought it best. They say that Coriolanus consented to the banishment, but the people didn’t really want it to happen. Cominius cries out, “you’re goodly things, you voices!” Menenius again says they have done good work, and they exit. The tribunes tell the citizens to go home and not to fear, since Menenius and Cominius stand to profit from believing the reports that Coriolanus is returning. A citizen cries out that he always said they were in the wrong when they banished Coriolanus, and another agrees. The citizens exit. The tribunes are unhappy with the news they have learned, and they pray it is not true. They head for the Capitol and exit.