Original: All places yield to him ere he sits down;
Modern: Everyone gives way to him before he even takes his seat;

Original: And the nobility of Rome are his:
Modern: And Rome’s noble families support him:

Original: The senators and patricians love him too:
Modern: The senators and upper-class citizens love him as well:

Original: The tribunes are no soldiers; and their people
Modern: The tribunes aren’t military men; and their followers

Original: Will be as rash in the repeal, as hasty
Modern: Will be just as quick to bring him back, as eager they were

Original: To expel him thence. I think he’ll be to Rome
Modern: To throw him out before. I think he’ll be to Rome

Original: As is the osprey to the fish, who takes it
Modern: Like a hawk is to a fish, who catches it

Original: By sovereignty of nature. First he was
Modern: Simply by natural dominance. At first he was

Original: A noble servant to them; but he could not
Modern: A noble servant to them; but he couldn’t

Original: Carry his honours even: whether ‘twas pride,
Modern: Handle his honors gracefully: whether it was pride,

Original: Which out of daily fortune ever taints
Modern: Which daily success always corrupts

Original: The happy man; whether defect of judgment,
Modern: The fortunate man; whether it was poor judgment,

Original: To fail in the disposing of those chances
Modern: Failing to handle properly those opportunities

Original: Which he was lord of; or whether nature,
Modern: That he was master of; or whether his nature,

Original: Not to be other than one thing, not moving
Modern: Unable to be anything but one thing, never changing

Original: From the casque to the cushion, but commanding peace
Modern: From war helmet to comfortable seat, but ruling in peace

Original: Even with the same austerity and garb
Modern: With the same harsh manner and attitude

Original: As he controll’d the war; but one of these—
Modern: As he controlled the war; but one of these reasons—

Original: As he hath spices of them all, not all,
Modern: Since he has traces of all these flaws, not completely,

Original: For I dare so far free him—made him fear’d,
Modern: For I’ll defend him that much—made him feared,

Original: So hated, and so banish’d: but he has a merit,
Modern: So hated, and so exiled: but he has a virtue,

Original: To choke it in the utterance. So our virtues
Modern: That kills itself when spoken. So our good qualities

Original: Lie in the interpretation of the time:
Modern: Depend on how the times judge them:

Original: And power, unto itself most commendable,
Modern: And power, which seems most praiseworthy to itself,

Original: Hath not a tomb so evident as a chair
Modern: Has no grave so obvious as a throne

Original: To extol what it hath done.
Modern: From which to boast about its achievements.

Original: One fire drives out one fire; one nail, one nail;
Modern: One fire puts out another fire; one nail drives out another nail;

Original: Rights by rights falter, strengths by strengths do fail.
Modern: Rights are defeated by other rights, strengths are beaten by other strengths.

Original: Come, let’s away. When, Caius, Rome is thine,
Modern: Come, let’s go. When, Caius, Rome belongs to you,

Original: Thou art poor’st of all; then shortly art thou mine.
Modern: You’ll be the poorest of all; then soon you’ll be mine.

Coriolanus tells the tragic story of a Roman military hero whose pride and contempt for the common people ultimately leads to his downfall. The play opens with Roman citizens rioting over grain shortages, angry at the patrician class’s indifference to their suffering. Caius Marcius, a fierce Roman general, successfully leads the siege against the Volscian city of Corioles, earning the honorary name “Coriolanus.” Despite his military prowess, he openly despises the plebeians (common citizens) and reluctantly agrees to seek the consulship only at his mother Volumnia’s urging.

When Coriolanus runs for consul, he must follow tradition by displaying his war wounds to the citizens and asking for their votes. Though initially successful, the tribunes Brutus and Sicinius manipulate the fickle crowd against him, exploiting his arrogant nature and aristocratic disdain. When Coriolanus explodes in rage against the people’s ingratitude and the democratic process itself, he is banished from Rome. His famous response - “I banish you!” - reveals his wounded pride and inability to bend to political necessity.

In exile, Coriolanus seeks out his former enemy Aufidius, leader of the Volscians, and offers to help destroy Rome in revenge. Together they march on the city with devastating success. As Rome faces imminent destruction, various delegations plead with Coriolanus to spare the city, but he remains unmoved until his mother Volumnia, wife Virgilia, and young son appear before him. In the play’s climactic scene, Volumnia’s emotional appeal finally breaks through his resolve, and he agrees to make peace - knowing this decision will likely cost him his life. True to expectation, Aufidius and his conspirators kill Coriolanus for his “betrayal,” viewing his mercy toward Rome as weakness and treachery to their cause.