Character Summary

First Citizen: a rabble rouser who tries to rally a mob of Roman commoners to oppose the Roman aristocracy in general and Caius Marcius in particular

Second Citizen: Caius Marcius’ sympathizer who tries to dissuade the First Citizen from being so smug and gung-ho about his prejudices

Menenius Agrippa: friend to Caius Marcius who chides the First Citizen

Caius Marcius: soon to be Caius Marcius Coriolanus, he is a high ranking Roman soldier

Titus Lartius: high ranking Roman soldier who will oppose the rebelling Volscians

Cominius: the Roman general who will lead the Roman forces against the Volscians

First Senator: a senator who supports Caius Marcius

Sicinius Velutus: a Tribune of the People who has a negative opinion of Caius Marcius

Junius Brutus: another Tribune of the people who has a negative opinion of Caius Marcius

Tullus Aufidius: General of the Volscians

Senators: Volscian senators of Corioli

Volumnia: Caius Marcius’ mother to whom her son’s honor, valor, and achievements are everything.

Virgilia: Caius Marcius’ wife to whom honor, war, and bloodshed are fearful things

Valeria: friend to Virgilia

First Soldier: A Volscian soldier to whom Tullus Aufidius relates his dismay at finding himself once again the loser vis-à-vis Caius Marcius

Herald: he who announces Caius Marcius Coriolanus’ triumphant return to Rome

Officers: two Roman officers who have differing opinions about Coriolanus’ general contempt of the multitudes

Citizens: Roman citizens who ostensibly give their consent to name Coriolanus consul but who intend to repeal their consent as instructed by Brutus and Sicinius

Aedile: policemen of Rome

Nicanor: a Roman who is allied to the Volscians

Adrian: a Volsce who is commissioned to seek out Adrian for intelligence regarding the disposition of the Roman armies

Citizen: a citizen of Antium who directs Coriolanus to Tullus Aufidius’ dwelling

Servingmen: Audidius’ servants who try to shoo away Coriolanus from Aufidius’ house to no avail

Messenger: a bearer of the news that the Volscian attack of the Roman territories is led by Aufidius who is allied to Caius Marcius

Lieutenant: Volscian officer who advises Aufidius that he should be wary of Caius Marcius

First Watch: a Volscian guarding the Volscian camp, he bars Menenius from seeking conference with Caius Marcius

Second Watch: another Volscian guarding the Volscian camp, he likewise bars Menenius from seeking conference with Caius Marcius

Boy: young marcius, son to Coriolanus, who is seen chasing butterflies when first seen by the reader

Messengers: Roman messengers who deliver bad and good news, one after another

Senator: a senator of Rome who conducts the ceremonies of Rome’s salvation

Conspirators: Aufidius’ henchmen who assassinate Caius Marcius

Lords: Volscian lords who lament Caius Marcius’ assassination