Enter VOLUMNIA, VIRGILIA, and MENENIUS.

Here comes his mother.

Sic. Let's not meet her.

Bru. Why?

Sic. They say she's mad.

Bru. They have ta'en note of us:

Keep on your way.

Vol. O, you're well met: The hoarded plague o' the gods

Requite your love!

Men. Peace, peace; be not so loud.

Vol. If that I could for weeping, you should hear,

e.-Will you be gone? [ToBRUTUS.

Nay, and you shall hear some.

Vir. You shall stay too [To SICIN.]: I would I had the power To say so to my husband.

Sic. Are you mankind?

Vol. Ay, fool; is that a shame ?-Note but this fool.-
Was not a man my father? Hadst thou foxship*

To banish him that struck more blows for Rome,
Than thou hast spoken words?

Sic. O blessed heavens!

Vol. More noble blows, than ever thou wise words;
And for Rome's good.-I'll tell thee what;-Yet go:-
Nay, but thou shalt stay too :-I would my son
Were in Arabia, and thy tribe before him,

His good sword in his hand.

Sic. What then?

Vir. What then?

He'd make an end of thy posterity.

Vol. Bastards, and all.

Good man, the wounds that he does bear for Rome!

Men. Come, come, peace.

Sic. I would he had continued to his country,

As he began and not unknit himself

The noble knot he made.

Bru. I would he had.

Vol. I would he had? "Twas you incensed the rabble:

Cats, that can judge as fitly of his worth,

As I can of those mysteries which heaven

Will not have earth to know.

Bru. Pray, let us go.

Vol. Now, pray, Sir, get you gone :

You have done a brave deed. Ere you go, hear this:

As far as doth the Capitol exceed

The meanest house in Rome: so far, my son

(This lady's husband here, this, do you see), Whom you have banish'd, does exceed you all. Bru. Well, well, we'll leave you.

Sic. Why stay we to be baited

With one that wants her wits?

Vol. Take my prayers with you.

I would the gods had nothing else to do,

[Exeunt TRIBUNES.

But to confirm my curses! Could I meet them
But once a day, it would unclog my heart
Of what lies heavy to't.

* Mean cunning.

Men. You have told them home,

And, by my troth, you have cause. You'll sup with me?
Vol. Anger 's my meat; I sup upon myself,

And so shall starve with feeding.-Come let's go :

Leave this faint puling, and lament as I do,
In anger, Juno-like. Come, come, come.

Men. Fie, fie, fie!

[Exeunt.

SCENE III-A highway between Rome and Antium.
Enter a ROMAN and a VOLCE, meeting.

Rom. I know you well, Sir, and you know me: your name I think, is Adrian.

Vol. It is so, Sir: truly, I have forgot you.

Rom. I am a Roman; and my services are, as you are, against them: Know you me yet?

Vol. Nicanor? No,

Rom. The same, Sir.

Vol. You had more beard, when I last saw you; but your favour is well appeared by your tongue.* What's the news in Rome? I have a note from the Volcian state, to find you out there: You have well saved me a day's journey.

Rom. There hath been in Rome strange insurrection: the people against the senators, patricians, and nobles.

Vol. Hath been! Is it ended then? Our state thinks not so; they are in a most warlike preparation, and hope to come upon them in the heat of their division.

Rom. The main blaze of it is past, but a small thing would make it flame again. For the nobles receive so to heart the banishment of that worthy Coriolanus, that they are in a ripe aptness, to take all power from the people, and to pluck from them their tribunes for ever. This lies glowing, I can tell you, and is almost mature for the violent breaking out.

Vol. Coriolanus banished?

Rom. Banished, Sir.

Vol. You will be welcome with this intelligence, Nicanor.

Rom. The day serves well for them now. I have heard it said, the fittest time to corrupt a man's wife, is when she's fallen out with her husband. Your noble Tullus Aufidius will appear well in these wars, his great opposer, Coriolanus, being now in no request of his country.

Vol. He cannot choose. I am most fortunate, thus accidentally to encounter you: You have ended my business, and I will merrily accompany you home.

Rom. I shall, between this and supper, tell you most strange things from Rome; all tending to the good of their adversaries. Have you an army ready, say you?

Vol. A most royal one: the centurions, and their charges, distinctly billeted, already in the entertainment, † and to be on foot at an hour's warning.

Rom. I am joyful to hear of their readiness, and am the man, I think, that shall set them in present action. So, Sir, heartily well met, and most glad of your company.

Vol. You take my part from me, Sir; I have the most cause to be glad of yours.

Rom. Well, let us go together.

[Exeunt.

* Your voice manifests to me that I am right in thinking I remembered your features.

+ In pay.

SCENE IV.-Antium. Before AUFIDIUS's House.

Enter CORIOLANUS, in mean apparel, disguised and muffled.

Cor. A goodly city is this Antium: City,

"Tis I that made thy widows; many an heir

Of these fair edifices 'fore my wars

Have I heard groan, and drop: then know me not;
Lest that thy wives with spits, and boys with stones,

Enter a CITIZEN.

In puny battle slay me.-Save you, Sir.

Cit. And you.

Cor. Direct me, if it be your will,

Where great Aufidius lies: Is he in Antium?
Cit. He is, and feasts the nobles of the state,
At his house this night.

Cor. Which is his house, 'beseech you?"
Cit. This, here, before you.

Cor. Thank you, Sir; farewell.

[Exit CITIZEN.

O, world, thy slippery turns! Friends now fast sworn,

Whose double bosoms seem to wear one heart,

Whose hours, whose bed, whose meal, and exercise,
Are still together, who twin, as 'twere, in love
Unseparable, shall within this hour,

On a dissension of a doit, break out
To bitterest enmity: So, fellest foes,

Whose passions and whose plots have broke their sleep
To take the one the other, by some chance,

Some trick not worth an egg, shall grow dear friends,
And interjoin their issues. So with me:-
My birth-place hate I, and my love 's upon
This enemy town.-I'll enter: if he slay me,
He does fair justice; if he give me way,
I'll do his country service.

[Exit.

SCENE V-The same. A Hall in AUFIDIUS's House.

Enter CORIOLANUS.

[Exit.

2. Serv. Where's Cotus! my master calls for him. Cotus! [Exit.

Cor. A goodly house: The feast smells well: but I

Appear not like a guest.

Whence are you?

Re-enter the first SERVANT.
1 Serv. What would you have, friend?
Here's no place for you: Pray, go to the door.
Cor. I have deserved no better entertainment,

In being Coriolanus.

Re-enter second SERVANT.

2 Serv. Whence are you, Sir? Has the porter his eyes in his head, that he gives entrance to such companions ?* Pray, get you out. Cor. Away!

2 Serv. Away? Get you away.

Cor. Now thou art troublesome.
* Fellows.

2 Serv. Are you so brave? I'll have you talked with anon. Enter a third SERVANT. The first meets him.

3 Serv. What fellow's this?

1 Serv. A strange one as ever I looked on: I cannot get him out o' the house: Pr'ythee, call my master to him.

3 Serv. What have you to do here, fellow? Pray you, avoid the house.

Cor. Let me but stand; I will not hurt your hearth.

3 Serv. What are you?

Cor. A gentleman.

3 Serv. A marvellous poor one.

Cor. True, so I am.

3 Serv. Pray you, poor gentleman, take up some other station; here's no place for you; pray you, avoid: come.

Cor. Follow your function, go!

And batten* on cold bits.

[Pushes him away.

3 Serv. What, will you not? Pr'ythee, tell my master what a strange guest he has here.

2 Serv. And I shall.

3 Serv. Where dwellest thou?

Cor. Under the canopy.

3 Serv. Under the canopy?

Cor. Ay.

3 Serv. Where's that?

Cor. I' the city of kites and crows.

[Exit.

3 Serv. I' the city of kites and crows ?-What an ass it is!Then thou dwellest with daws too?

Cor. No, I serve not thy master.

3 Serv. How, Sir! Do you meddle with my master ?

Cor. Ay; 'tisan honester service than to meddle with thy mistress: Thou prat❜st, and prat'st; serve with thy trencher, hence! [Beats him away.

Enter AUFIDIUS and the second SERVANT.

Auf. Where is this fellow?

2 Serv. Here, Sir; I'd have beaten him like a dog, but for disturbing the lords within.

Auf. Whence comest thou ? what wouldest thou? Thy name? Why speak'st not? Speak, man: What's thy name?

Cor. If, Tullus,

Not yet thou know'st me, and seeing me, dost not

Think me for the man I am, necessity

Commands me name myself.

Auf. What is thy name?

[Unmuffling.

[SERVANTS retire.

Cor. A name unmusical to the Volcians' ears,

And harsh in sound to thine.

Auf. Say, what's thy name?

Thou hast a grim appearance, and thy face

Bears a command in't; though thy tackle 's torn,

Thou show'st a noble vessel: What's thy name?

Cor. Prepare thy brow to frown: Know'st thou me yet?
Auf. I know thee not: Thy name?

Cor. My name is Caius Marcius, who hath done

To thee particularly, and to all the Volces,

Great hurt and mischief; thereto witness may

* Feed.

My surname, Coriolanus: The painful service,
The extreme dangers, and the drops of blood
Shed for my thankless country, are requited
But with that surname; a good memory,*
And witness of the malice and displeasure

Which thou shouldst bear me: only that name remains ;
The cruelty and envy of the people,
Permitted by our dastard nobles, who

Have all forsook me, hath devour'd the rest;

And suffer'd me by the voice of slaves to be
Whoop'd out of Rome. Now, this extremity

Hath brought me to thy hearth; Not out of hope,
Mistake me not, to save my life; for if

I had fear'd death, of all the men i' the world
I would have 'voided thee: but in mere spite,
To be full quit of those my banishers,

Stand I before thee here. Then if thou hast

A heart of wreak† in thee, that will revenge

Thine own particular wrongs, and stop those maims

Of shame seen through thy country, speed thee straight,

And make my misery serve thy turn; so use it,
That my revengeful services may prove

As benefits to thee; for I will fight

Against my canker'd country with the spleen

Of all the under§ fiends. But if so be

Thou darest not this, and that to prove more fortunes
Thou art tired, then, in a word, I also am

Longer to live most weary, and present

My throat to thee, and to thy ancient malice:

Which not to cut, would show thee but a fool;

Since I have ever follow'd thee with hate,

Drawn tuns of blood out of thy country's breast;

And cannot live but to thy shame, unless

It be to do thee service.

Auf. O, Marcius, Marcius,

Each word thou hast spoke hath weeded from my heart
A root of ancient envy. If Jupiter

Should from yon cloud speak divine things, and say,
'Tis true: I'd not believe them more than thee,

All noble Marcius.-O, let me twine

Mine arms about that body, where against

My grained ash an hundred times hath broke,

And scared the moon with splinters! Here I clip ¶
The anvil of my sword; and do contest,

As hotly and as nobly with thy love,

As ever in ambitious strength I did'

Contend against thy valour. Know thou first,

I loved the maid I married; never man

Sigh'd truer breath; but that I see thee here,

Thou noble thing! more dances my rapt heart,

Than when I first my wedded mistress saw

Bestride my threshold. Why, thou Mars! I tell thee,
We have a power on foot; and I had purpose

Once more to hew thy target from thy brawn,**

* Memorial.

§ Infernal.

Resentment.
Hatred.

Disgraceful diminutions.
Embrace.
Arm.