Farewell, my wife, my mother:
I’ll do well yet. Thou old and true Menenius,
Thy tears are salter than a younger man’s,
And venomous to thine eyes. My sometime25 general,
I have seen thee stern, and thou hast oft beheld
Heart-hardening spectacles. Tell these sad women
’Tis fond to wail inevitable strokes28,
As ’tis to laugh at ’em. My mother, you wot29 well
My hazards still30 have been your solace, and
Believe’t not lightly31: though I go alone,
Like to a lonely dragon, that his fen32
Makes feared and talked of more than seen: your son
Will or exceed the common34, or be caught
With cautelous baits and practice35.
VOLUMNIA My first son,
Whither will thou go? Take good Cominius
With thee awhile: determine on some course
More than a wild exposture39 to each chance
That starts40 i’th’way before thee.
VIRGILIA O the gods!
COMINIUS I’ll follow42 thee a month, devise with thee
Where thou shalt rest, that thou mayst hear of us
And we of thee. So if the time thrust forth
A cause for thy repeal45, we shall not send
O’er the vast world to seek a single man,
And lose advantage47, which doth ever cool
I’th’absence of the needer.
CORIOLANUS Fare ye well:
Thou hast years upon thee, and thou art too full
Of the wars’ surfeits51 to go rove with one
That’s yet unbruised: bring52 me but out at gate.
Come, my sweet wife, my dearest mother, and
My friends of noble touch54: when I am forth,
Bid me farewell, and smile. I pray you, come:
While I remain above the ground, you shall
Hear from me still, and never of me aught
But what is like me formerly.
MENENIUS That’s worthily
As any ear can hear. Come, let’s not weep:
If I could shake off but one seven61 years
From these old arms and legs, by the good gods,
I’d with thee, every foot63.
CORIOLANUS Give me thy hand: come.
Exeunt
running scene 12
Enter the two Tribunes, Sicinius and Brutus, with the Aedile
SICINIUS Bid them all home1: he’s gone, and we’ll no further.
The nobility are vexed, whom we see have sided
In his behalf.
BRUTUS Now we have shown our power,
Let us seem humbler after it is done
Than when it was a-doing.
SICINIUS Bid them home: say their great enemy is gone,
And they stand in their ancient8 strength.
BRUTUS Dismiss them home.
[Exit Aedile]
Enter Volumnia, Virgilia and Menenius
Here comes his mother.
SICINIUS Let’s not meet her.
BRUTUS Why?
SICINIUS They say she’s mad13.
BRUTUS They have ta’en note of us: keep on your way.
VOLUMNIA O, you’re well met:
Th’hoarded plague o’th’gods requite16 your love!
MENENIUS Peace, peace: be not so loud.
VOLUMNIA If that I could for weeping, you should hear—
Nay, and you shall hear some. Will you be gone?
VIRGILIA You shall stay too: I would I had the power
To the Tribunes
To say so to my husband.
SICINIUS Are you mankind22?
To Volumnia
VOLUMNIA Ay, fool: is that a shame? Note but this, fool:
Was not a man my father? Hadst thou foxship24
To banish him that struck more blows for Rome
Than thou hast spoken words?
SICINIUS O blessed heavens!
VOLUMNIA 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 would30 my son
Were in Arabia, and thy tribe before31 him,
His good sword in his hand.
SICINIUS What then?
VIRGILIA What then? He’d make an end of thy posterity34.
VOLUMNIA Bastards and all.
Good man, the wounds that he does bear for Rome!
MENENIUS Come, come, peace.
SICINIUS I would he had continued to his country
As he began, and not unknit39 himself
The noble knot40 he made.
BRUTUS I would he had.
VOLUMNIA ‘I would he had’? ’Twas you incensed the rabble:
Cats43, that can judge as fitly of his worth
As I can of those mysteries which heaven
Will not have earth to know.
BRUTUS Pray, let’s go.
VOLUMNIA Now pray, sir, get you gone.
You have done a brave48 deed: ere you go, hear this:
As far as doth the Capitol exceed
The meanest50 house in Rome, so far my son —
This lady’s husband here, this, do you see? —
Whom you have banished, does exceed you all.
BRUTUS Well, well, we’ll leave you.
SICINIUS Why stay we to be baited54
With one that wants her wits?
Exeunt Tribunes
VOLUMNIA Take my prayers with you.
I would the gods had nothing else to do
But to confirm my curses. Could I meet ’em58
But once a day, it would unclog my heart
Of what lies heavy to’t60.
MENENIUS You have told them home61,
And, by my troth, you have cause. You’ll sup62 with me?
VOLUMNIA Anger’s my meat63: I sup upon myself,
And so shall starve with feeding64. Come, let’s go:
Leave this faint puling65 and lament as I do,
In anger, Juno-like66. Come, come, come.
Exeunt [Volumnia and Virgilia]
MENENIUS Fie, fie, fie!
Exit
running scene 13
Enter [Nicanor], a Roman, and [Adrian] a Volsce
NICANOR I know you well, sir, and you know me: your name, I
think, is Adrian.
ADRIAN It is so, sir: truly, I have forgot you.
NICANOR I am a Roman, and my services are, as you are,
against ’em5. Know you me yet?
ADRIAN Nicanor? No?
NICANOR The same, sir.
ADRIAN You had more beard when I last saw you, but your
favour9 is well appeared by your tongue. What’s the news in
Rome? I have a note10 from the Volscian state to find you out
there. You have well saved me a day’s journey.
NICANOR There hath been in Rome strange insurrections: the
people against the senators, patricians and nobles.
ADRIAN 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.
NICANOR 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
ripe20 aptness to take all power from the people and to pluck
from them their tribunes for ever. This lies glowing21, I can tell
you, and is almost mature22 for the violent breaking out.
ADRIAN Coriolanus banished?
NICANOR Banished, sir.
ADRIAN You will be welcome with this intelligence, Nicanor.
NICANOR The day serves well for them26 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 of30 his country.
ADRIAN He cannot choose31. I am most fortunate, thus
accidentally to encounter you. You have ended my business,
and I will merrily accompany you home.
NICANOR I shall between this34 and supper tell you most
strange things from Rome, all tending to the good of their
adversaries. Have you an army ready, say you?
ADRIAN A most royal one: the centurions and their charges37,
distinctly billeted already in th’entertainment38, and to be on
foot at an hour’s warning.
NICANOR I am joyful to hear of their readiness, and am the
man, I think, that shall set them in present41 action. So, sir,
heartily well met, and most glad of your company.
ADRIAN You take my part43 from me, sir: I have the most cause
to be glad of yours.
NICANOR Well, let us go together.
Exeunt
running scene 14
Enter Coriolanus in mean apparel, disguised and muffled
CORIOLANUS A goodly city is this Antium. City,
’Tis I that made thy widows: many an heir
Of these fair edifices ’fore my wars3
Have I heard groan and drop: then know me not,
Lest that thy wives with spits and boys with stones
In puny6 battle slay me.
Enter a Citizen
Save7 you, sir.
CITIZEN And you.
CORIOLANUS Direct me, if it be your will,
Where great Aufidius lies10: is he in Antium?
CITIZEN He is, and feasts the nobles of the state
At his house this night.
CORIOLANUS Which is his house, beseech you?
CITIZEN This here before you.
CORIOLANUS Thank you, sir: farewell.
Exit Citizen
O world, thy slippery turns! Friends now fast16 sworn,
Whose double17 bosoms seem to wear one heart,
Whose hours, whose bed, whose meal and exercise
Are still19 together: who twin, as ’twere, in love,
Unseparable, shall within this hour,
On a dissension of a doit21, break out
To bitterest enmity: so fellest22 foes,
Whose passions and whose plots23 have broke their sleep
To take the one the other, by some chance,
Some trick25 not worth an egg, shall grow dear friends
And interjoin their issues26. So with me:
My birthplace 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 way29,
I’ll do his country service.
Exit
running scene 15
Music plays. Enter a Servingman
FIRST SERVINGMAN Wine, wine, wine! What service is here? I
think our fellows2 are asleep.
[Exit]
Enter another Servingman
SECOND SERVINGMAN Where’s Cotus? My master calls for him.
Cotus!
Exit
Enter Coriolanus
CORIOLANUS A goodly house: the feast smells well; but I
Appear not like a guest.
Enter the First Servingman
FIRST SERVINGMAN What would you have, friend? Whence7 are
you? Here’s no place for you: pray, go to the door8.
Exit
CORIOLANUS I have deserved no better entertainment9,
In being Coriolanus.
Enter Second Servingman
SECOND SERVINGMAN Whence are you, sir? Has the porter his eyes
in his head, that he gives entrance to such companions12?
Pray, get you out.
CORIOLANUS Away.
SECOND SERVINGMAN Away? Get you away.
CORIOLANUS Now thou’rt troublesome.
SECOND SERVINGMAN Are you so brave17? I’ll have you talked with
anon18.
Enter Third Servingman: the first meets him
THIRD SERVINGMAN What fellow’s this?
FIRST SERVINGMAN A strange one as ever I looked on: I cannot get
him out o’th’house: prithee, call my master to him.
THIRD SERVINGMAN What have you to do here, fellow? Pray you,
avoid23 the house.
CORIOLANUS Let me but stand: I will not hurt your hearth.
THIRD SERVINGMAN What are you?
CORIOLANUS A gentleman.
THIRD SERVINGMAN A marvellous poor one.
CORIOLANUS True, so I am.
THIRD SERVINGMAN Pray you, poor gentleman, take up some
other station30: here’s no place for you: pray you, avoid: come.
CORIOLANUS Follow your function: go and batten on cold bits31.
Pushes him away from him
THIRD SERVINGMAN What, you will not? Prithee, tell my master
what a strange guest he has here.
SECOND SERVINGMAN And I shall.
Exit Second Servingman
THIRD SERVINGMAN Where dwell’st thou?
CORIOLANUS Under the canopy36.
THIRD SERVINGMAN Under the canopy?
CORIOLANUS Ay.
THIRD SERVINGMAN Where’s that?
CORIOLANUS I’th’city of kites and crows40.
THIRD SERVINGMAN I’th’city of kites and crows? What an ass it is:
then thou dwell’st with daws42 too?
CORIOLANUS No, I serve not thy master.
THIRD SERVINGMAN How, sir! Do you meddle44 with my master?
CORIOLANUS Ay, ’tis an honester service than to meddle with thy
mistress. Thou prat’st, and prat’st: serve with thy trencher46,
hence!
Beats him away
Enter Aufidius with the [Second] Servingman
AUFIDIUS Where is this fellow?
SECOND SERVINGMAN Here, sir: I’d have beaten him like a dog, but49
for disturbing the lords within.
Servingmen stand aside
AUFIDIUS Whence com’st thou? What wouldst thou? Thy name?
Why speak’st not? Speak, man: what’s thy name?
CORIOLANUS If, Tullus,
Unmuffling
Not yet thou know’st me, and seeing me dost not
Think me for the man I am, necessity
Commands me name myself.
AUFIDIUS What is thy name?
CORIOLANUS A name unmusical to the Volscians’ ears,
And harsh in sound to thine.
AUFIDIUS Say, what’s thy name?
Thou hast a grim61 appearance, and thy face
Bears a command in’t: though thy tackle62’s torn,
Thou show’st63 a noble vessel: what’s thy name?
CORIOLANUS Prepare thy brow to frown: know’st thou me yet?
AUFIDIUS I know thee not: thy name?
CORIOLANUS My name is Caius Martius, who hath done
To thee particularly67, and to all the Volsces,
Great hurt and mischief: thereto68 witness may
My surname, Coriolanus.
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