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

Where great Aufidius lies: is he in Antium?

Cit. He is, and feasts the nobles of the state At his house this night.

Whose double bosoms seem to wear one heart,

Whose hours, whose bed, whose meal, and exer

cise,

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.

20

[Exit.

A hall in Aufidius's

house.

SCENE V. The same.

Music within.

Enter a Servingman.

First Serv. Wine, wine, wine! What service is here! I think our fellows are asleep. [Exit.

Enter a second Servingman.

Sec. Serv. Where's Cotus? my master calls for him.

Cotus !

Enter CORIOLANUS.

[Exit.

Cor. A goodly house: the feast smells well; but I

Appear not like a guest.

Re-enter the first Servingman.

First Serv. What would you have, friend? whence are you? Here's no place for you: pray, go to the door.

[Exit.

ΤΟ

Cor. I have deserved no better entertainment, In being Coriolanus.

21. trick, trifle.

Re-enter second Servingman.

Sec. 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!

Sec. Serv. Away! get you away.

Cor. Now thou 'rt troublesome.

Sec. Serv. Are you so brave? I'll have you

talked with anon.

Enter a third Servingman.

The first meets him.

20

Third Serv. What fellow's this?

First Serv. A strange one as ever I looked on: I cannot get him out o' the house: prithee, call my master to him. [Retires. Third Serv. What have you to do here, fellow ? Pray you, avoid the house.

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

Third Serv. What are you?

Cor. A gentleman.

Third Serv. A marvellous poor one.

Cor. True, so I am.

Third 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. Third Serv. What, you will not? Prithee, tell my master what a strange guest he has here. Sec. Serv. And I shall.

Third Serv. Where dwellest thou?

Cor. Under the canopy!

30

[Exit.

40

Third Serv. Under the canopy!

Cor. Ay.

Third Serv. Where's that?

Cor. I' the city of kites and crows.

Third Serv. I' the city of kites and crows!

What an ass it is!

daws too?

Then thou dwellest with

Cor. No, I serve not thy master.

Third Serv. How, sir! do you meddle with my master?

Cor. Ay; 'tis an honester service than to meddle with thy mistress.

Thou pratest, and pratest; serve with thy trencher,

hence !

[Beats him away.

Exit third Servingman.

Enter AUFIDIUS with the second Servingman.

Auf. Where is this fellow?

Sec. Serv. Here, sir: I'ld have beaten him like a dog, but for disturbing the lords within.

[Retires. Auf. Whence comest thou? what wouldst

thou? thy name?

50

Why speak'st not? speak, man: what's thy name?
Cor. If, Tullus,
[Unmuffling. 60
Not yet thou knowest me, and, seeing me,

dost not

Think me for the man I am, necessity

Commands me name myself.

Auf.

What is thy name?

Cor. A name unmusical to the Volscians' 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 Volsces
Great hurt and mischief; thereto witness may
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
Hooped 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 wilt 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

77. memory, memorial.

70

80

90

92. maims of shame, shameful

84. Hooped, whooped, hooted. injuries.