O'er the vast world to seek a single man,
And lose advantage, which doth ever cool
I' the absence of the needer.

Fare ye well:

Cor.
Thou hast years upon thee; and thou art too full
Of the wars' surfeits, to go rove with one
That's yet unbruised: bring me but out at gate.
Come, my sweet wife, my dearest mother, and
My friends of noble touch, 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.

Men.

As any ear can hear.

That's worthily

Come, let's not weep.

If I could shake off but one seven years

From these old arms and legs, by the good gods,

I'ld with thee every foot.

50

Cor.

Come.

Give me thy hand:

[Exeunt.

SCENE II. The same. A street near the gate.

Enter SICINIUS, Brutus, with the Ædile.

Sic. Bid them all home; he's gone, and we'll no further.

The nobility are vex'd, whom we see have sided

In his behalf.

Bru.

Now we have shown our power,

Let us seem humbler after it is done

Than when it was a-doing.

Sic.

Bid them home:

Say their great enemy is gone, and they

49. of noble touch, of tried quality.

Bru. They have ta'en note of us: keep on your way.

Enter VOLUMNIA, VIRGILIA, and MENENIUS.

Vol. O, ye'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,

Nay, and you shall hear some. [To Brutus] Will you be gone e?

Vir. [To Sicinius] You shall stay too: 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.

ΤΟ

O blessed heavens ! 20

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.

11. hoarded, stored up for future vengeance.

Sic.

Vir.

What then?

What then!

30

He 'ld 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.

Ere you go, hear

Vol. Now, pray, sir, get you gone :
You have done a brave deed.

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—
have banish'd, does exceed you all.

Whom you

Could I meet 'em

I would the gods had nothing else to do
But to confirm my curses!

But once a-day, it would unclog my heart

Of what lies heavy to 't.

Men.

You have told them home;

You'll sup

And, by my troth, you have cause.

with me?

Vol. Anger's my meat; I sup upon myself,

50

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 Volsce, meeting. Rom. I know you well, sir, and you know me: your name, I think, is Adrian.

Vols. It is so, sir: truly, I have forgot you.
Rom. I am a Roman; and my services are,
as you are, against 'em: know you me yet?
Vols. Nicanor? no.

Rom. The same, sir.

Vols. 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 10 note from the Volscian state, to find you out there you have well saved me a day's journey.

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

Vols. 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 9. appeared, made apparent.

20

pluck from them their tribunes for ever.

This

lies glowing, I can tell you, and is almost mature for the violent breaking out.

Vols. Coriolanus banished!

Rom. Banished, sir!

Vols. You will be welcome with this intelligence, 30 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 ap pear well in these wars, his great opposer, Coriolanus, being now in no request of his

country.

Vols. He cannot choose. I am most fortunate, thus accidentally to encounter you: you 40 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?

Vols. 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.

Vols. You take my part from me, sir; I have

the most cause to be glad of yours.

Rom. Well, let us go together.

[Exeunt.

50