CORIOLANUS.

2 Serv. An he had been cannibally given, he might have broiled and eaten him too.

1 Serv. But more of thy news?

3 Serv. Why, he is so made on here within, as if he were son and heir to Mars: set at upper end o'the table: no question asked him by any of the senators, but they stand bald before him: Our general himself makes a mistress of him; sanctifies himself with's band, and turns But the up the white o'the eye to his discourse. bottom of the news is, our general is cut i'the middle, and but one half of what he was yesterday; for the other was half, by the entreaty, and grant of the whole table. He'll go, he says, and sowle" the porter of Rome gates by the ears: He will mow down all before him, and leave his passage polled.+

2 Serv. And he's as like to do't as any man I can imagine.

3 Serv. Do't? he will do't: For, look you, Sir, he has as many friends as enemies: which

Cor. You bless me, gods!

take

Auf. Therefore, most absolute Sir, if thou friends, Sir, (as it were,) durst not (look you, Sir,) show themselves (as we term it,) his friends, wilt have whilst he's in directitude. The leading of thine own revenges, The one half of my commission; and set downAs best thou art experienc'd, since thou know'st Thy country's strength and weakness,-thine

22

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,
Or lose mine arm for't: Thou hast beat me out
Twelve several times, and I have nightly since
Dreamt of encounters 'twixt thyself and me;
We have been down together in my sleep
Unbuckling helins, fisting each other's throat,
And wak'd half dead with nothing.
Marcius,

Worthy

Had we no quarrel else to Rome, but that
Thou art thence banish'd, we would muster all
From twelve to seventy; and, pouring war
Into the bowels of ungrateful Rome,
O come, go in,
Like a bold flood o'er-beat.
And take our friendly senators by the hands;
Who now are here, taking their leaves of me,
Who am prepar'd against your territories,
Though not for Rome itself.

own ways:

Whether to knock against the gates of Rome,
Or rudely visit them in parts remote,
To fright them, ere destroy. But come in:
Let me commend thee first to those, that shall
Say yea to thy desires. A thousand welcomes !
And more a friend than e'er an enemy;
Yet, Marcius, that was much. Your hand! Most
welcome!

[Exeunt CORIOLANUS and AUFIDIUS. 1 Serv. [Advancing.] Here's a strange alteration!

2 Serv. By my hand, I had thought to have strucken him with a cudgel; and yet my mind gave me, his clothes made a false report of him.

1 Serv. What an arm he has! He turned me about with his finger and his thumb, as one would set up a top.

2 Serv. Nay, I knew by his face that there was something in him: He had, Sir, a kind of face, methought,-I cannot tell how to term it. 1 Serv. He had so: looking as it were,'Would I were hanged, but I thought there was more in him than I could think.

2 Serv. So did I, I'll be sworn: He is simply the rarest man i'the world.

Serv. Nay, it's no matter for that.

Serv. Worth six of him.

1 Serv. Directitude? what's that?

3 Serv. But when they shall see, Sir, his crest up again, and the man in blood, they will out of their burrows, like conies after rain, and revel all with him.

1 Serv. I think he is: but a greater soldier than he, you wot one.

2 Serv. Who? my master?

1 Serv. But when goes this forward?

3 Serv. To-morrow; to-day; presently. You shali have the drum struck up this afternoon : 'tis, as it were, a parcel of their feast, and to be executed ere they wipe their lips.

2 Serv. Why then we shall have a stirring world again. This peace is nothing, but to rust iron, increase tailors, and breed balladmakers.

1 Serv. Let me have war, say I: it exceeds peace, as far as day does night; it's spritely, waking, audible, and full of vent. Peace is a very apoplexy, lethargy: mulled, ¶ deaf, sleepy, insensible: a getter of more bastard children, than war's a destroyer of men.

2 Serv. 'Tis so and as wars, in some sort, may be said to be a ravisher, so it cannot be denied but peace is a great maker of cuckolds.

1 Serv. Ay, and it makes men bate one another.

1 Serv. Nay, not so neither; but I take him to be the greater soldier.

2 Serv. 'Faith, look you, one cannot tell how
to say that: for the defence of a town, our ge-
veral is excellent.

1 Serv. Ay, and for an assault too.
Re-enter third SERVANT.

3 Serv. O slaves, I can tell you news: news,
you rascals.

1. 2. Serv. What, what, what? let's partake. 3 Serv. I would not be a Roman, of all nations: I had as lieve be a condemned man.

1 Years of age.
+ Full.
Meat cut across to be broiled.

3 Serv. Reason; because they then less need one another. The wars for my money. I hope to see Romans as cheap as Volscians. They are rising, they are rising.

All. In, in, in, in.

[Exeunt.

SCENE VI.-Rome.-A Public place.
Enter SICINIUS and BRUTUS.

Sic. We hear not of him, neither need we fear
him:

His remedies are tame i'the present peace
And quietness o'the people, which before
Were in wild hurry. Here do we make his friends
Blush, that the world goes well; who rather had,
Though they themselves did suffer by't, behold
Dissentious numbers pestering streets, than see
Our tradesmen singing in their shops, and going
About their functions friendly.

1. 2. Serv. Wherefore? wherefore?

3 Serr. Why, here's he that was wont to thwack our general,-Caius Marcius.

1 Serv. Why do you say thwack our general ? 3 Serv. I do not say, thwack our general; but he was always good enough for him.

2 Serv. Come, we are fellows and friends: he was ever too hard for him; I have heard him

say so himself.

1 Serv. He was too hard for him directly, to say the truth on't: before Corioli, he scotched him and notched him like a carbonado.]

• Arm.

Know.

Enter MENENIUS.

Is this

Bru. We stood to't in good time.
Menenius?

Sic. 'Tis he, 'tis he: Oh! he is grown most [kind Of late.-Hail, Sir !

Men. Hail to you both?

Sic. Your Coriolanus, Sir, is not much miss'd, stand; But with his friends; the common-wealth doth

And so would do, were he more angry at it. Men. All's well; and might have been much better, if

He could have temporiz'd.

• Pull

+ Cut clear. ! Rumour.

1 Vigour.
Softened.

Part.

Sic. And affecting one sole throne,
Without assistance.⚫

1 Cit. Ourselves, our wives, and children, on
our knees,

Are bound to pray for you both

Sic. Live, and thrive!

Bru. Farewell, kind neighbours: we wish'd What lay before them.

Coriolanus

Men. I think not so.

Sic. We should by this, to all our lamentation,
If he had gone forth consul, found it so.

Bru. The gods have well prevented it, and
Sits safe and still without him.

[Rome

Enter EDILE.

Ed. Worthy tribunes,

There is a slave whom we have put in prison,
Reports, the Volsces with two several powers
Are entered in the Roman territories;
And with the deepest malice of the war
Destroy what lies before them.

Men. 'Tis Aufidius,

Who, hearing of our Marcius' banishment,

Thrusts forth his horns again into the world:

Which were inshell'd, when Marcius stood † for

Rome,

And durst not once peep out.

Sic. Come, what talk you

Men. Cannot be !

We have record, that very well it can;
And three examples of the like have been
Within my age. But reason with the fellow,
Before you punish him, where he heard this:
Lest you should chance to whip your information,
And beat the messenger who bids beware
Of what is to be dreaded.

Sic. Tell not me:

I know this cannot be.

Bru. Not possible.

Enter a MESSENGER.

Mess. The nobles, in great earnestness, are
going

All to the senate house: some news is come,
That turns their countenances
Sic. Tis this slave ;-

Go whip him 'fore the people's eyes :-his rais-
Nothing but his report!

[ing!

Mess. Yes, worthy Sir,

The slave's report is seconded; and more,
More fearful is deliver'd.

Your Rome about your ears.
Men. As Hercules

Did shake down mellow fruit: You have made

fair work!

Bru. But is this true, Sir?

of Marcius?

Com. Ay; and you'll look pale

Bru. Go see this rumoarer whipp'd. It can- Before you find it other. All the regions

not be,

Do smilingly revolt ; and, who resist,

The Volsces dare break with us.

Sic. What more fearful?

Mess. It is spoke freely out of many mouths,
(How probable, I do not know) that Marcius,
Join'd with Aufidius, leads a power 'gainst Rome;
And vows revenge as spacious, as between
The young'st and oldest thing.

• Suffrage.

+ Stood up in its defence.
Changes.

1 Talk.

Enter another MESSENGER.
Mess. You are sent for to the senate;
A fearful army, led by Caius Marcius,
Associated with Aufidius, rages

Upon our territories; and have already,
O'erborne their way, consum'd with fire, and

[took

Enter CоMINIUS.

Com. Oh! you have made good work!
Men. What news? what news?

Com. You have holp to ravish your own daugh ters, and

To melt the city leads upon your pates;

To see your wives dishonour'd to your noses—~
Men, What's the news? what's the news?
Com. Your temples burn'd in their cement;
and

Your franchises, whereon you stood confin'd
Into an augre's bore. +

Men. Pray now, your news?—

You have made fair work, I fear me :-Pray,
your news?

If Marcius should be join'd with Volscians,-
Com. If!

He is their god; he leads them like a thing
Made by some other deity than nature,
That shapes man better; and they follow him,
Against us brats, with no less confidence
Than boys pursuing summer butterflies,
Or butchers killing flies.

Men. You have made good work,

You and your apron men; you that stood so much
Upon the voice of occupation, and

The breath of garlic-eaters ?

Com. He will shake

Are only mock'd for valiant ignorance,

And perish constant fools. Who is't can blame

him?

Your enemies, and his, find something in him.
Men. We are all undone, unless
The noble man have mercy.

Com. Who shall ask it?

The tribunes cannot do't for shame : the people
Deserve such pity of him, as the wolf
Does of the shepherds: for his best friends, if
[even

they
Should say, Be good to Rome, they charg'd him
As those should do that had deserv'd his bate,
And therein show'd like enemies.

Men. 'Tis true:

If he were putting to my house the brand
That should consume it, I have not the face
To say, 'Beseech you, cease.You have made
fair hands,

You and your crafts! you have crafted fair I
Com. You have brought

A trembling upon Rome, such as was never
So incapable of help.

Tri. Say not, we brought it.

Men. How! Was it we? We lov'd him; but
like beasts,
And cowardly nobles, gave way to your clusters,
Who did hoot him out o' the city.
Com. But, I fear

• Unite. + A small round hole an angre is a * Mechanics. Revolt carpenter's tool. with pleasure.

They'll roar him in again. Tullus Aufidius,
The second name of men, obeys his points
As if he were his officer :-Desperation
Is all the policy, strength, and defence,
That Rome can make against them.

Cit. 'Faith, we hear fearful news.

1 Cit. For mine own part. When I said, banish him, I said, 'twas pity, 2 Cit. And so did I.

3 Cit. And so did I; and, to say the truth, so did very many of us: That we did, we did for the best and though we willingly consented to his banishment, yet it was against our will.

Enter a troop of CITIZENS.

To expel him thence. I think he'll be to Rome,
As is the osprey to the fish, who takes it

Men. Here comes the clusters.--
And is Aufidius with him ?-You are they
That made the air unwholesome, when you cast By sovereignty of nature. First he was
Your stinking, greasy caps, in hooting at
Coriolanus' exile. Now he's coming;
And not a hair upon a soldier's head,
Which will not prove a whip; as many coxcombs
As you threw caps up, will he tumble down,
And pay you for your voices. 'Tis no inatter:
If he could burn us all into one coal,
We have deserv'd it.

A noble servant to them; but he could not
Carry his honours even: whether 'twas pride,
Which out of daily fortune ever taints
The happy man; whether defect of judgement,
To fail in the disposing of those chances
Which he was lord of; or whether nature,
Not to be other than one thing, not moving
From the casque † to the cushion, but cominand-
ing peace

Lieu. Sir, I beseech you, think you he'll carry
Rome?

Lieu. Yet I wish, Sir,

(I mean for your particular,) you had not
Join'd in commission with him; but either
Had borne the action of yourself, or else
To him had left it solely.

Auf. I understand thee well; and be thou sure,
When he shall come to his account, he knows

not

What I can urge against him. Although it seems,
And so he thinks, and is no less apparent
To the vulgar eye, that he bears all things fairly,
And shews good husbandry for the Volscian state;
Fights dragon-like, and does achieve as soon
As draw his sword; yet he hath left undone
That which shall break his neck, or hazard mine,
Whene'er we come to our account.

Pack, alluding to a pack of hounds.

Auf. All places yield to him ere he sits down :
And the nobility of Rome are his :
The senators and patricians love him too:
The tribunes are no soldiers; and their people
Will be as rash in the repeal, as hasty

Even with the same austerity and garb
As he controll'd the war; but, one of these
(As he hath spices of them all, not all, §
For I dare so far free him,) made him fear'd,
So hated, and so banish'd: But he has a merit,
To choke it in the utterance. So our virtues
Lie in the interpretation of the time:
And power, unto itself most commendable,
Hath not a tomb so evident as a chair
To extol what it hath done.

One fire drives out one fire; one nail, one nail;
Rights by rights fouler, strengths by strengths do
fail.

Come, let's away. When, Caius, Rome is thine, Thou art poor'st of all; then shortly art thou mine. [Exeunt.

name:

I urg'd our old acquaintance, and the drops
That we have bled together. Coriolanus
He would not answer to forbad all names:
He was a kind of nothing, titleless,

Till he had forg'd himself a name i'the fire
Of burning Rome.

A pair of tribunes that have rack'd for Rome,
Men. Why, so; you have made good work:
To make coals cheap: A noble memory !**

Com. I minded him how royal 'twas to pardon
When it was less expected: He replied,
It was a bare petition of a state
To one whom they had punish'd.
Men. Very well:

Conld he say less?

on bell any

he sits down

You are the musty chaff; and you are smelt
Above the moon: We must be burnt for you.
Sic. Nay, pray, be patient; If you refuse your

aid

In this so never-heeded help, yet do not
Upbraid us with our distress. But sure, if you
Would be your country's pleader, your good
tongue,

More than the instant army we can make,

Might stop our countryman.

Men. Well, and say that Marcins

Return me, as Cominius is return'd,
Unbeard; what then ?-

Men. No; I'll not meddle.

Sic. I pray you, go to him.

Men. What should I do?

Bru. Only make trial what your love can do Have almost stamp'd the leasing: Therefore,
For Rome towards Marcius.

fellow,

But as a discontented friend, grief-shot
With his unkindness? Say't be so?

Sic. Yet your good will

Must have that thanks from Rome, after the mea

sure,

As you intended well.

Men. Pil undertake it:

I think he'll hear me. Yet to bite his lip,
And hum at good Cominius, much unhearts me.
He was not taken well; he had not din'd:
The veins unfill'd, the blood is cold, and then
We pout upon the morning, are unapt
To give or to forgive; but when we have stuff'd
These pipes and these conveyances of our blood
With wine and feeding, we have suppler souls
Than in our priest-like fasts: therefore I'll watch

him

Men. Good faith, I'll prove him,

Speed how it will. I shall ere long have

ledge Of my success.

Com. He'll never hear him.

Sic. Not?

Com. I tell you; he does sit in gold his eye
Red as 'twould burn Rome; and his injury
The jailer to his pity. I kneel'd before him;
'Twas very faintly he said, Rise; dismiss'd me
Thus, with his speechless hand: What he would do,
He sent in writing after me; what he could not,
Bound with an oath, to yield to his conditions:
So that all hope is vain,

Unless his noble mother, and his wife,
Who, as I hear, mean to solicit him

For mercy to his country-Therefore, let's hence,
And with our fair entreaties haste them on.

[Exeunt.

Men. Has he dined, can'st thou tell? for I would not speak with him till after dinner. 1 G. You are a Roman, are you? Men. I am as thy general is.

1 G. Then you should hate Rome, as he does. Can you, when you have pushed out your gates the very defender of them, and, in a violent popular ignorance, given your enemy your shield, think to front his revenges with the easy groans

Till he be dieted to my request,

And then I'll set upon him.

Bru. You know the very road into his kindness, of old women, the virginal palms of your daugh

And cannot lose your way.

ters, or with the palsied intercession of such a decayed dotant as you seem to be? Can you know-think to blow out the intended fire your city is

Exit.

ready to flame in, with such weak breath as this? No, you are deceived; therefore back to Rome, and prepare for your execution: you are condemned, our general has sworn you out of reprieve and pardon.

Enter to them, MENENIUS.

general
Will no more hear from thence.

1 G. Be it so; go back: the virtue of your naine Is not here passable.

1

Men. I tell thee, fellow,

Thy general is my lover: I bave been

The book of his good acts, whence men have read
His fame unparallel'd, haply, amplified;
For I have ever verified + my friends,

(Of whom he's chief,) with all the size that
verity t

Would without lapsing suffer: nay, sometimes,
Like to a bowl upon a subtle ground,

I have tumbled past the throw; and, in his
praise,

You'll speak with Coriolanus.

Men. Good my friends,

If you have heard your general talk of Rome,
And of his friends there, it is lots to blanks,
My name hath touch'd your ears: it is Mene

nius.

• Prizes.

I must have leave to pass.

1 G. 'Faith, Sir, if you had told as many lies in his behalf, as you have uttered words in your own, you should not pass here: no, though it were as virtuous to lie, as to live chastely. Therefore, go back.

Men. Pr'ythee, fellow, remember my name is Menenius, always factionary on the party of your general.

2 G. Howsoever you have been his liar, (as you say you have) I am one that, telling true under him, must say, you cannot pass. Therefore, go back.

Enter CORIOLANUS and AUFIDIUS.

Cor. What's the matter?

Men. Now you companion, ** I'll say an erSCENE II-An advanced Post of the Vol-rand for you; you shall know now that I am in seian Camp, before Rome. The GUARD at estimation; you shall perceive that a Jack t their Stations. guardant cannot office me from my son Corio. lanus: guess, but by my entertainment with him, if thou stand'st not i'the state of hanging, or of some death more long in spectatorship, and crueller in suffering: behold now presently, and

1 G. Stay: Whence are you?

2 G. Stand, and go back.

Men. You guard like men; 'tis well: But, by swoon for what's to come upon thee.-The glo

your leave,

I am an officer of state, and come

To speak with Coriolanus.

rious gods sit in hourly synod about thy particular prosperity, and love thee no worse than thy old father Menenius does! O my son! my son! thou art preparing fire for us; look thee, here's water to quench it. I was hardly moved to come

1 G. From whence?

Men. From Rome.

1 G. You may not pass, you must return: our to thee; but being assured none but myself could move thee, I have been blown out of your gates with sighs and conjure thee to pardon

The

2 G. You'll see your Rome embrac'd with fire, Rome, and thy petitionary countrymen.

before

good gods assuage thy wrath, and turn the dregs
of it upon this varlet here; this, who, like a
block, hath denied my access to thee.
Cor. Away!
Men. How! Away ?

Men. Sirrah, if thy captain knew I were here, he would use me with estimation.

2 G. Come, my captain knows you not.
Men. I mean, thy general.

1 G. My general cares not for you. Back, I say, go, lest I let forth your half pint of blood; -back,-that's the utmost of your having :back.

Men. Nay, but fellow, fellow,

Cor. Wife, mother, child, I know not.

affairs

My | In supplication nod: and my young boy
Hath an aspect of intercession, which

Great nature cries, Deny not.-Let the Volsces
Plough Rome and harrow Italy; I'll never
fa- Be such a gosling to obey instinct; but stand
As if a man were author of himself,
And knew no other kin.

Are servanted to others: Though I owe
My revenge properly, my remission lies
In Volscian breasts. That we have been
miliar,

Ingrate forgetfulness shall poison, rather
Than pity note how much.-Therefore, be gone.
Mine ears against your suits are stronger, than
Your gates against my force. Yet, for I lov'd
thee,

Take this along: I writ it for thy sake,

[Gives a Letter. And would have sent it. Another word, nenius,

1 will not hear thee speak.-This man, Aufidius, Was my beloved in Rome: yet thou behold'stAuf. You keep a constant temper.

Vir. The sorrow, that delivers us thus chang'd lakes you think so.

Cor. Like a dull actor now,

Me-I have forgot my part, and I am out,
Even to a full disgrace. Best of my flesh,
Forgive my tyranny; but do not say,
For that, Forgive our Romans.—Óh, a kiss
Long as my exile, sweet as my revenge!
Now by the jealous queen of heaven, that kiss
I carried from thee, dear; and my true lip
Hath virgin'd it e'er since.-You gods! I prate,
And the most noble mother of the world
Leave unsaluted: Sink, my knee, i'the earth;
[Kneels.

[Exeunt CORIOLANUS and AUFID. 1 G. Now, Sir, is your name Menenius? 2 G. 'Tis a spell, you see, of much power: You know the way home again.

1 G. Do you hear how we are shent + for keeping your greatness back?

2 G. What cause, do you think, I have to

swoon?

Men. I neither care for the world, nor your general for such things as you, I can scarce think there's any, you are so slight. He that hath a will to die by himself, fears it not from another. Let your general do his worst. you, be that you are long; and your misery increase with vour age! I say to you, as I was said to, Away! [Exit.

For

1 G. A noble fellow, I warrant him. 2 G. The worthy fellow is our general: He is the rook, the oak not to be wind-shaken.

[Exeunt.

SCENE III.-The Tent of CORIOLANUS.
Enter CORIOLANUS, AUFIDIUS, and others.
Cor. We wil before the walls of Rome to-

morrow

Set down our host.-My partner in this action,
You must report to the Volscian lords, how
I have borne this business.
[plainly

Auf. Only their ends

You have respected; stopp'd your ears against
The general suit of Rome; never admitted
A private whisper, no, not with such friends
That thought them sure of you.

Cor. This last old man,

Whom with a crack'd heart I have sent to Rome,
Lov'd me above the measure of a father:
Nay, godded me, indeed. Their latest refuge
Was to send him: for whose old love I have
(Though I show'd sourly to him,) once more
offer'd

The first conditions, which they did refuse,
And cannot now accept, to grace him only,
That thought he could do more; a very little
I have yielded too: Fresh embassies, and suits,
Nor from the state, nor private friends, hereafter
Will I lend ear to.-Ha! what shont is this?
[Shout within.
Shall I be tempted to infringe my vow
In the same time 'tis made? I will not.-
Enter in mourning habits, VIRGILIA, VO-
LUMNIA, leading young MARCIUS, VALERIA,

and ATTENDANTS.

Vir. My lord and busband!

Cor. These eyes are not the same I wore in
Rome.

Of thy deep duty more impression show
Than that of common sons.

Vol. Oh! stand up bless'd!
Whilst, with no softer cushion than the flint
I kneel before thee; and unproperly
Show duty, as mistaken all the while
Between the child and parent.
Cor. What is this?

[Kneels.

Your knees to me? to your corrected son
Then let the pebbles on the hungry beach
Fillip the stars; then let the mutinous winds
Strike the proud cedars 'gainst the fiery sun;
Murd'ring impossibility, to make
What cannot be, slight work.

Vol. Thou art my warrior:

I holp to frame thee. Do you know this lady?
Cor. The noble sister of Publicola,
The moon of Rome; chaste as the icicle
That's curded by the frost from purest snow,
And hangs on Dian's temple: Dear Valeria!
Vol. This is a poor epitome of yours,
Which, by the interpretation of full time,
May show like all yourself.

Cor. The god of soldiers,

With the consent of supreme Jove, inform
Thy thoughts with nobleness; that thou may'st

prove

To shame unvulnerable, and stick i'the wars
Like a great sea-mark, standing every flaw,†
And saving those that eye thee!

Vol. Your knee, Sirrah.

Cor. That's my brave boy.

Vol. Even he, your wife, this lady, and myself, Are suitors to you.

Cor. I beseech you, peace:

Or, if you'd ask, remember this before:

The things I have forsworn to grant, may never
Be held by you denials. Do not bid me
Dismiss my soldiers, or capitulate

Again with Rome's mechanics: Tell me not
Wherein I seem unnatural : Desire not
To allay my rages and revenges, with
Your colder reasons.

Vol. Oh! no more, no more!

For we have nothing else to ask, but that
You have said, you will not grant us any thing;
Which you deny already: Yet we will ask,
That, if you fail in our request, the blame
May hang upon your hardness: therefore hear us.
Cor. Aufidius, and you Volsces, mark; for
we'll
Hear nought from Rome in private.-Your re-
[quest?
Vol. Should we be silent and not speak, our
rai.nent

And state of bodies would bewray what life
We have led since thy exile. Think with thyself,
How more unfortunate than all living women
Are we come hither; since that thy sight, which
should