Thy tears are salter than a younger man's,
And venemous to thine eyes.-My sometime general,
I have seen thee stern, and thou hast oft beheld
Heart-hard'ning spectacles; tell these sad women
'Tis fond' to wail inevitable strokes,

As 'tis to laugh at them.-My mother, you wot well,
My hazards still have been your solace: and
Believ't not lightly (though I go alone

Like to a lonely dragon, that his fen

Act IV:

Was not a man my father? Hadst thou foxship

Makes fear'd, and talk'd of more than seen,) your To banish him that struck more blows for Rome,

son

Will, or exceed the common, or be caught

With cautelous2 baits and practice.
Vol.
My first son,
Whither wilt thou go? Take good Cominius
With thee a while: Determine on some course,
More than a wild exposture to each chance
That starts i'the way before thee.

O the gods!

Cor.
Com. I'll follow thee a month, devise with thee
Where thou shalt rest, that thou may'st hear of us,
And we of thee: so, if the time thrust forth
A cause for thy repeal, we shall not send
O'er the vast world, to seek a single man;
And lose advantage, which doth ever cool
I'the absence of the needer.

Cor.
Fare ye well:-
Thou hast years upon thee; and thou art too full
Of the wars' surfeits, to go rove with one
That's yet unbruis'd: bring me but out at gate.-
Come, my sweet wife, my dearest mother, and
My friends of noble touch,' when I am forth,
Rid 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.

That's worthily
As any ear can hear.-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'd with thee every foot.

Cor.

Come.

SCENE 11.-The same.

Give me thy hand:

[Exeunt.
A street near the gale.
Enter Sicinius, Brutus, and an Ædile.
Sic. Bid them all home; he's gone, and we'll
no further.-

The nobility are vex'd, who, 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.
Stand in their ancient strength.
Bru.

Dismiss them home.
[Exit Edile.
Enter Volumnia, Virgilia, and Menenius.
Here comes his mother.

Sic.

Bru.

Let's not meet her.

Why?
They havo ta'en note of us:

Sic. They say, she's mad.

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
bear,

(1) Foolish. (2) Insidious. (3) Noblest.
(4) Exposure.
(5) True metal.

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.
With one that wants her wits?
Sic.
Why stay we to be baited.

Vol.

I would the gods had nothing else to do,

Take my prayers with you.—

[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.

Men.
You have told them home.
And, by my troth, you have cause.
You'll sup

with me?

Vol. Anger's my meat; 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. Fic, fie, fic!

[Exeunt.

SCENE III-A highway between Rome and
Antium. Enter a Roman and a Volce, meeting.
Rom. I know you well, 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

Volscian state, to find you out there: You have | Are still together, who twin, as 'twere, in love well saved me a day's journey. Unseparable, shall within this hour, Rom. There hath been in Rome strange insur-On a dissension of a doit,2 break out rection: the people against the senators, patricians, To bitterest enmity: So, fellest foes, and nobles. Whose passions and whose plots have broke their sleep

Vol. Hath been! Is it ended then? Our state thinks not so; they are in a most warlike prepara-To take the one the other, by some chance, tion, and hope to come upon them in the heat of Some trick not worth an egg, shall grow dear their division. friends,

Rom. The main blaze of it is past, but a small And interjoin their issues. So with me :thing would make it flame again. For the nobles My birth-place hate I, and my love's upon receive so to heart the banishment of that worthy This enemy town.-I'll enter: if he slay me, Coriolanus, that they are in a ripe aptness, to take He does fair justice; if he give me way, all power from the people, and to pluck from them I'll do his country service.

their tribunes for ever. This lies glowing, I can

[Exit. tell you, and is almost mature for the violent break- SCENE V.-The same. A hall in Aufidius' ing out. house. Music within. Enter a Servant. Serv. Wine, wine, wine! What service is here? I think our fellows are asleep. [Exit.

Vol. Coriolanus banished?

Rom. Banished, sir.

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

Enter another Servant.

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

Rom. The day serves well for them now. I have heard it said, the fittest time to corrupt a man's Cotus? 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.

Enter Coriolanus.

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

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

Re-enter the first Servant.

1 Serv. What would you have, friend? Whence Rom. I shall, between this and supper, tell you are you? Here's no place for you: Pray, go to the most strange things from Rome; all tending to the door. good of their adversaries. Have you an army Cor. I have deserv'd no better entertainment, ready, say you? In being Coriolanus."

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.

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 ?4 Pray get you out.
Cor. Away!

2 Serv. Away? Get you away.
Cor. Now thou art troublesome.

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. Av.

3 Serv. Where's that?

[Exit.

Cor. I'the city of kites and crows.

It be to do thee service.

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

Cor. No, I serve not thy master.

3 Scrv. How, sir! Do you meddle with my master?

Cor. Ay; 'tis an 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, [Unmuffling.
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?
[Servants retire.
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 Volces,
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

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 a hundred times hath broke,
And scar'd the moon with splinters! Here I clips
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 lov'd 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,
Or lose mine arm for't: Thou hast beat me out
Twelve several times, and I have nightly since
Dream't of encounters 'twixt thyself and me;
We have been down together in my sleep,
Unbuckling helms, fisting each other's throat,
And wak'd half dead with nothing. Worthy Mar
cius,

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 ungateful Rome,

Like a bold flood o'erbeat. O, come, go in,
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.

Cor.

You bless me, gods!

Auf. Therefore, most absolute sir, if thou wilt have The leading of thine own revenges, take

Which thou should'st bear me: only that name re- The one half of my commission; and set down,

mains;

The cruelty and envy of the people,
Permitted by our dastard nobles, who

Have all forsook me, hath devour'd the rest;
And suffered me by the voice of slaves to be
Whoop'd out of Rome. Now, this extremity
Hath brought me to thy licarth; 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 quite 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 under4 fiends. But if so be
Thou dar'st not this, and that to prove more fortunes
Thou art tir'd, 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

(1) Memorial. (2) Resentment. (3) Injuries.
(4) Infernal.

As best thou art experienc'd, since thou know'st
Thy country's strength and weakness,-thine 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;
Yes, Marcius, that was much. Your hand! Most
[Exeunt Cor. and Auf.
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.

welcome!

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.

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

2 Serv. Who? my master?