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.-Will you be gone? [TO BRUTUS. Vir. You shall stay too; [To SICIN.] 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. O blessed heavens ! Vol. More noble blows, than ever thou wise words; And for Rome's good.-I'll tell thee what; 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 well saved me a day's journey. Rom. There hath been in Rome strange insurrection: the people against the senators, patricians, and nobles. Vol. Hath been! Is it ended then? Our state thinks not so; they are in a most warlike pre paration, 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 pluck from them their tribunes for ever. This lies glowing I can tell you, and is almost mature for the violent breaking out. Vol. Coriolanus banished? Vol. You will be welcome with this intelligence, 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 busband. Your noble Tullus Aufidius will appear well in these wars, his great opposer, Coriolanus, being now in no request of his country. Vol. He cannot choose. I am most fortunate thus accidentally to encounter you: You have ended my business, and I will merrily accom Good man, the wounds that he does bear for pany you home. Men. Come, come, peace. Sic. I would he had continu'd to his country As he began; and not unknit himself The noble knot he made. Bru. I would he had. Rom. I shall, between this and supper, tell you most strange things from Rome; alt tending to the good of their adversaries. Have you an army ready, say you? Vol. A most royal one: the centurions and their charges distinctly billeted, already in the Vol. I would he had! 'Twas you incens'd the entertainment, and to be on foot at an hour's 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. Vol. Now pray, Sir, get you gone: You have done a brave deed. this: warning. Rom. I am joyful to hear of their readiness, and am the man, I think, that shall set the n in present action. So, Sir, heartily well met, and most glad of your company. Vol. You take my part from me, Sir; I have As far as doth the Capitol exceed I would the gods had nothing else to do, Men. You have told them home, And by my troth, you have cause. with me? You'll sup [Exeunt. SCENE IV.-Antium.-Before AUFIDIUS's House. Enter CORIOLANUS, in mean apparel, dis guised and muffled. Cor. A goodly city is this Antium: City, "Tis I that made thy widows: many an heir Of these fair editices 'fore my wars Have I heard groan, and drop: then know me not In puny battle slay me.-Save you, Sir. Cor. Direct me, if it be your will, Cor. Which is his house, 'beseech you? Cor. Thank you, Sir: farewell. [Exit CITIZEN. Cor. A name unmusical to the Volscians' ears, Auf. Say, what's thy name? 2 Ser. Where's Cotus! my master calls for Thou show'st a noble vessel. What's thy name? him. Cotus! Enter CORIOLANUS. Cor. A goodly house: The feast smells well : but I Appear not like a guest. Re-enter the first SERVANT. 1 Serv. What would you have, friend? Whence are you? Here's no place for you: Pray, go to the door. Cor. I have deserv'd no better entertainment In being Coriolanus. 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? Pray, get you out. Cor. Away! 2 Serv. Away? Get you away.' Cor. Now thou art troublesome. 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 To thee particularly, and to all the Volsces, The cruelty and envy of the people, 2 Serv. Are you so brave? I'll have you talked│I had fear'd death, of all the men i'the world 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. a 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. [Exit. 3 Serv. I'the city of kites and crows ?-What au ass it is! Then thou dwellest with daws too? Cor. No, I serve not thy master. 3 Serv. 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, I would have 'voided thee: but in mere spite, Of shame seen through thy country, speed thee And make my misery serve thy turn so use it, Each word thou hast spoke hath weeded from my heart [say, A root of ancient envy. If Jupiter The anvil of my sword; and do contest, Bestride my threshold. Why, thou Mars! I tell We have a power on foot; and I had purpose Marcius, Had we no quarrel else to Rome, but that Like a bold flood o'er-beat. O come, go in, Cor. You bless me, gods! 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 hand, and turns up the white o'the eye to his discourse. But the 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 Auf. Therefore, most absolute Sir, if thou friends, Sir, (as it were,) durst not (look you, wilt have The leading of thine own revenges, take Whether to knock against the gates of Rome, [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. 1 Serv. I think he is: but a greater soldier than he, you wot one. 2 Serv. Who? my master? Serv. Nay, it's no matter for that. Serv. Worth six of him. 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 general is excellent. 1 Serv. Ay, and for an assault too. Re-enter third SERVANT. news, 3 Serv. O slaves, I can tell you news: you rascals. 1. 2. Serv. What, what, what? let's partake. 3 Serv. I would not be a Roman, of all nations I bad as lieve be a condemned man. 1. 2. Serv. Wherefore? wherefore? 3 Serv. 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.] Sir,) show themselves (as we term it,) his friends, whilst he's in directitude. 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. 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. 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. Sic. Where is he, hear you? Men. Nay, I hear nothing; his mother and his wife Hear nothing from him. Enter Three or Four CITIZENS. Cit. The gods preserve you both! Bru. Good-e'en to you all, good-e'en to you all. 1 Cit. Ourselves, our wives, and children, on our knees, re bound to pray for you both Sic. Live, and thrive! Upon our territories; and have already, O'erborne their way, consum'd with fire, and Bru. Farewell, kind neighbours: we wish'd What lay before them. Coriolanus Had lov'd you as we did. Cit. Now the gods keep you! Both Tri. Farewell, farewell, [Exeunt CITIZENS. Sic. This is a happier and more comely time, Than when these fellows ran about the streets, Crying Confusion. Bru. Cains Marcius was A worthy officer i'the war; but insolent, O'ercome with pride, ambitious past all thinking, Self-loving. Sic. And affecting one sole throne, Without assistance. * 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. Enter EDIle. Ed. Worthy tribunes, [Rome There is a slave whom we have put in prison, Men. Tis Aufidius, Who, hearing of our Marcius' banishment, Which were inshell'd, when Marcius stood † for Rome, Enter CоMINIUS. [took Com. Oh! you have made good work! To melt the city leads upon your pates; Your franchises, whereon you stood confin'd Men. Pray now, your news?— You have made fair work, I fear me :-Pray, your news? If Marcius should be join'd with Volscians,- He is their god; he leads them like a thing 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, The breath of garlic-eaters ? Com. He will shake Your Rome about your ears. and Bru. But is this true, Sir? Com. Ay; and you'll look pale Bru. Go see this rumourer whipp'd. It can Before you find it other. All the regions They'll roar him in again. Tullus Aufidius, Enter a troop of CITIZENS. Cit. 'Faith, we hear fearful news. 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. Com. You are goodly things, you voices! Men. You have made Lieu. Sir, I beseech you, think you he'll carry Rome ? Auf. All places yield to him ere he sits down : The senators and patricians love him too: Even with the same austerity and garb Good work, you and your cry! -Shall us to the To extol what it hath done. Capitol ? Com. Oh! ay; what else? [Exeunt Co. and MEN. Sic. Go, masters, get you home, be not dismay'd: These are a side that would be glad to have 1 Cit. The gods be good to us! Come, masters, let's home. I ever said we were i'the wrong, when we banished him. 2 Cit. So did we all. But come, let's home. Would buy this for a lie! [Exeunt. SCENE VII-A Camp, at a small distance Enter AUFIDIUS and his LIEUTENANT. Your soldiers use him as the grace 'fore meat, Auf. I cannot help it now; Of our design. He bears himself more proudlier Lieu. Yet I wish, Sir, (I mean for your particular,) you had not Auf. I understand thee well; and be thou sure, not What I can urge against him. Although it seems, • Pack, alluding to a pack of hounds. 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. [Excunt. ACT V. SCENE I.-Rome.-A Public Place. Enter MENENIUS, COMINIUS, SICINIUS, BRU TUS and others. Men. No, I'll not go you hear what he hath Which was sometime his general; who lov'd him Com. Yet one time he did call me by my name: I urg'd our old acquaintance, and the drops A pair of tribunes that have rack'd ¶ for Rome, Com. I minded him how royal 'twas to pardon Could he say less? Com. I offer'd to awaken his regard Or two? I am one of those; his mother, wife, |