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CORIOLANUS.

217

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. Rom. There hath been in Rome strange insur-On a dissension of a doit, break out Unseparable, shall within this hour, 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. Rom. The main blaze of it is past, but a small And interjoin their issues. So with me :friends, thing would make it flame again. For the nobles My birth-place hate I, and receive so to heart the banishment of that worthy This enemy town.-I'll enter: if he slay me, my love's 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

tell you, and is almost mature for the violent break- SCENE V.-The same. ing out.

Vol. Coriolanus banished?

Rom. Banished, sir.

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 husband. Your noble Tullus Aufidius will appear well in these wars, his great opposer, Coriolanus, being now in no request of his country.

upon

[Exil. house. Music within. Enter a Servant. A hall in Aufidius' Serv. Wine, wine, wine! What service is here? I think our fellows are asleep. [Exit.

Enter another Servant.

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

Cotus?

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: ended my business, and I will merrily accompany You have you home.

Rom. I shall, between this and supper, tell you most strange things from Rome; all tending to the good of their adversaries. ready, say you? Have you an army

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.

SCENE IV.-Antium.

[Exeunt.

Enter Coriolanus, in mean apparel, disguised Before Aufidius's house. 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 stones,

Enter a Citizen.

In puny battle slay me.-Save you, sir.

Cit. And you.

Cor.
Direct me, if it be your will,
Where great Aufidius lies; Is he in Antium?
Cit. He is, and feasts the nobles of the state,
At his house this night.

Cor.

Which is his house, 'beseech you?
Cit. This, here, before you.
Cor.

Thank you, sir; farewell.
[Exit Citizen.

O, world, thy slippery turns! Friends now fast

sworn,

Whose double bosoms seem to wear one heart,
Whose hours, whose bed, whose meal, and exercise,

8 In pay.

(2) A small coin.

Having derived that name from Corioli.

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3 Serv. Pray you, poor gentleman, take up some other station; here's no place for you; pray you, avoid: come.

And batten" on cold bits.
Cor. Follow your function, go!

[Pushes him away.

master what a strange guest he has here.
3 Serv. What, will you not? Pr'ythee, tell my

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?

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[Exit.

Cor. I'the city of kites and crows.

3 Serv. I'the city of kites and crows?-What an 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, 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?

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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
Thiak 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

It be to do thee service.
Auf.
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 clip3
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 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 quite of those my banishers,
Stand I before thee here. Then if thou hast
A heart of wreak2 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 under 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. 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!

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?

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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. 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: hel 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.'

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

I Serv. But more of thy news?

but peace is a great maker of cuckolds.

1 Serv. Ay, and it makes men hate 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.

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.

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Hail to you both!

Sic. Your Coriolanus, sir, is not much miss'd, But with his friends; the commonwealth doth stand;

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 gen- He could have temporiz'd.
eral 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

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

Sic.
Where is he, hear you?
Men. Nay, I hear nothing; his mother and his
wife

is, our general is cut i'the middle, and but one half Hear nothing from him.
of what he was yesterday; for the other has 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 is as like to do't, as any man can imagine.

I

3 Serv. Do't? he will do't: For, look you, sir, he has as many friends as enemies: which friends, sir, (as it were,) durst not (look you 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 coneys after rain, and revel all with him.

1 Serv. But when goes this forward? 3 Serv. To-morrow; to-day, presently. You shall 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 ballad-makers.

1 Serv. Let me have war, say I; it exceeds peace, as far as day does night; it's sprightly, 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.

Enter three or four Citizens. Cit. The gods preserve you both! Sic. Good-e'en, our neighbours. Bru. Good-e'en to you all, good-e'en to you all. 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 Coriolanus Had lov'd you as we did.

Cit. Now the gods keep you! Both Tri. Farewell, farewell. (Exe. Citizens. Sic. This is a happier and more comely time, Than when these fellows ran about the streets, Crying, Confusion. Bru Caius 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 Rome Sits safe and still without him.

Ædi.

Enter Edile.

Worthy tribunes, 2 Serv. 'Tis so: and as war, in some sort, may There is a slave, whom we have put in prison, be said to be a ravisher; so it cannot be denied, Reports,-the Volces with two several powers.

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(4) Vigour. (5) Part. (6) Rumour. (8) Suffrage.

Softened

2 S

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:

If Marcius should be join'd with Volscians,

Com.

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,

Which were inshell'd, when Marcius stood' for Than boys pursuing summer butterflies,

Rome,

And durst not once peep out. Sic.

Of Marcius?

Come, what talk you

Bru. Go see this rumourer whipp'd.-It cannot be,

The Volces dare break with us.

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.

I know, this cannot be. Bru.

Tell not me:

Not possible.

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Enter Cominius.

Com. O, you have made good work!
Men.
What news? what news?
Com. You have holp to ravish your own
daughters, 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 burned 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?

(1) Stood up in its defence. (2) Talk. (3) Changes. (4) Unite.

Or butchers killing flies. Men.

If!

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.

Your Rome about your ears. Men.

Did shake down mellow fruit: work!

Bru. But is this true, sir?
Com.

He will shake

As Hercules

You have made fair

Ay; and you'll look pale

Before you find it other. All the regions
Do smilingly revolt; and, who resist,
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.

The tribunes cannot do't for shame; the people Who shall ask it? Deserve such pity of him, as the wolf

Does of the shepherds: for his best friends, if they Should say, Be good to Rome, they charg'd him

even

As those should do that had deserv'd his hate, 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!
You have brought

Com.

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,

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.

Men.

Enter a troop of Citizens.

Here come the clusters.And is Aufidius with him ?-You are they That made the air unwholesome, when you cast 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 matter; If he could burn us all into one coal, We have deserv'd it.

Cit. 'Faith, we hear fearful news. 1 Cit. For mine own part When I said, Banish him, I said, 'twas pity.

(5) A small round hole: an augre is a carpen

ter's tool.

(6) Mechanics. (7) Revolt with pleasure.

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 Good work, you and your cry!'-Shall us to the Capitol?

Com. O ay; what else? [Exe. Com. and Men. Sic. Go, masters, get you home, be not dismay'd; These are a side, that would be glad to have This true, which they so seem to fear. Go home, And show no sign of fear.

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.
[Exeunt Citizens.

Bru. I do not like this news.
Sic. Nor I.
Bru. Let's to the Capitol :-'Would, half my
wealth

Would buy this for a lie!
Sic.
Pray, let us go. [Exeunt.
SCENE VII-A camp; at a small distance from
Rome. Enter Aufidius, and his Lieutenant.
Auf. Do they still fly to the Roman ?
Lieu. I do not know what witchcraft's in him; but
Your soldiers use him as the grace 'fore meat,
Their talk at table, and their thanks at end;
And you are darken'd in this action, sir,
Even by your own.

Auf
I cannot help it now;
Unless, by using means, I lame the foot

Of our design. He bears himself more proudlier
Even to my person, than I thought he would,
When first I did embrace him: Yet his nature
In that's no changeling; and I must excusc
What cannot be amended.

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 shows 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.

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

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

To expel him thence. I think, he'll be to Rome,
As is the osprey2 to the fish, who takes it
By sovereignty of nature. First he was
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 judgment,

(1) Pack, alluding to a pack of hounds.
(2) An eagle that preys on fish.

(3) Helmet. (4) The chair of civil authority.

peace

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 casque3 to the cushion, but commanding
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.

ACT V.

SCENE I-Rome. A public place. Enter Mene-
nius, Cominius, Sicinius, Brutus, and others.
Men. No, I'll not go: you hear, what he hath said,
Which was sometime his general; who lov'd him
In a most dear particular." He call'd me, father:
But what o'that? Go, you that banish'd him,
A mile before his tent fall down, and kneel
The way into his mercy: Nay, if he coy'd
To hear Cominius speak, I'll keep at home.
Com. He would not seem to know me.
Men.
Do you hear?
Com. Yet one time he did call me by my 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.

Men. Why, so; you have made good work:
A pair of tribunes that have rack'd' for Rome,
To make coals cheap: A noble memory 18

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.

Could he say less?

Very well:

Com. I offer'd to awaken his regard For his private friends: His answer to me was, He could not stay to pick them in a pile Of noisome, musty chaff: He said, 'twas folly, For one poor grain or two, to leave unburnt, And still to nose the offence.

Men.

For one poor grain

Or two? I am one of those; his mother, wife,
His child, and this brave fellow too, we are the
grains :

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-needed 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.

No; I'll not meddle.

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