2 Cit. So did we all. But come, let's home.
[Exeunt Citizens.

Bru. I do not like this news.
Sic. Nor I.

wealth

Would buy this for a lie.

Sic.

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 excuse
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;

To expel him thence. I think, he'll be to Rome,
As is the osprey 2 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,
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 casques to the cushion, but commanding

peace

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 all3,

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

Come, let's away.

SCENE I. 1 Rome. A publick Place. Enter MENENIUS, 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 unto his mercy: Nay, if he coy'd1
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.

Condescended unwillingly.

I'll undertake it:

Yet to bite his lip,

I think, he'll hear me.
And hum at good Cominius, much unhearts me.
He was not taken well; he had not din'd:
The veins unfill'd, our 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
Till he be dieted to my request,

And then I'll set upon him.

Bru. You know the very road into his kindness, And cannot lose your way.

Men.

Good faith, I'll prove him, Speed how it will. I shall ere long have knowledge Of my success. [Erit.

Com.

Sic.

He'll never hear him.

Not?

Com. I tell you, he does sit in gold, his eye
Red as 'twould burn Rome: and his injury
The gaoler 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 would 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.

1 G. 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.

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 of old women, the virginal palms of your daughters, or with the palsied intercession of such a decayed dotant as you seem to be? Can you think to blow out the intended fire your city is 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.

2

Men. Now, you companion, I'll say an errand for you; you shall know now that I am in estimation; you shall perceive that a Jack guardant cannot office me from my son Coriolanus: 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 swoon for what's to come upon thee. The glorious gods sit in hourly synod about thy particular prosperity, and love thee 9 Deceitful

7 Prizes. 1 Lie.

8 Friend.

2 Dotard. 3 Fellow. 4 Jack in office.

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 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 Rome, and thy petitionary countrymen. The 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 the

Cor. Away!

Men. How! away?

Cor. Wife, mother, child, I know not. My affairs Are servanted to others: Though I owe My revenge properly, my remission lies

In Volscian breasts. That we have been familiar,
Ingrate forgetfulness shall poison, rather
Than pity note how much. Therefore, begone.
Mine ears against your suits are stronger, than
Your gates against my force. Yet, for 5 I lov'd thee,
Take this along; I writ it for thy sake,
[Gives a Letter.
And would have sent it. Another word, Menenius,
I will not hear thee speak. This man, Aufidius,
Was my beloved in Rome: yet thou behold'st.
Auf. You keep a constant temper.

[Exeunt CORIOL. 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 6 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 is 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. For you, be that you are, long; and your misery increase with your age! I say to you, as I was said to, Away! [Exit.

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

Cor. We will before the walls of Rome to-morrow Set down our host. - My partner in this action, You must report to the Volscian lords, how plainly 7 I have borne in this business.

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,
Loved 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

Nor from the state, nor private friends, hereafter Will I lend ear to. - Ha! what shout 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, VOLUMNIA,
leading young MARCIUS, VALERIA, and At-
tendants.

My wife comes foremost; then the honour'd mould
Wherein this trunk was fram'd, and in her hand
The grandchild to her blood. But, out, affection!
All bond and privilege of nature, break!
Let it be virtuous, to be obstinate. -

What is that curt'sy worth? or those doves' eyes,
Which can make gods forsworn? I melt, and am

Vir.

Cor. These eyes are Rome.

Cor.

My lord and husband! not the same I wore in

Vir. The sorrow that delivers us thus chang'd, Makes you think so. Like a dull actor now, 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. — O, a kiss Long as my exile, sweet as my revenge! Now by the jealous queen 8 of heaven, that kiss carried from thee; 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;

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

[Kneels.