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Com. Hear me, my masters, and my com-
mon friends;-

Sic. He's sentenc'd: no more hearing.
Com. Let me speak:

I have been consul, and can show from Rome,
Her enemies' marks upon me. I do love
My country's good, with a respect more tender,
More holy, and profound, than mine own life,
My dear wife's estimate, her womb's increase,
And treasure of my loins; then if I would,
Speak that-

Sic. We know your drift: Speak what?
Bru. There's no more to be said, but he is
banish'd,

As enemy to the people, and his country:
It shall be so.

Cit. It shall be so, it shall be so.

Cor. You common cry of curs! whose breath
I hate

As reok o'the rotten fens, whose love I prize
As the dead carcasses of unburied men
That do corrupt my air, I banish you;
And here remain with your uncertainty!
Let every feeble rumour shake your hearts!
Your enemies, with nodding of their plumes,
Fan you into despair! Have the power still
To banish your defenders; till, at length,
Your ignorance, (which finds not, till it feels,)
Making not reservation of yourselves,

Still your own foes,) deliver you, as most
Abated captives, to some nation
That won you without blows! Despising,
For you, the city, thus I turn my back:
There is a world elsewhere.

[Exeunt CORIOLANUS, COMINIUS, MENE-
NIUS, SENATORS, and PATRICIANS.
Ed. The people's enemy is gone, is gone!
Cit. Our enemy's banish'd! he is gone!
Hoo! boo!

[The People shout, and throw up their Caps. Sic. Go, see him out at gates, and follow hím,

As he hath follow'd you, with all despite;
Give him deserv'd vexation. Let a guard
Attend us through the city.

Cit. Come, come, let us see him out at gates;

come:

The gods preserve our noble tribunes!-Come. [Exeunt.

ACT IV.

SCENE I.-The same.-Before a Gate of the City.

Enter CORIOLANUS, VOLUMNIA, VIRGILIA, MENENIUS, COMINIUS, and several young PATRICIANS.

[ther,

Cor. Come, leave your tears; a brief farewell-the beast¶ With many heads butts me away.-Nay, moWhere is your ancient courage? you were us'd To say, extremity was the trier of spirits; That common chances common men could bear; That, when the sea was calm, all boats alike Show'd mastership in floating: fortune's blows, When most struck home, being gentle wounded, craves

A noble cunning: you were us'd to load me
With precepts, that would make invincible
The heart that conn'd them.

Vir. O heavens! O heavens!
Cor. Nay, I pr'ythee, woman,

Vol. Now the red pestilence strike all trades in Rome,

And occupations perish!

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Cor. What, what, what!

[mother,

I shall be lov'd when I am lack'd. Nay,
Resume that spirit, when you were wont to say,
If you had been the wife of Hercules,
Six of his labours you'd have done, and sav'd
Your husband so much sweat.-Cominius,
Droop not; adieu :-Farewell, my wife! my
mother!

I'll do well yet.-Thou old and true Menenius,
Thy tears are salter than a younger man's,
And venomous to thine eyes.-My sometime
general,

I have seen thee stern, and thou hast oft beheld Heart-hard'ning spectacles; tell these sad women,

[well,

"Tis fond to wail inevitable strokes,
As 'tis to laugh at them.-My mother, you wot
My hazards still have been your solace: and
Believe't not lightly, (though I go alone
Like to a lonely dragon, that his fen
Makes fear'd, and talk'd of more than seen,
your son

Will, or exceed the common, or be caught
With cauteloust 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 expostures to each chance, That starts i'the way before thee.

Cor. O the gods!

Com. I'll follow thee a month, devise with

thee

[us, Where thou shalt rest, that thou may'st hear of 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:[full Thou hast years upon thee; and thou art too Of the wars' surfeits, to go rove with one That's yet unbruis'd: bring me but out at

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SCENE II.-The same.-A Street near the Gate.

Enter SICINIUS, BRUTUS, and an ÆDILE. Sic. Bid them all home; he's gone, and we'll no farther.

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.

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Sic. Let's not meet her.

Bru. Why?

Sic. They say, she's mad.

Bru. They have ta'en note of us:

Keep on your way.

| SCENE III-A highway between Rome and Antium.

Enter a ROMAN and a VOLCE, meeting. Rom. I know yon well, Sir, and you know

Vol. O, you're well met: The hoarded plague me: your name I think, is Adrian.

o'the gods

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; Yet go:

Nay but thou shalt stay too:-I would my

son

Were in Arabia, and thy tribe before him, His good sword in his hand.

Sic. What then?

Vir. What then?

He'd make an end of thy posterity.

Vol. Bastards, and all.

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.

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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 preparation, 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?

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Good man, the wounds that he does bear for gence, Nicanor.
Rome!

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Bru. Pray, let us go.

Vol. Now, pray, Sir, get you gone:

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.

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

Rom. I shall, between this and supper, tell you most strange things from Rome; all tend

You have done a brave deed. Ere you go, ing to the good of their adversaries. Have you

hear this:

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

Vol. Take my prayers with you.—

I would the gods had nothing else to do,
[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,

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And, by my troth, you have cause. You'll sup Enter CORIOLANUS, in mean Apparel, disguised

with,me?

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and muffled.

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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

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exercise,

Are still together, who twin, as 'twere, in love
Unseparable, shall within this hour,
On a dissention of a doit,* break out
To bitterest enmity: So, fellest foes,
Whose passions and whose plots have broke
their sleep

To take the one the other, by some chance,
Some trick not worth an egg, shall grow dear
friends,

And interjoin their issues. So with me:-
My birth-place hate 1, and my love's upon
This enemy town.-I'll enter: if he slay me,
He does fair justice; if he give me way,
I'll do his country service.

[Exit. SCENE V.-The same.-A Hall in AUFIDIUS'

House.

Music within. Enter a SERVANT.

1 Serv. Wine, wine, wine! What service is here! I think our fellows are asleep. [Exit.

Enter another SERVANT.

2 Ser. Where's Cotus! my master calls for him. Cotus! [Exit.

Enter CORIOLANUS.

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. Ay.

3 Serv. Where's that?

Cor. I'the city of kites and crows.

[Exit.

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?

Why speak'st not? Speak, man: What's thy

name?

Cor. If, Tullus,

[Unmuffling. Not yet thou know'st me, and seeing me, dost Think me for the man I am, necessity [not Commands me name myself.

Auf. What is thy name? [SERVANTS retire. Cor. A name unmusical to the Volcians' [ears,

Cor. A goodly house: The feast smells And harsh in sound to thine, well: but I

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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.

Auf. Say, what's thy name?
Thou hast a grim appearance, and thy face
Bears a command in't; though thy tackle's
torn,
[name?
Thou show'st a noble vessel: What's thy
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,t
And witness of the malice and displeasure

2 Serv. Are you so brave? I'll have you Which thou should'st bear me: only that name talked with anon.

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remains;

The cruelty and envy of the people,
Permitted by our dastard nobles, who
Have all forsook me, hath devour'd the rest;
And suffer'd 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 quit of those my banishers,
Stand I before thee here. Then if thou hast

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A heart of wreak in thee, that will revenge Thine own particular wrongs, and stop those maimst

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
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 [say,
Should from yon cloud speak divine things, and
'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 an 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! 1
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

me;

Twelve several times, and I have nightly since
Dreamt of encounters 'twixt thyself and
We have been down together in my sleep,
Unbuckling helms, fisting each other's throat,
And wak'd half dead with nothing. Worthy
Marcius,

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,

Like a bold flood o'er-beat. 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
The one half of my commission; and set down,
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;

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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.

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

2 Serv. Who? my master?

1 Serv. Nay, it's no matter for that.
2 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.

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: 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.t

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 has half, by the entreaty and grant of the whole table. He'll go, he says, and sowlet 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 friends, Sir, (as it were,) durst not (look you, Sir,) show themselves (as we term it,) his friends, whilst he's in directitude.

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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 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 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 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 Volcians They are rising, they are rising. All. In, in, in, in.

[Exeunt.

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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,

[Exeunt 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 think.
Self-loving,-
[ing,

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. [Rome

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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
Of Marcius?

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 informa-
And beat the messenger who bids beware
tion,
Of what is to be dreaded.

Sic. Tell not me :

[kind

I

know, this cannot be. Bru. Not possible.

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

stand;

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.

Sic. Where is he, hear you?

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 ;

Men. Nay, I hear nothing; his mother and Go whip him 'fore the people's eyes :-bis rais

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