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Sic.

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Here comes his mother.

Let's not meet her.

SCENE III.

Why?

They have ta'en note of us :

Bru.

Sic. They say, she's mad.

Bru.

Keep on your way.

[Exeunt.

A Highway between Rome and
Antium.

Enter a Roman and a Volce, meeting.
Rom. I know you well, sir, and you know me:

Vol. O, you're well met: The hoarded plague 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.

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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 8 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.

Our state

Vol. Hath been! Is it ended then? 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 What then? breaking out.

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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 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 entertainment 9, 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

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In puny battle slay me. -
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, Are still together, who twin, as 'twere, in love Unseparable, shall within this hour,

On a dissension 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 I, 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.

SCENE V.

[Exit.

A Hall in Aufidius's House.

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Enter another Servant.

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

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 deserved 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.

1 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.

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Cor. Follow your function, go! And batten 2 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.

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

Cor. 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?

2 Feed.

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?

I love 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 7,
Or lose mine arm for't: Thou hast beat me out *
Twelve several times, and I have nightly since
Dreamt 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 Marcius,
Had we no quarrel else to Rome, but that
Thou art hence banish'd, we would muster all

Cor. My name is Caius Marcius, who hath done From twelve to seventy; and, pouring war

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 3,
And witness of the malice and displeasure
Which thou shouldst bear me: only that name
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
A heart of wreak 4 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 5 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.

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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 welcornes !
And more a friend than e'er an enemy:
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.

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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 9 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.

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3 Serv. I would not be a Roman, of all nations; | Blush, that the world goes well; who rather had, I had as lieve be a condemned man.

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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.'

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

2 Serv. An he had been cannibally given, he might And so would do, were he more angry at it. 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 sowle 2 the porter of Rome gates by the ears: He will mow down all before him, and leave his passage polled.3

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.

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 rabbits 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; its sprightly, waking, audible, and full of vent.4 Peace is a very apoplexy, lethargy; mulled, deaf, sleepy, insensible.

2 Serv. 'Tis so.

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Men. All's well; and might have been much better, if

He could have temporiz'd.
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! 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 Co-
riolanus

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

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As Hercules

Did shake down mellow fruit: You have made fair

work!

Bru. But is this true, sir?

Com.

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.

Who shall ask it? The tribunes cannot do't for shame: the people 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!
Com.

You have brought
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 cluster. -
And is Aufidius with him? - You are they
That made the air unwholesome, when you cast
Your old and 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. 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! 9 — Shall us to the

Capitol ?

Com. O, ay; what else? [Exeunt Coм. 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.

9 Pack; alluding to a pack of hounds.

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