SCENE II.

A Street.

Enter Sicinius and Brutus, with an Edile.

Sic. Bid them all home; he's gone, and we'll no further.

The nobility are vex'd, who, we fee, have fided

In his behalf.

Bru. Now we have fhewn our power,

Let us feem 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. Difmifs them home.

[Exit Edile.

Enter Volumnia, Virgilia, and Menenius.

Here comes his mother.

Sic. Let's not meet her.

Bru. Why?

Sic. They fay, she's mad.

Bru. They have ta'en note of us:

Keep on your way.

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

Requite your love!

Men. Peace, peace; be not fo loud.

Vol. If that I could for weeping, you should hear ; Nay, and you shall hear fome.-Will you be gone?

[To Brutus. Vir. [To Sicin.] You shall stay too: I would I had the

power

To say so to my husband.

Vol. Ay, fool: Is that a fhame?-Note but this fool. Was not a man my father? Hadst thou 2 foxfhip To banish him that ftruck more blows for Rome, Than thou haft spoken words?

Sic. O bleffed 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 fhalt ftay too :-I would my fon Were in Arabia, and thy tribe before him, His good fword in his hand.

Sic. What then?

Vir. What then!

He'd make an end of thy pofterity.

Vol. Baftards, and all.—

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

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.

Vol. I would he had! 'Twas you incens'd the rabble: Cats, that can judge as fitly of his worth,

As I can of thofe mysteries which heaven
Will not have earth to know.

Bru. Pray, let us go.

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

You have done a brave deed. Ere you go, hear this: As far as doth the Capitol exceed

The meanest house in Rome; fo far, my son,

▾ Are you mankind?]—a man under a female difguise, a viragoș Sicinius means it abufively, F ́clumnia takes it for a human creature.

(This lady's husband here, this, do you fee)

Whom you
Bru. Well, well, we'll leave you.

have banish'd, does exceed all.

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 curfes! Could I meet 'em

But once a day, it would unclog my heart

Of what lies heavy to't.

Men. You have told them home,

And, by my troth, you have caufe. You'll fup with me?
Vol. Anger's my meat; I fup upon myself,

And so shall starve with feeding.-Come, let's go :
Leave this faint puling, and lament as I do,

In anger, Juno-like. Come, come, come.

a

Men. Fie, fie, fie!

SCENE III.

Between Rome and Antium.

Enter a Roman and a Volce.

[Exeunt.

Rom. I know you well, fir, and you know me: your

name, I think, is Adrian.

Vol. It is fo, fir: truly, I have forgot you.

Rom. I am a Roman;

and my fervices are, as you

are, against 'em: Know you me yet?

Vol. Nicanor? No.

Rom. The fame, fir.

Vol. You had more beard when I laft faw you; but

• Fie, fie, fie.]-Reproving Virgilia's inceffant tears.

and]-and yet, notwithstanding that.

your

с

your favour is well appear'd by your tongue. What's the news in Rome? I have a note from the Volcian state, to find you out there: You have well faved me a day's journey.

Rom. There hath been in Rome strange infurrection : the people against the fenators, patricians, and nobles.

Vol. Hath been! Is it ended then? Our state thinks not fo; they are in a moft warlike preparation, and hope to come upon them in the heat of their divifion.

Rom. The main blaze of it is paft, but a fmall 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 aptnefs, to take all power from the people, and to pluck from them their tribunes for ever. lies glowing, I can tell you, and is almost mature for the violent breaking out.

Vol. Coriolanus banish'd?

Rom. Banifh'd, fir.

This

Vol. You will be welcome with this intelligence, Nicanor. Rom. The day ferves well for them now. I have heard it faid, The fittest time to corrupt a man's wife, is when fhe's fallen out with her hufband. 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 fhall, between this and fupper, tell you most ftrange things from Rome; all tending to the good of their adverfaries. Have you an army ready, fay you ?

с

your favour is well appear'd by your tongue.]-appears, is made fufficiently apparent; your voice leads me to the recollection of your perfon.

Vol. A most royal one: the centurions, and their charges, diftinctly 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 fhall fet them in prefent action. So, fir, heartily well met, and moft glad of your company. Vol. You take my part from me, fir; I have the most cause to be glad of yours.

Rom. Well, let us go together.

SCENE IV.

Antium.

Before Aufidius's Houfe.

[Exeunt.

Enter Coriolanus, in mean apparel, difguifed, and muffled.
Cor. A goodly city is this Antium: City,

'Tis I that made thy widows; many an heir
Of these fair edifices for my wars
f

Have I heard groan, and drop: then know me not;
Left that thy wives with fpits, and boys with ftones,

Cor. Direct me, if it be your will,

Where

great Aufidius lies: Is he in Antium?

Cit. He is, and feafts the nobles of the ftate,

At his houfe this night.

the centurions, and their charges,]-both officers and men are in their respective quarters, upon full pay, and ordered to hold themselves in immediate readiness to march.

beir]-a prefumptive fucceffor, an expectant, an owner, an ac-
for-by means of.
H

tual poffeffor.

VOL. V.

Car,