This enemy town.-I'll enter: if he slay me, [Exit. SCENE V.-The same. A Hall in Aufidius's House. Music within. Enter a Servant. 1 Serv. Wine, wine, wine! What service is here! I think our fellows are asleep. Enter another Servant. [Exit. 2 Serv. Where 's Cotus? my master calls for him. Cotus! Enter CORIOLANUS. [Exit. 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 deserv'd 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. 2 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: Prithee 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. Cor. Follow your function, go! and batten on cold bits. [Pushes him away. 3 Serv. What, will you not? Prithee, 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? for. 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; 't is 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 com'st thou? what wouldst 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 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 Volcian's 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 Permitted by our dastard nobles, who I had fear'd death, of all the men i' the world Stand I before thee here. Then if thou hast Thine own particular wrongs, and stop those maims a Wreak-revenge. That my revengeful services may prove Against my canker'd country with the spleen Thou dar'st not this, and that to prove more fortunes My throat to thee, and to thy ancient malice: 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, Bestride my threshold. Why, thou Mars! I tell thee, a Under fiends-fiends below. b Out-complete. We have been down together in my sleep, Unbuckling helms, fisting each other's throat, And wak'd half dead with nothing. Worthy Marcius, Like a bold flood o'erbeat. O, come, go in, 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,- 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 ! 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. |