Supplied with worthy men! plant love among us
Throng our large temples with the shows of peace,
And not our streets with war?
1 Sen. Amen, amen!
Men. A noble wish.

Re-enter EDILE, with CITIZENS.

Sic. Draw near, ye people.

Ed. List to your tribunes: audience: Peace,
I say.

Cor. First, hear me speak.

Both Tri. Well, say.-Peace, ho.

Cor. Shall I be charg'd no further than this present?

Must all determine ?

Sic. I do demand here,

If you submit you to the people's voices,
Allow their officers, and are content

To suffer lawful censure for such faults
As shall be prov'd upon you?

Cor. I am content.

Men. Lo, citizens, he says, he is content :
The warlike service he has done, consider;

Think on the wounds his body bears, which show
Like graves i'the holy churchyard.

Cor. Scratches with briers.

Scars to move laughter only.

Men. Consider further,

Bru. In this point charge him home-that he That when he speaks not like a citizen,

affects

Tyrannical power: if he evade us there,
Enforce him with his envy + to the people;
And that the spoil, got ou the Antiates,
Was ne'er distributed.—

Enter an EDILE.

What, will he come!

Ed. He's coming.

Bru. How accompanied?

Ed. With old Menenius, and those senators

That always favour'd him.

Sic. Have you a catalogue

Of all the voices that we have procur'd

Set down by the poll?

Ed. I have: 'tis ready, here.

Sic. Have you collected them by tribes?
Ad. I have.

Sic. Assemble presently the people hither:
And when they hear me say, It shall be so
Pthe right and strength o'the commons, be it
either

For death, for fine, or banishment, then let them,
If I say fine, cry fine; if death, cry death;
Insisting on the old prerogative

And power i'the truth o'the cause.

Ed. I shall inform them.

Bru. And when such time they have begun to cry,

Let them not cease, but with a din confus'd

Enforce the present execution

Of what we chance to sentence.

Ed. Very well.

You find him like a soldier: Do not take
His rougher accents for malicious sounds,
But, as I say, such as become a soldier,
Rather than envy you.

Com. Well, well, no more.

Cor. What is the matter,

That being pass'd for consul with full voice,

I am so dishonour'd, that the very hour
You take it off again?

Sic. Answer to us.

Cor. Say then: 'tis true, I ought so.

Sic. We charge you, that you have contriv'd to
take

From Rome all season'd + office, and to wind
Yourself into a power tyrannical;

For which, you are a traitor to the people.
Cor. How! Traitor ?

Men. Nay, temperately: Your promise.
Cor. The tires i'the lowest hell fold in the

people!

Call me their traitor.-Thon injurious tribune!
Within thine eyes sat twenty thousand deaths,
In thy hands clutch'd as many millions, in
Thy lying tongue both numbers, I would say,
Thou liest, unto thee, with voice as free
As I do pray the gods.

Sic. Mark you this, people?

Cit. To the rock with him! to the rock with
him!
Sic. Peace.

We need not put new matter to his charge :
What you have seen him do, and heard him speak,
Beating your officers, cursing yourselves,

Sic. Make them be strong, and ready for this Opposing laws with strokes, and here defying hint,

When we shall hap to give't them.
Bru. Go about it.-

[Exit EDILE.
Put him to choler straight: He hath been us'd
Ever to conquer, and to have his worth
Of contradiction: Being once chaf'd, he cannot
Be rein'd again to temperance; then he speaks
What's in his heart; and that is there, which looks
With us to break his neck.

Enter CORIOLANUS, MENENIUS, COMINIUS,
SENATORS, and PATRICIANS.

Src. Well, here he comes.
Men. Calmly, I do beseech you.

Cor. Ay, as an ostler, that for the poorest
piece

Will bear the knavet by the volume.-The honour'd gods

Keep Rome in safety, and the chairs of justice

Those whose great power must try him; even
So criminal, and in such capital kind, [this,
Deserves the extremest death.

Bru. But since he hath
Serv'd well for Rome,-

Cor. What do you prate of service?
Bru. I talk of that, that know it.
Cor. You?

(As much as in him lies) from time to time
Envied against the people, seeking means
To pluck away their power: as now at last
Given hostile strokes, and that not in the presence
Of dreaded justice, but on the ministers
That do distribute it-In the name o'the people,
And in the power of us the tribunes, we,
Even from this instant, banish him our city;
In peril of precipitation

From off the rock Tarpeian, never more

To enter our Rome gates: l'the people's name,
I say it shall be so.

Cit. It shall be so,

It shall be so; let him away: he's banish'd;
And so it shall be.

Com. Hear me, my masters, and my common
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?

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 trader in Rome,

And occupations perish!

Cor. What, what, what!

I shall be lov'd when I am lack'd. Nay, mother,
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 mo
ther!

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 someti ne
general,

I have seen thee stern, and thou hast oft beheld
Heart-hard'ning spectacles: tell these sad women,
'Tis fond to wail inevitable strokes, [well,

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

Bru. There's no more to be said, but he is Makes fear'd) and talk'd of more than seen your

banish'd,

As enemy to the people and his country: A

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, MENENIUS,
SENATORS, and PATRICIANS,
Ed. The people's enemy is gone, is gone!
Cit. Our enemy's banish'd! he is gone! Hoo!

hoo!

[The people shout and throw up their Caps.
Sic. Go, see him out at gates, and follow him!
As he hath follow'd you, with all despite :
Give him deserv'd vexation. Let a guard
Attend is through the city.

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

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

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

Cor. Come, leave your tears; a brief farewell:
-the beast T

With many heads butts me away.-Nay, mother,
Where 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, ali boats alike
Show'd mastership in floating: fortune's blows,
When most struck home, being gentle wounded,

son

Will, or exceed the common, or be caught
With cautelous + 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 exposture ý to each chance,
That starts i'the way before thee.
Cor. O the gods!

Com. I'll follow thee a month, devise with thee Where thou shalt rest, that thou may'st hear of us,

And we of thee; so, if the time thrust forth
A cause for thỷ repeal, we shall not send
O'er the vast world, to seek a single man;
And lose advantage, which doth ever cool
'the absence of the needer.

As any ear can hear.-Come, let's not weep.-
If I could shake off but one seven years
From these old arms and legs, by the good gods,
I'd with thee every foot.

Cor. Give me thy hand :-
Come.

[Exeunt.

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 ÆDILE.

Enter VOLUMNIA, VIRGILIA, and MENENIUS.
Here comes his mother.

Sic. Let's not meet her.

Good man, the wounds that he does bear for pany you home.

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

Vol. I would he had! 'Twas you incens'd the entertainment, and to be on foot at an hour's

Rom. I am joyful to hear of their readiness, and am the man, I think, that shall set the. in present action. So, Sir, heartily well met, and most glad of your company.

Vol. You take my part from me, Sir; I have

You have done a brave deed. Ere you go, hear the most cause to be glad of yours.

Cor. A name unmusical to the Volsciaus' 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,

2 Ser. Where's Cotus! my master calls for Thou show'st a noble vessel. What's thy name? him. Cotus !

Enter CORIOLANUS.

Cor. A goodly house: The feast smells well : but I

Appear not like a guest.

Re-enter the first SERVANT.

1 Sere. 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.

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 Volsces,
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,
And witness of the malice and displeasure
Which thou should'st 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

2 Serv. Are you so brave? I'll have you talked I had fear'd death, of all the men i'the world with anon.

Eater 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.

a 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 Sert. What, will you not? Pr'ythee tell my master what a strange guest he has here.

[Exit.

3 Serv. l'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 ?

• Having derived that name from Corioli. Fellows. ¡ Feed.

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 in thee, that will revenge
Thine own particular wrongs, and stop those
maims t

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 tight
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 for-

tunes

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

[say,

A root of ancient envy. If Jupiter
Should from yon cloud speak divine things, and
'Tis true, I'd not believe them more than thee,
All noble Marcius.-Oh! 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
clip

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 any 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,*
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 helins, fisting each other's throat,
And wak'd half dead with nothing.

Marcius,

Worthy

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!

2 Serr. An he had been cannibally given, he might have broiled and eaten him too.

I 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 was half, by the entreaty, and grant of the whole table. He'll go, he says, and sowle 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

Auf. Therefore, most absolute Sir, if thou friends, Sir, (as it were,) durst not (look you,

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;
Yet, Marcins, that was much. Your hand! Most

welcome!

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 couies after rain, and reve 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

[Exeunt CORIOLANUS and AUFIDIUS. 1 Serv. [Advancing.] Here's a strange altera-makers. tion !

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?

Serv. Nay, it's no matter for that.
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, onr geueral 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 Serr. Why, here's he that was wont to thwack our general,-Caius Marcius.

1 Serv. Why do you say thwack our general ? 3 Sern. 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.]]

1 Serv. Let me have war, say 1: 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 bate 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 Volscians. They are rising, they are rising.

All. In, in, in, in..

[Exeunt.

SCENE VI-Rome.-A Public place.

Enter SICINIUS and BRUTUS.

Sic. We hear not of him, neither necd we fear
him:

His remedies are tame i'the present peace
And quietness o'the people, which before
Were in wild hurry. Here do we make his friends
Blush, that the world goes well; who rather had,
Though they themselves did suffer by't, behold
Our tradesmen singing in their shops, and going
Dissentious numbers pestering streets, than see
About their functions friendly.

Enter MENENIUS.

Bru. We stood to't in good time. Is this
Menenius?

Sic. 'Tis he, 'tis he: Oh! he is grown most
Of late.-Hail, Sir!
[kind

Men. Hail to you both?
Sic. Your Coriolanus, Sir, is not much miss'd,
But with his friends; the common-wealth doth
And so would do, were he more angry at it.
stand;

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

He could have temporiz'd.