More than a wild exposture 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 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:
Thou hast years upon thee; and thou art too full
Of the wars' surfeits to go rove with one
That's yet unbruis'd: bring me but out at gate.-
Come, my sweet wife, my dearest mother, and
My friends of noble touch; when I am forth,
Bid me farewell, and smile. I pray you, come.
While I remain above the ground, you shall
Hear from me still; and never of me aught
But what is like me formerly.

Men.
That's worthily
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.

Come.

Give me thy hand :

:

[Exeunt.

SCENE II.-ROME. A Street near the Gate.

Enter SICINIUS, BRUTUS, and an Ædile.

Sic. Bid them all home; he's gone, and we 'll no further.— The nobility are vex'd, whom 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.

Say their great enemy is gone, and they
Stand in their ancient strength.

Bru.

Bid them home :

Bru.

Why?

Sic. They say she's mad.

Here comes his mother.

Sic.

Bru. They have ta'en note of us: keep on your way.

Enter VOLUMNIA, VIRGILIA, and MENENIUS. Vol. O, you're well met: the hoarded plague 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 SICINIUS]: I would I had the To say so to my husband.

Sic.

Are you mankind?

[power

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.

Vir.

What then?

What then!

He'd make an end of thy posterity.

Vol. Bastards 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 those mysteries which heaven

Will not have earth to know.

Bru.

Pray, let us go.

Vol. Now, pray, sir, 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, 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.
With one that wants her wits!

Why stay we to be baited

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 '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 cause. You'll sup with me? Vol. Anger's my meat; I sup 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.

Men. Fie, fie, fie!

[Exeunt.

SCENE III.-A Highway between Rome and Antium.

Enter a Roman and a Volsce, meeting.

Rom. I know you well, sir; and you know me: your name, I think, is Adrian.

Vols. It is so, sir: truly, I have forgot you.

Rom. I am a Roman; and my services are, as you are, against 'em know you me yet?

Vols. Nicanor? no.

Rom. The same, sir.

but your

Vols. You had more beard when I last saw you; favour is well approved 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 insurrections; the people against the senators, patricians, and nobles.

Vols. 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.

Vols. Coriolanus banished!

Rom. Banished, sir.

Vols. You will be welcome with this intelligence, Nicanor. 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.

Vols. 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?

Vols. A most royal one; the centurions and their charges, distinctly 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 shall set them in present action. So, sir, heartily well met, and most glad of your company.

Vols. You take my part from me, sir; I have the most cause to be glad of yours.

Rom. Well, let us go together.

[Exeunt.

SCENE IV.-ANTIUM. Before AUFIDIUS's House.

Enter CORIOLANUS, in mean apparel, disguised and muffled. Cor. A goodly city is this Antium.-City,

"Tis I that made thy widows: many an heir

Of these fair edifices 'fore my wars

Have I heard groan and drop: then know me not,
Lest that thy wives with spits and boys with stones
In puny battle slay me.

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.

O world, thy slippery turns! Friends now fast sworn,
Whose double bosoms seem to wear one heart,
Whose house, whose bed, whose meal and exercis
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 birthplace 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.-ANTIUM.

Music within.

[Exit.

A Hall in AUFIDIUS's House.

Enter a Servant.
What service is here!

1 Serv. Wine, wine, wine! I think our fellows are asleep.

Enter a second Servant.

[Exit.

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

Cotus!

Enter CORIOLANUS.

Cor. A goodly house: the feast smells well; but I Appear not like a guest.

Re-enter the first Servant.

[Exit.

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: pr'ythee, call my master to him.

3 Serv. What have you to do here, fellow? Pray you, avoid the house.