ACT IV.

SCENE I. —Rome. Before a Gate of the City.

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

CORIOLANUS.

YOME, leave your tears: a brief farewell. The

COME,

beast

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, all boats alike
Shew'd mastership in floating; fortune's blows,
When most struck home, being gentle wounded,

craves

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 trades 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 mother!

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 sometime 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,

As 'tis to laugh at 'em. - My mother, you wot well,

My hazards still have been your solace; and

Believe 't not lightly (though I go alone,

Like to a lonely dragon, that his fen

Makes fear'd and talk'd of more than seen), your

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 exposure to each chance,
That starts i' th' 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' th' 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.

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 shewn 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.

Sic. They say she's mad.

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

way.

Enter VOLUMNIA, VIRGILIA, and MENENIUS.

Vol. O, y' are well met. The hoarded plague o'

th' 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.

Was not a man my father? Had'st thou foxship
To banish him that struck more blows for Rome,
Than thou hast spoken words?

O blessed Heavens!

Sic. Vol. More noble blows, than ever thou wise words; And for Rome's good. I'll tell thee what

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.

yet

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's 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.

Why stay we to be baited

With one that wants her wits?

Vol.

Take my prayers with you.
[Exeunt Tribunes.

I would the gods had nothing else to do,
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.