SCENE, before the Gates of Rome.

Enter Coriolanus, Volumnia, Virgilia, Menenius, Cominius, with the young Nobility of Rome.

C

CORIOLANUS.

Ome, leave your tears: a brief farewel: the beaft With many heads butts me away. Nay, mother, Where is your ancient Courage? you were us'd To fay, Extremity was the trier of fpirits,

That common chances common men could bear;
That, when the Sea was calm, all boats alike
Shew'd maftership in floating. Fortune's blows,
When moft ftruck home, being gently warded, craves
A noble cunning. You were us'd to load me
With precepts, that would make invincible
The heart that conn'd them.

Vir. Oh heav'ns! O heav'ns !
Cor. Nay, I pr'ythee, woman

Vol. Now the red peftilence ftrike all trades in Rome, And occupations perish!

Cor. What! what! what!

I fhall be lov'd, when I am lack'd. Nay, mother,
Refume 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 fav'd
Your husband fo much fweat. Cominius,

Droop not; adieu: farewel, my wife! my mother!
I'll do well yet. Thou old and true Menenius,
Thy tears are falter than a younger man's,

And venomous to thine eyes. My fometime General,
I've feen thee ftern, and thou haft oft beheld
Heart-hardning fpectacles. Tell these fad women,
Tis fond to wail inevitable ftroaks,

А

As

As 'tis to laugh at 'em. Mother, you wot,
My hazards ftill have been your folace; and
Believe't not lightly, (tho' 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 firft Son,

Where will you go? take good Cominius
With thee a while; determine on fome courfe,
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, devife with thee
Where thou shalt reft, that thou may'ft hear of us,
And we of thee. So, if the time thruft forth -
A Cause for thy Repeal, we fhall not send
O'er the vaft world, to feek a fingle man;
And lofe advantage, which doth ever cool
I'th' abfence of the needer.

Cor. Fare ye well:

Thou'ft years upon thee, and thou art too full
Of the war's furfeits, to go rove with one
That's yet unbruis'd; bring me but out at gate.
Come, my fweet wife, my deareft mother, and
My friends of noble touch: when I am forth,
Bid me farewel, and fmile. I pray you, come.
fhall
While I remain above the ground, you
Hear from me ftill, 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 fhake off but one seven years

From thefe old arms and legs, by the good Gods,

I'd with thee every foot.

Cor. Give me thy hand.

[Exeunt

Enter Sicinius and Brutus, with the dile.

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

further.

Vex'd are the Nobles, 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.
Here comes his Mother.

Enter Volumnia, Virgilia, and Menenius. '

Sic. Let's not meet her.

Bru. Why?

Sic. They fay, fhe's mad.

Bru. They have ta'en note of us: keep on your way.
Vol. Oh, y'are well met:

The hoorded plague o'th' Gods requite your love!
Men. Peace, peace; be not fo loud.

Vol. If that I could for weeping, you should hear Nay, and you fhall hear fome.Will you be gone? Virg. You shall stay too: I would, I had the power

To say so to my

Husband.

Sic. Are you mankind?

Vol. Ay, fool: is that a fhame? note but this fool. Was not a Man my Father? hadst thou foxship To banish him that ftruck more blows for Rome,

Than thou haft fpoken words

Sic. Oh bleffed heav'ns!

Vol. More noble blows, than ever thou wife words,

And for Rome's good-I'll tell thee what

Nay, but thou shalt stay too

yet go

I would, my fon

Were in Arabia, and thy tribe before him,

His good fword in his hand,

Sic. What then?

Virg. 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 continued 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 myfteries which Heav'n
Will not have Earth to know.

Bru Pray, let us go.

Vol. Now, pray, Sir, get you gone.

You've 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,
This Lady's Husband here, this, (do you fee)
Whom you have banish'd, does exceed you all.
Bru. Well, well, we'll leave you.
Sic. Why ftay you to be baited
With one that wants her wits?

Vol. Take my prayers with you.

I wish, the Gods had nothing else to do,

[Exe. Tribunes,

But to confirm my curfes! Could I meet 'em
But once a-day, it would unclog my heart
Of what lyes heavy to't.

Men. You've told them home,

And, by my troth, have caufe: you'll fup with me?
Vol. Anger's my meat, I fup upon my self,
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, fie, fie! [Exeunt.

SCENE changes to Antium.

Rom. I

Enter a Roman and a Volfcian.

Know you well, Sir, and you know me; your name, I think, is Adrian.

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

Rom. I am a Roman, but my fervices are as you are,

against 'em. Know you me yet?

Vol. Nicanor? no.

Rom.

Rom. The fame, Sir.

Vol. You had more beard when I laft faw you, but your favour is well appear'd by your tongue. What's the news in Rome! I have a Note from the Volfcian State to find you out there. You have well fav'd me a day's journey.

Rom. There hath been in Rome frange infurrections: the People against the Senators, 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 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 aptnefs 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 almoft mature for the violent breaking out.

Vol. Coriolanus banish'd ?

Rom. Banish'd, Sir.

Vol. You will be welconfe 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 she's fallen out with her husband. Your noble Tullus Aufidius will appear well in thefe wars, his great Oppofer Coriolanus being now in no request of his Country.

Vol. He cannot chufe. I am moft fortunate, thus accidentally to encounter you. You have ended my bufinefs, and I will merrily accompany you home.

Rom. I fhall between this and fupper tell you moft ftrange things from Rome; all tending to the good of their Adverfaries. Have you an army ready, fay you? Vol. A moft royal one. The Centurions and their Charges diftinctly billetted, 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, Sir, heartily well met, and most glad of your company.