Sic. This is most likely!

Com. You have brought

Good Marcius home again.

[wish

Sic. The very trick on't.

Men. This is unlikely:

He and Aufidius can no more atone,*
Than violentest contrariety.

Enter another MESSENGER.

Mess. You are sent for to the senate: A fearful army, led by Caius Marcius, Associated with Aufidius, rages Upon our territories; and have already, O'erborne their way, consum'd with fire, and What lay before them.

Enter COMINIUS.

[took

noses;

Men. What's the news? what's the news? Com. Your temples burn'd in their cement; and

Your franchises, whereon you stood, confin'd Into an augre's bore.t

Men. Pray now, your news?

You have made fair work, I fear me :-Pray, your news?

If Marcius should be join'd with Volcians,-
Com. If!

He is their god; he leads them like a thing
Made by some other deity than nature,
That shapes man better: and they follow him,
Against us brats, with no less confidence,
Than boys pursuing summer butterflies,
Or butchers killing flies.

Men. You have made good work,

You, and your apron men; you that stood so
Upon the voice of occupation, and
The breath of garlic-eaters!

Com. He will shake

Your Rome about your ears.

Men. As Hercules

[much

Tri. Say not, we brought it.

Men. How! Was it we? We lov'd him; but, like beasts, [ters,

And cowardly nobles, gave way to your clusWho did hoot him out o'the city.

Com. But, I fear,

As you threw caps up, will he tumble down,
And pay you for your voices. 'Tis no matter;
If he could burn us all into one coal,
We have deserv'd it.

Cit. 'Faith, we hear fearful news.
1 Cit. For mine own part,

When I said, banish him, I said, 'twas pity. 2 Cit. And so did I.

3 Cit. And so did I; and, to say the truth, so did very many of us: That we did, we did ed to his banishment, yet it was against our for the best: and though we willingly consent

will.

Com. You are goodly things, you voices!
Men. You have made

Good work, you and your cry!*-Shall us to the Capitol?

Com. O, ay; what else?

[Exeunt Coм. and MEN. Sic. Go, masters, get you home, be not dismay'd;

fair work!

And so he thinks, and is no less apparent To the vulgar eye, that he bears all things fairly, [state; And shows good husbandry for the Volcian Fights dragon-like, and does achieve as soon As draw his sword: yet he hath left undone That, which shall break his neck, or hazard Whene'er we come to our account. [mine, Lieu. Sir, I beseech you, think you he'll carry Rome?

[down;

Auf. All places yield to him ere he sits And the nobility of Rome are his : The senators, and patricians, love him too: The tribunes are no soldiers; and their people Will be as rash in the repeal, as hasty

To expel him thence. I think, he'll be to
Rome,

As is the osprey to the fish, who takes it
By sovereignty of nature. First he was
A noble servant to them; but he could not
Carry his honours even: whether 'twas pride,
Which out of daily fortune ever taints
The happy man; whether defect of judgement,
To fail in the disposing of those chances
Which he was lord of; or whether nature,
Not to be other than one thing, not moving
From the casquet to the cushion, but com-
manding peace

Even with the same austerity and garb
As he controll'd the war; but, one of these,
(As he hath spices of them all, not all,
For I dare so far free him,) made him fear'd,
So hated, and so banish'd: But he has a merit,
To choke it in the utterance. So our virtues
Lie in the interpretation of the time:
And power, unto itself most commendable,
Hath not a tomb so evident as a chair
To extol what it hath done.

One fire drives out one fire; one nail, one nail;
Rights by rights fouler, strengths by strengths
do fail.
[thine,
Come, let's away. When, Caius, Rome is
Thou art poor'st of all; then shortly art thou
[Exeunt.

mine.

ACT V.

SCENE 1.-Rome.-A Public Place. Enter MENENIUS, COMINIUS, SICINIUS, BRUTUS, and others.

Men. No, I'll not go: you hear, what he hath said, [him Which was sometime his general; who lov'd In a most dear particular. He call'd me, father:

An eagle that preys on fish.

The chair of civil authority.
Not all in their full extent.

But what o'that? Go, you that banish'd him, A mile before his tent fall down, and kneel The way into his mercy: Nay, if he coy'd* To hear Cominius speak, I'll keep at home. Com. He would not seem to know me. Men. Do you hear?

Com. Yet one time he did call me by my

name:

I urg'd our old acquaintance, and the drops
That we have bled together. Coriolanus
He would not answer to: forbad all names;
He was a kind of nothing, titleless,
Till he had forg'd himself a name i'the fire
Of burning Rome.

Men. Why, so; you have made good work:
A pair of tribunes that have rack'dt for Rome,
To make coals cheap: A noble memory !+
Com. I minded him, how royal 'twas to
pardon

When it was less expected: He replied,
It was a bare petition of a state
To one whom they had punish'd.
Men. Very well:

Could he say less?

Com. I offer'd to awaken his regard For his private friends: His answer to me was, He could not stay to pick them in a pile Of noisome, musty chaff: He said, 'twas folly, For one poor grain or two, to leave unburnt, And still to nose the offence.

Men. For one poor grain

Or two? I am one of those; his mother, wife, His child, and this brave fellow too, we are the grains:

You are the musty chaff; and you are smelt Above the moon: We must be burnt for you. Sic. Nay, pray, be patient: If you refuse

your aid

In this so never-heeded help, yet do not [you Upbraid us with our distress. But, sure, if Would be your country's pleader, your good

tongue,

More than the instant army we can make,
Might stop our countryman.

Men. No; I'll not meddle.
Sic. I pray you, go to him.
Men. What should I do?

Bru. Only make trial what your love can de For Rome towards Marcius.

Men. Well, and say that Marcius
Return me, as Cominius is return'd,
Unheard; what then?-

But as a discontented friend, grief-shot
With his unkindness? Say't be so?

Sic. Yet your good will

Must have that thanks from Rome, after the

measure

As you intended well.

Men. I'll undertake it:

I think, he'll hear me. Yet to bite his lip,
And hum at good Cominius, much unhearts me.
He was not taken well; he had not din'd:
The veins unfill'd, the blood is cold, and then
We pout upon the morning, are unapt
To give or to forgive; but when we have stuff'd
These pipes and these conveyances of our
blood

With wine and feeding, we have suppler souls Than in our priest-like fasts: therefore I'll watch him

Till he be dieted to my request,
And then I'll set upon him.

Bru. You know the very road into his kindAnd cannot loose your way.

[ness,

+ Harassed by exactions.

Memorial.

Of my success.

Com. He'll never hear him.
Sic. Not?

[Exit.

Com. I tell you, he does sit in gold, his eye Red as 'twould burn Rome; and his injury The jailer to his pity. I kneel'd before him; 'Twas very faintly he said, Rise; dismiss'd me Thus, with his speechless hand: What he would do, [not, He sent in writing after me; what he could Bound with an oath, to yield to his conditions: So, that all hope is vain,

Unless his noble mother, and his wife;
Who, as I hear, mean to solicit him [hence,
For mercy to his country. Therefore, let's
And with our fair entreaties haste them on.

If you have heard your general talk of Rome, And of his friends there, it is lots to blanks, My name hath touch'd your ears: it is Menenius.

1 G. Be it so; go back: the virtue of your Is not here passable.

[name

Men. I tell thee, fellow, Thy general is my lover: I have been The book of his good acts, whence men have read

His fame unparallel'd, haply, amplified; For I have ever verified; my friends, (Of whom he's chief,) with all the size that verity Etimes,

Would without lasping suffer: nay, someLike to a bowl upon a subtle ground,

I have tumbled past the throw; and in his praise

Have, almost, stamp'd the leasing: fore, fellow,

I must have leave to pass.

There

1 G. 'Faith, Sir, if you had told as many lies in his behalf, as you have uttered words in your own, you should not pass here: no, though it were as virtuous to lie, as to live chastely. Therefore, go back.

Men. Pr'ythee, fellow, remember my name is Menenius, always factionary on the party of your general.

2 G. Howsoever you have been his liar, (as you say, you have,) I am one that, telling true under him, must say, you cannot pass. Therefore, go back.

Men. Has he dined, can'st thou tell? for would not speak with him till after dinner. 1 G. You are a Roman, are you? Men. I am as thy general is.

1 G. Then you should hate Rome, as he does. Can you, when you have pushed out your gates the very defender of them, and, in a violent popular ignorance, given your enemy your shield, think to front his revenges with the easy groans of old women, the virginal palms of your daughters, or with the palsied intercession of such a decayed datant* as you seem to be? Can you think to blow out the intended fire your city is ready to flame in, with such weak breath as this? No, you are deceived; therefore, back to Rome, and prepare for your execution: you are condemned, our general has sworn you out of reprieve and pardon.

Men. Sirrah, if thy captain knew I were here, he would use me with estimation. 2 G. Come, my captain knows you not. Men. I mean, thy general.

1 G. My general cares not for you. Back, I say, go, lest I let forth your half pint of blood;-back,-that's the utmost of your having:-back.

Men. Nay, but fellow, fellow,

Enter CORIOLANUS and AUFIDIUS.
Cor. What's the matter?

Men. Now, you companion, I'll say an errand for you; you shall know now that I am in estimation; you shall perceive that a Jack‡ guardant cannot office me from my son Coriolanus: guess, but by my entertainment with him, if thou stand'st not i'the state of hanging, or of some death more long in spectatorship, and crueller in suffering; behold now presently, and swoon for what's to come upon thee.The glorious gods sit in hourly synod about thy particular prosperity, and love thee no worse than thy old father Menenius does! O, my son! my son! thou art preparing fire for us; look thee, here's water to quench it. I was hardly moved to come to thee; but being assured, none but myself could move thee, I have been blown out of your gates with sighs; and conjure thee to pardon Rome, and thy petitionary countrymen. The good gods assuage thy wrath, and turn the dregs of it upon this varlet here; this, who, like a block, hath denied my access to thee.

Cor. Away!

Men. How! away?

Cor. Wife, mother, child, I know not. My affairs

Are servanted to others: Though I owe
My revenge properly, my remission lies
In Volcian breasts. That we have been fa-
miliar,

Ingrate forgetfulness shall poison, rather
Than pity note how much.-Therefore, be

1 G. Now, Sir, is your name Menenius. 2 G. 'Tis a spell, you see, of much power: You know the way home again.

1 G. Do you hear how we are shent* for keeping your greatness back?

2 G. What cause, do you think, I have to

swoon?

Men. I neither care for the world, nor your general: for such things as you, I can scarce think there's any, you are so slight. He that hath a will to die by himself, fears it not from another. Let your general do his worst. For you, be that you are, long; and your misery increase with your age! I say to you, as I was said to, Away! [Exit. 1 G. A noble fellow, I warrant him. 2 G. The worthy fellow is our general: He is the rock, the oak not to be wind-shaken.

The first conditions, which they did refuse,
And cannot now accept, to grace him only,
That thought he could do more; a very little
I have yielded too: Fresh embassies, and suits,
Nor from the state, nor private friends, here-
after

Will I lend ear to.-Ha! what shout is this?
[Shout within.

Shall I be tempted to infringe my vow
In the same time 'tis made? I will not.-
Enter in mourning habits, VIRGILIA, VOLUMNIA,
leading young MARCIUS, VALERIA, and AT-

n supplication nod: and my young boy
Hath an aspect of intercession, which
Great nature cries, Deny not,-Let the Volces
Plough Rome, and harrow Italy; I'll never
Be such a gosling; to obey instinct; but stand,
As if a man were author of himself,

And knew no other kin.

Vir. My lord and husband!

Vir. The sorrow, that delivers us thus Makes you think so.

Cor. Like a dull actor now,

[chang'd.

I have forgot my part, and I am out,
Even to a full disgrace. Best of my flesh,
Forgive my tyranny; but do not say,
For that, Forgive our Romans.-O, a kiss
Long as my exile, sweet as my revenge! [kiss
Now by the jealous queen of heaven, that
I carried from thee, dear; and my true lip
Hath virgin'd it e'er since.-You gods! I prate,
And the most noble mother of the world
Leave unsaluted: Sink, my knee, i'the earth;
[Kneels.
Of thy deep duty more impression show
Than that of common sons.

Vol. O, stand up bless'd!
Whilst, with no softer cushion than the flint
I kneel before thee; and unproperly
Show duty, as mistaken all the while
Between the child and parent.

Cor. What is this?

[Kneels.

Then let the pebbles on the hungry beach
Your knees to me? to your corrected son?
Strike the proud cedars 'gainst the fiery sun;
Fillip the stars; then let the mutinous winds
Murd'ring impossibility, to make
What cannot be, slight work.

Vol. Thou art my warrior;

I holp to frame thee. Do you know this lady ?
Cor. The noble sister of Publicola,
The moon of Rome; chaste as the icicle,
That's curded by the frost from purest snow,
And hangs on Dian's temple: Dear Valeria!

Vol. This is a poor epitome of yours,
May show like all yourself.
Which by the interpretation of full time

Cor. The god of soldiers,

With the consent of supreme Jove, inform
Thy thoughts with nobleness; that thou may'st
prove

To shame unvulnerable, and stick i'the wars
And saving those that eye thee!
Like a great sea-mark, standing every flaw,t

Vol. Your knee, Sirrah.

Cor. That's my brave boy.

Vol. Even he, your wife, this lady, and myAre suitors to you.

Cor. I beseech you, peace:

[self

Or, if you'd ask, remember this before;
The things, I have forsworn to grant, may

never

Be held by you denials. Do not bid me
Dismiss my soldiers, or capitulate
Again with Rome's mechanics:-Tell me not
Wherein I seem unnatural: Desire not
To allay my rages and revenges, with
Your colder reasons.

Vol. O, no more, no more!
You have said, you will not grant us any thing;
For we have nothing else to ask, but that
Which you deny already: Yet we will ask;
That, if you fail in our request, the blame [us.
May hang upon your hardness: therefore hear
Cor. Aufidius, and you Volces, mark; for

we'll [request? Hear nought from Rome in private.-Your Vol. Should we be silent and not speak, our

raiment,

And state of bodies would bewray what life We have led since thy exile. Think with thyself,

How more unfortunate than all living women

should

Rome.