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? Æd.

I have. Sic. Assemble presently the people hither: And when they hear me say, It shall be so I the 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.

Æd.

Very well.

Sic. Make them be strong, and ready for this 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.

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. [take
Sic. We charge you, that you have contriv'd to
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 fires i'the lowest hell fold in the people! Call me their traitor!-Thou 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 a 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 have seen him do, and heard him speak,
Beating your officers, cursing yourselves,
you
Opposing laws with strokes, and here defying
Those whose great power must try him; even this,
So criminal, and in such capital kind,
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?

Men.

Is this

Know,

The promise that you made your mother?
Com.
I pray you,-
Cor.

I'll know no further: Let them pronounce the steep Tarpeian death, Vagabond exile, flaying; Pent to linger But with a grain a day, I would not buy Their mercy at the price of one fair word; To have't with saying, Good morrow. Nor check my courage for what they can give,

Sic.
For that he has
(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: I' 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.
[friends;-
Com. Hear me, my masters, and my common
Sic. He's sentenc'd: no more hearing.
Com.

Let me speak:

I have been consul, and can shew 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?
Bru. There's no more to be said, but he is
banish'd,

As enemy to the people, and his country: It shall be so.

Cit. It shall be so, it shall be so. Cor. You common cry of curs! whose breath I hate As reek o'the rotten fens, whose loves 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 the city, thus I turn my back:
There is a world elsewhere.

you,

[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 us through the city.

[come:Cit. Come, come, let us see him out at gates; The gods preserve our noble tribunes!-Come.

ACT IV.

[Exeunt. SCENE I.-The same. Before the Gate of the City. Enter CORIOLANUS, VOLUMNIA, VIRGILIA, MENENIUS, COMINIUS, and several young Patricians. Cor. Come, leave your tears; a brief farewell:the 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
Shewed 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 And occupations perish! [Rome, 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 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 them.-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
Will, or exceed the common, or be caught
With cautelous baits and practice.

[son

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' 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;

Bru.

Pray, let us go.

[this:

Vol. Now, pray, sir, get you gone: You have done a brave deed. Ere you go, hear As far as doth the Capitol exceed

Why stay we to be baited

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?
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 them
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. Fy, fy, fy. [Exeunt. SCENE III.-A Highway between Rome and Antium. Enter a Roman and a Volce, meeting. Rom. I know you well, sir, and you know me : your name, I think, is Adrian.

Vol. It is so, sir: truly, I have forgot you. Rom. I am a Roman; and my services are, as you are, against them: Know you me yet?

Vol. Nicanor? No.

Rom. The same, sir.

Vol. You had more beard, when I last saw you; but your favour is well appeared 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 insurrection: the people against the senators, patricians,

and nobles.

Vol. 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.

Vol. Coriolanus banished?
Rom. Banished, sir.

Vol. 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 Tullas Aufidius will appear well in these wars, his great opposer, Coriolanus, being now in no request of his country.

Vol. 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?

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

Vol. 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 mufled.

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,
Enter a Citizen.
In puny battle slay me.-Save you, sir.
Cit. And
you.
Cor.

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.

Thank you, sir; farewell. [Exit Citizen. O, world, thy slippery turns! Friends now fast

sworn,

Whose double bosoms seem to wear one heart,
Whose hours, whose bed, whose meal, and exercise,
Are still together, who twin, as 'twere, in love
Unseparable, shall within this hour,
On a dissention of a doit, break out
To bitterest enmity: So, fellest foes, [sleep
Whose passions, and whose plots, have broke their
To take the one the other, by some chance,
Some trick not worth an egg, shall grow dear friends,
My birth-place hate I, and my love's upon
And interjoin their issues. So with me:-
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.
[Exit.
SCENE V.-The same. A Hall in Aufidius's House.
Music within. Enter a Servant.

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 Serv. What, will you not? Pr'ythee, tell my master what a strange guest he has here. 2 Serv. And I shall.

[Exil.

3 Serv. Where dwellest thou?

Cor. Under the canopy.

3 Serv. Under the canopy?

Cor. Ay.

3 Serv. Where's that?

Cor. I' the city of kites and crows. 3 Serv, I' the city of kites and crows?-What an ass it is?-Then thou dwellest with daws too? Cor. No, I serve not thy master. [master? 3 Serv. How, sir! Do you meddle with my Cor. Ay, 'tis an honester service than to meddle with thy mistress: Thou prat'st, and prat'st; serve with thy trencher, (Beats him away.) Enter AUFIDIUS and the second Servant. Auf. Where is this fellow?

hence !

2 Serv. Here, sir; I'd have beaten him like a dog, but for disturbing the lords within. Auf. Whence comest thou? What wouldest thou? Thy name?

Why speak'st not? Speak, man: What's thy name?
Cor.
If, Tullus, (Unmuffling.)
Not yet thou know'st me, and seeing me, dost not
Think me for the man I am, necessity
Commands me name myself.

Auf.

What is thy name? (Servants retire.) Cor. A name unmusical to the Volscians' 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, Thou shew'st a noble vessel: What's thy name? 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 Volces,
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
The cruelty and envy of the people, [remains;
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

I had fear'd death, of all the men i' the world
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 reyenge
Thine own particular wrongs, and stop those maims
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 fight
Against my canker'd country with the spleen
Of all the under fiends. But if so be

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 A root of ancient envy. If Jupiter [heart Should from yon cloud speak divine things, and say, 'Tis true; I'd not believe them more than thee, All noble Marcius.-O, 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, loved the maid I married; never man Sighed truer breath; but that I see thee here, Thou noble thing! more dances my rapt heart, Than when I first my wedded mistress saw Bestride my threshold. Why, thou Mars! I tell thee,

Thou dar'st not this, and that to prove more fortunes
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 shew thee but a fool;
Since I have ever follow'd thee with hate

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 helms, fisting each other's throat,
And wak'd half dead with nothing. Worthy
Marcius,

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!
Auf. Therefore, most absolute sir, if thou 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, Marcius, that was much. Your hand! Most
welcome!

[Exeunt Coriolanus and Aufidius. 1 Serv. (Advancing.) Here's a strange alteration? 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.