ACT IV. SCENE I. Rome. Before a gate of the city  Enter CORIOLANUS, VOLUMNIA, VIRGILIA, MENENIUS, COMINIUS, with the young NOBILITY of Rome    CORIOLANUS. 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 extremities was the trier of spirits;     That common chances common men could bear;     That when the sea was calm all boats alike     Show'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.   VIRGILIA. O heavens! O heavens!   CORIOLANUS. Nay, I prithee, woman-   VOLUMNIA. Now the red pestilence strike all trades in Rome,     And occupations perish!   CORIOLANUS. 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.   VOLUMNIA. My first son,     Whither wilt thou go? Take good Cominius     With thee awhile; determine on some course     More than a wild exposture to each chance     That starts i' th' way before thee.   VIRGILIA. O the gods!   COMINIUS. I'll follow thee a month, devise with the     Where thou shalt rest, that thou mayst 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.   CORIOLANUS. 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.   MENENIUS. 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.   CORIOLANUS. Give me thy hand.     Come.                                                 Exeunt     SCENE II. Rome. A street near the gate  Enter the two Tribunes, SICINIUS and BRUTUS with the AEDILE    SICINIUS. 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.   BRUTUS. Now we have shown our power,     Let us seem humbler after it is done     Than when it was a-doing.   SICINIUS. Bid them home.     Say their great enemy is gone, and they     Stand in their ancient strength.   BRUTUS. Dismiss them home.                         Exit AEDILE     Here comes his mother.                     Enter VOLUMNIA, VIRGILIA, and MENENIUS    SICINIUS. Let's not meet her.   BRUTUS. Why?   SICINIUS. They say she's mad.   BRUTUS. They have ta'en note of us; keep on your way.   VOLUMNIA. O, Y'are well met; th' hoarded plague o' th' gods     Requite your love!   MENENIUS. Peace, peace, be not so loud.   VOLUMNIA. If that I could for weeping, you should hear-     Nay, and you shall hear some.  [To BRUTUS] Will you be gone?   VIRGILIA.  [To SICINIUS]  You shall stay too. I would I had the       power     To say so to my husband.   SICINIUS. Are you mankind?   VOLUMNIA. 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?   SICINIUS. O blessed heavens!   VOLUMNIA. Moe 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.   SICINIUS. What then?   VIRGILIA. What then!     He'd make an end of thy posterity.   VOLUMNIA. Bastards and all.     Good man, the wounds that he does bear for Rome!   MENENIUS. Come, come, peace.   SICINIUS. I would he had continued to his country     As he began, and not unknit himself     The noble knot he made.   BRUTUS. I would he had.   VOLUMNIA. '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.   BRUTUS. Pray, let's go.   VOLUMNIA. 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 an.   BRUTUS. Well, well, we'll leave you.   SICINIUS. Why stay we to be baited     With one that wants her wits?                Exeunt TRIBUNES   VOLUMNIA. Take my prayers with you.     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.   MENENIUS. You have told them home,     And, by my troth, you have cause. You'll sup with me?   VOLUMNIA. 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.                                     Exeunt VOLUMNIA and VIRGILIA   MENENIUS. Fie, fie, fie!                                  Exit     SCENE III. A highway between Rome and Antium  Enter a ROMAN and a VOLSCE, meeting    ROMAN. I know you well, sir, and you know me; your name, I think,     is Adrian.   VOLSCE. It is so, sir. Truly, I have forgot you.   ROMAN. I am a Roman; and my services are, as you are, against 'em.     Know you me yet?   VOLSCE. Nicanor? No!   ROMAN. The same, sir.   VOLSCE. YOU had more beard when I last saw you, but your favour is     well appear'd 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.   ROMAN. There hath been in Rome strange insurrections: the people     against the senators, patricians, and nobles.   VOLSCE. 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.   ROMAN. 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.   VOLSCE. Coriolanus banish'd!   ROMAN. Banish'd, sir.   VOLSCE. You will be welcome with this intelligence, Nicanor.   ROMAN. 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 fall'n 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.   VOLSCE. He cannot choose. I am most fortunate thus accidentally to     encounter you; you have ended my business, and I will merrily     accompany you home.   ROMAN. 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?   VOLSCE. A most royal one: the centurions and their charges,     distinctly billeted, already in th' entertainment, and to be on     foot at an hour's warning.   ROMAN. 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.   VOLSCE. You take my part from me, sir. I have the most cause to be     glad of yours.   ROMAN. Well, let us go together.     SCENE IV. Antium. Before AUFIDIUS' house  Enter CORIOLANUS, in mean apparel, disguis'd and muffled    CORIOLANUS. 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.                             Enter A CITIZEN      Save you, sir.   CITIZEN. And you.   CORIOLANUS. Direct me, if it be your will,     Where great Aufidius lies. Is he in Antium?   CITIZEN. He is, and feasts the nobles of the state     At his house this night.   CORIOLANUS. Which is his house, beseech you?   CITIZEN. This here before you.   CORIOLANUS. Thank you, sir; farewell.             Exit CITIZEN     O world, thy slippery turns! Friends now fast sworn,     Whose double bosoms seems 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 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. AUFIDIUS' house  Music plays. Enter A SERVINGMAN    FIRST SERVANT. Wine, wine, wine! What service is here! I think our     fellows are asleep.                                     Exit                       Enter another SERVINGMAN    SECOND SERVANT.Where's Cotus? My master calls for him.     Cotus!                                                  Exit                         Enter CORIOLANUS    CORIOLANUS. A goodly house. The feast smells well, but I     Appear not like a guest.                   Re-enter the first SERVINGMAN    FIRST SERVANT. What would you have, friend?     Whence are you? Here's no place for you: pray go to the door.  Exit   CORIOLANUS. I have deserv'd no better entertainment     In being Coriolanus.                     Re-enter second SERVINGMAN    SECOND SERVANT. Whence are you, sir? Has the porter his eyes in his     head that he gives entrance to such companions? Pray get you out.   CORIOLANUS. Away!   SECOND SERVANT. Away? Get you away.   CORIOLANUS. Now th' art troublesome.   SECOND SERVANT. Are you so brave? I'll have you talk'd with anon.            Enter a third SERVINGMAN. The first meets him    THIRD SERVANT. What fellow's this?   FIRST SERVANT. A strange one as ever I look'd on. I cannot get him     out o' th' house. Prithee call my master to him.   THIRD SERVANT. What have you to do here, fellow? Pray you avoid the     house.   CORIOLANUS. Let me but stand- I will not hurt your hearth.   THIRD SERVANT. What are you?   CORIOLANUS. A gentleman.   THIRD SERVANT. A marv'llous poor one.   CORIOLANUS. True, so I am.   THIRD SERVANT. Pray you, poor gentleman, take up some other     station; here's no place for you. Pray you avoid. Come.   CORIOLANUS. Follow your function, go and batten on cold bits.                                       [Pushes him away from him]   THIRD SERVANT. What, you will not? Prithee tell my master what a     strange guest he has here.   SECOND SERVANT. And I shall.                              Exit   THIRD SERVANT. Where dwell'st thou?   CORIOLANUS. Under the canopy.   THIRD SERVANT. Under the canopy?   CORIOLANUS. Ay.   THIRD SERVANT. Where's that?   CORIOLANUS. I' th' city of kites and crows.   THIRD SERVANT. I' th' city of kites and crows!     What an ass it is! Then thou dwell'st with daws too?   CORIOLANUS. No, I serve not thy master.   THIRD SERVANT. How, sir! Do you meddle with my master?   CORIOLANUS. Ay; 'tis an honester service than to meddle with thy     mistress. Thou prat'st and prat'st; serve with thy trencher;     hence!                                      [Beats him away]               Enter AUFIDIUS with the second SERVINGMAN    AUFIDIUS. Where is this fellow?   SECOND SERVANT. Here, sir; I'd have beaten him like a dog, but for     disturbing the lords within.   AUFIDIUS. Whence com'st thou? What wouldst thou? Thy name?     Why speak'st not? Speak, man. What's thy name?   CORIOLANUS.  [Unmuffling]  If, Tullus,     Not yet thou know'st me, and, seeing me, dost not     Think me for the man I am, necessity     Commands me name myself.   AUFIDIUS. What is thy name?   CORIOLANUS. A name unmusical to the Volscians' ears,     And harsh in sound to thine.   AUFIDIUS. Say, what's thy name?     Thou has a grim appearance, and thy face     Bears a command in't; though thy tackle's torn,     Thou show'st a noble vessel. What's thy name?   CORIOLANUS. Prepare thy brow to frown- know'st thou me yet?   AUFIDIUS. I know thee not. Thy name?   CORIOLANUS. My name is Caius Marcius, who hath done     To thee particularly, and to all the Volsces,     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 shouldst bear me. Only that name remains;     The cruelty and envy of the people,     Permitted by our dastard nobles, who     Have all forsook me, hath devour'd the rest,     An suffer'd me by th' 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' th' 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 wilt revenge     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 cank'red country with the spleen     Of all the under fiends. But if so be     Thou dar'st not this, and that to prove more fortunes     Th'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 show thee but a fool,     Since I have ever followed thee with hate,     Drawn tuns of blood out of thy country's breast,     And cannot live but to thy shame, unless     It be to do thee service.   AUFIDIUS. O Marcius, Marcius!     Each word thou hast spoke hath weeded from my heart     A root of ancient envy. If Jupiter     Should from yond cloud speak divine things,     And say ''Tis true,' I'd not believe them more     Than thee, all noble Marcius. Let me twine     Mine arms about that body, where against     My grained ash an hundred times hath broke     And scarr'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,     I lov'd the maid I married; never man     Sigh'd 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 the     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 other 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'erbeat. O, come, go in,     And take our friendly senators by th' hands,     Who now are here, taking their leaves of me     Who am prepar'd against your territories,     Though not for Rome itself.   CORIOLANUS. You bless me, gods!   AUFIDIUS. Therefore, most. absolute sir, if thou wilt have     The leading of thine own revenges, take     Th' 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                      The two SERVINGMEN come forward    FIRST SERVANT. Here's a strange alteration!   SECOND SERVANT. 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.   FIRST SERVANT. What an arm he has! He turn'd me about with his     finger and his thumb, as one would set up a top.   SECOND SERVANT. 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.   FIRST SERVANT. He had so, looking as it were- Would I were hang'd,     but I thought there was more in him than I could think.   SECOND SERVANT. So did I, I'll be sworn. He is simply the rarest     man i' th' world.   FIRST SERVANT. I think he is; but a greater soldier than he you wot     on.   SECOND SERVANT. Who, my master?   FIRST SERVANT. Nay, it's no matter for that.   SECOND SERVANT. Worth six on him.   FIRST SERVANT. Nay, not so neither; but I take him to be the     greater soldier.   SECOND SERVANT. Faith, look you, one cannot tell how to say that;     for the defence of a town our general is excellent.   FIRST SERVANT. Ay, and for an assault too.                         Re-enter the third SERVINGMAN    THIRD SERVANT. O slaves, I can tell you news- news, you rascals!   BOTH. What, what, what? Let's partake.   THIRD SERVANT. I would not be a Roman, of all nations;     I had as lief be a condemn'd man.   BOTH. Wherefore? wherefore?   THIRD SERVANT. Why, here's he that was wont to thwack our general-     Caius Marcius.   FIRST SERVANT. Why do you say 'thwack our general'?   THIRD SERVANT. I do not say 'thwack our general,' but he was always     good enough for him.   SECOND SERVANT. Come, we are fellows and friends. He was ever too     hard for him, I have heard him say so himself.   FIRST SERVANT. He was too hard for him directly, to say the troth     on't; before Corioli he scotch'd him and notch'd him like a     carbonado.   SECOND SERVANT. An he had been cannibally given, he might have     broil'd and eaten him too.   FIRST SERVANT. But more of thy news!   THIRD SERVANT. Why, he is so made on here within as if he were son     and heir to Mars; set at upper end o' th' table; no question     asked him by any of the senators but they stand bald before him.     Our general himself makes a mistress of him, sanctifies himself     with's hand, and turns up the white o' th' eye to his discourse.     But the bottom of the news is, our general is cut i' th' middle     and but one half of what he was yesterday, for the other has half     by the entreaty and grant of the whole table. He'll go, he says,     and sowl the porter of Rome gates by th' ears; he will mow all     down before him, and leave his passage poll'd.   SECOND SERVANT. And he's as like to do't as any man I can imagine.   THIRD SERVANT. Do't! He will do't; for look you, sir, he has as     many friends as enemies; which friends, sir, as it were, durst     not- look you, sir- show themselves, as we term it, his friends,     whilst he's in directitude.   FIRST SERVANT. Directitude? What's that?   THIRD SERVANT. But when they shall see, sir, his crest up again and     the man in blood, they will out of their burrows, like conies     after rain, and revel an with him.   FIRST SERVANT. But when goes this forward?   THIRD SERVANT. To-morrow, to-day, presently. You shall have the     drum struck up this afternoon; 'tis as it were parcel of their     feast, and to be executed ere they wipe their lips.   SECOND SERVANT. Why, then we shall have a stirring world again.     This peace is nothing but to rust iron, increase tailors, and     breed ballad-makers.   FIRST SERVANT. Let me have war, say I; it exceeds peace as far as     day does night; it's spritely, waking, audible, and full of vent.     Peace is a very apoplexy, lethargy; mull'd, deaf, sleepy,     insensible; a getter of more bastard children than war's a     destroyer of men.   SECOND SERVANT. 'Tis so; and as war in some sort may be said to be     a ravisher, so it cannot be denied but peace is a great maker of     cuckolds.   FIRST SERVANT. Ay, and it makes men hate one another.   THIRD SERVANT. Reason: because they then less need one another. The     wars for my money. I hope to see Romans as cheap as Volscians.     They are rising, they are rising.   BOTH. In, in, in, in!                                   Exeunt     SCENE VI. Rome. A public place  Enter the two Tribunes, SICINIUS and BRUTUS    SICINIUS. We hear not of him, neither need we fear him.     His remedies are tame. The present peace     And quietness of the people, which before     Were in wild hurry, here do make his friends     Blush that the world goes well; who rather had,     Though they themselves did suffer by't, behold     Dissentious numbers pest'ring streets than see     Our tradesmen singing in their shops, and going     About their functions friendly.                            Enter MENENIUS    BRUTUS. We stood to't in good time. Is this Menenius?   SICINIUS. 'Tis he, 'tis he. O, he is grown most kind     Of late. Hail, sir!   MENENIUS. Hail to you both!   SICINIUS. Your Coriolanus is not much miss'd     But with his friends. The commonwealth doth stand,     And so would do, were he more angry at it.   MENENIUS. All's well, and might have been much better     He could have temporiz'd.   SICINIUS. Where is he, hear you?   MENENIUS. Nay, I hear nothing; his mother and his wife     Hear nothing from him.                       Enter three or four citizens    CITIZENS. The gods preserve you both!   SICINIUS. God-den, our neighbours.   BRUTUS. God-den to you all, god-den to you an.   FIRST CITIZEN. Ourselves, our wives, and children, on our knees     Are bound to pray for you both.   SICINIUS. Live and thrive!   BRUTUS. Farewell, kind neighbours; we wish'd Coriolanus     Had lov'd you as we did.   CITIZENS. Now the gods keep you!   BOTH TRIBUNES. Farewell, farewell.             Exeunt citizens   SICINIUS. This is a happier and more comely time     Than when these fellows ran about the streets     Crying confusion.   BRUTUS. Caius Marcius was     A worthy officer i' the war, but insolent,     O'ercome with pride, ambitious past all thinking,     Self-loving-   SICINIUS. And affecting one sole throne,     Without assistance.   MENENIUS. I think not so.   SICINIUS. We should by this, to all our lamentation,     If he had gone forth consul, found it so.   BRUTUS. The gods have well prevented it, and Rome     Sits safe and still without him.                               Enter an AEDILE    AEDILE. Worthy tribunes,     There is a slave, whom we have put in prison,     Reports the Volsces with several powers     Are ent'red in the Roman territories,     And with the deepest malice of the war     Destroy what lies before 'em.   MENENIUS. 'Tis Aufidius,     Who, hearing of our Marcius' banishment,     Thrusts forth his horns again into the world,     Which were inshell'd when Marcius stood for Rome,     And durst not once peep out.   SICINIUS. Come, what talk you of Marcius?   BRUTUS. Go see this rumourer whipp'd. It cannot be     The Volsces dare break with us.   MENENIUS. Cannot be!     We have record that very well it can;     And three examples of the like hath been     Within my age. But reason with the fellow     Before you punish him, where he heard this,     Lest you shall chance to whip your information     And beat the messenger who bids beware     Of what is to be dreaded.   SICINIUS. Tell not me.     I know this cannot be.   BRUTUS. Not Possible.                             Enter A MESSENGER    MESSENGER. The nobles in great earnestness are going     All to the Senate House; some news is come     That turns their countenances.   SICINIUS. 'Tis this slave-     Go whip him fore the people's eyes- his raising,     Nothing but his report.   MESSENGER. Yes, worthy sir,     The slave's report is seconded, and more,     More fearful, is deliver'd.   SICINIUS. What more fearful?   MESSENGER. It is spoke freely out of many mouths-     How probable I do not know- that Marcius,     Join'd with Aufidius, leads a power 'gainst Rome,     And vows revenge as spacious as between     The young'st and oldest thing.   SICINIUS. This is most likely!   BRUTUS. Rais'd only that the weaker sort may wish     Good Marcius home again.   SICINIUS. The very trick on 't.   MENENIUS. This is unlikely.     He and Aufidius can no more atone     Than violent'st contrariety.                        Enter a second MESSENGER    SECOND MESSENGER. 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 took     What lay before them.                              Enter COMINIUS    COMINIUS. O, you have made good work!   MENENIUS. What news? what news?   COMINIUS. You have holp to ravish your own daughters and     To melt the city leads upon your pates,     To see your wives dishonour'd to your noses-   MENENIUS. What's the news? What's the news?   COMINIUS. Your temples burned in their cement, and     Your franchises, whereon you stood, confin'd     Into an auger's bore.   MENENIUS. Pray now, your news?     You have made fair work, I fear me. Pray, your news.     If Marcius should be join'd wi' th' Volscians-   COMINIUS. 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.   MENENIUS. You have made good work,     You and your apron men; you that stood so much     Upon the voice of occupation and     The breath of garlic-eaters!   COMINIUS. He'll shake     Your Rome about your ears.   MENENIUS. As Hercules     Did shake down mellow fruit. You have made fair work!   BRUTUS. But is this true, sir?   COMINIUS. Ay; and you'll look pale     Before you find it other. All the regions     Do smilingly revolt, and who resists     Are mock'd for valiant ignorance,     And perish constant fools. Who is't can blame him?     Your enemies and his find something in him.   MENENIUS. We are all undone unless     The noble man have mercy.   COMINIUS. Who shall ask it?     The tribunes cannot do't for shame; the people     Deserve such pity of him as the wolf     Does of the shepherds; for his best friends, if they     Should say 'Be good to Rome'- they charg'd him even     As those should do that had deserv'd his hate,     And therein show'd fike enemies.   MENENIUS. 'Tis true;     If he were putting to my house the brand     That should consume it, I have not the face     To say 'Beseech you, cease.' You have made fair hands,     You and your crafts! You have crafted fair!   COMINIUS. You have brought     A trembling upon Rome, such as was never     S' incapable of help.   BOTH TRIBUNES. Say not we brought it.   MENENIUS. How! Was't we? We lov'd him, but, like beasts     And cowardly nobles, gave way unto your clusters,     Who did hoot him out o' th' city.   COMINIUS. But I fear     They'll roar him in again. Tullus Aufidius,     The second name of men, obeys his points     As if he were his officer. Desperation     Is all the policy, strength, and defence,     That Rome can make against them.                         Enter a troop of citizens    MENENIUS. Here comes the clusters.     And is Aufidius with him? You are they     That made the air unwholesome when you cast     Your stinking greasy caps in hooting at     Coriolanus' exile. Now he's coming,     And not a hair upon a soldier's head     Which will not prove a whip; as many coxcombs     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.   PLEBEIANS. Faith, we hear fearful news.   FIRST CITIZEN. For mine own part,     When I said banish him, I said 'twas pity.   SECOND CITIZEN. And so did I.   THIRD CITIZEN. And so did I; and, to say the truth, so did very     many of us. That we did, we did for the best; and though we     willingly consented to his banishment, yet it was against our     will.   COMINIUS. Y'are goodly things, you voices!   MENENIUS. You have made     Good work, you and your cry! Shall's to the Capitol?   COMINIUS. O, ay, what else?                                     Exeunt COMINIUS and MENENIUS   SICINIUS. Go, masters, get you be not dismay'd;     These are a side that would be glad to have     This true which they so seem to fear. Go home,     And show no sign of fear.   FIRST CITIZEN. The gods be good to us! Come, masters, let's home. I     ever said we were i' th' wrong when we banish'd him.   SECOND CITIZEN. So did we all. But come, let's home.                                                  Exeunt citizens   BRUTUS. I do not like this news.   SICINIUS. Nor I.   BRUTUS. Let's to the Capitol. Would half my wealth     Would buy this for a lie!   SICINIUS. Pray let's go.                                Exeunt     SCENE VII. A camp at a short distance from Rome  Enter AUFIDIUS with his LIEUTENANT    AUFIDIUS. Do they still fly to th' Roman?   LIEUTENANT. I do not know what witchcraft's in him, but     Your soldiers use him as the grace fore meat,     Their talk at table, and their thanks at end;     And you are dark'ned in this action, sir,     Even by your own.   AUFIDIUS. I cannot help it now,     Unless by using means I lame the foot     Of our design. He bears himself more proudlier,     Even to my person, than I thought he would     When first I did embrace him; yet his nature     In that's no changeling, and I must excuse     What cannot be amended.   LIEUTENANT. Yet I wish, sir-     I mean, for your particular- you had not     Join'd in commission with him, but either     Had borne the action of yourself, or else     To him had left it solely.   AUFIDIUS. I understand thee well; and be thou sure,     When he shall come to his account, he knows not     What I can urge against him. Although it seems,     And so he thinks, and is no less apparent     To th' vulgar eye, that he bears all things fairly     And shows good husbandry for the Volscian state,     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 mine     Whene'er we come to our account.   LIEUTENANT. Sir, I beseech you, think you he'll carry Rome?   AUFIDIUS. All places yield to him ere he sits down,     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 judgment,     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 th' casque to th' cushion, but commanding 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 utt'rance. So our virtues     Lie in th' interpretation of the time;     And power, unto itself most commendable,     Hath not a tomb so evident as a chair     T' extol what it hath done.     One fire drives out one fire; one nail, one nail;     Rights by rights falter, strengths by strengths do fail.     Come, let's away. When, Caius, Rome is thine,     Thou art poor'st of all; then shortly art thou mine.                                                           Exeunt