Chapter 130

Corio. First heare me speake

Both Tri. Well, say: Peace hoe

Corio. Shall I be charg'd no further then this present? Must all determine heere? Sicin. I do demand, If you submit you to the peoples voices, Allow their Officers, and are content To suffer lawfull Censure for such faults As shall be prou'd vpon you

Corio. I am Content

Mene. Lo Citizens, he sayes he is Content. The warlike Seruice he ha's done, consider: Thinke Vpon the wounds his body beares, which shew Like Graues i'th holy Church-yard

Corio. Scratches with Briars, scarres to moue Laughter onely

Mene. Consider further: That when he speakes not like a Citizen, You finde him like a Soldier: do not take His rougher Actions for malicious sounds: But as I say, such as become a Soldier, Rather then enuy you

Com. Well, well, no more

Corio. What is the matter, That being past for Consull with full voyce: I am so dishonour'd, that the very houre You take it off againe

Sicin. Answer to vs

Corio. Say then: 'tis true, I ought so Sicin. We charge you, that you haue contriu'd to take From Rome all season'd Office, and to winde Your selfe into a power tyrannicall, For which you are a Traitor to the people

Corio. How? Traytor? Mene. Nay temperately: your promise

Corio. The fires i'th' lowest hell. Fould in the people: Call me their Traitor, thou iniurious Tribune. Within thine eyes sate twenty thousand deaths In thy hands clutcht: as many Millions in Thy lying tongue, both numbers. I would say Thou lyest vnto thee, with a voice as free, As I do pray the Gods

Sicin. Marke you this people? All. To'th' Rocke, to'th' Rocke with him

Sicin. Peace: We neede not put new matter to his charge: What you haue seene him do, and heard him speake: Beating your Officers, cursing your selues, Opposing Lawes with stroakes, and heere defying Those whose great power must try him. Euen this so criminall, and in such capitall kinde Deserues th' extreamest death

Bru. But since he hath seru'd well for Rome

Corio. What do you prate of Seruice

Brut. I talke of that, that know it

Corio. You? Mene. Is this the promise that you made your mother

Com. Know, I pray you

Corio. Ile know no further: Let them pronounce the steepe Tarpeian death, Vagabond exile, Fleaing, pent to linger But with a graine a day, I would not buy Their mercie, at the price of one faire word, Nor checke my Courage for what they can giue, To haue't with saying, Good morrow

Sicin. For that he ha's (As much as in him lies) from time to time Enui'd against the people; seeking meanes To plucke away their power: as now at last, Giuen Hostile strokes, and that not in the presence Of dreaded Iustice, but on the Ministers That doth distribute it. In the name a'th' people, And in the power of vs the Tribunes, wee (Eu'n from this instant) banish him our Citie In perill of precipitation From off the Rocke Tarpeian, neuer more To enter our Rome gates. I'th' Peoples name, I say it shall bee so

All. It shall be so, it shall be so: let him away: Hee's banish'd, and it shall be so

Com. Heare me my Masters, and my common friends

Sicin. He's sentenc'd: No more hearing

Com. Let me speake: I haue bene Consull, and can shew from Rome Her Enemies markes vpon me. I do loue My Countries good, with a respect more tender, More holy, and profound, then mine owne life, My deere Wiues estimate, her wombes encrease, And treasure of my Loynes: then if I would Speake that

Sicin. We know your drift. Speake what? Bru. There's no more to be said, but he is banish'd As Enemy to the people, and his Countrey. It shall bee so

All. It shall be so, it shall be so

Corio. You common cry of Curs, whose breath I hate, As reeke a'th' rotten Fennes: whose Loues I prize, As the dead Carkasses of vnburied men, That do corrupt my Ayre: I banish you, And heere remaine with your vncertaintie. Let euery feeble Rumor shake your hearts: Your Enemies, with nodding of their Plumes Fan you into dispaire: Haue the power still To banish your Defenders, till at length Your ignorance (which findes not till it feeles, Making but reseruation of your selues, Still your owne Foes) deliuer you As most abated Captiues, to some Nation That wonne you without blowes, despising For you the City. Thus I turne my backe; There is a world elsewhere.

Exeunt. Coriolanus, Cominius, with Cumalijs. They all shout, and throw vp their Caps.

Edile. The peoples Enemy is gone, is gone

All. Our enemy is banish'd, he is gone: Hoo, oo

Sicin. Go see him out at Gates, and follow him As he hath follow'd you, with all despight Giue him deseru'd vexation. Let a guard Attend vs through the City

All. Come, come, lets see him out at gates, come: The Gods preserue our Noble Tribunes, come.

Exeunt.

Actus Quartus.

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

Corio. Come leaue your teares: a brief farwel: the beast With many heads butts me away. Nay Mother, Where is your ancient Courage? You were vs'd To say, Extreamities was the trier of spirits, That common chances. Common men could beare, That when the Sea was calme, all Boats alike Shew'd Mastership in floating. Fortunes blowes, When most strooke home, being gentle wounded, craues A Noble cunning. You were vs'd to load me With Precepts that would make inuincible The heart that conn'd them

Virg. Oh heauens! O heauens! Corio. Nay, I prythee woman

Vol. Now the Red Pestilence strike al Trades in Rome, And Occupations perish

Corio. What, what, what: I shall be lou'd when I am lack'd. Nay Mother, Resume that Spirit, when you were wont to say, If you had beene the Wife of Hercules, Six of his Labours youl'd haue done, and sau'd Your Husband so much swet. Cominius, Droope not, Adieu: Farewell my Wife, my Mother, Ile do well yet. Thou old and true Menenius, Thy teares are salter then a yonger mans, And venomous to thine eyes. My (sometime) Generall, I haue seene the Sterne, and thou hast oft beheld Heart-hardning spectacles. Tell these sad women, Tis fond to waile ineuitable strokes, As 'tis to laugh at 'em. My Mother, you wot well My hazards still haue beene your solace, and Beleeu't not lightly, though I go alone Like to a lonely Dragon, that his Fenne Makes fear'd, and talk'd of more then seene: your Sonne Will or exceed the Common, or be caught With cautelous baits and practice

Volum. My first sonne, Whether will thou go? Take good Cominius With thee awhile: Determine on some course More then a wilde exposture, to each chance That starts i'th' way before thee

Corio. O the Gods! Com. Ile follow thee a Moneth, deuise with thee Where thou shalt rest, that thou may'st heare of vs, And we of thee. So if the time thrust forth A cause for thy Repeale, we shall not send O're the vast world, to seeke a single man, And loose aduantage, which doth euer coole Ith' absence of the needer

Corio. Fare ye well: Thou hast yeares vpon thee, and thou art too full Of the warres surfets, to go roue with one That's yet vnbruis'd: bring me but out at gate. Come my sweet wife, my deerest Mother, and My Friends of Noble touch: when I am forth, Bid me farewell, and smile. I pray you come: While I remaine aboue the ground, you shall Heare from me still, and neuer of me ought But what is like me formerly

Menen. That's worthily As any eare can heare. Come, let's not weepe, If I could shake off but one seuen yeeres From these old armes and legges, by the good Gods I'ld with thee, euery foot

Corio. Giue me thy hand, come.

Exeunt.

Enter the two Tribunes, Sicinius, and Brutus, with the Edile.

Sicin. Bid them all home, he's gone: & wee'l no further, The Nobility are vexed, whom we see haue sided In his behalfe

Brut. Now we haue shewne our power, Let vs seeme humbler after it is done, Then when it was a dooing

Sicin. Bid them home: say their great enemy is gone, And they, stand in their ancient strength

Brut. Dismisse them home. Here comes his Mother. Enter Volumnia, Virgilia, and Menenius.

Sicin. Let's not meet her

Brut. Why? Sicin. They say she's mad

Brut. They haue tane note of vs: keepe on your way

Volum. Oh y'are well met: Th' hoorded plague a'th' Gods requit your loue

Menen. Peace, peace, be not so loud

Volum. If that I could for weeping, you should heare, Nay, and you shall heare some. Will you be gone? Virg. You shall stay too: I would I had the power To say so to my Husband

Sicin. Are you mankinde? Volum. I foole, is that a shame. Note but this Foole, Was not a man my Father? Had'st thou Foxship To banish him that strooke more blowes for Rome Then thou hast spoken words

Sicin. Oh blessed Heauens! Volum. Moe Noble blowes, then euer y wise words. And for Romes good, Ile tell thee what: yet goe: Nay but thou shalt stay too: I would my Sonne Were in Arabia, and thy Tribe before him, His good Sword in his hand

Sicin. What then? Virg. When then? Hee'ld make an end of thy posterity Volum. Bastards, and all. Good man, the Wounds that he does beare for Rome! Menen. Come, come, peace

Sicin. I would he had continued to his Country As he began, and not vnknit himselfe The Noble knot he made

Bru. I would he had

Volum. I would he had? Twas thou incenst the rable. Cats, that can iudge as fitly of his worth, As I can of those Mysteries which heauen Will not haue earth to know

Brut. Pray let's go

Volum. Now pray sir get you gone. You haue done a braue deede: Ere you go, heare this: As farre as doth the Capitoll exceede The meanest house in Rome; so farre my Sonne This Ladies Husband heere; this (do you see) Whom you haue banish'd, does exceed you all

Bru. Well, well, wee'l leaue you

Sicin. Why stay we to be baited With one that wants her Wits.

Exit Tribunes.

Volum. Take my Prayers with you. I would the Gods had nothing else to do, But to confirme my Cursses. Could I meete 'em But once a day, it would vnclogge my heart Of what lyes heauy too't

Mene. You haue told them home, And by my troth you haue cause: you'l Sup with me

Volum. Angers my Meate: I suppe vpon my selfe, And so shall sterue with Feeding: come, let's go, Leaue this faint-puling, and lament as I do, In Anger, Iuno-like: Come, come, come.

Exeunt.

Mene. Fie, fie, fie. Enter.

Enter a Roman, and a Volce.

Rom. I know you well sir, and you know mee: your name I thinke is Adrian

Volce. It is so sir, truly I haue forgot you

Rom. I am a Roman, and my Seruices are as you are, against 'em. Know you me yet

Volce. Nicanor: no

Rom. The same sir

Volce. You had more Beard when I last saw you, but your Fauour is well appear'd by your Tongue. What's the Newes in Rome: I haue a Note from the Volcean state to finde you out there. You haue well saued mee a dayes iourney

Rom. There hath beene in Rome straunge Insurrections: The people, against the Senatours, Patricians, and Nobles

Vol. Hath bin; is it ended then? Our State thinks not so, they are in a most warlike preparation, & hope to com vpon them, in the heate of their diuision Rom. The maine blaze of it is past, but a small thing would make it flame againe. For the Nobles receyue so to heart, the Banishment of that worthy Coriolanus, that they are in a ripe aptnesse, to take al power from the people, and to plucke from them their Tribunes for euer. This lyes glowing I can tell you, and is almost mature for the violent breaking out

Vol. Coriolanus Banisht? Rom. Banish'd sir

Vol. You will be welcome with this intelligence Nicanor

Rom. The day serues well for them now. I haue heard it saide, the fittest time to corrupt a mans Wife, is when shee's falne out with her Husband. Your Noble Tullus Auffidius will appeare well in these Warres, his great Opposer Coriolanus being now in no request of his countrey

Volce. He cannot choose: I am most fortunate, thus accidentally to encounter you. You haue ended my Businesse, and I will merrily accompany you home

Rom. I shall betweene this and Supper, tell you most strange things from Rome: all tending to the good of their Aduersaries. Haue you an Army ready say you? Vol. A most Royall one: The Centurions, and their charges distinctly billetted already in th' entertainment, and to be on foot at an houres warning

Rom. I am ioyfull to heare of their readinesse, and am the man I thinke, that shall set them in present Action. So sir, heartily well met, and most glad of your Company

Volce. You take my part from me sir, I haue the most cause to be glad of yours

Rom. Well, let vs go together.

Exeunt.

Enter Coriolanus in meane Apparrell, disguisd, and muffled.

Corio. A goodly City is this Antium. Citty, 'Tis I that made thy Widdowes: Many an heyre Of these faire Edifices fore my Warres Haue I heard groane, and drop: Then know me not, Least that thy Wiues with Spits, and Boyes with stones In puny Battell slay me. Saue you sir. Enter a Citizen.

Cit. And you

Corio. Direct me, if it be your will, where great Auffidius lies: Is he in Antium? Cit. He is, and Feasts the Nobles of the State, at his house this night

Corio. Which is his house, beseech you? Cit. This heere before you

Corio. Thanke you sir, farewell.

Exit Citizen

Oh World, thy slippery turnes! Friends now fast sworn, Whose double bosomes seemes to weare one heart, Whose Houres, whose Bed, whose Meale and Exercise Are still together: who Twin (as 'twere) in Loue, Vnseparable, shall within this houre, On a dissention of a Doit, breake out To bitterest Enmity: So fellest Foes, Whose Passions, and whose Plots haue broke their sleep To take the one the other, by some chance, Some tricke not worth an Egge, shall grow deere friends And inter-ioyne their yssues. So with me, My Birth-place haue I, and my loues vpon This Enemie Towne: Ile enter, if he slay me He does faire Iustice: if he giue me way, Ile do his Country Seruice.

Enter.

Musicke playes. Enter a Seruingman.

1 Ser. Wine, Wine, Wine: What seruice is heere? I thinke our Fellowes are asleepe.

Enter another Seruingman.

2 Ser. Where's Cotus: my M[aster]. cals for him: Cotus.

Exit

Enter Coriolanus.

Corio. A goodly House: The Feast smels well: but I appeare not like a Guest. Enter the first Seruingman.

1 Ser. What would you haue Friend? whence are you? Here's no place for you: pray go to the doore?

Exit

Corio. I haue deseru'd no better entertainment, in being Coriolanus. Enter second Seruant.

2 Ser. Whence are you sir? Ha's the Porter his eyes in his head, that he giues entrance to such Companions? Pray get you out

Corio. Away

2 Ser. Away? Get you away

Corio. Now th'art troublesome

2 Ser. Are you so braue: Ile haue you talkt with anon Enter 3 Seruingman, the 1 meets him.

3 What Fellowes this? 1 A strange one as euer I look'd on: I cannot get him out o'thhouse: Prythee call my Master to him

3 What haue you to do here fellow? Pray you auoid the house

Corio. Let me but stand, I will not hurt your Harth

3 What are you? Corio. A Gentleman

3 A maru'llous poore one

Corio. True, so I am

3 Pray you poore Gentleman, take vp some other station: Heere's no place for you, pray you auoid: Come

Corio. Follow your Function, go, and batten on colde bits.

Pushes him away from him.

3 What you will not? Prythee tell my Maister what a strange Guest he ha's heere

2 And I shall.

Exit second Seruingman.

3 Where dwel'st thou? Corio. Vnder the Canopy

3 Vnder the Canopy? Corio. I

3 Where's that? Corio. I'th City of Kites and crowes

3 I'th City of Kites and Crowes? What an Asse it is, then thou dwel'st with Dawes too? Corio. No, I serue not thy Master

3 How sir? Do you meddle with my Master? Corio. I, tis an honester seruice, then to meddle with thy Mistris: Thou prat'st, and prat'st, serue with thy trencher: Hence.

Beats him away

Enter Auffidius with the Seruingman.

Auf. Where is this Fellow? 2 Here sir, I'de haue beaten him like a dogge, but for disturbing the Lords within

Auf. Whence com'st thou? What wouldst y? Thy name? Why speak'st not? Speake man: What's thy name? Corio. If Tullus not yet thou know'st me, and seeing me, dost not thinke me for the man I am, necessitie commands me name my selfe

Auf. What is thy name? Corio. A name vnmusicall to the Volcians eares, And harsh in sound to thine

Auf. Say, what's thy name? Thou hast a Grim apparance, and thy Face Beares a Command in't: Though thy Tackles torne, Thou shew'st a Noble Vessell: What's thy name? Corio. Prepare thy brow to frowne: knowst y me yet? Auf. I know thee not? Thy Name: Corio. My name is Caius Martius, who hath done To thee particularly, and to all the Volces Great hurt and Mischiefe: thereto witnesse may My Surname Coriolanus. The painfull Seruice, The extreme Dangers, and the droppes of Blood Shed for my thanklesse Country, are requitted: But with that Surname, a good memorie And witnesse of the Malice and Displeasure Which thou should'st beare me, only that name remains. The Cruelty and Enuy of the people, Permitted by our dastard Nobles, who Haue all forsooke me, hath deuour'd the rest: And suffer'd me by th' voyce of Slaues to be Hoop'd out of Rome. Now this extremity, Hath brought me to thy Harth, not out of Hope (Mistake me not) to saue my life: for if I had fear'd death, of all the Men i'th' World I would haue voided thee. But in meere spight To be full quit of those my Banishers, Stand I before thee heere: Then if thou hast A heart of wreake in thee, that wilt reuenge Thine owne particular wrongs, and stop those maimes Of shame seene through thy Country, speed thee straight And make my misery serue thy turne: So vse it, That my reuengefull Seruices may proue As Benefits to thee. For I will fight Against my Cankred Countrey, with the Spleene Of all the vnder Fiends. But if so be, Thou dar'st not this, and that to proue more Fortunes Th'art tyr'd, then in a word, I also am Longer to liue most wearie: and present My throat to thee, and to thy Ancient Malice: Which not to cut, would shew thee but a Foole, Since I haue euer followed thee with hate, Drawne Tunnes of Blood out of thy Countries brest, And cannot liue but to thy shame, vnlesse It be to do thee seruice

Auf. Oh Martius, Martius; Each word thou hast spoke, hath weeded from my heart A roote of Ancient Enuy. If Iupiter Should from yond clowd speake diuine things, And say 'tis true; I'de not beleeue them more Then thee all-Noble Martius. Let me twine Mine armes about that body, where against My grained Ash an hundred times hath broke, And scarr'd the Moone with splinters: heere I cleep The Anuile of my Sword, and do contest As hotly, and as Nobly with thy Loue, As euer in Ambitious strength, I did Contend against thy Valour. Know thou first, I lou'd the Maid I married: neuer man Sigh'd truer breath. But that I see thee heere Thou Noble thing, more dances my rapt heart, Then when I first my wedded Mistris saw Bestride my Threshold. Why, thou Mars I tell thee, We haue a Power on foote: and I had purpose Once more to hew thy Target from thy Brawne, Or loose mine Arme for't: Thou hast beate mee out Twelue seuerall times, and I haue nightly since Dreamt of encounters 'twixt thy selfe and me: We haue beene downe together in my sleepe, Vnbuckling Helmes, fisting each others Throat, And wak'd halfe dead with nothing. Worthy Martius, Had we no other quarrell else to Rome, but that Thou art thence Banish'd, we would muster all From twelue, to seuentie: and powring Warre Into the bowels of vngratefull Rome, Like a bold Flood o're-beate. Oh come, go in, And take our friendly Senators by'th' hands Who now are heere, taking their leaues of mee, Who am prepar'd against your Territories, Though not for Rome it selfe

Corio. You blesse me Gods

Auf. Therefore most absolute Sir, if thou wilt haue The leading of thine owne Reuenges, take Th' one halfe of my Commission, and set downe As best thou art experienc'd, since thou know'st Thy Countries strength and weaknesse, thine own waies Whether to knocke 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, then ere an Enemie, Yet Martius that was much. Your hand: most welcome.

Exeunt.

Enter two of the Seruingmen.

1 Heere's a strange alteration? 2 By my hand, I had thoght to haue stroken him with a Cudgell, and yet my minde gaue me, his cloathes made a false report of him

1 What an Arme he has, he turn'd me about with his finger and his thumbe, as one would set vp a Top

2 Nay, I knew by his face that there was some-thing in him. He had sir, a kinde of face me thought, I cannot tell how to tearme it

1 He had so, looking as it were, would I were hang'd but I thought there was more in him, then I could think

2 So did I, Ile be sworne: He is simply the rarest man i'th' world

1 I thinke he is: but a greater soldier then he, You wot one

2 Who my Master? 1 Nay, it's no matter for that

2 Worth six on him

1 Nay not so neither: but I take him to be the greater Souldiour

2 Faith looke you, one cannot tell how to say that: for the Defence of a Towne, our Generall is excellent

1 I, and for an assault too. Enter the third Seruingman.

3 Oh Slaues, I can tell you Newes, News you Rascals Both. What, what, what? Let's partake

3 I would not be a Roman of all Nations; I had as liue be a condemn'd man

Both. Wherefore? Wherefore? 3 Why here's he that was wont to thwacke our Generall, Caius Martius

1 Why do you say, thwacke our Generall? 3 I do not say thwacke our Generall, but he was alwayes good enough for him 2 Come we are fellowes and friends: he was euer too hard for him, I haue heard him say so himselfe

1 He was too hard for him directly, to say the Troth on't before Corioles, he scotcht him, and notcht him like a Carbinado

2 And hee had bin Cannibally giuen, hee might haue boyld and eaten him too

1 But more of thy Newes

3 Why he is so made on heere within, as if hee were Son and Heire to Mars, set at vpper end o'th' Table: No question askt him by any of the Senators, but they stand bald before him. Our Generall himselfe makes a Mistris of him, Sanctifies himselfe with's hand, and turnes vp the white o'th' eye to his Discourse. But the bottome of the Newes is, our Generall is cut i'th' middle, & but one halfe of what he was yesterday. For the other ha's halfe, by the intreaty and graunt of the whole Table. Hee'l go he sayes, and sole the Porter of Rome Gates by th' eares. He will mowe all downe before him, and leaue his passage poul'd

2 And he's as like to do't, as any man I can imagine

3 Doo't? he will doo't: for look you sir, he has as many Friends as Enemies: which Friends sir as it were, durst not (looke you sir) shew themselues (as we terme it) his Friends, whilest he's in Directitude

1 Directitude? What's that? 3 But when they shall see sir, his Crest vp againe, and the man in blood, they will out of their Burroughes (like Conies after Raine) and reuell all with him

1 But when goes this forward: 3 To morrow, to day, presently, you shall haue the Drum strooke vp this afternoone: 'Tis as it were a parcel of their Feast, and to be executed ere they wipe their lips

2 Why then wee shall haue a stirring World againe: This peace is nothing, but to rust Iron, encrease Taylors, and breed Ballad-makers

1 Let me haue Warre say I, it exceeds peace as farre as day do's night: It's sprightly walking, audible, and full of Vent. Peace, is a very Apoplexy, Lethargie, mull'd, deafe, sleepe, insensible, a getter of more bastard Children, then warres a destroyer of men

2 'Tis so, and as warres in some sort may be saide to be a Rauisher, so it cannot be denied, but peace is a great maker of Cuckolds

1 I, and it makes men hate one another

3 Reason, because they then lesse neede one another: The Warres for my money. I hope to see Romanes as cheape as Volcians. They are rising, they are rising

Both. In, in, in, in.

Exeunt.

Enter the two Tribunes, Sicinius, and Brutus.