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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 think, he'll hear me.

I'll undertake it.

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, our 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 kindness, And cannot lose your way.

Men.

Good faith, I'll prove him, Speed how it will. I shall ere long have knowledge

Of my success.

Com.

Sic.

[Exit.

He'll never hear him.

Not?

Com. I tell you, he does sit in gold, his eye Red as 'twould burn Rome; and his injury The gaoler 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, He sent in writing after me; what he would not, 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

For mercy to his country. Therefore, let's hence, And with our fair entreaties baste them on. [Exe.

SCENE II.-An advanced post of the Volscian camp before Rome. The Guard at their stations. Enter to them, Menenius.

1 G. Stay Whence are you?

2 G.

Stand, and go back.

Men. You guard like men; 'tis well: But, by your leave,

I am an officer of state, and come

To speak with Coriolanus.

1 G. Men.

From whence?

From Rome.

1 G. You may not pass, you must return: our

general

Will no more hear from thence.

2 G. You'll see your Rome embrac'd with fire, before

You'll speak with Coriolanus.
Men.

If

Good my friends, 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 name Is not here passable.

Men

I tell thee, fellow, Thy general is my lover:2 I have been

The book of his good acts, whence men have read His fame unparallel'd, haply, amplified;

For I have ever verified3 my friends

(Of whom he's chief,) with all the size that verity4 Would without lapsing suffer: nay, sometimes, Like to a bowl upon a subtles ground,

I have tumbled past the throw; and in his praise Have, almost, stamp'd the leasing :6 Therefore, fellow,

I must have leave to pass.

1 G. 'Faith, sir, if you had told as many lies in

(1) Prizes. (4) Truth.

(2) Friend.

(3) Proved to.

Deceitful.

(6) Lie.

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, canst thou tell? for I would not speak with him till after dinner. 1 G. You are a Roman, are you?

Men. I am as thy general is.

Can you,

1 G. Then you should hate Rome, as he does. 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 dotant 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?

(1) Dotard.

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 Jack2 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 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 Volscian breasts. That we have been familiar, Ingrate forgetfulness shall poison, rather

gone.

Than pity note how much.-Therefore, be
Mine ears against your suits are stronger, than
Your gates against my force. Yet, for I lov'd thee,
Take this along; I writ it for thy sake,

[Gives a letter. And would have sent it. Another word, Menenius, I will not hear thee speak.-This man, Aufidius, Was my beloved in Rome: yet thou behold'stAuf. You keep a constant temper.

[Exeunt Coriolanus and Aufidius. 1 G. Now, sir, is your name Menenius?

(1) Fellow. (2) Jack in office. (3) Because.

2 G. 'Tis a spell, you see, of much power: You know the way home again.

1 G. Do you hear how we are shent1 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!

1 G. A noble fellow, I warrant him.

[Exit.

2 G. The worthy fellow is our general: He is the rock, the oak not to be wind-shaken.

[Exeunt. SCENE III.-The tent of Coriolanus. Enter Coriolanus, Aufidius, and others.

Cor. We will before the walls of Rome to-morrow Set down our host.-My partner in this action, You must report to the Volscian lords, how plainly2 I have borne this business.

Auf.
Only their ends
You have respected; stopp'd your ears against
The general suit of Rome; never admitted
A private whisper, no, not with such friends
That thought them sure of you.

Cor.
This last old man,
Whom with a crack'd heart I have sent to Rome,
Lov'd me above the measure of a father;

Nay, godded me, indeed. Their latest refuge,
Was to send him for whose old love, I have
(Though I show'd sourly to him,) once more offer'd
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, hereafter
(2) Openly.

(1) Reprimanded.

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