To banish your defenders; till, at length, (Still your own foes,) deliver you, as most That won you without blows! Despising, [Exeunt CORIOLANUS, COMINIUS, Menenius, Ed. The people's enemy is gone, is gone! Sic. Go, see him out at gates, and follow him, Attend us through the city. Cit. Come, come, let us see him out at gates; come:The gods preserve our noble tribunes!-Come. [Exeunt. ACT IV. SCENE I.-Before the gates of Rome. 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, 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. Vir. O heavens! O heavens ! Cor. Nay, I pr'ythee, woman, [Rome, Vol. Now the red pestilence strike all trades in And occupations perish! Cor. What, what, what! I shall be lov'd, when I am lack'd. Nay, mother, Six of his labours you'd have done, and sav'd Droop not; adieu :-Farewell, my wife! my mother! I'll do well yet. Vol. My first son, Whither wilt thou go? Take good Cominius Cor. O the gods! Com. I'll follow thee a month, devise with thee Cor. That's yet unbruis'd: bring me but out at gate. When Fortune strikes her hardest blows, to be wounded and yet continue calm, requires a generous policy. • Noblest and most eminent of men. [COR. 75] Y 2 Come, my sweet wife, my dearest mother, and Men. From these old arms and legs, by the good gods, Cor. Come. Give me thy hand : [Exeunt. SCENE II.-The same. A street near the gate. Enter SICINIUS, BRUTUS, and an Edile. Sic. Bid them all home; he's gone, and we'll no further, The nobility are vex'd, who, we see, have sided In his behalf. Bru. Let us seem humbler after it is done, Than when it was a doing. Sic. Now we have shown our power, Bid them home: Dismiss them home. [Exit Edile. Say, their great enemy is gone, and they Bru. Bru. Keep on your way. They have ta'en note of us : Vol. O, you're well met: The hoarded plague o' th' Requite your love! [gods Men. Peace, peace; be not so loud. Nay, and you shall hear some.— Will you be gone? Vir. You shall stay too: [To SICINIUS.] I would, To say so to my husband. Sic. [TO BRUTUS. [I had the power Are you mankind?1 Vol. Ay, fool; Is that a shame?—Note but this Was not a man my father? Hadst thou foxship Sic. O blessed heavens ! Vol. More 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. Sic. Vir. What then? What then? He'd make an end of thy posterity. Vol. Bastards, and all. Good man, the wounds that he does bear for Rome! Men. Come, come, peace. Sic. I would he had continu'd to his country, As he began; and not unknit himself The noble knot he made. Bru. I would he had. Vol. I would he had! 'Twas you incens'd the rabble: Sicinins asks Volumnia if she be mankind, intending to upbraid her strong masculine powers. She takes mankind for a human creature, and accordingly cries out, Note but this fool. Was not a man my father? [COR. 77] Cats, that can judge as fitly of his worth, Bru. Pray, let us go. Vol. Now, pray, sir, get you gone: You have done a brave deed. Ere you go, hear this: The meanest house in Rome: so far, my son, Sic. Why stay we to be baited 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. You have told them home, And, by my troth, you have cause. You'll sup with Vol. Anger's my meat; I sup upon myself, [me? And so shall starve with feeding.-Come, let's go: Leave this faint puling, and lament as I do, anger, Juno-like. Come, come, come. In Men. Fye, fye, fye. [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. [COR. 78] |