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'th'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 you, the city, thus I turn my back:
There is a world elsewhere.

[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.

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

ACT IV.

SCENE I.-The same. Before a 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
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,

Vol. Now the red pestilence strike all trades in Rome, And occupations perish!

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 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 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 son Will, or exceed the common, or be caught

With cautelous baits and practice.

My first son,

Vol.
Whither wilt thou go? Take good Cominius
With thee a while: Determine on some course,
More than a wild exposture to each chance
That starts i'th' 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; And lose advantage, which doth ever cool I'th' absence of the needer.

Cor.

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.

Men.

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.

Cor.

Come.

Give me thy hand:

[Exeunt.

SCENE II. The same. A street near the gate.

Enter SICINIUS, Brutus, and an Ædile.

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.

Now we have shown our power,

Let us seem humbler after it is done,

Than when it was a doing.

Sic.

Bid them home:

Say, their great enemy is gone, and they

Stand in their ancient strength.

Bru.

Dismiss them home

[Exit Ædile

Enter VOLUMNIA, VIRGILIA, and MENENIUS.

Here comes his mother.
Sic.

Let's not meet her.

Bru.

Why?

Sic. They say, she's mad.

Bru

They have ta'en note of us:

Keep on your way.

Vol. O, you're well met: The hoarded plague o'th'gods

Requite your love!

Men.

Peace, peace; be not so loud.

Vol. If that I could for weeping, you should hear,Nay, and you shall hear some. - Will you be gone?

[TO BRUTUS.

Vir. You shall stay too: [TO SICIN.] I would, I had the power

To say so to my husband.

Sic.

Are you mankind?

Vol. 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?

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.