Men. From Rome.

[General I Watch. You may not pafs, you must return: our Will no more hear from thence.

2 Watch. You'll fee your Rome embrac'd with fire, before You'll speak with Coriolanus.

Men. Good my friends,

If 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.

Watch. Be it fo, go back: the virtue of your name Is not here paffable.

Men. I tell thee, fellow,

Thy General is my lover: I have been

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

2

For I have ever 3 'magnified my friends,

(Of whom he's chief)

to all the fize that verity Would without lapfing fuffer: nay, sometimes, Like to a bowl upon a subtle ground

I've tumbled past the throw; and in his praise
Have, almoft, ftamp'd the leafing. Therefore, fellow,
I must have leave to pass.

I Watch. 'Faith, Sir, if you had told as many lies in his behalf, as you have utter'd words in your own, you fhould not pafs here: no, though it were as virtuous to lie, as to live chaftly. Therefore go back.

Men. Pr'ythee, fellow, remember my name is Menenius, always factionary of the party of your General.

2 Watch. Howfoever you have been his liar, as you say you have; I am one that telling true under him, must fay you cannot pafs. Therefore go back.

Men. Has he din'd, canft thou tell? for I would not Speak with him 'till after dinner.

I Watch. You are a Roman, are you?

Men. I am as thy General is.

I Watch. Then you fhould hate Rome, as he does. Can you, when have push'd out of your gates the

you

very

2 happily

3 verified

4 with

very defender of them, and in a violent popular ignorance, given your enemy your fhield, think to front his revenges with the eafie groans of old women, the virginal palms of your daughters, or with the palfied interceffion of fuch a decay'd dotard as you feem to be? can you think to blow out the intended fire your city is ready to flame in, with fuch weak breath as this? no, you are deceiv'd, therefore back to Rome, and prepare for your execution: you are condemn'd, our General has fworn you out of reprieve and pardon.

Men. Sirrah, if thy Captain knew I were here, he would use me with eftimation.

1 Watch. Come, my Captain knows you not. Men. I mean thy General.

1 Watch. My General cares not for you. Back, I fay, go; left I let forth your half pint of blood, 'that's the utmost of your having; back, back.`

Men. Nay, but fellow, fellow.

Enter Coriolanus with Aufidius:

Cor. What's the matter?

Men. Now, you companion, I'll fay an errand for you; you fhall know now that I am in eftimation; you fhall perceive, that a jack-gardant cannot office me from my fon Coriolanus; guefs 'by my entertainment with him, if thou ftand'ft not i' th' ftate of hanging, or of fome death more long in fpectatorship, and crueller in fuffering; behold now prefently, and fwoon for what's to come upon thee.The glorious Gods fit in hourly fynod about thy particular profperity, and love thee no worse than thy old father Menenius does! Oh my fon, my fon! thou art preparing fire for us; look thee, here's water to quench it. I was hardly mov'd to come to thee; but being affured none but my felf could move thee, I have been blown out of our gates with fighs, and conjure thee to pardon Rome, and thy petitionary countrymen.

M 2

Back, that's the utmost of your having, back. Warb, emend. 6 but

The

old edit.

The good Gods affwage 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 fervanted to others: though I owe

My revenge properly, remiffion lyes

In Volfcian breafts. That we have been familiar,
Ingrate forgetfulness fhall 7 'prifon,` rather

Than pity note how much. Therefore be gone;
Mine ears against your fuits are ftronger than
Your gates against my force. Yet for I loved thee,
Take this along; I writ it for thy fake, [Gives him a letter.
And would have fent it. Another word, Menenius,
I will not hear thee speak. This man, Aufidius,
Was my belov'd in Rome; yet thou behold'st-
Auf. You keep a constant temper.

Manent the Guard and Menenius.

[Exeunt.

1 Watch. Now, Sir, is your name Menenius? 2 Watch. 'Tis a fpell you fee of much power: you know the way home again.

I Watch. Do you hear how we are fhent for keeping your Greatnefs back?

2 Watch. What caufe do you think I have to fwoon? Men. I neither care for th' world, nor your General : for fuch things as you, I can fcarce think there's any, y'are fo flight He that hath a will to die by himself, fears it not from another: let your General do his worst. For you, be what you are, long! and your mifery encreafe with your age! I fay to you, as I was faid to, Away! [Exit.

1 Watch. A noble fellow, I warrant him. 2 Watch. The worthy fellow is our General. He's the rock, the oak not to be wind-fhaken.

7 poifon,... cld edit. Theob. emend.

[Ex. Watch.

SCENE

Re-enter Coriolanus and Aufidius.

Cor. We will before the walls of Rome to-morrow
Set down our hoft. My partner in this action,
You must report to th' Volfcian Lords how plainly
I've born this business.

Auf. Only their ends you have refpected; ftopt
Your ears against the general fuit of Rome:
Never admitted private whisper, no

Not with fuch friends that thought them fure of you.
Cor. This laft old man,

Whom with a crack'd heart I have fent to Rome,
Lov'd me above the measure of a father:

Nay, Godded me indeed. Their latest refuge,
Was to fend him: for whofe old love, I have
(Tho' I fhew'd fow'rly 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've yielded to. Fresh embaffie, and fuits,
Nor for the state, nor private friends hereafter
Will I lend ear to. Ha! what fight is this?
Shall I be tempted to infringe my vow
In the fame time 'tis made? I will not

Enter Virgilia, Volumnia, Valeria, young Martius, with
Attendants, all in Mourning.

My wife comes foremost, then the honour'd mould
Wherein this trunk was fram'd, and in her hand
The grand-child to her blood. But out, affection,
All bond and privilege of Nature break!
Let it be virtuous, to be obftinate.

What is that curt'fie worth? or thofe dove's eyes,
Which can make Gods forfworn? I melt, and am not
Of stronger earth than others: my mother bows,

8 fhout

M 3

As

As if Olympus to a mole-hill fhould
In fupplication nod; and my young boy
Hath an afpect of interceffion, which

Great Nature cries, Deny not. Let the Volfcians
Plough Rome, and harrow Italy; I'll never
Be fuch a gofling to obey instinct but ftand
As if a man were author of himself,
And knew no other kin.

Vir. My Lord and husband!

Cor. Thefe eyes are not the fame I wore in Rome. Vir. The forrow that delivers us thus chang'd, Makes you think fo.

Cor. Like a dull actor now,

I have forgot my part, and I am out,
Even to a full difgrace. Beft of my flesh,
Forgive my tyranny, but do not fay,

For that, Forgive our Romans. O, a kifs
Long as my exile, fweet as my revenge!
Now by the jealous Queen of heav'n, that kifs
I carried from thee, dear; and my true lip

;

Hath virgin'd it e'er fince. You Gods! 9 'I prate, And the most noble mother of the world

Leave unfaluted: fink, my knee, i' th' earth;

[Kneels.

Of thy deep duty more impreffion fhew
Than that of common fons.

Your knees to me? to your corrected fon?
Then let the pebbles on the hungry beach
Fillop the ftars; then, let the mutinous winds
Strike the proud cedars 'gainst the fiery fun:.
Murd'ring impoffibility, to make
What cannot be, flight work.