Cor. Dire& me, if it be your will, where great Aufidius Jies : Is he in Antium?

Cit. He is, and Feasts the Nobles of the State, at his House this Night.

Cor. Which is his House, I beseech you?
Cit. This here before you. .
Cor. Thank you, Sir : Farewel.

[Exit Citizen.
Oh World, thy Nippery turns! Friends now fast sworn,
Whose double Bosoms seem to wear one Heart,
Whose Hours, whose Bed, whose Meal and Exercise
Are still together ; who cwine (as ’owere) in Love,
Unseparable, shall within this Hour,
On a diffention of a Doit, break out
To bitterest Enmity. So fellest Focs,
Whose Passions, and whose Plots have broke their Sleep
To take the one the other, by some chance,
Some Trick not worth an Egg, shall grow dear Friends,
And inter-join their issues. So with me,
My Birth-place have I, and my Lovers left; upon
This Enemy's Town I'll enter, if he Nay me;
He does fair Justice : If he give me way,
l'll do his Country Service.

[Exit. SEN E III. A Hall in Aufidius's House.

Mufick plays. Enter a Serving-man. i Ser. Wine, Wine, Wine! What Service is here? I think our Fellows are alleep.

[Exit. Enter another Serving-man. · 2 Ser. Where's Cotus ? My Maltei calls for him: Corus. Enter Coriolanus.

[Exit. Cor. A goodly House; The Feast smells; but I appear not like a Guest,

Enter the first Serving-man, i Ser. What would you have, Friend? whence are you? Here's no place for you : Pray go to the Door. [Exit.

Cor. I have deserv'd no better Entertainment, in being Coriolanus.

Enter second Servant. 2 Ser. Whence are you, Sir ? Has the Porter his Eyes in his Head, that he gives entrance to such Companions? Pray get you out.

Cor. A way!
2-Ser. Away : Get you away.

Cer.

Cor. Now thou'rt troublesom. 2 Ser. Are you so brave? I'll have you talk'd with anon.

Enter a third Servant. The first meets him. 3 Ser. What Fellow's this?

i Ser. A strange one as ever I look'd on: I cannot get him out o'th' House : Prithee call my Master to him.

3 Ser. What have you to do here, Fellow? Pray you avoid the House.

Cor. Let me but stand, I will not hurt your Hearth. .
3 Ser. What are you?
Cor. A Gentleman.
3 Ser. A marvellous poor one.
Cor. True; so I am.

3 Ser. Pray you, poor Gentleman, take up some other Stition, here's no place for you ; pray you avoid: Come. Cor. Follow your Function, go and batten on cold bits.

[Puses him away from him. 3. Ser. What, you will not? Prithee tell my Master, what a strange Guest he has here. 2 Ser. And I shall.

[Exit second Serving-man. 3 Ser. Where dwell'st thou? Cor. Under the Canopy. 3 Ser. Under the Canopy? Cor. Ay. 3 Ser. Where's that? Cor. I'th' City of Kites and Crows.

3 Ser. I'th' City of Kites and Crows? What an Ass it is; then thou dwell'st with Daws too?

Cor. No, I serve not thy Mafter.
3 Ser. How, Sir ! Do you meddle with my Masters

Cor. Ay, 'tis an honester Service, than to meddle with thy Mistress : Thou prat’st, and prat'st ; serve with thy Trencher : Hence.

Enter Aufidius, with a Serving-man Auf. Where is this Fellow? 2 Ser. Here, Sir ; I'd have beaten him like a Dog, but for disturbing the Lords within.

(Nam ? Auf. Whence com'st thou? What would'st thou? Thy Why speak'st not ? Speak Man: VVhat's thy Name?

Cor. If, Tullus, not yet thou know'st me, and seeing me, doft not take me for the Map I am, necessity commands me name my Self.

Auf

[Beats him away.

Ff3

a

Auf. What is thy Name?

Cor. A Name unmusical to Volscians Ears,
And harsh in found to thine.

Auf. Say, what's thy Name?
Thou hast a grim appearance, and thy Face
Bears a Command in't; though thy Tackle’s torr,
Thou shew'st a noble Vessel: What's thy Name?

Cor. Prepare thy Brow to frown; know'ft thou me not?
Auf. I know thee not; thy Name?

Cor. My Name is Caius Martius, who hath done
To thee particularly, and to all the Volfcies,
Great Hurt and Mischief; thereto witness may
My Sirname, Coriolanus. The painful S rvice,
The extream Dangers, and the drops of Blood
Shed for my thankless Country, are requited
But with that Sirname; a good Memory
And witness of the Malice and Displeasure
Which thou could't bear me; only that Name remains,
The Cruelty and Envy of the People,
Permitted by our dastard Nobles, who
Have all forlook me, hath devour'd the rest;
And fuffer'd me by th' voice of Slaves to be
Hoop'd out of Rome. Now this extremity
Hath brought me to thy Hearth, not out of hope
(Mistake me not) to save my Life; for if
I had fear'd Death, of all the Men i'th' World
I would have voided thee. But in meer spite
To be full quit of those my Banishers,
Stand I before thee here: Then if thou hast
A Heart of wreak in thee, that wilt revenge

,
Thine own particular Wrongs, and stop those maims
Of shame feen through thy Country, speed the straighe,
And make my misery serve thy turn: So use it,
That my revengeful Services may prove
As Benefits to thee. For I will fight
Against my Cankred Country, with the spleen
Of all the under Fiends. But if so be,
Thou dar'st not this, and that to prove more Fortunes
'Thou’rt tir'd, then in a word, I also am
Longer to live moft weary, and present
My Throat to thee, and to thy ancient Malice :

1975
Which not to cut, would sew thee but a Fool,
Since I have ever follow'd thee with hate,
Drawn Tuns of Blood out of thy Country's Breast,
And cannot live but to thy Shame, unless
It be to do thee Service.

Auf. Oh, Martins, Martius,
Each word thou hast spoke, hath weeded from my Heart
A root of anciert Envy. If Jupiter
Should from yon Cloud speak Divine things,
And say, 'tis true; I'd not believe them more
Than thee, all-noble Martius. Let me twine
Mine Arms about that Body, where against
My grained As an hundred times hath broke,
And scarr'd the Moon with Splinters; here I cleep
The Anvile of my Sword, and do contest
As hotly and as nobly with thy Love,
As ever in ambitious Strength, I did
Contend against thy Valour. Know thou, first

.
I lov'd the Maid I married; never Man
Sigh'd truer Breath. But that I see thee here,
Thou Noble thing, more dances my rapt Heart,
Than when I first my wedded Mistress saw
Bestride my Threshold. Why, thou Mars, I tell thee,
We have a Power on foot; and I had purpose

a
Once more to hew thy Target from thy Brawn,
Or lose mine Arm for’t: Thou hast bear me out
Twelve several times, and I have nightly since
Dream't of Encounters 'twixt thy self and me:
We have been down together in my Sleep,
Unbuckling Helms, fisting each others Throat,
And wak'd half dead with nothing. Worthy Martius,
Had we no Quarrel else to Rome, but that
Thou art thence banish'd, we would muster all
From twelve to seventy; and pouring War
Into the Bowels of ungrateful Rome,
Like a bold Flood o'er-bear. Oh come, go in,
And take our Friendly Senators by th' Hands,
Who now are here, taking their leaves of me,
Who am prepar'd against your Territories,
Though not for Rome it felf.

Ff

4

a

Core

Cor. You bless me, Gods. Auf. Therefore, most absolute Sir, if thou wilt have The leading of thine own Revenges, take The one half of my Commission, and set down As best thou art experienc'd, since thou know'st Thy Country's Strength and Weakness, thine own ways; Whether to knock against the Gates of Rome, Or rudely visit them in parts remote, To fright them, e'er 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, than e'er an Enemy: Yet, Martius, that was much. Your Hand; most welcome.

[Exeunt. Enter tivo Servants. I Ser. Here's a strange Alteration.

2 Ser. By my Hand, I had thought to have strucken him with a Cudgel, and yet my Mind gave me, his Clothes made a false report of him.

1 Ser. "What an Arm he has, he turn'd me about with his Finger and his Thumb, as one would set up a Top.

2 Ser. Nay, I knew by his Face that there was something in him. He had, Sir, a kind of Face, methought I cannot

tell how to term it.

Ser. He had so: looking, as it were. --would I were hanged but I thought there was more in him than I could think.

2 Ser. So did I, I'll be sworn: He is simply the rarest Man i'th' World.

i Ser. I think he is; but a greater Soldier than he, You wot one.

1 Ser. Who, my Master?
i Ser. Nay, it's no matter for that.
2 Ser. Worth Gx cn him.

I Ser. Nay, not so neither; but I take him to be the greater Soldier.

2 Ser. Faith, look you, one cannot tell how to say that; for the defence of a Town, our General is excellent. 1 Ser. Ay, and for an Assault too.

Enter a third Servant. 3 Ser. Oh Slaves, I can tell you News; News, you Rascals.

Borb.