First Serv. Here's a strange alteration![3552]
Sec. Serv. By my hand, I had thought to have strucken[3553]
him with a cudgel; and yet my mind gave me his clothes[3554]
made a false report of him. 150
First Serv. What an arm he has! he turned me about
with his finger and his thumb, as one would set up a top.
Sec. Serv. Nay, I knew by his face that there was
something in him: he had, sir, a kind of face, methought,—I[3555]
cannot tell how to term it. 155
First Serv. He had so; looking as it were—Would I[3556]
were hanged, but I thought there was more in him than I
could think.
Sec. Serv. So did I, I'll be sworn: he is simply the
rarest man i' the world. 160
First Serv. I think he is: but a greater soldier than
he, you wot one.[3557]
Sec. Serv. Who? my master?[3558]
First Serv. Nay, it's no matter for that.
Sec. Serv. Worth six on him. 165
First Serv. Nay, not so neither: but I take him to be
the greater soldier.
Sec. Serv. Faith, look you, one cannot tell how to say
that: for the defence of a town, our general is excellent.
First Serv. Ay, and for an assault too. 170
Re-enter third Servingman.[3559]
Third Serv. O slaves, I can tell you news; news, you[3560]
rascals!
First and Sec. Serv. What, what, what? let's partake.[3561]
Third Serv. I would not be a Roman, of all nations;
I had as lieve be a condemned man.[3562] 175
First and Sec. Serv. Wherefore? wherefore?[3561]
Third Serv. Why, here's he that was wont to thwack
our general, Caius Marcius.
First Serv. Why do you say, thwack our general?
Third Serv. I do not say, thwack our general; but he 180
was always good enough for him.
Sec. Serv. Come, we are fellows and friends: he was
ever too hard for him; I have heard him say so himself.
First Serv. He was too hard for him directly, to say
the troth on 't: before Corioli he scotched him and notched[3563] 185
him like a carbonado.[3564]
Sec. Serv. An he had been cannibally given, he might[3565]
have broiled and eaten him too.[3566]
First Serv. But, more of thy news?[3567]
Third Serv. Why, he is so made on here within as if 190
he were son and heir to Mars; set at upper end o' the
table; no question asked him by any of the senators, but
they stand bald before him. Our general himself makes a
mistress of him; sanctifies himself with 's hand, and turns[3568]
up the white o' the eye to his discourse. But the bottom of 195
the news is, our general is cut i' the middle, and but one
half of what he was yesterday; for the other has half, by
the entreaty and grant of the whole table. He'll go, he
says, and sowl the porter of Rome gates by the ears: he will[3569]
mow all down before him, and leave his passage poll'd.[3570] 200
Sec. Serv. And he's as like to do't as any man I can
imagine.
Third Serv. Do't! he will do't; for, look you, sir, he
has as many friends as enemies; which friends, sir, as it
were, durst not, look you, sir, show themselves, as we term 205
it, his friends whilst he's in directitude.[3571][3572]
First Serv. Directitude! what's that?[3572]
Third Serv. But when they shall see, sir, his crest up
again and the man in blood, they will out of their burrows,
like conies after rain, and revel all with him.[3573] 210
First Serv. But when goes this forward?
Third Serv. To-morrow; to-day; presently: you shall
have the drum struck up this afternoon: 'tis, as it were, a
parcel of their feast, and to be executed ere they wipe their
lips. 215
Sec. Serv. Why, then we shall have a stirring world
again. This peace is nothing, but to rust iron, increase[3574]
tailors and breed ballad-makers.
First Serv. Let me have war, say I; it exceeds peace
as far as day does night; it's spritely, waking, audible, and[3575] 220
full of vent. Peace is a very apoplexy, lethargy, mull'd,[3576]
deaf, sleepy, insensible; a getter of more bastard children[3577]
than war's a destroyer of men.[3578]
Sec. Serv. 'Tis so: and as war, in some sort, may be[3579]
said to be a ravisher, so it cannot be denied but peace is a 225
great maker of cuckolds.
First Serv. Ay, and it makes men hate one another.
Third Serv. Reason; because they then less need one
another. The wars for my money. I hope to see Romans
as cheap as Volscians. They are rising, they are rising. 230
First and Sec. Serv. In, in, in, in! [Exeunt.[3580]
Scene VI. Rome. A public place.[3581]
Enter the two Tribunes, Sicinius and Brutus.
Sic. We hear not of him, neither need we fear him;
His remedies are tame i' the present peace[3582]
And quietness of the people, which before
Were in wild hurry. Here do we make his friends[3583]
Blush that the world goes well; who rather had, 5
Though they themselves did suffer by't, behold[3584]
Dissentious numbers pestering streets than see
Our tradesmen singing in their shops and going
About their functions friendly.
Bru. We stood to 't in good time.
Enter Menenius.
Men. Hail to you both!
Sic. Your Coriolanus is not much miss'd,[3588]
But with his friends: the commonwealth doth stand;[3588]
And so would do, were he more angry at it.[3588] 15
Men. All's well; and might have been much better, if[3588]
He could have temporized.[3588]
Sic. Where is he, hear you?
Men. Nay, I hear nothing: his mother and his wife[3589]
Hear nothing from him.[3589]
Enter three or four Citizens.
Citizens. The gods preserve you both![3590]
Bru. God-den to you all, god-den to you all.[3591]
First Cit. Ourselves, our wives, and children, on our knees,
Are bound to pray for you both.
Bru. Farewell, kind neighbours: we wish'd Coriolanus[3594]
Had loved you as we did.[3594]
Citizens. Now the gods keep you![3590] 25
Both Tri. Farewell, farewell. [Exeunt Citizens.
Sic. This is a happier and more comely time
Than when these fellows ran about the streets,
Crying confusion.
Bru. Caius Marcius was
A worthy officer i' the war, but insolent, 30
O'ercome with pride, ambitious past all thinking,[3595]
Self-loving,—[3596]
Sic. We should by this, to all our lamentation,[3600]
If he had gone forth consul, found it so.[3601] 35
Bru. The gods have well prevented it, and Rome
Sits safe and still without him.
Enter an Ædile.
Æd. Worthy tribunes,
There is a slave, whom we have put in prison,
Reports, the Volsces with two several powers
Are enter'd in the Roman territories, 40
And with the deepest malice of the war
Destroy what lies before 'em.[3602]
Men. 'Tis Aufidius,
Who, hearing of our Marcius' banishment,
Thrusts forth his horns again into the world;
Which were inshell'd when Marcius stood for Rome, 45
And durst not once peep out.
Bru. Go see this rumourer whipp'd. It cannot be[3604]
The Volsces dare break with us.
Men. Cannot be!
We have record that very well it can, 50
And three examples of the like have been[3605]
Within my age. But reason with the fellow,
Before you punish him, where he heard this,
Lest you shall chance to whip your information
And beat the messenger who bids beware 55
Of what is to be dreaded.
Bru. Not possible.
Enter a Messenger.
Mess. The nobles in great earnestness are going
All to the senate-house: some news is come[3607]
That turns their countenances.
Sic. 'Tis this slave; 60
Go whip him 'fore the people's eyes: his raising;
Nothing but his report.
Mess. Yes, worthy sir,
The slave's report is seconded; and more,
More fearful, is deliver'd.[3608]
Sic. What more fearful?
Mess. It is spoke freely out of many mouths— 65
How probable I do not know—that Marcius,
Join'd with Aufidius, leads a power 'gainst Rome,
And vows revenge as spacious as between
The young'st and oldest thing.[3609]
Sic. This is most likely![3610]
Bru. Raised only, that the weaker sort may wish[3610] 70
Good Marcius home again.[3610][3611]
Sic. The very trick on't.
Men. This is unlikely:
He and Aufidius can no more atone[3612]
Than violentest contrariety.
Enter a second Messenger.[3613]
Sec. Mess. You are sent for to the senate:[3614] 75
A fearful army, led by Caius Marcius
Associated with Aufidius, rages
Upon our territories; and have already[3615]
O'erborne their way, consumed with fire, and took
What lay before them. 80
Enter Cominius.
Com. O, you have made good work!
Men. What news? what news?
Com. You have holp to ravish your own daughters, and
To melt the city leads upon your pates;
To see your wives dishonour'd to your noses,—[3616]
Men. What's the news? what's the news? 85
Com. Your temples burned in their cement, and[3617]
Your franchises, whereon you stood, confined
Into an auger's bore.[3618]
Men. Pray now, your news?—
You have made fair work, I fear me.—Pray, your news?—
If Marcius should be join'd with Volscians,—[3619]
Com. If![3620] 90
He is their god: he leads them like a thing[3620]
Made by some other deity than nature,
That shapes man better; and they follow him,
Against us brats, with no less confidence
Than boys pursuing summer butterflies, 95
Or butchers killing flies.
Men. You have made good work,[3621]
You and your apron-men; you that stood so much[3622]
Upon the voice of occupation and
The breath of garlic-eaters!
Com. He'll shake your Rome about your ears.[3623]
Men. As Hercules[3624] 100
Did shake down mellow fruit. You have made fair work![3624]
Bru. But is this true, sir?
Com. Ay; and you'll look pale
Before you find it other. All the regions[3625]
Do smilingly revolt; and who resist[3626]
Are mock'd for valiant ignorance,[3627] 105
And perish constant fools. Who is't can blame him?[3628]
Your enemies and his find something in him.[3628]
Men. We are all undone, unless[3628][3629]
The noble man have mercy.
Com. Who shall ask it?
The tribunes cannot do't for shame; the people 110
Deserve such pity of him as the wolf
Does of the shepherds: for his best friends, if they[3630]
Should say 'Be good to Rome,' they charged him even[3631]
As those should do that had deserved his hate,[3631]
And therein show'd like enemies.[3631]
Men. 'Tis true:[3632] 115
If he were putting to my house the brand[3632]
That should consume it, I have not the face[3633]
To say 'Beseech you, cease.' You have made fair hands,[3634]
You and your crafts! you have crafted fair![3635][3634]
Com. You have brought
A trembling upon Rome, such as was never 120
So incapable of help.
Both Tri. Say not, we brought it.[3636]
Com. But I fear
They'll roar him in again. Tullus Aufidius, 125
The second name of men, obeys his points
As if he were his officer: desperation
Is all the policy, strength and defence,
That Rome can make against them.
Enter a troop of Citizens.
Men. Here come the clusters[3641]
And is Aufidius with him? You are they 130
That made the air unwholesome, when you cast[3642]
Your stinking greasy caps in hooting at[3643]
Coriolanus' exile. Now he's coming;[3643][3644]
And not a hair upon a soldier's head
Which will not prove a whip: as many coxcombs 135
As you threw caps up will he tumble down,
And pay you for your voices. 'Tis no matter;
If he could burn us all into one coal,[3645]
We have deserved it.
Citizens. Faith, we hear fearful news.[3646]
First Cit. For mine own part, 140
When I said, banish him, I said, 'twas pity.
Sec. Cit. And so did I.
Third Cit. And so did I; and, to say the truth, so did[3647]
very many of us: that we did, we did for the best; and
though we willingly consented to his banishment, yet it was 145
against our will.
Com. Ye're goodly things, you voices![3648]
Men. You have made[3649][3650]
Good work, you and your cry! Shall 's to the Capitol?[3649]
Com. O, ay, what else? [Exeunt Cominius and Menenius.[3651]
Sic. Go, masters, get you home; be not dismay'd: 150
These are a side that would be glad to have
This true which they so seem to fear. Go home,
And show no sign of fear.
First Cit. The gods be good to us! Come, masters,
let's home. I ever said we were i' the wrong when we 155
banished him.
Sec. Cit. So did we all. But, come, let's home.
[Exeunt Citizens.[3652]
Bru. I do not like this news.
Sic. Nor I.
Bru. Let's to the Capitol: would half my wealth 160
Would buy this for a lie!
Sic. Pray, let us go. [Exeunt.[3653]
Scene VII. A camp, at a small distance from Rome.
Enter Aufidius with his Lieutenant.[3654]