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Coriolanus (Folio 1, 1623)

Author: William Shakespeare
Not Peer Reviewed
The Tragedie of Coriolanus.
21
This Ladies Husband heere; this (do you see)
Whom you haue banish'd, does exceed you all.
2555Bru. Well, well, wee'l leaue you.
Sicin. Why stay we to be baited
With one that wants her Wits.
Exit Tribunes.
Volum. Take my Prayers with you.
I would the Gods had nothing else to do,
2560But to confirme my Cursses. Could I meete 'em
But once a day, it would vnclogge my heart
Of what lyes heauy too't.
Mene. You haue told them home,
And by my troth you haue cause: you'l Sup with me.
2565Volum. Angers my Meate: I suppe vpon my selfe,
And so shall sterue with Feeding: Come, let's go,
Leaue this faint-puling, and lament as I do,
In Anger, Iuno-like: Come, come, come.
Exeunt
Mene. Fie, fie, fie.
Exit.
2570
Enter a Roman, and a Volce.
Rom. I know you well sir, and you know mee: your
name I thinke is Adrian.
Volce. It is so sir, truly I haue forgot you.
Rom. I am a Roman, and my Seruices are as you are,
2575against 'em. Know you me yet.
Volce. Nicanor: no.
Rom. The same sir.
Volce. You had more Beard when I last saw you, but
your Fauour is well appear'd by your Tongue. What's
2580the Newes in Rome: I haue a Note from the Volcean
state to finde you out there. You haue well saued mee a
dayes iourney.
Rom. There hath beene in Rome straunge Insurrecti-
ons: The people, against the Senatours, Patricians, and
2585Nobles.
Vol. Hath bin; is it ended then? Our State thinks not
so, they are in a most warlike preparation, & hope to com
vpon them, in the heate of their diuision
Rom. The maine blaze of it is past, but a small thing
2590would make it flame againe. For the Nobles receyue so
to heart, the Banishment of that worthy Coriolanus, that
they are in a ripe aptnesse, to take al power from the peo-
ple, and to plucke from them their Tribunes for euer.
This lyes glowing I can tell you, and is almost mature for
2595the violent breaking out.
Vol. Coriolanus Banisht?
Rom. Banish'd sir.
Vol. You will be welcome with this intelligence Ni-
canor.
2600Rom. The day serues well for them now. I haue heard
it saide, the fittest time to corrupt a mans Wife, is when
shee's falne out with her Husband. Your Noble Tullus
Auffidius well appeare well in these Warres, his great
Opposer Coriolanus being now in no request of his coun-
2605trey.
Volce. He cannot choose: I am most fortunate, thus
accidentally to encounter you. You haue ended my Bu-
sinesse, and I will merrily accompany you home.
Rom. I shall betweene this and Supper, tell you most
2610strange things from Rome: all tending to the good of
their Aduersaries. Haue you an Army ready say you?
Vol. A most Royall one: The Centurions, and their
charges distinctly billetted already in th' entertainment,
and to be on foot at an houres warning.
2615Rom. I am ioyfull to heare of their readinesse, and am
the man I thinke, that shall set them in present Action. So
sir, heartily well met, and most glad of your Company.
Volce. You take my part from me sir, I haue the most
cause to be glad of yours.
2620Rom. Well, let vs go together.
Exeunt.
Enter Coriolanus in meane Apparrell, Dis-
guisd, and muffled.
Corio. A goodly City is this Antium. Citty,
'Tis I that made thy Widdowes: Many an heyre
2625Of these faire Edifices fore my Warres
Haue I heard groane, and drop: Then know me not,
Least that thy Wiues with Spits, and Boyes with stones
In puny Battell slay me. Saue you sir.
Enter a Citizen.
2630Cit. And you.
Corio. Direct me, if it be your will, where great Auf-
fidius lies: Is he in Antium?
Cit. He is, and Feasts the Nobles of the State, at his
house this night.
2635Corio. Which is his house, beseech you?
Cit. This heere before you.
Corio. Thanke you sir, farewell.
Exit Citizen
Oh World, thy slippery turnes! Friends now fast sworn,
Whose double bosomes seemes to weare one heart,
2640Whose Houres, whose Bed, whose Meale and Exercise
Are still together: who Twin (as 'twere) in Loue,
Vnseparable, shall within this houre,
On a dissention of a Doit, breake out
To bitterest Enmity: So fellest Foes,
2645Whose Passions, and whose Plots haue broke their sleep
To take the one the other, by some chance,
Some tricke not worth an Egge, shall grow deere friends
And inter-ioyne their yssues. So with me,
My Birth-place haue I, and my loues vpon
2650This Enemie Towne: Ile enter, if he slay me
He does faire Iustice: if he giue me way,
Ile do his Country Seruice.
Exit.
Musicke playes. Enter a Seruingman.
1 Ser. Wine, Wine, Wine: What seruice is heere? I
2655thinke our Fellowes are asleepe.
Enter another Seruingman.
2 Ser. Where's Cotus: my M. cals for him: Cotus. Exit
Enter Coriolanus.
Corio. A goodly House:
2660The Feast smels well: but I appeare not like a Guest.
Enter the first Seruingman.
1 Ser. What would you haue Friend? whence are you?
Here's no place for you: Pray go to the doore?
Exit
Corio. I haue deseru'd no better entertainment, in be-
2665ing Coriolanus.
Enter second Seruant.
2 Ser. Whence are you sir? Ha's the Porter his eyes in
his head, that he giues entrance to such Companions?
Pray get you out.
Corio. Away.
26702 Ser. Away? Get you away.
Corio. Now th'art troublesome.
2 Ser. Are you so braue: Ile haue you talkt with anon
Enter 3 Seruingman, the 1 meets him.
3 What Fellowes this?
26751 A strange one as euer I look'd on: I cannot get him
out o'th' house: Prythee call my Master to him.
3 What haue you to do here fellow? Pray you auoid
the house.
Corio. Let me but stand, I will not hurt your Harth.
26803 What are you?
Corio. A Gentleman.
3 A maru'llous poore one.
Corio. True, so I am.
3 Pray you poore Gentleman, take vp some other sta-
tion,