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  • Title: Coriolanus (Folio 1, 1623)

    • Copyright Internet Shakespeare Editions. This text may be freely used for educational, non-proift purposes; for all other uses contact the Coordinating Editor.
    Author: William Shakespeare
    Not Peer Reviewed

    Coriolanus (Folio 1, 1623)

    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.
    2570Enter 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,
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