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The same. A hall in Aufidius's house.
[Music within. Enter a Servingman]
FIRST SERVINGMAN
Wine, wine, wine: What service is here? I think our fellows are asleep.
[Exit. Enter a second Servingman]
SECOND SERVINGMAN
Where's Cotus? my master calls for him: Cotus.
[Exit. Enter CORIOLANUS]
CORIOLANUS
A goodly house:
The feast smells well: but I appear not like a guest.
[Enter the first Servingman]
FIRST SERVINGMAN
What would you have friend? whence are you? Here's no place for you: pray
go to the door?
[Exit]
CORIOLANUS
I have deserved no better entertainment, in being Coriolanus.
[Enter second Servingman]
SECOND SERVINGMAN
Whence are you sir? Has the porter his eyes in his head, that he gives
entrance to such companions? Pray get you out.
CORIOLANUS
Away.
SECOND SERVINGMAN
Away? Get you away.
CORIOLANUS
Now thou art troublesome.
SECOND SERVINGMAN
Are you so brave: I'll have you talked with anon.
[Enter a third Servingman. The first meets him]
THIRD SERVINGMAN
What fellow's this?
FIRST SERVINGMAN
A strange one as ever I looked on: I cannot get him out of the house:
prithee call my master to him.
THIRD SERVINGMAN
What have you to do here fellow? Pray you avoid the house.
CORIOLANUS
Let me but stand, I will not hurt your hearth.
THIRD SERVINGMAN
What are you?
CORIOLANUS
A gentleman.
THIRD SERVINGMAN
A marvellous poor one.
CORIOLANUS
True, so I am.
THIRD SERVINGMAN
Pray you poor gentleman, take up some other station: here's no place for
you, pray you avoid: come.
CORIOLANUS
Follow your function, go, and batten on cold bits.
[Pushes him away]
THIRD SERVINGMAN
What you will not? Prithee tell my master what a strange guest he has
here.
SECOND SERVINGMAN
And I shall.
[Exit]
THIRD SERVINGMAN
Where dwelst thou?
CORIOLANUS
Under the canopy.
THIRD SERVINGMAN
Under the canopy?
CORIOLANUS
Aye.
THIRD SERVINGMAN
Where's that?
CORIOLANUS
In the city of kites and crows.
THIRD SERVINGMAN
In the city of kites and crows? What an ass it is, Then thou dwelst with
daws too?
CORIOLANUS
No, I serve not thy master.
THIRD SERVINGMAN
How sir? Do you meddle with my master?
CORIOLANUS
Aye, 'tis an honester service, than to meddle with thy mistress: thou
pratest, and pratest, serve with thy trencher: hence.
[Beats him away. Exit third Servingman. Enter AUFIDIUS with the second
Servingman]
AUFIDIUS
Where is this fellow?
SECOND SERVINGMAN
Here sir, I'd have beaten him like a dog, but for disturbing the lords
within.
[Retires]
AUFIDIUS
Whence comst thou? What wouldst thou? Thy name? Why speakst not? Speak
man: what's thy name?
CORIOLANUS
If Tullus not yet thou knowst me, and seeing me, dost not think me for
the man I am, necessity commands me name myself.
AUFIDIUS
What is thy name?
CORIOLANUS
A name unmusical to the Volscians' ears, and harsh in sound to thine.
AUFIDIUS
Say, what's thy name?
, ,
, , ,
Thou hast | a grim | appea|rance, and | thy face
, 2
, ,
, ,
Bears a com|mand in | it: though | thy tack|le's
torn,
,
, , ,
,
Thou showst | a nob|le ves|sel: what's | thy
name?
CORIOLANUS
, , ,
, ,
Prepare | thy brow | to frown:| knowst^thou*|
me^yet?
AUFIDIUS
, , ,
I know | thee not?| thy name? \\
CORIOLANUS
,
, ,
, ,
My name | is Mar|tius Cai|us, who | hath done
, , 2
, , ,
,
To thee | partic|ularly,| and to | all the |
Volces
T T .
T , , ,
Great hurt and mis|chief*: there|to wit|ness may
, ,
, x ,
,
My sur|name Co|rio|lanus. The | painful |
service, ?? (hex with prev two)
, ,
, ,
,
The ex/treme dang|ers, and | the drops | of blood
, 2
, , ,
,
Shed for my | thankless | country,| are re|quited:
, , ,
, ,
But with | that sur|name, a | good mem/ory
, , 2 ,
, ,
And wit|ness of the | malice | and dis|pleasure
, ,
, 2 ,
,
Which thou | shouldst bear | me, on|ly that name
| remains.
, ,
, , 2 ,
The cru|elty | and en|vy of the | people,
, ,
, ,
,
Permit|ted by | our dast|ard nob|les, who
, ,
, ,
,
Have all | forsook | me, hath | devoured | the
rest:
, ,
2 , , ,
And suf|fered me | by the voice | of slaves | to
be
T T
. T ,
, ,
Whooped out of Rome.| Now this | extrem|ity,
,
, , , ,
Hath brought | me to | thy hearth,| not^out | of
hope
,
, ,
, ,
(Mistake | me not)| to save | my life:| for if
, ,
, ,
2 ,
I had / feared death,| of all | the men | in the
world
, 2 ,
, , ,
I would | have avoid|ed thee.| But in / mere
spite
, ,
, ,
,
To be / full quit | of those | my ban|ishers,
,
, , ,
,
Stand I | before | thee here:| Then if | thou
hast
, ,
, , ,
A heart | of wreak | in thee,| that wilt |
revenge
,
, 2 , ,
,
Thine^own | partic|ular wrongs,| and stop | those
maims
,
, ,
, ,
Of shame | seen through | thy count|ry, speed |
thee straight
, ,
2 , ,
x
And make | my mis|ery serve | thy turn:| so use
it,
, , , ,
,
That my | revenge|ful serv|ices | may prove
, ,
, , ,
As ben|efits | to thee.| For I | will fight
, , , ,
,
Against | my cank|ered count|ry, with | the spleen
,
, , ,
,
Of all | the und|er fiends.| But if | so be,
,
, , 2 ,
,
Thou darst | not this,| and that to | prove
more*| fortunes
, ,
, , ,
Thou'rt^tired,| then in | a word,| I al|so am
,
, ,
, ,
Longer | to live | most^wea|ry: and | present
, ,
, 2 ,
,
My throat | to thee,| and to thy | ancient |
malice:
, ,
, ,
,
Which^not | to cut,| would show | thee but | a
fool,
, , , , ,
Since^I | have ev|er fol|lowed thee | with hate,
T T
. T ,
, ,
Drawn tuns of blood | out of | thy count|ry's
breast,
,
, , ,
,
And can|not live | but to | thy shame,| unless
, ,
,
It be | to do | thee serv|ice. \\
AUFIDIUS
, ,
Oh* Mar|tius, Mar|tius; \\
,
2 , ,
, ,
Each^word | thou hast spoke | hath weed|ed from |
my heart
, , ,
, , 2
A root | of an|cient en|vy. If | Jupiter
,
T T T
, ,
Should from | yond cloud speak | divine | things,
<- T T
T ,
, ,
And || say 'tis true;| I'd not | believe | them
more
,
, ,
, ,
Than thee | all nob|le Mar|tius. Let | me twine
,
, , ,
,
Mine^arms | about | that bo|dy, where | against
, ,
, ,
,
My grain|ed ash | a hund|red times | hath broke,
, ,
, , ,
And scarred | the moon | with splin|ters: here |
I clip
, , , ,
,
The anv|il of | my sword,| and do | contest
, ,
, ,
,
As hot|ly and | as nob|ly with | thy love,
, ,
, , ,
As ev|er in | ambi|tious strength,| I did
,
, , ,
,
Contend | against | thy val|or. Know | thou
first,
, ,
, , ,
I loved | the maid | I mar|ried: nev|er man
T Tx
T ,
, ,
Sighed truer breath.| But that | I see | thee
here
, ,
, ,
,
Thou nob|le thing,| more dan|ces my / rapt heart,
,
, ,
, ,
Than when | I first | my wed|ded mist|ress saw
, ,
, ,
, ->
Bestride | my thresh|old. Why, | thou Mars | I
tell || thee,
, 2
x , , 2
,
We | have a power | on foot:| and I had | purpose
T T . T , ,
,
Once more to hew | thy targ|et from | thy brawn,
,
, x
, ,
Or lose | mine^arm | for it: thou | hast beat |
me out
T Tx
T , ,
,
Twelve several times,| and I | have nigh|tly
since ??
,
, , ,
,
Dreamt of | encount|ers 'twixt | thyself | and
me:
,
, ,
, ,
We have | been down | togeth|er in | my sleep,
,
, ,
, ,
Unbuck|ling helms,| fisting | each^oth|er's
throat,
. T
T T ,
, ,
->
And waked half dead | with noth|ing. worth|y
Mar||tius,
, 2 ,
, ,
,
Had | we no quar|rel else | to Rome,| but that
,
, ,
, ,
Thou art | thence ban/ished, we | would must|er
all
,
, , ,
,
From twelve,| to sev|enty:| and pour|ing war
, ,
, , ,
Into | the bow|els of / ungrate|ful Rome,
T . T
T ,
, ,
Like a bold flood | orebear.| Oh come,| go in,
, ,
, , 2 ,
And take | our friend|ly sen|ators | by the hands
, , ,
, ,
Who now | are here,| taking | their leaves | of
me,
,
, ,
, x
Who am | prepared | against | your ter|ritories,
, ,
,
Though not | for Rome | itself.
CORIOLANUS
, ,
You bless | me gods.
AUFIDIUS
, , 2
, ,
,
Therefore | most abs|olute* sir,| if thou | wilt
have
, ,
, ,
,
The lead|ing of | thine^own | reveng|es, take
, ,
2 , ,
,
The one | half of | my commis|sion, and / set
down
, ,
, 2 , ,
As best | thou art | exper|ienced, since | thou
knowst
, ,
, ,
,
Thy count|ry's strength | and weak|ness,
thine^/own ways
,
, ,
, ,
Whether | to knock | against | the gates | of
Rome,
, ,
, ,
,
Or rude|ly vis|it them | in parts | remote,
,
, , T T
T
To fright | them, ere | destroy.| But come in,
,
, , ,
,
Let me | commend | thee first,| to those | that
shall
,
, ,
, ,
->
Say^yea | to thy | desires.| A thous|and
wel||comes*,
,
2 , ,
, ,
And | more a friend,| than ere | an en|emy,
, , ,
, ,
Yet Mar|tius, that | was much.| Your hand:| most
wel||come. \\ ????
[Exeunt CORIOLANUS and AUFIDIUS. The two Servingmen come forward]
FIRST SERVINGMAN
Here's a strange alteration?
SECOND SERVINGMAN
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.
FIRST SERVINGMAN
What an arm he has, he turned me about with his finger and his thumb, as one
would set up a top.
SECOND SERVINGMAN
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.
FIRST SERVINGMAN
He had so, looking as it were, would I were hanged but I thought there was
more in him, than I could think.
SECOND SERVINGMAN
So did I, I'll be sworn: he is simply the rarest man in the world.
FIRST SERVINGMAN
I think he is: but a greater soldier than he, you wot on.
SECOND SERVINGMAN
Who my master?
FIRST SERVINGMAN
Nay, it's no matter for that.
SECOND SERVINGMAN
Worth six on him.
FIRST SERVINGMAN
Nay not so neither: but I take him to be the greater soldier.
SECOND SERVINGMAN
Faith look you, one cannot tell how to say that: for the defense of a town,
our general is excellent.
FIRST SERVINGMAN
Aye, and for an assault too.
[Enter third Servingman]
THIRD SERVINGMAN
Oh slaves, I can tell you news, news you rascals.
FIRST AND SECOND SERVINGMAN
What, what, what? let's partake.
THIRD SERVINGMAN
I would not be a Roman, of all nations; I had as lieve be a condemned man.
FIRST AND SECOND SERVINGMAN
Wherefore? wherefore?
THIRD SERVINGMAN
Why here's he that was wont to thwack our general, Martius Caius.
FIRST SERVINGMAN
Why do you say, thwack our general?
THIRD SERVINGMAN
I do not say thwack our general, but he was always good enough for him.
SECOND SERVINGMAN
Come we are fellows and friends: he was ever too hard for him, I have heard
him say so himself.
FIRST SERVINGMAN
He was too hard for him directly, to say the troth on it before Corioli, he
scotched him, and notched him like a carbonado.
SECOND SERVINGMAN
And he had been cannibally given, he might have broiled and eaten him too.
FIRST SERVINGMAN
But more of thy news?
THIRD SERVINGMAN
Why he is so made on here within, as if he were son and heir to Mars, set
at upper end of 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 up the white of the eye to his
discourse. But the bottom of the news is, that our general is cut in 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 mow all down before him, and leave
his passage polled.
SECOND SERVINGMAN
And he's as like to do it, as any man I can imagine.
THIRD SERVINGMAN
Do it? He will do it: 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 it) his friends, whilst he's in directitude.
FIRST SERVINGMAN
Directitude? what's that?
THIRD SERVINGMAN
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.
FIRST SERVINGMAN
But when goes this forward?
THIRD SERVINGMAN
Tomorrow, today, 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.
SECOND SERVINGMAN
Why then we shall have a stirring world again: This peace is nothing, but
to rust iron, increase tailors, and breed ballad-makers.
FIRST SERVINGMAN
Let me have war say I, it exceeds peace as far as day does night: it's
spritely waking, audible, and full of vent. Peace, is a very apoplexy,
lethargy, mulled, deaf, sleepy, insensible, a getter of more bastard
children, than war's a destroyer of men.
SECOND SERVINGMAN
'Tis so, and as war in some sort may be said to be a ravisher, so it
cannot be denied, but peace is a great maker of cuckolds.
FIRST SERVINGMAN
Aye, and it makes men hate one another.
THIRD SERVINGMAN
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.
ALL
In, in, in, in.
[Exeunt]