Shakespeare's First Folio Part 476

Exeunt.

Enter Menenius to the Watch or Guard.

1.Wat. Stay: whence are you

2.Wat. Stand, and go backe

Me. You guard like men, 'tis well. But by your leaue, I am an Officer of State, & come to speak with Coriola.n.u.s 1 From whence?

Mene. From Rome

I You may not pa.s.se, you must returne: our Generall will no more heare from thence

2 You'l see your Rome embrac'd with fire, before You'l speake with Coriola.n.u.s

Mene. Good my Friends, If you haue heard your Generall talke of Rome, And of his Friends there, it is Lots to Blankes, My name hath touch't your eares: it is Menenius

1 Be it so, go back: the vertue of your name, Is not heere pa.s.sable

Mene. I tell thee Fellow, Thy Generall is my Louer: I haue beene The booke of his good Acts, whence men haue read His Fame vnparalell'd, happely amplified: For I haue euer verified my Friends, (Of whom hee's cheefe) with all the size that verity Would without lapsing suffer: Nay, sometimes, Like to a Bowle vpon a subtle ground I haue tumbled past the throw: and in his praise Haue (almost) stampt the Leasing. Therefore Fellow, I must haue leaue to pa.s.se

1 Faith Sir, if you had told as many lies in his behalfe, as you haue vttered words in your owne, you should not pa.s.se heere: no, though it were as vertuous to lye, as to liue chastly. Therefore go backe

Men. Prythee fellow, remember my name is Menenius, alwayes factionary on the party of your Generall

2 Howsoeuer you haue bin his Lier, as you say you haue, I am one that telling true vnder him, must say you cannot pa.s.se. Therefore go backe

Mene. Ha's he din'd can'st thou tell? For I would not speake with him, till after dinner

1 You are a Roman, are you?

Mene. I am as thy Generall is

1 Then you should hate Rome, as he do's. Can you, when you haue pusht out your gates, the very Defender of them, and in a violent popular ignorance, giuen your enemy your s.h.i.+eld, thinke to front his reuenges with the easie groanes of old women, the Virginall Palms of your daughters, or with the palsied intercession of such a decay'd Dotant as you seeme to be? Can you think to blow out the intended fire, your City is ready to flame in, with such weake breath as this? No, you are deceiu'd, therfore backe to Rome, and prepare for your execution: you are condemn'd, our Generall has sworne you out of repreeue and pardon

Mene. Sirra, if thy Captaine knew I were heere, He would vse me with estimation

1 Come, my Captaine knowes you not

Mene. I meane thy Generall

1 My Generall cares not for you. Back I say, go: least I let forth your halfe pinte of blood. Backe, that's the vtmost of your hauing, backe

Mene. Nay but Fellow, Fellow.

Enter Coriola.n.u.s with Auffidius.

Corio. What's the matter?

Mene. Now you Companion: Ile say an arrant for you: you shall know now that I am in estimation: you shall perceiue, that a Iacke gardant cannot office me from my Son Coriola.n.u.s, guesse but my entertainment with him: if thou stand'st not i'th state of hanging, or of some death more long in Spectators.h.i.+p, and crueller in suffering, behold now presently, and swoond for what's to come vpon thee. The glorious G.o.ds sit in hourely Synod about thy particular prosperity, and loue thee no worse then thy old Father Menenius do's. O my Son, my Son! thou art preparing fire for vs: looke thee, heere's water to quench it.

I was hardly moued to come to thee: but beeing a.s.sured none but my selfe could moue thee, I haue bene blowne out of your Gates with sighes: and coniure thee to pardon Rome, and thy pet.i.tionary Countrimen. The good G.o.ds a.s.swage thy wrath, and turne the dregs of it, vpon this Varlet heere: This, who like a blocke hath denyed my accesse to thee

Corio. Away

Mene. How? Away?

Corio. Wife, Mother, Child, I know not. My affaires Are Seruanted to others: Though I owe My Reuenge properly, my remission lies In Volcean brests. That we haue beene familiar, Ingrate forgetfulnesse shall poison rather Then pitty: Note how much, therefore be gone.

Mine eares against your suites, are stronger then Your gates against my force. Yet for I loued thee, Take this along, I writ it for thy sake, And would haue sent it. Another word Menenius, I will not heare thee speake. This man Auffidius Was my belou'd in Rome: yet thou behold'st

Auffid. You keepe a constant temper.

Exeunt.

Manet the Guard and Menenius.

1 Now sir, is your name Menenius?

2 'Tis a spell you see of much power: You know the way home againe

1 Do you heare how wee are shent for keeping your greatnesse backe?

2 What cause do you thinke I haue to swoond?

Menen. I neither care for th' world, nor your General: for such things as you. I can sca.r.s.e thinke ther's any, y'are so slight. He that hath a will to die by himselfe, feares it not from another: Let your Generall do his worst. For you, bee that you are, long; and your misery encrease with your age. I say to you, as I was said to, Away.

Exit

1 A n.o.ble Fellow I warrant him

2 The worthy Fellow is our General. He's the Rock, The Oake not to be winde-shaken.

Exit Watch.

Enter Coriola.n.u.s and Auffidius.

Corio. We will before the walls of Rome to morrow Set downe our Hoast. My partner in this Action, You must report to th' Volcian Lords, how plainly I haue borne this Businesse

Auf. Onely their ends you haue respected, Stopt your eares against the generall suite of Rome: Neuer admitted a priuat whisper, no not with such frends That thought them sure of you

Corio. This last old man, Whom with a crack'd heart I haue sent to Rome, Lou'd me, aboue the measure of a Father, Nay G.o.dded me indeed. Their latest refuge Was to send him: for whose old Loue I haue (Though I shew'd sowrely to him) once more offer'd The first Conditions which they did refuse, And cannot now accept, to grace him onely, That thought he could do more: A very little I haue yeelded too. Fresh Emba.s.ses, and Suites, Nor from the State, nor priuate friends heereafter Will I lend eare to. Ha? what shout is this?

Shout within

Shall I be tempted to infringe my vow In the same time 'tis made? I will not.

Enter Virgilia, Volumnia, Valeria, yong Martius, with Attendants.

My wife comes formost, then the honour'd mould Wherein this Trunke was fram'd, and in her hand The Grandchilde to her blood. But out affection, All bond and priuiledge of Nature breake; Let it be Vertuous to be Obstinate.

What is that Curt'sie worth? Or those Doues eyes, Which can make G.o.ds forsworne? I melt, and am not Of stronger earth then others: my Mother bowes, As if Olympus to a Mole-hill should In supplication Nod: and my yong Boy Hath an Aspect of intercession, which Great Nature cries, Deny not. Let the Volces Plough Rome, and harrow Italy, Ile neuer Be such a Gosling to obey instinct; but stand As if a man were Author of himself, & knew no other kin Virgil. My Lord and Husband

Corio. These eyes are not the same I wore in Rome

Virg. The sorrow that deliuers vs thus chang'd, Makes you thinke so

Corio. Like a dull Actor now, I haue forgot my part, And I am out, euen to a full Disgrace. Best of my Flesh, Forgiue my Tyranny: but do not say, For that forgiue our Romanes. O a kisse Long as my Exile, sweet as my Reuenge!

Now by the iealous Queene of Heauen, that kisse I carried from thee deare; and my true Lippe Hath Virgin'd it ere since. You G.o.ds, I pray, And the most n.o.ble Mother of the world Leaue vnsaluted: Sinke my knee i'th' earth,

Kneeles