ACT IV - Scene II Coriolanus


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The same. A street near the gate.

Enter Sicinius, Brutus, and an Aedile.
Sicinius

Bid them all home; heโ€™s gone, and weโ€™ll no further.
The nobility are vexโ€™d, whom we see have sided
In his behalf.

Brutus

Now we have shown our power,
Let us seem humbler after it is done
Than when it was a-doing.

Sicinius

Bid them home:
Say their great enemy is gone, and they
Stand in their ancient strength.

Brutus

Dismiss them home. Exit Aedile.
Here comes his mother.

Sicinius Letโ€™s not meet her.
Brutus Why?
Sicinius They say sheโ€™s mad.
Brutus They have taโ€™en note of us: keep on your way.
Enter Volumnia, Virgilia, and Menenius.
Volumnia

O, yeโ€™re well met: the hoarded plague oโ€™ the gods
Requite your love!

Menenius Peace, peace; be not so loud.
Volumnia

If that I could for weeping, you should hearโ โ€”
Nay, and you shall hear some. To Brutus. Will you be gone?

Virgilia

To Sicinius. You shall stay too: I would I had the power
To say so to my husband.

Sicinius Are you mankind?
Volumnia

Ay, fool; is that a shame? Note but this fool.
Was not a man my father? Hadst thou foxship
To banish him that struck more blows for Rome
Than thou hast spoken words?

Sicinius O blessed heavens!
Volumnia

More noble blows than ever thou wise words;
And for Romeโ€™s good. Iโ€™ll tell thee what; yet go:
Nay, but thou shalt stay too: I would my son
Were in Arabia, and thy tribe before him,
His good sword in his hand.

Sicinius What then?
Virgilia

What then!
Heโ€™ld make an end of thy posterity.

Volumnia

Bastards and all.
Good man, the wounds that he does bear for Rome!

Menenius Come, come, peace.
Sicinius

I would he had continued to his country
As he began, and not unknit himself
The noble knot he made.

Brutus I would he had.
Volumnia

โ€œI would he hadโ€! โ€™Twas you incensed the rabble:
Cats, that can judge as fitly of his worth
As I can of those mysteries which heaven
Will not have earth to know.

Brutus Pray, let us go.
Volumnia

Now, pray, sir, get you gone:
You have done a brave deed. Ere you go, hear this:โ โ€”
As far as doth the Capitol exceed
The meanest house in Rome, so far my sonโ โ€”
This ladyโ€™s husband here, this, do you seeโ โ€”
Whom you have banishโ€™d, does exceed you all.

Brutus Well, well, weโ€™ll leave you.
Sicinius

Why stay we to be baited
With one that wants her wits?

Volumnia

Take my prayers with you. Exeunt Tribunes.
I would the gods had nothing else to do
But to confirm my curses! Could I meet โ€™em
But once a-day, it would unclog my heart
Of what lies heavy toโ€™t.

Menenius

You have told them home;
And, by my troth, you have cause. Youโ€™ll sup with me?

Volumnia

Angerโ€™s my meat; I sup upon myself,
And so shall starve with feeding. Come, letโ€™s go:
Leave this faint puling and lament as I do,
In anger, Juno-like. Come, come, come.

Menenius Fie, fie, fie! Exeunt.

 

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