As hotly and as nobly with thy love,
As ever in ambitious strength I did
Contend against thy valour. Know thou first,
I lov'd the maid I married; never man
Sighed truer breath; but that I see thee here,
Thou noble thing! more dances my apt heart,
Than when I first my wedded mistress saw
Bestride my threshold. Why, thou Mars! I tell thee,
We have a power on foot; and I had purpose
Once more to hew thy target from thy brawn,
Or lose inine arm for't: Thou hast beat me out
Twelve several times, and I have nightly since
Dreamt of encounters 'twixt thyself and me:
We have been down together in my sleep,
Unbuckling helms, fisting each other's throat,
And wak'd half dead with nothing. Worthy Marcius,
Had we no quarrel else to Rome, but that
Thou art thence banish'd, we would muster all
From twelve to seventy; and, pouring war
Into the bowels of ungrateful Rome,
Like a bold flood o'er beat. O, come, go in,
And take our friendly senators by the hands;
Who now are here, taking their leaves of me,
Who am prepar'd against your territories,
Though not for Rome itself.
Cor.

You bless me, gods.
Auf. Therefore, most absolute sir, if thou wilt have
The leading of thine own revenges, take
The one half of my commission; and set down,-
As best thou art experienc'd, since thou know'st
Thy country's strength and weakness,-thine own
Whether to knock against the gates of Rome, [ways:
Or rudely visit them in parts remote,
To fright them, ere destroy. But come in:
Let me commend thee first to those, that shall
Say, yea, to thy desires. A thousand welcomes !
And more a friend than e'er an enemy;

1. 2. Serv. Wherefore? wherefore?

3 Serv. Why, here's he that was wont to thwack our general-Caius Marcius.

1 Serv. Why do you say, thwack our general? 3 Serv. I do not say thwack our general: but he was always good enough for him.

2 Serv. Come, we are fellows, and friends: he was ever too hard for him; I have heard him say so himself.

1 Serv. He was too hard for him directly, to say the truth on't: before Corioli he scotched him and notched him like a carbonado.

2 Serv. An he had been cantibally given, he might have broiled and eaten him too.

1 Serv. But, more of thy news?

3 Serv. Why, he is so made on here within, as if he were son and heir to Mars: set at upper end o'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 o' the eye to his discourse. But the bottom of the news is, our general is cut i' 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 sowle the porter of Rome gate by the ears: He will mow down all before him, and leave his passage polled. 2 Serv. And he's as like to do't, as any man I can imagine.

3 Serv. Do't? he will do't: For, look you, sir, he has as many friends as enemies: which friends, sir, (as it were,) durst not (look you, sir,) shew themselves (as we term it,) his friends, whilst he's in directitude.

1 Serv. Directitude! what's that?

come! [Exeunt CORIOLANUS and AUFIDIUS. 1 Serv. [Advancing.] Here's a strange alteration! 2 Serv. 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.

1 Serv. What an arın he has! He turned me about with his finger and his thumb, as one would set up a top. 2 Serv. 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.

1 Serv. He had so; looking as it were-'Would I were hanged, but I thought there was more in him than I could think.

2 Serv. So did I, I'll be sworn: he is simply the rarest man i'the world.

1 Serv. I think, he is: but a greater soldier than

he, you wot one.

Serv. Who, my master?

1 Serv. Nay, it's no matter for that.

2 Serv. Worth six of him.

1 Serv. Nay, not so neither; but I take him to be the greater soldier.

2 Serv. 'Faith, look you, one cannot tell how to say that for the defence of a town, our general is excellent.

1 Serv. Ay, and for an assault too.

Re-enter third Servant.

3 Serv. O, slaves, I can tell you news; news, you rascals.

1. 2. Serv. What, what, what? let's partake. 3 Serv. I would not be a Roman, of all nations; I had as lieve be a condemned man.

1 Serv. But when goes this forward?

3 Serv. To-morrow; to-day; 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.

2 Serv. Why, then we shall have a stirring world again. This peace is nothing, but to rust iron, increase tailors, and breed ballad-makers.

1 Serv. 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 wars a destroyer of men.

2 Serv. 'Tis so: and as wars, in some sort, may be said to be a ravisher; so it cannot be denied, but peace is a great maker of cuckolds.

1 Serv. Ay, and it makes men hate one another.

3 Serv. 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.

SCENE VI.-Rome. A public Place.

Enter SICINIUS and BRUTUS.

Sic. We hear not of him, neither need we fear him His remedies are tame i' the present peace And quietness o' the people, which before Were in wild hurry. Here do we make his friends | Blush, that the world goes well; who rather had, Though they themselves did suffer by't, behold Dissentious numbers pestering the streets, than see Our tradesmen singing in their shops, and going About their functions friendly.

;

Sic. Your Coriolanus, sir, is not much miss'd, But with his friends; the common-wealth doth stand; And so would do, were he more angry at it. Men. All's well; and might have been much better, if He could have temporiz'd.

Sic.
Where is he, hear you ?
Men. Nay, I hear nothing; his mother and his wife
Hear nothing from him.

Enter Three or Four Citizens.
Cit. The gods preserve you both!
Sic.

Good-e'en, our neighbours.
Bru. Good e'en to you all, good e'en to you all.
1 Cit. Ourselves, our wives, and children, on our
Are bound to pray for you both.
[knees,
Sic.
Live and thrive!
Bru. Farewell, kind neighbours: We wish'd Co-
Had lov'd you as we did.
[riolanus
Cit.
Now the gods keep you!
Both Tri. Farewell, farewell. [Exeunt Citizens.
Sic. This is a happier and more comely time,
Than when these fellows ran about the streets,
Crying, Confusion.

Bru.

Caius Marcius was

Sic.

'Tis this slave ;

Go whip him 'fore the people's eyes :-his raising! Nothing but his report!

Mess.

Yes, worthy sir,

The slave's report is seconded; and more, More fearful, is deliver'd.

Sic.

What more fearful?

[and

Com. O, you have made good work! Men. What news? what news? Com. You have holp to ravish your own daughters, To melt the city leads upon your pates; To see your wives dishonour'd to your noses;Men. What's the news? what's the news? Com. Your temples burned in their cement; and Your franchises, whereon you stood, confin'd Into an augre's bore.

Men.

Pray now, your news?—
You have made fair work, I fear not:--Pray,your news?
If Marcius should be join'd with Volscians,-

Com.
He is their god; he leads them like a thing
Made by some other deity than nature,
That shapes man better: and they follow him,
Against us brats, with no less confidence,
Than boys pursuing summer butterflies,
Or butchers killing flies.

Men.

If!

You have made good work, You, and your apron men; you that stood so much Upon the voice of occupation, and The breath of garlic-eaters!

Com.

Your Rome about your ears.

Men.

He will shake

As Hercules