Coriolanus

Senators, and Patricians. Aedile The people’s enemy is gone, is gone! Citizens Our enemy is banish’d! he is gone! Hoo! hoo! Shouting, and throwing up their caps. Sicinius

Go, see him out at gates, and follow him,
As he hath follow’d you, with all despite;
Give him deserved vexation. Let a guard
Attend us through the city.

Citizens

Come, come; let’s see him out at gates; come.
The gods preserve our noble tribunes! Come. Exeunt.

Act IV

Scene I

Rome. Before a gate of the city.

	Enter Coriolanus, Volumnia, Virgilia, Menenius, Cominius, with the young Nobility of Rome.
Coriolanus	Come, leave your tears: a brief farewell: the beast With many heads butts me away. Nay, mother, Where is your ancient courage? you were used To say extremity was the trier of spirits; That common chances common men could bear; That when the sea was calm all boats alike Show’d mastership in floating; fortune’s blows, When most struck home, being gentle wounded, craves A noble cunning: you were used to load me With precepts that would make invincible The heart that conn’d them.
Virgilia	O heavens! O heavens!
Coriolanus	Nay, I prithee, woman⁠—
Volumnia	Now the red pestilence strike all trades in Rome, And occupations perish!
Coriolanus	What, what, what! I shall be loved when I am lack’d. Nay, mother, Resume that spirit, when you were wont to say, If you had been the wife of Hercules, Six of his labours you’ld have done, and saved Your husband so much sweat. Cominius, Droop not; adieu. Farewell, my wife, my mother: I’ll do well yet. Thou old and true Menenius, Thy tears are salter than a younger man’s, And venomous to thine eyes. My sometime general, I have seen thee stern, and thou hast oft beheld Heart-hardening spectacles; tell these sad women ’Tis fond to wail inevitable strokes, As ’tis to laugh at ’em. My mother, you wot well My hazards still have been your solace: and Believe’t not lightly⁠—though I go alone, Like to a lonely dragon, that his fen Makes fear’d and talk’d of more than seen⁠—your son Will or exceed the common or be caught With cautelous baits and practise.
Volumnia	My first son, Whither wilt thou go? Take good Cominius With thee awhile: determine on some course, More than a wild exposture to each chance That starts i’ the way before thee.
Coriolanus	O the gods!
Cominius	I’ll follow thee a month, devise with thee Where thou shalt rest, that thou mayst hear of us And we of thee: so if the time thrust forth A cause for thy repeal, we shall not send O’er the vast world to seek a single man, And lose advantage, which doth ever cool I’ the absence of the needer.
Coriolanus	Fare ye well: Thou hast years upon thee; and thou art too full Of the wars’ surfeits, to go rove with one That’s yet unbruised: bring me but out at gate. Come, my sweet wife, my dearest mother, and My friends of noble touch, when I am forth, Bid me farewell, and smile. I pray you, come. While I remain above the ground, you shall Hear from me still, and never of me aught But what is like me formerly.
Menenius	That’s worthily As any ear can hear. Come, let’s not weep. If I could shake off but one seven years From these old arms and legs, by the good gods, I’ld with thee every foot.
Coriolanus	Give me thy hand: Come. Exeunt.

Scene II

The same. A street near the gate.

	Enter Sicinius, Brutus, and an Aedile.
Sicinius	Bid them all home; he’s gone, and we’ll no further. The nobility are vex’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	Let’s not meet her.
Brutus	Why?
Sicinius	They say she’s mad.
Brutus	They have ta’en note of us: keep on your way.
	Enter Volumnia, Virgilia, and Menenius.
Volumnia	O, ye’re well met: the hoarded plague o’ the gods Requite your love!
Menenius	Peace, peace; be not so loud.
Volumnia	If that I could for weeping, you should hear⁠— 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 Rome’s good. I’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! He’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	“I would he had”! ’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:⁠— As far as doth the Capitol exceed The meanest house in Rome, so far my son⁠— This lady’s husband here, this, do you see⁠— Whom you have banish’d, does exceed you all.
Brutus	Well, well, we’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 ’em But once a-day, it would unclog my heart Of what lies heavy to’t.
Menenius	You have told them home; And, by my troth, you have cause. You’ll sup with me?
Volumnia	Anger’s my meat; I sup upon myself, And so shall starve with feeding. Come,