Your ignorance (which finds not till it feels),
Making but reservation of yourselves,
(Still your own foes), deliver you, as most
Abated captives, to some nation

That won you without blows! Despising,
For you, the city, thus I turn my back:
There is a world elsewhere.

[Exeunt CORIOLANUS, COMINIUS, MENENIUS,
Senators, and Patricians.

Ed. The people's enemy is gone, is gone! Cit. Our enemy's banish'd! he is gone! Hoo! hoo!

[The People shout, and throw up their Caps. Sic. Go, see him out at gates, and follow him, As he hath follow'd you, with all despite ; Give him deserv'd vexation. Let a guard Attend us through the city.

Cit. Come, come, let us see him out at gates:

come :

The gods preserve our noble tribunes!-Come. [Exeunt.

ACT IV.

SCENE I. The same. Before a Gate of the City. Enter CORIOLANUS, VOLUMNIA, VIRGILIA, MENENIUS, COMINIUS, and several young Patricians. Cor. Come, leave your tears: a brief farewell-the beast

With many heads butts me away.-Nay, mother, Where is your ancient courage? you were us'd 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 us'd to load me With precepts, that would make invincible The heart that conn'd them.

Vir. O heavens! O heavens!

Cor.

Nay, I pr'ythee, woman,

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Vol. Now the red pestilence strike all trades

in Rome,

And occupations perish!

Cor. What, what, what! I shall be lov'd 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'd have done, and sav'd
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-hard'ning spectacles; tell these sad wo-

men,

'Tis fond to wail inevitable strokes,

As 'tis to laugh at them.-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

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Makes fear'd, and talk'd of more than seen), your son

Will, or exceed the common, or be caught
With cautelous baits and practice.

Vol.
My first son,
Whither wilt thou go? Take good Cominius
With thee a while: Determine on some course,
More than a wild exposture to each chance
That starts i' the way before thee.

Cor. O the gods! Com. I'll follow thee a month, devise with thee Where thou shalt rest, that thou may'st 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.

Cor.
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 unbruis'd: 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.

Men. 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'd with thee every foot.

Cor.

Come.

Give me thy hand:

[Exeunt.

SCENE II. The same. A Street near the Gate.

Enter SICINIUS, BRUTUS, and an Ædile.

Sic. Bid them all home: he's gone, and we'll no further.

The nobility are vex'd, who, we see, have sided In his behalf.

Bru.

Now we have shown our power,

Let us seem humbler after it is done,
Than when it was a doing.

Sic.

Say, their great enemy is gone, and they
Stand in their ancient strength.

Bru.

Bid them home:

Dismiss them home. [Exit Edile.

Keep on your way.

Vol. O you're well met: The hoarded plague

o' the gods

Requite your love!

Men.

Peace, peace: be not so loud. Vol. If that I could for weeping, you should

hear,

Nay, and you shall hear some.-Will you be

gone?

[To BRUTUS.

Vir. You shall stay too: [To SIC.] I would, I had the power To say so to my husband.

Sic.

Are you mankind?

Vol. 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?

Sic.

O blessed heavens ! Vol. 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.

Sic.

Vir.

What then?

What then?

He'd make an end of thy posterity.

Vol. Bastards, and all.—

Good man, the wounds that he does bear for Rome!

Men. Come, come, peace.

Sic. I would, he had continu'd to his country, As he began; and not unknit himself

The noble knot he made.

Bru.

I would he had.

Vol. I would he had! 'Twas you incens'd 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.

Bru.

Pray, let us go.

Vol. 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
Bru. Well, well, we'll leave you.
Sie.

you

all.

Why stay we to be baited

With one that wants her wits?

Vol.

Take my prayers with you.

I would the gods had nothing else to do,

[Exeunt Tribunes.

But to confirm my curses! Could I meet them But once a day, it would unclog my heart

Of what lies heavy to 't.

Men. You have told them home, And, by my troth, you have cause. You'll sup with me?

Vol. Anger's my meat; I sup upon myself, And so shall starve with feeding.-Come, let's

go;

Leave this faint puling, and lament as I do,
In anger, Juno-like. Come, come, come.
Men. Fye, fye, fye!

SCENE III.

[Exeunt.

A Highway between Rome and Antium.

Enter a Roman and a Volce, meeting. Rom. I know you well, sir, and you know me: your name, I think, is Adrian.'

Vol. It is so sir: truly, I have forgot you. Rom. I am a Roman; and my services are, as you are, against them: Know you me yet? Vol. Nicanor? No.

Rom. The same, sir.

Vol. You had more beard, when I last saw you; but your favour is well appayed by your tongue. What's the news in Rome? I have a note from the Volcian state, to find you out there: You have well saved me a day's journey.

Rom. There hath been in Rome strange insurrection: the people against the senators, patricians, and nobles.

Vol. Hath been! Is it ended then? Our state thinks not so; they are in a most warlike preparation, and hope to come upon them in the heat of their division.

Rom. The main blaze of it is past, but a small thing would make it flame again. For the nobles receive so to heart the banishment of that worthy Coriolanus, that they are in a ripe aptness, to take all power from the people, and to pluck from them their tribunes for ever. This lies glowing, I can tell you, and is almost mature for the violent breaking out.

Vol. Coriolanus banished?

Rom. Banished, sir.

Vol. You will be welcome with this intelligence, Nicanor.

Rom. The day serves well for them now. I