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out at gates； come！ The gods preserve our noble tribunes！ Come。 Exeunt
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ACT IV。
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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 us'd To say extremities 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。 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
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 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 practice。 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' th' way before
thee。 VIRGILIA。 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' th' 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
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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。 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'd with thee every foot。 CORIOLANUS。 Give
me thy hand。 Come。 Exeunt
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SCENE II。 Rome。 A street near the gate
Enter the two Tribunes； SICINIUS and BRUTUS with the 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。
Enter VOLUMNIA； VIRGILIA； and MENENIUS
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。
VOLUMNIA。 O； y'are well met； th' hoarded plague o' th' 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'd 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 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。 BRUTUS。 Pray； let's 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
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does exceed you all。 BRUTUS。 Well； well； we'll leave you。 SICINIUS。
Why stay we to be baited With one that wants her wits？ Exeunt
TRIBUNES VOLUMNIA。 Take my prayers with you。 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； let's go。 Leave this faint puling and lament as I
do； In anger； Juno…like。 Come； come； come。 Exeunt VOLUMNIA and
VIRGILIA MENENIUS。 Fie； fie； fie！ Exit
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SCENE III。 A highway between Rome and Antium
Enter a ROMAN and a VOLSCE； meeting
ROMAN。 I know you well； sir； and you know me； your name； I think；
is Adrian。 VOLSCE。 It is so； sir。 Truly； I have forgot you。 ROMAN。 I am a
Roman； and my services are； as you are； against 'em。 Know you me yet？
VOLSCE。 Nicanor？ No！ ROMAN。 The same； sir。 VOLSCE。 You had
more beard when I last saw you； but your favour is well appear'd by your
tongue。 What's the news in Rome？ I have a note from the Volscian state； to
find you out there。 You have well saved me a day's journey。 ROMAN。
There hath been in Rome strange insurrections： the people against the
senators； patricians； and nobles。 VOLSCE。 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。 ROMAN。 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 peopl