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thee service。 AUFIDIUS。 O Marcius； Marcius！ Each word thou hast spoke
hath weeded from my heart A root of ancient envy。 If Jupiter Should from
yond cloud speak divine things； And say ''Tis true；' I'd not believe them
more Than thee； all noble Marcius。 Let me twine Mine arms about that
body； where against My grained ash an hundred times hath broke And
scarr'd the moon with splinters； here I clip The anvil of my sword； and do
contest 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 Sigh'd truer breath； but that I see thee here； Thou noble thing；
more dances my rapt 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 mine 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
other 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'erbeat。 O； come； go in； And take our
friendly senators by th' hands； Who now are here； taking their leaves of me
Who am prepar'd against your territories； Though not for Rome itself。
CORIOLANUS。 You bless me； gods！ AUFIDIUS。 Therefore； most
absolute sir； if thou wilt have The leading of thine own revenges； take Th'
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 ways；
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Whether to knock against the gates of Rome； 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； Yet； Marcius； that was much。 Your hand；
most welcome！ Exeunt CORIOLANUS and AUFIDIUS
The two SERVINGMEN come forward
FIRST SERVANT。 Here's a strange alteration！ SECOND SERVANT。
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。 FIRST SERVANT。
What an arm he has！ He turn'd me about with his
finger and his thumb； as one would set up a top。 SECOND
SERVANT。 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。 FIRST
SERVANT。 He had so； looking as it were… Would I were hang'd； but I
thought there was more in him than I could think。 SECOND SERVANT。
So did I； I'll be sworn。 He is simply the rarest man i' th' world。 FIRST
SERVANT。 I think he is； but a greater soldier than he you wot on。
SECOND SERVANT。 Who； my master？ FIRST SERVANT。 Nay； it's no
matter for that。 SECOND SERVANT。 Worth six on him。 FIRST
SERVANT。 Nay； not so neither； but I take him to be the greater soldier。
SECOND SERVANT。 Faith； look you； one cannot tell how to say that； for
the defence of a town our general is excellent。 FIRST SERVANT。 Ay； and
for an assault too。
Re…enter the third SERVINGMAN
THIRD SERVANT。 O slaves； I can tell you news… news； you rascals！
BOTH。 What； what； what？ Let's partake。 THIRD SERVANT。 I would not
be a Roman； of all nations； I had as lief be a condemn'd man。 BOTH。
Wherefore？ wherefore？ THIRD SERVANT。 Why； here's he that was wont
to thwack our general… Caius Marcius。 FIRST SERVANT。 Why do you say
'thwack our general'？ THIRD SERVANT。 I do not say 'thwack our
general；' but he was always good enough for him。 SECOND SERVANT。
Come； we are fellows and friends。 He was ever too hard for him； I have
heard him say so himself。 FIRST SERVANT。 He was too hard for him
directly； to say the troth on't； before Corioli he scotch'd him and notch'd
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him like a carbonado。 SECOND SERVANT。 An he had been cannibally
given； he might have broil'd and eaten him too。 FIRST SERVANT。 But
more of thy news！ THIRD SERVANT。 Why； he is so made on here within
as if he were son and heir to Mars； set at upper end o' th' 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' th' eye to his discourse。 But the bottom of the
news is； our general is cut i' th' 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 sowl the porter of Rome gates by th' ears； he
will mow all down before him； and leave his passage poll'd。 SECOND
SERVANT。 And he's as like to do't as any man I can imagine。 THIRD
SERVANT。 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… show
themselves； as we term it； his friends； whilst he's in directitude。 FIRST
SERVANT。 Directitude？ What's that？ THIRD SERVANT。 But when they
shall see； sir； his crest up again and the man in blood； they will out of their
burrows； like conies after rain； and revel all with him。 FIRST SERVANT。
But when goes this forward？ THIRD SERVANT。 To…morrow； to…day；
presently。 You shall have the drum struck up this afternoon； 'tis as it were
parcel of their feast； and to be executed ere they wipe their lips。 SECOND
SERVANT。 Why； then we shall have a stirring world again。 This peace is
nothing but to rust iron； increase tailors； and breed ballad…makers。 FIRST
SERVANT。 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； mull'd； deaf； sleepy； insensible； a getter of more
bastard children than war's a destroyer of men。 SECOND SERVANT。 'Tis
so； and as war in some sort may be said to be a ravisher； so it cannot be
denied but peace is a great maker of cuckolds。 FIRST SERVANT。 Ay； and
it makes men hate one another。 THIRD SERVANT。 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。 BOTH。 In； in； in； in！
Exeunt
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SCENE VI。 Rome。 A public place
Enter the two Tribunes； SICINIUS and BRUTUS
SICINIUS。 We hear not of him； neither need we fear him。 His
remedies are tame。 The present peace And quietness of the people； which
before Were in wild hurry； here do make his friends Blush that the world
goes well； who rather had； Though they themselves did suffer by't； behold
Dissentious numbers pest'ring streets than see Our tradesmen singing in
their shops； and going About their functions friendly。
Enter MENENIUS
BRUTUS。 We stood to't in good time。 Is this Menenius？ SICINIUS。
'Tis he； 'tis he。 O； he is grown most kind Of late。 Hail； sir！ MENENIUS。
Hail to you both！ SICINIUS。 Your Coriolanus is not much miss'd But with
his friends。 The commonwealth doth stand； And so would do； were he
more angry at it。 MENENIUS。 All's well； and might have been much
better He could have temporiz'd。 SICINIUS。 Where is he； hear you？
MENENIUS。 Nay； I hear nothing； his mother and his wife Hear nothing
from him。
Enter three or four citizens CITIZENS。 The gods preserve you both！
SICINIUS。 God…den； our neighbours。 BRUTUS。 God…den to you all； god…
den to you all。 FIRST CITIZEN。 Ourselves； our wives； and children； on
our knees Are bound to pray for you bo