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den to you all。 FIRST CITIZEN。 Ourselves； our wives； and children； on
our knees Are bound to pray for you both。 SICINIUS。 Live and thrive！
BRUTUS。 Farewell； kind neighbours； we wish'd Coriolanus Had lov'd you
as we did。 CITIZENS。 Now the gods keep you！ BOTH TRIBUNES。
Farewell； farewell。 Exeunt citizens
SICINIUS。 This is a happier and more comely time Than when these
fellows ran about the streets Crying confusion。 BRUTUS。 Caius Marcius
was A worthy officer i' the war； but insolent； O'ercome with pride；
ambitious past all thinking； Self…loving… SICINIUS。 And affecting one sole
throne； Without assistance。 MENENIUS。 I think not so。 SICINIUS。 We
should by this； to all our lamentation； If he had gone forth consul； found it
so。 BRUTUS。 The gods have well prevented it； and Rome Sits safe and
still without him。
Enter an AEDILE
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AEDILE。 Worthy tribunes； There is a slave； whom we have put in
prison； Reports the Volsces with several powers Are ent'red in the Roman
territories； And with the deepest malice of the war Destroy what lies
before 'em。 MENENIUS。 'Tis Aufidius； Who； hearing of our Marcius'
banishment； Thrusts forth his horns again into the world； Which were
inshell'd when Marcius stood for Rome； And durst not once peep out。
SICINIUS。 Come； what talk you of Marcius？ BRUTUS。 Go see this
rumourer whipp'd。 It cannot be The Volsces dare break with us。
MENENIUS。 Cannot be！ We have record that very well it can； And three
examples of the like hath been Within my age。 But reason with the fellow
Before you punish him； where he heard this； Lest you shall chance to whip
your information And beat the messenger who bids beware Of what is to
be dreaded。 SICINIUS。 Tell not me。 I know this cannot be。 BRUTUS。 Not
possible。
Enter A MESSENGER
MESSENGER。 The nobles in great earnestness are going All to the
Senate House； some news is come That turns their countenances。
SICINIUS。 'Tis this slave… Go whip him fore the people's eyes… his raising；
Nothing but his report。 MESSENGER。 Yes； worthy sir； The slave's report
is seconded； and more； More fearful； is deliver'd。 SICINIUS。 What more
fearful？ MESSENGER。 It is spoke freely out of many mouths… How
probable I do not know… that Marcius； Join'd with Aufidius； leads a power
'gainst Rome； And vows revenge as spacious as between The young'st and
oldest thing。 SICINIUS。 This is most likely！ BRUTUS。 Rais'd only that
the weaker sort may wish Good Marcius home again。 SICINIUS。 The very
trick on 't。 MENENIUS。 This is unlikely。 He and Aufidius can no more
atone Than violent'st contrariety。
Enter a second MESSENGER
SECOND MESSENGER。 You are sent for to the Senate。 A fearful
army； led by Caius Marcius Associated with Aufidius； rages Upon our
territories； and have already O'erborne their way； consum'd with fire and
took What lay before them。
Enter COMINIUS
COMINIUS。 O； you have made good work！ MENENIUS。 What news？
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what news？ COMINIUS。 You have holp to ravish your own daughters and
To melt the city leads upon your pates； To see your wives dishonour'd to
your noses… MENENIUS。 What's the news？ What's the news？ COMINIUS。
Your temples burned in their cement； and Your franchises； whereon you
stood； confin'd Into an auger's bore。 MENENIUS。 Pray now； your news？
You have made fair work； I fear me。 Pray； your news。 If Marcius should be
join'd wi' th' Volscians… COMINIUS。 If！ 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。 MENENIUS。 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！ COMINIUS。
He'll shake Your Rome about your ears。 MENENIUS。 As Hercules Did
shake down mellow fruit。 You have made fair work！ BRUTUS。 But is this
true； sir？ COMINIUS。 Ay； and you'll look pale Before you find it other。
All the regions Do smilingly revolt； and who resists Are mock'd for valiant
ignorance； And perish constant fools。 Who is't can blame him？ Your
enemies and his find something in him。 MENENIUS。 We are all undone
unless The noble man have mercy。 COMINIUS。 Who shall ask it？ The
tribunes cannot do't for shame； the people Deserve such pity of him as the
wolf Does of the shepherds； for his best friends； if they Should say 'Be
good to Rome'… they charg'd him even As those should do that had
deserv'd his hate； And therein show'd like enemies。 MENENIUS。 'Tis true；
If he were putting to my house the brand That should consume it； I have
not the face To say 'Beseech you； cease。' You have made fair hands； You
and your crafts！ You have crafted fair！ COMINIUS。 You have brought A
trembling upon Rome； such as was never So incapable of help。 BOTH
TRIBUNES。 Say not we brought it。 MENENIUS。 How！ Was't we？ We
lov'd him； but； like beasts And cowardly nobles； gave way unto your
clusters； Who did hoot him out o' th' city。 COMINIUS。 But I fear They'll
roar him in again。 Tullus Aufidius； The second name of men； obeys his
points As if he were his officer。 Desperation Is all the policy； strength； and
defence； That Rome can make against them。
Enter a troop of citizens
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MENENIUS。 Here comes the clusters。 And is Aufidius with him？
You are they That made the air unwholesome when you cast Your stinking
greasy caps in hooting at Coriolanus' exile。 Now he's coming； And not a
hair upon a soldier's head Which will not prove a whip； as many
coxcombs As you threw caps up will he tumble down； And pay you for
your voices。 'Tis no matter； If he could burn us all into one coal We have
deserv'd it。 PLEBEIANS。 Faith； we hear fearful news。 FIRST CITIZEN。
For mine own part； When I said banish him； I said 'twas pity。 SECOND
CITIZEN。 And so did I。 THIRD CITIZEN。 And so did I； and； to say the
truth； so did very many of us。 That we did； we did for the best； and though
we willingly consented to his banishment； yet it was against our will。
COMINIUS。 Y'are goodly things； you voices！ MENENIUS。 You have
made Good work； you and your cry！ Shall's to the Capitol？ COMINIUS。
O； ay； what else？ Exeunt COMINIUS and MENENIUS SICINIUS。 Go；
masters； get you home； be not dismay'd； These are a side that would be
glad to have This true which they so seem to fear。 Go home； And show no
sign of fear。 FIRST CITIZEN。 The gods be good to us！ Come； masters；
let's home。 I ever said we were i' th' wrong when we banish'd him。
SECOND CITIZEN。 So did we all。 But come； let's home。 Exeunt citizens
BRUTUS。 I do not like this news。 SICINIUS。 Nor I。 BRUTUS。 Let's to
the Capitol。 Would half my wealth Would buy this for a lie！ SICINIUS。
Pray let's go。 Exeunt
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SCENE VII。 A camp at a short distance from Rome
Enter AUFIDIUS with his LIEUTENANT
AUFIDIUS。 Do they still fly to th' Roman？ LIEUTENANT。 I do not
know what witchcraft's in him； but Your soldiers use him as the grace fore
meat； Their talk at table； and their thanks at end； And you are dark'ned in
this action； sir； Even by your own。 AUFIDIUS。 I cannot help it now；
Unless by using means I lame the foot Of our design。 He bears himself
more proudlier； Even to my person； than I thought he would When first I
did embrace him； yet his nature In that's no changeling； and I must excuse
What cannot be amended。 LIEUTENANT。 Yet I wish； sir… I mean； for your
particular… you had not Join'd in commission with him； but either Had
borne the action of yourself； or else To him had left it solely。