You are the musty chaff; and you are smelt
Above the moon. We must be burnt for you.

Sic. Nay, pray, be patient. If you refuse your aid In this so never-heeded help, yet do not

Upbraid us with our distress. But, sure, if you
Would be your country's pleader, your good tongue,
More than the instant army we can make,

Might stop our countryman.

Men.

No; I'll not meddle.

What should I do?

Bru. Only make trial what your love can do For Rome, towards Marcius.

Men.

Well, and say that Marcius

Return me, as Cominius is returned,
Unheard; what then?-

But as a discontented friend, grief-shot
With his unkindness? Say't be so?

Sic.
Yet your good will
Must have that thanks from Rome, after the measure
As you intended well.

Men.

I think he'll hear me.

I'll undertake it;

Yet to bite his lip,

And hum at good Cominius, much unhearts me.
He was not taken well; he had not dined.
The veins unfilled, our blood is cold, and then
We pout upon the morning, are unapt

To give or to forgive; but when we have stuffed
These pipes and these conveyances of our blood
With wine and feeding, we have suppler souls

Than in our priestlike fasts; therefore I'll watch him
Till he be dieted to my request,

And then I'll set upon him.

Bru. You know the very road into his kindness,

And cannot lose your way.

Men.

Good faith, I'll prove him,

[Exit.

Speed how it will. I shall ere long have knowledge

Com. I tell you he does sit in gold, his eye
Red as 'twould burn Rome; and his injury
The jailer to his pity. I kneeled before him;
'Twas very faintly he said, Rise; dismissed me
Thus, with his speechless hand. What he would do,
He sent in writing after me; what he would not

Bound with an oath, to yield to his conditions:

So, that all hope is vain,

Unless his noble mother, and his wife;

Who, as I hear, mean to solicit him

For mercy to his country. Therefore, let's hence,
And with our fair entreaties haste them on.

[Exeunt.

SCENE II. An advanced post of the Volcian Camp before Rome. The Guard at their stations.

Enter to them, MENENIUS.

1 Guard. Stay; whence are you?

2 G.
Men. You guard like men; 'tis well.
I am an officer of state, and come
To speak with Coriolanus.

1 G.

Men.

Stand, and go back.
But, by your leave,

From whence?

From Rome.

1 G. You may not pass; you must return; our general Will no more hear from thence.

2 G. You'll see your Rome embraced with fire, before You'll speak with Coriolanus.

Men.
Good my friends,
If you have heard your general talk of Rome,
And of his friends there, it is lots to blanks,
My name hath touched your ears; it is Menenius.
1 G. Be it so; go back; the virtue of your name
Is not here passable.

Men.

I tell thee, fellow,
Thy general is my lover. I have been

The book of his good acts, whence men have read
His fame unparalleled, haply, amplified;

For I have ever verified my friends,

(Of whom he's chief,) with all the size that verity
Would without lapsing suffer; nay, sometimes,
Like to a bowl upon a subtle ground,

I have tumbled past the throw; and in his praise
Have, almost, stamped the leasing.

I must have leave to pass.

Therefore, fellow,

1 G. 'Faith, sir, if you had told as many lies in his behalf, as you have uttered words in your own, you should not pass here; no, though it were as virtuous to lie, as to live chastely. Therefore, go back.

Men. Pr'ythee, fellow, remember my name is Menenius, always factionary on the party of your general.

2 G. Howsoever you have been his liar, (as you say, you have,) I am one that, telling true under him, must say you cannot pass. Therefore, go back.

Men. Has he dined, canst thou tell? for I would not speak with him till after dinner.

1 G. You are a Roman, are you?

Men. I am as thy general is.

1 G. Then you should hate Rome, as he does. Can you, when you have pushed out your gates the very defender of them, and, in a violent popular ignorance, given your enemy your shield, think to front his revenges with the easy groans of old women, the virginal palms of your daughters, or with the palsied intercession of such a decayed dotant as you seem to be? Can you think to blow out the intended fire your city is ready to flame in, with such weak breath as this? No, you are deceived; therefore, back to Rome, and prepare for your execution: you are condemned; our general has sworn you out of reprieve and pardon.

Men. Sirrah, if thy captain knew I were here, he would use me with estimation.

2 G. Come, my captain knows you not.

Men. I mean thy general.

1 G. My general cares not for you. Back, I say; go, lest I let forth your half-pint of blood;-back,-that's the utmost of your having;-back.

Men. Nay, but fellow, fellow,

Enter CORIOLANUS and AUFIDIUS.

Cor. What's the matter?

Men. Now, you companion, I'll say an errand for you; you shall know now that I am in estimation; you shall perceive that a Jack guardant cannot office me from my son Coriolanus; guess, but by my entertainment with him, if thou stand'st not i' the state of hanging, or of some death more long in spectatorship, and crueller in suffering. Be hold now presently, and swoon for what's to come upon thee.The glorious gods sit in hourly synod about thy particular prosperity, and love thee no worse than thy old father Menenius does! 0 my son! my son! thou art preparing fire for us; look thee, here's water to quench it. I was hardly moved to come to thee; but being assured, none but myself could move thee, I have been blown out of your gates with sighs; and conjure thee to pardon Rome, and thy petitionary countrymen. The good gods assuage thy wrath, and turn the dregs of it upon this varlet

here; this, who, like a block, hath denied my access to thee.

Cor. Away!

Men. How! away?

Cor. Wife, mother, child, I know not. My affairs Are servanted to others. Though I owe

My revenge properly, my remission lies

In Volcian breasts. That we have been familiar,
Ingrate forgetfulness shall poison, rather

Than pity note how much.-Therefore, be gone.
Mine ears against your suits are stronger than
Your gates against my force. Yet, for I loved thee,
Take this along; I writ it for thy sake, [Gives a letter.
And would have sent it. Another word, Menenius,
I will not hear thee speak.-This man, Aufidius,
Was my beloved in Rome; yet thou behold'st-

Auf. You keep a constant temper. [Exeunt COR. and Aur. 1 G. Now, sir, is your name Menenius?

2 G. 'Tis a spell, you see, of much power. You know the way home again.

1 G. Do you hear how we are shent for keeping your greatness back?

2 G. What cause do you think I have to swoon? Men. I neither care for the world, nor your general; for such things as you, I can scarce think there's any, you are so slight. He that hath a will to die by himself, fears it not from another. Let your general do his worst. For you, be that you are, long; and your misery increase with your age! I say to you, as I was said to, Away. [Exit. 1 G. A noble fellow, I warrant him.

2 G. The worthy fellow is our general. He is the rock, the oak not to be wind-shaken.

SCENE III. The Tent of Coriolanus.

[Exeunt.

Enter CORIOLANUS, AUFIDIUS, and others.

Cor. We will before the walls of Rome to-morrow
Set down our host.-My partner in this action,
You must report to the Volcian lords, how plainly
I have borne this business.

Only their ends

Auf.
You have respected; stopped their ears against
The general suit of Rome; never admitted
A private whisper, no, not with such friends
That thought them sure of you.

Cor.

This last old man,