SCENE II.

A ROOM IN CORIOLANUS'S HOUSE.

Enter Coriolanus, and Patricians.

Cor. Let them pull all about mine ears; present

me

Death on the wheel, or at wild horses' heels;
Or pile ten hills on the Tarpeian rock,
That the precipitation might down stretch
Below the beam of sight, yet will I still
Be thus to them.

1 Pat.

Enter Volumnia.

You do the nobler.

Cor. I muse, my mother

Does not approve me further, who was wont
To call them woollen vassals, things created
To buy and sell with groats; to show bare heads
In congregations, to yawn, be still, and wonder,
When one but of my ordinance stood up

To speak of peace, or war.

I talk of you;

[To Volumnia.

Why did you wish me milder? Would you have me False to my nature? Rather say, I play

I would have had you put your power well on,
Before you had worn it out.

Cor.

Let go.

Vol. You might have been enough the man you

are,

With striving less to be so: Lesser had been
The thwartings of your dispositions, if

You had not show'd them how you were dispos'd
Ere they lack'd power to cross you.

Cor.

Vol. Ay, and burn too.

Let them hang.

Enter Menenius, and Senators.

Men. Come, come, you have been too rough,

something too rough;

You must return, and mend it.

1 Sen.

Unless, by not so doing, our good city

Cleave in the midst, and perish.

Vol.

There's no remedy;

Pray, be counsel'd:

I have a heart as little apt as yours,

But yet a brain, that leads my use of anger,

To better vantage.

Men.

Well said, noble woman:

Before he should thus stoop to the herd, but that The violent fit o' the time craves it as physick For the whole state, I would put mine armour on, Which I can scarcely bear.

Cor. For them?-I cannot do it to the gods;

Must I then do't to them?

Vol.

You are too absolute;

Though therein you can never be too noble,
But when extremities speak. I have heard you say,
Honour and policy, like unsever'd friends,

I' the war do grow together: Grant that, and tell

me,

In peace, what each of them by th' other lose,
That they combine not there.

Cor.

Men.

Tush, tush!

A good demand.

Vol. If it be honour, in your wars, to seem
The same you are not, (which, for your best ends,
You adopt your policy,) how is it less, or worse,
That it shall hold companionship in peace

With honour, as in war; since that to both
It stands in like request?

Cor.

Why force you this?

Vol. Because that now it lies you on to speak

To the people; not by your own instruction,

Nor by the matter which your heart prompts you

to,

But with such words that are but roted in

Your tongue, though but bastards, and syllables
Of no allowance, to your bosom's truth.
Now, this no more dishonours you at all,
Than to take in a town with gentle words,
Which else would put you to your fortune, and
The hazard of much blood.-

I would dissemble with my nature, where
My fortunes, and my friends, at stake, requir'd,
I should do so in honour: I am in this,
Your wife, your son, these senators, the nobles;

And

you

will rather show our general lowts How you can frown, than spend a fawn upon them, For the inheritance of their loves, and safeguard Of what that want might ruin.

Men.

Noble lady!

Come, go with us; speak fair: you may salve so, Not what is dangerous present, but the loss

Of what is past.

Vol.

I pr'ythee now, my son,

Go to them, with this bonnet in thy hand;

And thus far having stretch'd it, (here be with them,)

Thy knee bussing the stones, (for in such business Action is eloquence, and the eyes of the ignorant More learned than the ears,) waving thy head, Which often, thus, correcting thy stout heart, Now humble, as the ripest mulberry,

That will not hold the handling: Or, say to them, Thou art their soldier, and being bred in broils, Hast not the soft way, which, thou dost confess, Were fit for thee to use, as they to claim,

In asking their good loves; but thou wilt frame Thyself, forsooth, hereafter theirs, so far

As thou hast power, and person.

Men.

This but done,

Even as she speaks, why, all their hearts were

yours:

For they have pardons, being ask'd, as free

As words to little purpose.

Vol.

Pr'ythee now,

Go, and be rul'd: although, I know, thou had'st

rather

G

Follow thine enemy in a fiery gulf,

Than flatter him in a bower.

Here is Cominius.

Enter Cominius.

Com. I have been i' the market-place: and, sir,

'tis fit

You make strong party, or defend yourself
By calmness, or by absence; all's in anger.
Men. Only fair speech.

Com.

I think, 'twill serve, if he

He must, and will:

Can thereto frame his spirit.

Vol

Pr'ythee, now, say, you will, and go about it.

Cor. Must I go show them my unbarb'd sconce? Must I

With my base tongue, give to my noble heart

A lie, that it must bear? Well, I will do't:

Yet were there but this single plot to lose,

This mould of Marcius, they to dust should grind

it,

And throw it against the wind. To the market

place:

You have put me now to such a part, which never I shall discharge to the life.

Com.

Come, come, we'll prompt you.

Vol. I pr'ythee now, sweet son; as thou hast

said,

My praises made thee first a soldier, so,

To have my praise for this, perform a part
Thou hast not done before.

Cor.

Well, I must do't:

Away, my disposition, and possess me