For his private friends: his answer to me was,
He could not stay to pick them in a pile

Of noisome, musty chaff. He said, 't was folly,

For one poor grain or two, to leave unburnt,

And still to nose th' offence.

Men.

For one poor grain or two?

I am one of those; his mother, wife, his child,

And this brave fellow too; we are the grains:
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-needed help, yet do not

Upbraid's 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.

Sic. Pray you, go to him.
Men. What should I do?

No; I'll not meddle.

Bru. Only make trial what your love can do

For Rome towards Marcius.

Men.

Well; and say that Marcius

Return me, as Cominius is return'd,

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 din'd:

The veins unfill'd, our blood is cold, and then
We pout upon the morning, are unapt

To give or to forgive; but when we have stuff'd
These pipes and these conveyances of our blood

With wine and feeding, we have suppler souls

Than in our priest-like 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,

Speed how it will. I shall ere long have knowledge
Of my success.

Com.

Sic.

He 'll never hear him.

Not?

Com. I tell you, he does sit in gold, his eye

Red as 't would burn Rome, and his injury
The gaoler to his pity. I kneel'd before him;
'T was very faintly he said, "Rise;" dismiss'd 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:

[Exit.

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,

[Exeunt.

And with our fair entreaties haste them on.

SCENE II.

The Volscian Camp before Rome. The Guards at their Stations.

Enter to them, MENENIUS.

1 G. Stay! Whence are you?

2 G.

Stand, and go back.

Men. You guard like men: 'tis well; but, by your leave,

I am an officer of state, and come

To speak with Coriolanus.

2 G. You'll see your Rome embrac'd 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 touch'd your ears: it is Menenius.

1 G. Be it so; go back: the virtue of your name

Thy general is my lover: I have been

The book of his good acts, whence men have read

His fame unparallel'd, 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 stamp'd the leasing. Therefore, fellow,
I must have leave to pass.

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 grates 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 at 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: behold 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! O, 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 Lowe

My revenge properly, my remission lies

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

Than pity note how much. - Therefore, begone:
Mine ears against your suits are stronger than
Your gates against my force. Yet, for I lov'd thee,
Take this along; I writ it for thy sake,

[Gives a Paper.

And would have sent it.

Another word, Menenius,
This man, Aufidius,
yet thou behold'st -

I will not hear thee speak.

Was my belov'd in Rome;
Auf. You keep a constant temper.

[Exeunt CORIOLANUS and AUFIDIUS.

1G. 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.

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 Volscian lords, how plainly
I have borne this business.

Auf.

Only their ends

You have respected; stopp'd your ears against

[Exeunt.