Guard upon Duty:
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.
1. G.
From whence?
Men.
From Rome.
-- 109 --
1. G.
You may not pass, you must return: our general
Will no more hear from thence.
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
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 unparallel'd, haply, amplify'd.
For I have ever verify'd14Q1009 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 tumbl'd 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 utter'd words in your own, you
should not pass here: no, though it were as virtuous to
lie, as to live chastly. 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 din'd, can'st thou tell? for I would not
speak with him 'till after dinner.
-- 110 --
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 push'd out of your gates the very
defender of them, and, in a violent popular ignorance,
given your enemy your shield, think to front note his revenges
with the easy groans of old women, the virginal
palms of your daughters, or with the palsy'd intercession
of such a decay'd dotant note 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
deceiv'd; therefore, back to Rome, and prepare for your
execution: you are condemn'd, our general has sworn
you out of reprieve and pardon.
Men.
Sirrah, if thy captain note knew I were here, he would
use me with estimation.
1. 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, by my note 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
-- 111 --
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 note 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 deny'd 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 prison note, 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 lov'd thee,
Take this &dagger2; along; I writ it for thy sake,
And would have sent it. Another word, Menenius,
I will not hear thee speak.—This man, Aufidius,
Was my belov'd in Rome: yet thou behold'st:
Auf.
You keep a constant temper.
[Exeunt Coriolanus, and Aufidius.
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 th'world, nor your general: for
-- 112 --
such things as you, I scarce think there's any, you're 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.
[Exeunt.
Edward Capell [1767], Mr William Shakespeare his comedies, histories, and tragedies, set out by himself in quarto, or by the Players his Fellows in folio, and now faithfully republish'd from those Editions in ten Volumes octavo; with an introduction: Whereunto will be added, in some other Volumes, notes, critical and explanatory, and a Body of Various Readings entire (Printed by Dryden Leach, for J. and R. Tonson [etc.], London) [word count] [S10601].
