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Coriolanus - Act 4, scene 2
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Coriolanus - Act 4, scene 2Act 4, scene 2
⌜Scene 2⌝
Synopsis:
Meeting the tribunes, Volumnia and Virgilia curse them.
Enter the two Tribunes, Sicinius, and Brutus,with the Aedile.
SICINIUS
2519 Bid them all home. He’s gone, and we’ll no further.
2520 The nobility are vexed, whom we see have sided
2521 In his behalf.
BRUTUS 2522 Now we have shown our power,
2523 5 Let us seem humbler after it is done
2524 Than when it was a-doing.
SICINIUS 2525 Bid them home.
2526 Say their great enemy is gone, and they
2527 Stand in their ancient strength.
BRUTUS 2528 10 Dismiss them home.
⌜Aedile exits.⌝
2529 Here comes his mother.
Enter Volumnia, Virgilia, and Menenius.
SICINIUS 2530 Let’s not meet her.
BRUTUS 2531 Why?
p.
187
SICINIUS
2532
They say she’s mad.BRUTUS
2533 15 They have ta’en note of us. Keep on your way.
VOLUMNIA
2534 O, you’re well met. The hoarded plague o’ th’ gods
2535 Requite your love!
MENENIUS 2536 Peace, peace! Be not so loud.
VOLUMNIA, ⌜to the Tribunes⌝
2537 If that I could for weeping, you should hear—
2538 20 Nay, and you shall hear some. ⌜(To Sicinius.)⌝ Will
2539 you be gone?
VIRGILIA, ⌜to Brutus⌝
2540 You shall stay too. I would I had the power
2541 To say so to my husband.
SICINIUS, ⌜to Volumnia⌝ 2542 Are you mankind?
VOLUMNIA
2543 25 Ay, fool, is that a shame? Note but this, fool.
2544 Was not a man my father? Hadst thou foxship
2545 To banish him that struck more blows for Rome
2546 Than thou hast spoken words?
SICINIUS 2547 O blessèd heavens!
VOLUMNIA
2548 30 More noble blows than ever thou wise words,
2549 And for Rome’s good. I’ll tell thee what—yet go.
2550 Nay, but thou shalt stay too. I would my son
2551 Were in Arabia and thy tribe before him,
2552 His good sword in his hand.
SICINIUS 2553 35 What then?
VIRGILIA 2554 What then?
2555 He’d make an end of thy posterity.
VOLUMNIA 2556 Bastards and all.
2557 Good man, the wounds that he does bear for Rome!
MENENIUS 2558 40Come, come, peace.
SICINIUS
2559 I would he had continued to his country
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189
2560
As he began, and not unknit himself2561 The noble knot he made.
BRUTUS 2562 I would he had.
VOLUMNIA
2563 45 “I would he had”? ’Twas you incensed the rabble.
2564 Cats, that can judge as fitly of his worth
2565 As I can of those mysteries which heaven
2566 Will not have Earth to know.
BRUTUS, ⌜to Sicinius⌝ 2567 Pray, let’s go.
VOLUMNIA 2568 50Now, pray, sir, get you gone.
2569 You have done a brave deed. Ere you go, hear this:
2570 As far as doth the Capitol exceed
2571 The meanest house in Rome, so far my son—
2572 This lady’s husband here, this, do you see?—
2573 55 Whom you have banished, does exceed you all.
BRUTUS
2574 Well, well, we’ll leave you.
SICINIUS 2575 Why stay we to be baited
2576 With one that wants her wits?Tribunes exit.
VOLUMNIA 2577 Take my prayers with
2578 60 you.
2579 I would the gods had nothing else to do
2580 But to confirm my curses. Could I meet ’em
2581 But once a day, it would unclog my heart
2582 Of what lies heavy to ’t.
MENENIUS 2583 65 You have told them home,
2584 And, by my troth, you have cause. You’ll sup with
2585 me?
VOLUMNIA
2586 Anger’s my meat. I sup upon myself
2587 And so shall starve with feeding.
2588 70 ⌜(To Virgilia.)⌝ Come, let’s go.
2589 Leave this faint puling, and lament as I do,
2590 In anger, Juno-like. Come, come, come.They exit.
MENENIUS 2591 Fie, fie, fie!
He exits.