SCENE IV. Rome. A public place. The Tragedy of Coriolanus  Shakespeare homepage  |  Coriolanus  | Act 5, Scene 4 

 Previous scene  |  Next scene  SCENE IV. Rome. A public place. 

 Enter MENENIUS and SICINIUS  MENENIUS  See you yond coign o' the Capitol, yond 

 corner-stone? 

 SICINIUS  Why, what of that? 

 MENENIUS  If it be possible for you to displace it with your 

 little finger, there is some hope the ladies of 

 Rome, especially his mother, may prevail with him. 

 But I say there is no hope in't: our throats are 

 sentenced and stay upon execution. 

 SICINIUS  Is't possible that so short a time can alter the 

 condition of a man! 

 MENENIUS  There is differency between a grub and a butterfly; 

 yet your butterfly was a grub. This Marcius is grown 

 from man to dragon: he has wings; he's more than a 

 creeping thing. 

 SICINIUS  He loved his mother dearly. 

 MENENIUS  So did he me: and he no more remembers his mother 

 now than an eight-year-old horse. The tartness 

 of his face sours ripe grapes: when he walks, he 

 moves like an engine, and the ground shrinks before 

 his treading: he is able to pierce a corslet with 

 his eye; talks like a knell, and his hum is a 

 battery. He sits in his state, as a thing made for 

 Alexander. What he bids be done is finished with 

 his bidding. He wants nothing of a god but eternity 

 and a heaven to throne in. 

 SICINIUS  Yes, mercy, if you report him truly. 

 MENENIUS  I paint him in the character. Mark what mercy his 

 mother shall bring from him: there is no more mercy 

 in him than there is milk in a male tiger; that 

 shall our poor city find: and all this is long of 

 you. 

 SICINIUS  The gods be good unto us! 

 MENENIUS  No, in such a case the gods will not be good unto 

 us. When we banished him, we respected not them; 

 and, he returning to break our necks, they respect not us. 



 Enter a Messenger  Messenger  Sir, if you'ld save your life, fly to your house: 

 The plebeians have got your fellow-tribune 

 And hale him up and down, all swearing, if 

 The Roman ladies bring not comfort home, 

 They'll give him death by inches. 



 Enter a second Messenger  SICINIUS  What's the news? 

 Second Messenger  Good news, good news; the ladies have prevail'd, 

 The Volscians are dislodged, and Marcius gone: 

 A merrier day did never yet greet Rome, 

 No, not the expulsion of the Tarquins. 

 SICINIUS  Friend, 

 Art thou certain this is true? is it most certain? 

 Second Messenger  As certain as I know the sun is fire: 

 Where have you lurk'd, that you make doubt of it? 

 Ne'er through an arch so hurried the blown tide, 

 As the recomforted through the gates. Why, hark you! 



 Trumpets; hautboys; drums beat; all together  The trumpets, sackbuts, psalteries and fifes, 

 Tabours and cymbals and the shouting Romans, 

 Make the sun dance. Hark you! 



 A shout within  MENENIUS  This is good news: 

 I will go meet the ladies. This Volumnia 

 Is worth of consuls, senators, patricians, 

 A city full; of tribunes, such as you, 

 A sea and land full. You have pray'd well to-day: 

 This morning for ten thousand of your throats 

 I'd not have given a doit. Hark, how they joy! 



 Music still, with shouts  SICINIUS  First, the gods bless you for your tidings; next, 

 Accept my thankfulness. 

 Second Messenger  Sir, we have all 

 Great cause to give great thanks. 

 SICINIUS  They are near the city? 

 Second Messenger  Almost at point to enter. 

 SICINIUS  We will meet them, 

 And help the joy. 



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