SCENE I. Rome. Before a gate of the city. The Tragedy of Coriolanus  Shakespeare homepage  |  Coriolanus  | Act 4, Scene 1 

 Previous scene  |  Next scene  SCENE I. Rome. Before a gate of the city. 

 Enter CORIOLANUS, VOLUMNIA, VIRGILIA, MENENIUS, COMINIUS, with the young Nobility of Rome  CORIOLANUS  Come, leave your tears: a brief farewell: the beast 

 With many heads butts me away. Nay, mother, 

 Where is your ancient courage? you were used 

 To say extremity was the trier of spirits; 

 That common chances common men could bear; 

 That when the sea was calm all boats alike 

 Show'd mastership in floating; fortune's blows, 

 When most struck home, being gentle wounded, craves 

 A noble cunning: you were used to load me 

 With precepts that would make invincible 

 The heart that conn'd them. 

 VIRGILIA  O heavens! O heavens! 

 CORIOLANUS  Nay! prithee, woman,-- 

 VOLUMNIA  Now the red pestilence strike all trades in Rome, 

 And occupations perish! 

 CORIOLANUS  What, what, what! 

 I shall be loved when I am lack'd. Nay, mother. 

 Resume that spirit, when you were wont to say, 

 If you had been the wife of Hercules, 

 Six of his labours you'ld have done, and saved 

 Your husband so much sweat. Cominius, 

 Droop not; adieu. Farewell, my wife, my mother: 

 I'll do well yet. Thou old and true Menenius, 

 Thy tears are salter than a younger man's, 

 And venomous to thine eyes. My sometime general, 

 I have seen thee stem, and thou hast oft beheld 

 Heart-hardening spectacles; tell these sad women 

 'Tis fond to wail inevitable strokes, 

 As 'tis to laugh at 'em. My mother, you wot well 

 My hazards still have been your solace: and 

 Believe't not lightly--though I go alone, 

 Like to a lonely dragon, that his fen 

 Makes fear'd and talk'd of more than seen--your son 

 Will or exceed the common or be caught 

 With cautelous baits and practise. 

 VOLUMNIA  My first son. 

 Whither wilt thou go? Take good Cominius 

 With thee awhile: determine on some course, 

 More than a wild exposture to each chance 

 That starts i' the way before thee. 

 CORIOLANUS  O the gods! 

 COMINIUS  I'll follow thee a month, devise with thee 

 Where thou shalt rest, that thou mayst hear of us 

 And we of thee: so if the time thrust forth 

 A cause for thy repeal, we shall not send 

 O'er the vast world to seek a single man, 

 And lose advantage, which doth ever cool 

 I' the absence of the needer. 

 CORIOLANUS  Fare ye well: 

 Thou hast years upon thee; and thou art too full 

 Of the wars' surfeits, to go rove with one 

 That's yet unbruised: bring me but out at gate. 

 Come, my sweet wife, my dearest mother, and 

 My friends of noble touch, when I am forth, 

 Bid me farewell, and smile. I pray you, come. 

 While I remain above the ground, you shall 

 Hear from me still, and never of me aught 

 But what is like me formerly. 

 MENENIUS  That's worthily 

 As any ear can hear. Come, let's not weep. 

 If I could shake off but one seven years 

 From these old arms and legs, by the good gods, 

 I'ld with thee every foot. 

 CORIOLANUS  Give me thy hand: Come. 



 Exeunt  Shakespeare homepage  |  Coriolanus  | Act 4, Scene 1 

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