SCENE III. A highway between Rome and Antium. The Tragedy of Coriolanus  Shakespeare homepage  |  Coriolanus  | Act 4, Scene 3 

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 Enter a Roman and a Volsce, meeting  Roman  I know you well, sir, and you know 

 me: your name, I think, is Adrian. 

 Volsce  It is so, sir: truly, I have forgot you. 

 Roman  I am a Roman; and my services are, 

 as you are, against 'em: know you me yet? 

 Volsce  Nicanor? no. 

 Roman  The same, sir. 

 Volsce  You had more beard when I last saw you; but your 

 favour is well approved by your tongue. What's the 

 news in Rome? I have a note from the Volscian state, 

 to find you out there: you have well saved me a 

 day's journey. 

 Roman  There hath been in Rome strange insurrections; the 

 people against the senators, patricians, and nobles. 

 Volsce  Hath been! is it ended, then? Our state thinks not 

 so: they are in a most warlike preparation, and 

 hope to come upon them in the heat of their division. 

 Roman  The main blaze of it is past, but a small thing 

 would make it flame again: for the nobles receive 

 so to heart the banishment of that worthy 

 Coriolanus, that they are in a ripe aptness to take 

 all power from the people and to pluck from them 

 their tribunes for ever. This lies glowing, I can 

 tell you, and is almost mature for the violent 

 breaking out. 

 Volsce  Coriolanus banished! 

 Roman  Banished, sir. 

 Volsce  You will be welcome with this intelligence, Nicanor. 

 Roman  The day serves well for them now. I have heard it 

 said, the fittest time to corrupt a man's wife is 

 when she's fallen out with her husband. Your noble 

 Tullus Aufidius will appear well in these wars, his 

 great opposer, Coriolanus, being now in no request 

 of his country. 

 Volsce  He cannot choose. I am most fortunate, thus 

 accidentally to encounter you: you have ended my 

 business, and I will merrily accompany you home. 

 Roman  I shall, between this and supper, tell you most 

 strange things from Rome; all tending to the good of 

 their adversaries. Have you an army ready, say you? 

 Volsce  A most royal one; the centurions and their charges, 

 distinctly billeted, already in the entertainment, 

 and to be on foot at an hour's warning. 

 Roman  I am joyful to hear of their readiness, and am the 

 man, I think, that shall set them in present action. 

 So, sir, heartily well met, and most glad of your company. 

 Volsce  You take my part from me, sir; I have the most cause 

 to be glad of yours. 

 Roman  Well, let us go together. 



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