SCENE II. Entrance of the Volscian camp before Rome. The Tragedy of Coriolanus  Shakespeare homepage  |  Coriolanus  | Act 5, Scene 2 

 Previous scene  |  Next scene  SCENE II. Entrance of the Volscian camp before Rome.  Two Sentinels on guard. 



 Enter to them, MENENIUS  First Senator  Stay: whence are you? 

 Second Senator  Stand, and go back. 

 MENENIUS  You guard like men; 'tis well: but, by your leave, 

 I am an officer of state, and come 

 To speak with Coriolanus. 

 First Senator  From whence? 

 MENENIUS  From Rome. 

 First Senator  You may not pass, you must return: our general 

 Will no more hear from thence. 

 Second Senator  You'll see your Rome embraced with fire before 

 You'll speak with Coriolanus. 

 MENENIUS  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. 

 First Senator  Be it so; go back: the virtue of your name 

 Is not here passable. 

 MENENIUS  I tell thee, fellow, 

 The general is my lover: I have been 

 The book of his good acts, whence men have read 

 His name unparallel'd, haply amplified; 

 For I have ever verified 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 tumbled past the throw; and in his praise 

 Have almost stamp'd the leasing: therefore, fellow, 

 I must have leave to pass. 

 First Senator  Faith, sir, if you had told as many lies in his 

 behalf as you have uttered words in your own, you 

 should not pass here; no, though it were as virtuous 

 to lie as to live chastely. Therefore, go back. 

 MENENIUS  Prithee, fellow, remember my name is Menenius, 

 always factionary on the party of your general. 

 Second Senator  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. 

 MENENIUS  Has he dined, canst thou tell? for I would not 

 speak with him till after dinner. 

 First Senator  You are a Roman, are you? 

 MENENIUS  I am, as thy general is. 

 First Senator  Then you should hate Rome, as he does. Can you, 

 when you have pushed out your gates the very 

 defender of them, and, in a violent popular 

 ignorance, given your enemy your shield, think to 

 front his revenges with the easy groans of old 

 women, the virginal palms of your daughters, or with 

 the palsied intercession of such a decayed dotant 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 deceived; 

 therefore, back to Rome, and prepare for your 

 execution: you are condemned, our general has sworn 

 you out of reprieve and pardon. 

 MENENIUS  Sirrah, if thy captain knew I were here, he would 

 use me with estimation. 

 Second Senator  Come, my captain knows you not. 

 MENENIUS  I mean, thy general. 

 First Senator  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. 

 MENENIUS  Nay, but, fellow, fellow,-- 



 Enter CORIOLANUS and AUFIDIUS  CORIOLANUS  What's the matter? 

 MENENIUS  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, but by my entertainment 

 with him, if thou standest 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. 



 To CORIOLANUS  The glorious gods sit in hourly synod about thy 

 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 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 denied my 

 access to thee. 

 CORIOLANUS  Away! 

 MENENIUS  How! away! 

 CORIOLANUS  Wife, mother, child, I know not. My affairs 

 Are servanted to others: though I owe 

 My revenge properly, my remission lies 

 In Volscian breasts. That we have been familiar, 

 Ingrate forgetfulness shall poison, 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 loved thee, 

 Take this along; I writ it for thy sake 



 Gives a letter  And would have rent it. Another word, Menenius, 

 I will not hear thee speak. This man, Aufidius, 

 Was my beloved in Rome: yet thou behold'st! 

 AUFIDIUS  You keep a constant temper. 



 Exeunt CORIOLANUS and AUFIDIUS  First Senator  Now, sir, is your name Menenius? 

 Second Senator  'Tis a spell, you see, of much  power: you know the 

 way home again. 

 First Senator  Do you hear how we are shent for keeping your 

 greatness back? 

 Second Senator  What cause, do you think, I have to swoon? 

 MENENIUS  I neither care for the world nor your general: for 

 such things as you, I can scarce think there's any, 

 ye'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  First Senator  A noble fellow, I warrant him. 

 Second Senator  The worthy fellow is our general: he's the rock, the 

 oak not to be wind-shaken. 



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