A room in CORIOLANUS'S house.

CORIOLANUS

Death on the wheel or at wild horses' heels,

Or pile ten hills on the Tarpeian rock,

That the precipitation might down stretch

Below the beam of sight, yet will I still

Be thus to them.

A Patrician

CORIOLANUS

Does not approve me further, who was wont

To call them woollen vassals, things created

To buy and sell with groats, to show bare heads

In congregations, to yawn, be still and wonder,

When one but of my ordinance stood up

To speak of peace or war.

I talk of you:

Why did you wish me milder? would you have me

False to my nature? Rather say I play

The man I am.

VOLUMNIA

I would have had you put your power well on,

Before you had worn it out.

CORIOLANUS

VOLUMNIA

With striving less to be so; lesser had been

The thwartings of your dispositions, if

You had not show'd them how ye were disposed

Ere they lack'd power to cross you.

CORIOLANUS

A Patrician

MENENIUS

too rough;

You must return and mend it.

First Senator

Unless, by not so doing, our good city

Cleave in the midst, and perish.

VOLUMNIA

I have a heart as little apt as yours,

But yet a brain that leads my use of anger

To better vantage.

MENENIUS

Before he should thus stoop to the herd, but that

The violent fit o' the time craves it as physic

For the whole state, I would put mine armour on,

Which I can scarcely bear.

CORIOLANUS

MENENIUS

CORIOLANUS

MENENIUS

CORIOLANUS

Must I then do't to them?

VOLUMNIA

Though therein you can never be too noble,

But when extremities speak. I have heard you say,

Honour and policy, like unsever'd friends,

I' the war do grow together: grant that, and tell me,

In peace what each of them by the other lose,

That they combine not there.

CORIOLANUS

MENENIUS

VOLUMNIA

The same you are not, which, for your best ends,

You adopt your policy, how is it less or worse,

That it shall hold companionship in peace

With honour, as in war, since that to both

It stands in like request?

CORIOLANUS

VOLUMNIA

To the people; not by your own instruction,

Nor by the matter which your heart prompts you,

But with such words that are but rooted in

Your tongue, though but bastards and syllables

Of no allowance to your bosom's truth.

Now, this no more dishonours you at all

Than to take in a town with gentle words,

Which else would put you to your fortune and

The hazard of much blood.

I would dissemble with my nature where

My fortunes and my friends at stake required

I should do so in honour: I am in this,

Your wife, your son, these senators, the nobles;

And you will rather show our general louts

How you can frown than spend a fawn upon 'em,

For the inheritance of their loves and safeguard

Of what that want might ruin.

MENENIUS

Come, go with us; speak fair: you may salve so,

Not what is dangerous present, but the loss

Of what is past.

VOLUMNIA

Go to them, with this bonnet in thy hand;

And thus far having stretch'd it--here be with them--

Thy knee bussing the stones--for in such business

Action is eloquence, and the eyes of the ignorant

More learned than the ears--waving thy head,

Which often, thus, correcting thy stout heart,

Now humble as the ripest mulberry

That will not hold the handling: or say to them,

Thou art their soldier, and being bred in broils

Hast not the soft way which, thou dost confess,

Were fit for thee to use as they to claim,

In asking their good loves, but thou wilt frame

Thyself, forsooth, hereafter theirs, so far

As thou hast power and person.

MENENIUS

Even as she speaks, why, their hearts were yours;

For they have pardons, being ask'd, as free

As words to little purpose.

VOLUMNIA

Go, and be ruled: although I know thou hadst rather

Follow thine enemy in a fiery gulf

Than flatter him in a bower. Here is Cominius.

COMINIUS

You make strong party, or defend yourself

By calmness or by absence: all's in anger.

MENENIUS

COMINIUS

Can thereto frame his spirit.

VOLUMNIA

Prithee now, say you will, and go about it.

CORIOLANUS

Must I with base tongue give my noble heart

A lie that it must bear? Well, I will do't:

Yet, were there but this single plot to lose,

This mould of Marcius, they to dust should grind it

And throw't against the wind. To the market-place!

You have put me now to such a part which never

I shall discharge to the life.

COMINIUS

VOLUMNIA

My praises made thee first a soldier, so,

To have my praise for this, perform a part

Thou hast not done before.

CORIOLANUS

Away, my disposition, and possess me

Some harlot's spirit! my throat of war be turn'd,

Which quired with my drum, into a pipe

Small as an eunuch, or the virgin voice

That babies lulls asleep! the smiles of knaves

Tent in my cheeks, and schoolboys' tears take up

The glasses of my sight! a beggar's tongue

Make motion through my lips, and my arm'd knees,

Who bow'd but in my stirrup, bend like his

That hath received an alms! I will not do't,

Lest I surcease to honour mine own truth

And by my body's action teach my mind

A most inherent baseness.

VOLUMNIA

To beg of thee, it is my more dishonour

Than thou of them. Come all to ruin; let

Thy mother rather feel thy pride than fear

Thy dangerous stoutness, for I mock at death

With as big heart as thou. Do as thou list

Thy valiantness was mine, thou suck'dst it from me,

But owe thy pride thyself.

CORIOLANUS

Mother, I am going to the market-place;

Chide me no more. I'll mountebank their loves,

Cog their hearts from them, and come home beloved

Of all the trades in Rome. Look, I am going:

Commend me to my wife. I'll return consul;

Or never trust to what my tongue can do

I' the way of flattery further.

VOLUMNIA

COMINIUS

To answer mildly; for they are prepared

With accusations, as I hear, more strong

Than are upon you yet.

CORIOLANUS

Let them accuse me by invention, I

Will answer in mine honour.

MENENIUS

CORIOLANUS