Coriolanus
Act IV, Scene 2
Rome. A street near the gate of the city.
I would the gods had nothing else to do but to confirm my curses!
James Dromgole Linton, 1900
- Enter Sicinius and Brutus, with the Aedile.
Sicinius Velutus
1 - 3- Bid them all home, he’s gone; and we’ll no further.
- The nobility are vexed, whom we see have sided
- In his behalf.
Brutus
4 - 6- Now we have shown our power,
- Let us seem humbler after it is done
- Than when it was a-doing.
Sicinius Velutus
7 - 9- Bid them home.
- Say their great enemy is gone, and they
- Stand in their ancient strength.
Brutus
10 - 11- Dismiss them home.
- Exit Aedile.
- Here comes his mother.
- Enter Volumnia, Virgilia, and Menenius.
Sicinius Velutus
12- Let’s not meet her.
Brutus
13- Why?
Sicinius Velutus
14- They say she’s mad.
Brutus
15- They have ta’en note of us; keep on your way.
Volumnia
16 - 17- O, y’ are well met. The hoarded plague a’ th’ gods
- Requite your love!
Menenius
18- Peace, peace, be not so loud.
Volumnia
19 - 21- If that I could for weeping, you should hear—
- Nay, and you shall hear some.
- To Brutus.
- Will you be gone?
Virgilia
22 - 23- To Sicinius.
- You shall stay too. I would I had the power
- To say so to my husband.
Sicinius Velutus
24- Are you mankind?
Volumnia
25 - 28- Ay, fool, is that a shame? Note but this fool.
- Was not a man my father? Hadst thou foxship
- To banish him that struck more blows for Rome
- Than thou hast spoken words?
Sicinius Velutus
29- O blessed heavens!
Volumnia
30 - 34- More noble blows than ever thou wise words,
- And for Rome’s good. I’ll tell thee what—yet go!
- Nay, but thou shalt stay too. I would my son
- Were in Arabia, and thy tribe before him,
- His good sword in his hand.
Sicinius Velutus
35- What then?
Virgilia
36 - 37- What then?
- He’ld make an end of thy posterity.
Volumnia
38 - 39- Bastards and all!
- Good man, the wounds that he does bear for Rome!
Menenius
40- Come, come, peace.
Sicinius Velutus
41 - 43- I would he had continued to his country
- As he began, and not unknit himself
- The noble knot he made.
Brutus
44- I would he had.
Volumnia
45 - 48- “I would he had”? ’Twas you incens’d the rabble;
- Cats, that can judge as fitly of his worth
- As I can of those mysteries which heaven
- Will not have earth to know.
Brutus
49- Pray let’s go.
Volumnia
50 - 55- Now pray, sir, get you gone;
- You have done a brave deed. Ere you go, hear this:
- As far as doth the Capitol exceed
- The meanest house in Rome, so far my son,
- This lady’s husband here—this (do you see?)
- Whom you have banish’d—does exceed you all.
Brutus
56- Well, well, we’ll leave you.
Sicinius Velutus
57 - 58- Why stay we to be baited
- With one that wants her wits?
- Exeunt Tribunes.
Volumnia
59 - 63- Take my prayers with you.
- I would the gods had nothing else to do
- But to confirm my curses! Could I meet ’em
- But once a day, it would unclog my heart
- Of what lies heavy to’t.
Menenius
64 - 65- You have told them home,
- And, by my troth, you have cause. You’ll sup with me?
Volumnia
66 - 69- Anger’s my meat; I sup upon myself,
- And so shall starve with feeding. Come, let’s go.
- To Virgilia.
- Leave this faint puling, and lament as I do,
- In anger, Juno-like. Come, come, come.
- Exeunt Volumnia and Virgilia.
Menenius
70- Fie, fie, fie!
- Exit.