Coriolanus
Act V, Scene 2
Entrance of the Volscian camp before Rome.
Byam Shaw, 1901
- Enter Menenius to the Watch or Guard.
First Watchman
1- Stay! Whence are you?
Second Watchman
2- Stand, and go back.
Menenius
3 - 5- You guard like men, ’tis well. But, by your leave,
- I am an officer of state, and come
- To speak with Coriolanus.
First Watchman
6- From whence?
Menenius
7- From Rome.
First Watchman
8 - 9- You may not pass, you must return; our general
- Will no more hear from thence.
Second Watchman
10 - 11- You’ll see your Rome embrac’d with fire before
- You’ll speak with Coriolanus.
Menenius
12 - 15- 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 Watchman
16 - 17- Be it so, go back. The virtue of your name
- Is not here passable.
Menenius
18 - 28- I tell thee, fellow,
- Thy general is my lover. I have been
- The book of his good acts, whence men have read
- His fame unparallel’d, happily 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 Watchman
29 - 32- Faith, sir, if you had told as many lies in his behalf as
- you have utter’d 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
33 - 34- Prithee, fellow, remember my name is Menenius, always
- factionary on the party of your general.
Second Watchman
35 - 37- 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
38 - 39- Has he din’d, canst thou tell? For I would not speak with
- him till after dinner.
First Watchman
40- You are a Roman, are you?
Menenius
41- I am, as thy general is.
First Watchman
42 - 52- Then you should hate Rome, as he does. Can you, when you
- have push’d 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 decay’d 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 deceiv’d; therefore back to Rome, and prepare for your
- execution. You are condemn’d; our general has sworn you out
- of reprieve and pardon.
Menenius
53 - 54- Sirrah, if thy captain knew I were here, he would use me
- with estimation.
First Watchman
55- Come, my captain knows you not.
Menenius
56- I mean, thy general.
First Watchman
57 - 59- 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
60- Nay, but, fellow, fellow—
- Enter Coriolanus with Aufidius.
Coriolanus
61- What’s the matter?
Menenius
62 - 78- Now, you companion! I’ll say an arrant 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 stand’st not i’ th’
- state of hanging, or of some death more long in
- spectatorship and crueller in suffering; behold now
- presently, and swound 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 mov’d
- to come to thee; but being assur’d 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
79- Away!
Menenius
80- How? Away?
Coriolanus
81 - 92- 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 sent it. Another word, Menenius,
- I will not hear thee speak. This man, Aufidius,
- Was my belov’d in Rome; yet thou behold’st!
Aufidius
93- You keep a constant temper.
- Exeunt. Manent the Guard and Menenius.
First Watchman
94- Now, sir, is your name Menenius?
Second Watchman
95 - 96- ’Tis a spell, you see, of much power. You know the way home
- again.
First Watchman
97 - 98- Do you hear how we are shent for keeping your greatness
- back?
Second Watchman
99- What cause do you think I have to swound?
Menenius
100 - 105- I neither care for th’ world nor your general; for such
- things as you, I can scarce think there’s any, y’ are 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 Watchman
106- A noble fellow, I warrant him.
Second Watchman
107 - 108- The worthy fellow is our general. He’s the rock, the oak not
- to be wind-shaken.
- Exit Watch.