| ACT IV SCENE II. The same. A street near the gate. |
| [Enter SICINIUS, BRUTUS, and an AEdile] |
| SICINIUS | Bid them all home; he's gone, and we'll no further. |
| The nobility are vex'd, whom we see have sided |
| In his behalf. |
| BRUTUS | Now we have shown our power, |
| Let us seem humbler after it is done | 5 |
| Than when it was a-doing. |
| SICINIUS | Bid them home: |
| Say their great enemy is gone, and they |
| Stand in their ancient strength. |
| BRUTUS | Dismiss them home. | 10 |
[Exit AEdile] |
| Here comes his mother. |
| SICINIUS | Let's not meet her. |
| BRUTUS | Why? |
| SICINIUS | They say she's mad. |
| BRUTUS | They have ta'en note of us: keep on your way. | 15 |
| [Enter VOLUMNIA, VIRGILIA, and MENENIUS] |
| VOLUMNIA | O, ye're well met: the hoarded plague o' the gods |
| Requite your love! |
| MENENIUS | Peace, peace; be not so loud. |
| VOLUMNIA | If that I could for weeping, you should hear,-- |
| Nay, and you shall hear some. | 20 |
[To BRUTUS] |
| Will you be gone? |
| VIRGILIA | [To SICINIUS] You shall stay too: I would I had the power
|
| To say so to my husband. |
| SICINIUS | Are you mankind? |
| VOLUMNIA | Ay, fool; is that a shame? Note but this fool. | 25 |
| Was not a man my father? Hadst thou foxship |
| To banish him that struck more blows for Rome |
| Than thou hast spoken words? |
| SICINIUS | O blessed heavens! |
| VOLUMNIA | More noble blows than ever thou wise words; | 30 |
| 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 | What then? | 35 |
| VIRGILIA | What then! |
| He'ld make an end of thy posterity. |
| VOLUMNIA | Bastards and all. |
| Good man, the wounds that he does bear for Rome! |
| MENENIUS | Come, come, peace. | 40 |
| SICINIUS | I would he had continued to his country |
| As he began, and not unknit himself |
| The noble knot he made. |
| BRUTUS | I would he had. |
| VOLUMNIA | 'I would he had'! 'Twas you incensed the rabble: | 45 |
| Cats, that can judge as fitly of his worth |
| As I can of those mysteries which heaven |
| Will not have earth to know. |
| BRUTUS | Pray, let us go. |
| VOLUMNIA | Now, pray, sir, get you gone: | 50 |
| 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. | 55 |
| BRUTUS | Well, well, we'll leave you. |
| SICINIUS | Why stay we to be baited |
| With one that wants her wits? |
| VOLUMNIA | Take my prayers with you. |
[Exeunt Tribunes] |
| I would the gods had nothing else to do | 60 |
| 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 | You have told them home; |
| And, by my troth, you have cause. You'll sup with me? | 65 |
| VOLUMNIA | Anger's my meat; I sup upon myself, |
| And so shall starve with feeding. Come, let's go: |
| Leave this faint puling and lament as I do, |
| In anger, Juno-like. Come, come, come. |
| MENENIUS | Fie, fie, fie! | 70 |
| [Exeunt] |
Shakespeare's Sources for Coriolanus