Act III, Scene 2

A room in CORIOLANUS’S house.

[Enter CORIOLANUS with Patricians]

• Coriolanus. Let them puff all about mine ears, present me
  Death on the wheel or at wild horses' heels,
  Or pile ten hills on the Tarpeian rock, 2165
  That the precipitation might down stretch
  Below the beam of sight, yet will I still
  Be thus to them.

• Patrician. You do the nobler.

• Coriolanus. I muse my mother 2170
  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 2175
  To speak of peace or war.
  [Enter VOLUMNIA]
  I talk of you:
  Why did you wish me milder? would you have me
  False to my nature? Rather say I play 2180
  The man I am.

• Volumnia. O, sir, sir, sir,
  I would have had you put your power well on,
  Before you had worn it out.

• Coriolanus. Let go. 2185

• Volumnia. You might have been enough the man you are,
  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. 2190

• Coriolanus. Let them hang.

• Patrician. Ay, and burn too.

[Enter MENENIUS and Senators]

• Menenius Agrippa. Come, come, you have been too rough, something
  too rough; 2195
  You must return and mend it.

• First Senator. There's no remedy;
  Unless, by not so doing, our good city
  Cleave in the midst, and perish.

• Volumnia. Pray, be counsell'd: 2200
  I have a heart as little apt as yours,
  But yet a brain that leads my use of anger
  To better vantage.

• Menenius Agrippa. Well said, noble woman?
  Before he should thus stoop to the herd, but that 2205
  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. What must I do?

• Menenius Agrippa. Return to the tribunes. 2210

• Coriolanus. Well, what then? what then?

• Menenius Agrippa. Repent what you have spoke.

• Coriolanus. For them! I cannot do it to the gods;
  Must I then do't to them?

• Volumnia. You are too absolute; 2215
  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, 2220
  That they combine not there.

• Coriolanus. Tush, tush!

• Menenius Agrippa. A good demand.

• Volumnia. If it be honour in your wars to seem
  The same you are not, which, for your best ends, 2225
  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. Why force you this? 2230

• Volumnia. Because that now it lies you on to speak
  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 2235
  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. 2240
  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 2245
  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 Agrippa. Noble lady!
  Come, go with us; speak fair: you may salve so, 2250
  Not what is dangerous present, but the loss
  Of what is past.

• Volumnia. I prithee now, my son,
  Go to them, with this bonnet in thy hand;
  And thus far having stretch'd it—here be with them— 2255
  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 2260
  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 2265
  Thyself, forsooth, hereafter theirs, so far
  As thou hast power and person.

• Menenius Agrippa. This but done,
  Even as she speaks, why, their hearts were yours;
  For they have pardons, being ask'd, as free 2270
  As words to little purpose.

• Volumnia. Prithee now,
  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. 2275

[Enter COMINIUS]

• Cominius. I have been i' the market-place; and, sir,'tis fit
  You make strong party, or defend yourself
  By calmness or by absence: all's in anger.

• Menenius Agrippa. Only fair speech. 2280

• Cominius. I think 'twill serve, if he
  Can thereto frame his spirit.

• Volumnia. He must, and will
  Prithee now, say you will, and go about it.

• Coriolanus. Must I go show them my unbarbed sconce? 2285
  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 CORIOLANUS, they to dust should grind it
  And throw't against the wind. To the market-place! 2290
  You have put me now to such a part which never
  I shall discharge to the life.

• Cominius. Come, come, we'll prompt you.

• Volumnia. I prithee now, sweet son, as thou hast said
  My praises made thee first a soldier, so, 2295
  To have my praise for this, perform a part
  Thou hast not done before.

• Coriolanus. Well, I must do't:
  Away, my disposition, and possess me
  Some harlot's spirit! my throat of war be turn'd, 2300
  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 2305
  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 2310
  A most inherent baseness.

• Volumnia. At thy choice, then:
  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 2315
  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. Pray, be content: 2320
  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; 2325
  Or never trust to what my tongue can do
  I' the way of flattery further.

• Volumnia. Do your will.

[Exit]

• Cominius. Away! the tribunes do attend you: arm yourself 2330
  To answer mildly; for they are prepared
  With accusations, as I hear, more strong
  Than are upon you yet.

• Coriolanus. The word is 'mildly.' Pray you, let us go:
  Let them accuse me by invention, I 2335
  Will answer in mine honour.

• Menenius Agrippa. Ay, but mildly.

• Coriolanus. Well, mildly be it then. Mildly!

[Exeunt]