1    Stay: whence are you?

2    Stand, and go back.

3    You guard like men; 'tis well: but, by your leave,
4    I am an officer of state, and come
5    To speak with Coriolanus.

6    From whence?

7    From Rome.

8    You may not pass, you must return: our general
9    Will no more hear from thence.

10   You'll see your Rome embraced with fire before
11   You'll speak with Coriolanus.

12   Good my friends,
13   If you have heard your general talk of Rome,
14   And of his friends there, it is lots to blanks,
15   My name hath touch'd your ears it is Menenius.

16   Be it so; go back: the virtue of your name
17   Is not here passable.

18   I tell thee, fellow,
19   The general is my lover: I have been
20   The book of his good acts, whence men have read
21   His name unparallel'd, haply amplified;
22   For I have ever verified my friends,
23   Of whom he's chief, with all the size that verity
24   Would without lapsing suffer: nay, sometimes,
25   Like to a bowl upon a subtle ground,
26   I have tumbled past the throw; and in his praise
27   Have almost stamp'd the leasing: therefore, fellow,
28   I must have leave to pass.

29   Faith, sir, if you had told as many lies in his
30   behalf as you have uttered words in your own, you
31   should not pass here; no, though it were as virtuous
32   to lie as to live chastely. Therefore, go back.

33   Prithee, fellow, remember my name is Menenius,
34   always factionary on the party of your general.

35   Howsoever you have been his liar, as you say you
36   have, I am one that, telling true under him, must
37   say, you cannot pass. Therefore, go back.

38   Has he dined, canst thou tell? for I would not
39   speak with him till after dinner.

40   You are a Roman, are you?

41   I am, as thy general is.

42   Then you should hate Rome, as he does. Can you,
43   when you have pushed out your gates the very
44   defender of them, and, in a violent popular
45   ignorance, given your enemy your shield, think to
46   front his revenges with the easy groans of old
47   women, the virginal palms of your daughters, or with
48   the palsied intercession of such a decayed dotant as
49   you seem to be? Can you think to blow out the
50   intended fire your city is ready to flame in, with
51   such weak breath as this? No, you are deceived;
52   therefore, back to Rome, and prepare for your
53   execution: you are condemned, our general has sworn
54   you out of reprieve and pardon.

55   Sirrah, if thy captain knew I were here, he would
56   use me with estimation.

57   Come, my captain knows you not.

58   I mean, thy general.

59   My general cares not for you. Back, I say, go; lest
60   I let forth your half-pint of blood; back,--that's
61   the utmost of your having: back.

62   Nay, but, fellow, fellow,--

63   What's the matter?

64   Now, you companion, I'll say an errand for you:
65   You shall know now that I am in estimation; you shall
66   perceive that a Jack guardant cannot office me from
67   my son Coriolanus: guess, but by my entertainment
68   with him, if thou standest not i' the state of
69   hanging, or of some death more long in
70   spectatorship, and crueller in suffering; behold now
71   presently, and swoon for what's to come upon thee.
To CORIOLANUS
72   The glorious gods sit in hourly synod about thy
73   particular prosperity, and love thee no worse than
74   thy old father Menenius does! O my son, my son!
75   thou art preparing fire for us; look thee, here's
76   water to quench it. I was hardly moved to come to
77   thee; but being assured none but myself could move
78   thee, I have been blown out of your gates with
79   sighs; and conjure thee to pardon Rome, and thy
80   petitionary countrymen. The good gods assuage thy
81   wrath, and turn the dregs of it upon this varlet
82   here,--this, who, like a block, hath denied my
83   access to thee.

84   Away!

85   How! away!

86   Wife, mother, child, I know not. My affairs
87   Are servanted to others: though I owe
88   My revenge properly, my remission lies
89   In Volscian breasts. That we have been familiar,
90   Ingrate forgetfulness shall poison, rather
91   Than pity note how much. Therefore, be gone.
92   Mine ears against your suits are stronger than
93   Your gates against my force. Yet, for I loved thee,
94   Take this along; I writ it for thy sake
Gives a letter
95   And would have rent it. Another word, Menenius,
96   I will not hear thee speak. This man, Aufidius,
97   Was my beloved in Rome: yet thou behold'st!

98   You keep a constant temper.

99   Now, sir, is your name Menenius?

100  'Tis a spell, you see, of much power: you know the
101  way home again.

102  Do you hear how we are shent for keeping your
103  greatness back?

104  What cause, do you think, I have to swoon?

105  I neither care for the world nor your general: for
106  such things as you, I can scarce think there's any,
107  ye're so slight. He that hath a will to die by
108  himself fears it not from another: let your general
109  do his worst. For you, be that you are, long; and
110  your misery increase with your age! I say to you,
111  as I was said to, Away!

112  A noble fellow, I warrant him.

113  The worthy fellow is our general: he's the rock, the
114  oak not to be wind-shaken.