A hall in Aufidius's house. Music within. Enter a Servingman First Servingman Wine, wine, wine! What service is here! I think our fellows are asleep.
Exit Enter a second Servingman Second Servingman Where's Cotus? my master calls for him. Cotus!
Exit Enter CORIOLANUS CORIOLANUS A goodly house: the feast smells well; but I Appear not like a guest.
Re-enter the first Servingman First Servingman What would you have, friend? whence are you?
Here's no place for you: pray, go to the door.
Exit CORIOLANUS I have deserved no better entertainment, In being Coriolanus.
Re-enter second Servingman Second Servingman Whence are you, sir? Has the porter his eyes in his head; that he gives entrance to such companions?
Pray, get you out. CORIOLANUS Away! Second Servingman Away! get you away. CORIOLANUS Now thou'rt troublesome. Second Servingman Are you so brave? I'll have you talked with anon.
Enter a third Servingman. The first meets him Third Servingman What fellow's this? First Servingman A strange one as ever I looked on: I cannot get him out of the house: prithee, call my master to him.
Retires Third Servingman What have you to do here, fellow? Pray you, avoid the house. CORIOLANUS Let me but stand; I will not hurt your hearth. Third Servingman What are you? CORIOLANUS A gentleman. Third Servingman A marvellous poor one. CORIOLANUS True, so I am. Third Servingman Pray you, poor gentleman, take up some other station; here's no place for you; pray you, avoid: come. CORIOLANUS Follow your function, go, and batten on cold bits.
Pushes him away Third Servingman What, you will not? Prithee, tell my master what a strange guest he has here. Second Servingman And I shall.
Exit Third Servingman Where dwellest thou? CORIOLANUS Under the canopy. Third Servingman Under the canopy! CORIOLANUS Ay. Third Servingman Where's that? CORIOLANUS I' the city of kites and crows. Third Servingman I' the city of kites and crows! What an ass it is!
Then thou dwellest with daws too? CORIOLANUS No, I serve not thy master. Third Servingman How, sir! do you meddle with my master? CORIOLANUS Ay; 'tis an honester service than to meddle with thy mistress. Thou pratest, and pratest; serve with thy trencher, hence!
Beats him away. Exit third Servingman Enter AUFIDIUS with the second Servingman AUFIDIUS Where is this fellow? Second Servingman Here, sir: I'ld have beaten him like a dog, but for disturbing the lords within.
Retires AUFIDIUS Whence comest thou? what wouldst thou? thy name?
Why speak'st not? speak, man: what's thy name? CORIOLANUS If, Tullus, Unmuffling Not yet thou knowest me, and, seeing me, dost not Think me for the man I am, necessity Commands me name myself. AUFIDIUS What is thy name? CORIOLANUS A name unmusical to the Volscians' ears, And harsh in sound to thine. AUFIDIUS Say, what's thy name?
Thou hast a grim appearance, and thy face Bears a command in't; though thy tackle's torn.
Thou show'st a noble vessel: what's thy name? CORIOLANUS Prepare thy brow to frown: know'st thou me yet? AUFIDIUS I know thee not: thy name? CORIOLANUS My name is Caius Marcius, who hath done To thee particularly and to all the Volsces Great hurt and mischief; thereto witness may My surname, Coriolanus: the painful service, The extreme dangers and the drops of blood Shed for my thankless country are requited But with that surname; a good memory, And witness of the malice and displeasure Which thou shouldst bear me: only that name remains;
The cruelty and envy of the people, Permitted by our dastard nobles, who Have all forsook me, hath devour'd the rest;
And suffer'd me by the voice of slaves to be Whoop'd out of Rome. Now this extremity Hath brought me to thy hearth; not out of hope--Mistake me not--to save my life, for if I had fear'd death, of all the men i' the world I would have 'voided thee, but in mere spite, To be full quit of those my banishers, Stand I before thee here. Then if thou hast A heart of wreak in thee, that wilt revenge Thine own particular wrongs and stop those maims Of shame seen through thy country, speed thee straight, And make my misery serve thy turn: so use it That my revengeful services may prove As benefits to thee, for I will fight Against my canker'd country with the spleen Of all the under fiends. But if so be Thou darest not this and that to prove more fortunes Thou'rt tired, then, in a word, I also am Longer to live most weary, and present My throat to thee and to thy ancient malice;
Which not to cut would show thee but a fool, Since I have ever follow'd thee with hate, Drawn tuns of blood out of thy country's breast, And cannot live but to thy shame, unless It be to do thee service. AUFIDIUS O Marcius, Marcius!
