The Volscian Camp before Rome.
 Enter MENENIUS to the WATCH on guard.

1st Watch	Stay! Whence are you?

2nd Watch							Stand, and go back.

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

1st Watch							From whence?

Menenius										From Rome.

1st Watch	You may not pass; you must return: our general
	Will no more hear from thence.

2nd Watch	You'll see your Rome embraced with fire before
	You'll speak with Coriolanus.

Menenius									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 touched your ears: it is Menenius.

1st Watch	Be it so, go back: the virtue of your name
	Is not here passable.

Menenius							I tell thee, fellow,
	Thy general is my lover; I have been
	The book of his good acts, whence men have read
	His fame unparalleled, haply 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 stamped the leasing. Therefore, fellow,
	I must have leave to pass.

1st Watch	Faith, sir, if you had told as many lies in his behalf as 
	you have uttered 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	Prithee, fellow, remember my name is Menenius, always 
	factionary on the party of your general.

2nd Watch	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	Has he dined, canst thou tell? For I would not speak with 
	him till after dinner.

1st Watch	You are a Roman, are you?

Menenius	I am as thy general is.

1st Watch	Then you should hate Rome, as he does. Can you, when you 
	have pushed 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 decayed 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 deceived; therefore back to Rome and 
	prepare for your execution: you are condemned; our general 
	has sworn you out of reprieve and pardon.

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

1st Watch	Come, my captain knows you not.

Menenius	I mean thy general.

1st Watch	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	Nay, but fellow, fellow-

                     Enter CORIOLANUS with AUFIDIUS.

Coriolanus	What's the matter?

Menenius	Now, you companion, I'll say an errand 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 moved to come to thee, but being 
	assured 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	Away!

Menenius	How, away?

Coriolanus	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 beloved in Rome: yet thou behold'st.

Aufidius	You keep a constant temper.
									 [Exeunt CORIOLANUS and AUFIDIUS.

                      Manet the GUARD and MENENIUS.

1st Watch	Now, sir, is your name Menenius?

2nd Watch	'Tis a spell, you see, of much power. You know the way home 
	again.

1st Watch	Do you hear how we are shent for keeping your greatness 
	back?

2nd Watch	What cause do you think I have to swound?

Menenius	I neither care for the world nor your general. For such 
	things as you, I can scarce think there's any, you're 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.
1st Watch	A noble fellow, I warrant him.

2nd Watch	The worthy fellow is our general. He's the rock, the oak 
	not to be wind-shaken.
												[Exeunt.
