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Re…enter the AEDILE；with the plebeians SICINIUS。 Draw near； ye
people。 AEDILE。 List to your tribunes。 Audience！ peace； I say！
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CORIOLANUS。 First； hear me speak。 BOTH TRIBUNES。 Well； say。
Peace； ho！ CORIOLANUS。 Shall I be charg'd no further than this present？
Must all determine here？ SICINIUS。 I do demand； If you submit you to
the people's voices； Allow their officers； and are content To suffer lawful
censure for such faults As shall be prov'd upon you。 CORIOLANUS。 I am
content。 MENENIUS。 Lo； citizens； he says he is content。 The warlike
service he has done； consider； think Upon the wounds his body bears；
which show Like graves i' th' holy churchyard。 CORIOLANUS。 Scratches
with briers； Scars to move laughter only。 MENENIUS。 Consider further；
That when he speaks not like a citizen； You find him like a soldier； do not
take His rougher accents for malicious sounds； But； as I say； such as
become a soldier Rather than envy you。 COMINIUS。 Well； well！ No more。
CORIOLANUS。 What is the matter； That being pass'd for consul with full
voice； I am so dishonour'd that the very hour You take it off again？
SICINIUS。 Answer to us。 CORIOLANUS。 Say then； 'tis true； I ought so。
SICINIUS。 We charge you that you have contriv'd to take From Rome all
season'd office； and to wind Yourself into a power tyrannical； For which
you are a traitor to the people。 CORIOLANUS。 How… traitor？
MENENIUS。 Nay； temperately！ Your promise。 CORIOLANUS。 The fires
i' th' lowest hell fold in the people！ Call me their traitor！ Thou injurious
tribune！ Within thine eyes sat twenty thousand deaths； In thy hands
clutch'd as many millions； in Thy lying tongue both numbers； I would say
'Thou liest' unto thee with a voice as free As I do pray the gods。 SICINIUS。
Mark you this； people？ PLEBEIANS。 To th' rock； to th' rock； with him！
SICINIUS。 Peace！ We need not put new matter to his charge。 What you
have seen him do and heard him speak； Beating your officers； cursing
yourselves； Opposing laws with strokes； and here defying Those whose
great power must try him… even this； So criminal and in such capital kind；
Deserves th' extremest death。 BRUTUS。 But since he hath Serv'd well for
Rome… CORIOLANUS。 What do you prate of service？ BRUTUS。 I talk of
that that know it。 CORIOLANUS。 You！ MENENIUS。 Is this the promise
that you made your mother？ COMINIUS。 Know； I pray you…
CORIOLANUS。 I'll know no further。 Let them pronounce the steep
Tarpeian death； Vagabond exile； flaying； pent to linger But with a grain a
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day； I would not buy Their mercy at the price of one fair word； Nor check
my courage for what they can give； To have't with saying 'Good morrow。'
SICINIUS。 For that he has… As much as in him lies… from time to time
Envied against the people； seeking means To pluck away their power； as
now at last Given hostile strokes； and that not in the presence Of dreaded
justice； but on the ministers That do distribute it… in the name o' th' people；
And in the power of us the tribunes； we； Ev'n from this instant； banish him
our city； In peril of precipitation From off the rock Tarpeian； never more
To enter our Rome gates。 I' th' people's name； I say it shall be so。
PLEBEIANS。 It shall be so； it shall be so！ Let him away！ He's banish'd；
and it shall be so。 COMINIUS。 Hear me； my masters and my common
friends… SICINIUS。 He's sentenc'd； no more hearing。 COMINIUS。 Let me
speak。 I have been consul； and can show for Rome Her enemies' marks
upon me。 I do love My country's good with a respect more tender； More
holy and profound； than mine own life； My dear wife's estimate； her
womb's increase And treasure of my loins。 Then if I would Speak that…
SICINIUS。 We know your drift。 Speak what？ BRUTUS。 There's no more
to be said； but he is banish'd； As enemy to the people and his country。 It
shall be so。 PLEBEIANS。 It shall be so； it shall be so。 CORIOLANUS。
You common cry of curs； whose breath I hate As reek o' th' rotten fens；
whose loves I prize As the dead carcasses of unburied men That do corrupt
my air… I banish you。 And here remain with your uncertainty！ Let every
feeble rumour shake your hearts； Your enemies； with nodding of their
plumes； Fan you into despair！ Have the power still To banish your
defenders； till at length Your ignorance… which finds not till it feels；
Making but reservation of yourselves Still your own foes… deliver you As
most abated captives to some nation That won you without blows！
Despising For you the city； thus I turn my back； There is a world
elsewhere。 Exeunt CORIOLANUS； COMINIUS； MENENIUS； with the
other PATRICIANS AEDILE。 The people's enemy is gone； is gone！ ＇They
all shout and throw up their caps＇ PLEBEIANS。 Our enemy is banish'd； he
is gone！ Hoo…oo！ SICINIUS。 Go see him out at gates； and follow him； As
he hath follow'd you； with all despite； Give him deserv'd vexation。 Let a
guard Attend us through the city。 PLEBEIANS。 Come； come； let's see him
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out at gates； come！ The gods preserve our noble tribunes！ Come。 Exeunt
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ACT IV。
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SCENE I。 Rome。 Before a gate of the city
Enter CORIOLANUS； VOLUMNIA； VIRGILIA； MENENIUS；
COMINIUS； with the young NOBILITY of Rome
CORIOLANUS。 Come； leave your tears； a brief farewell。 The beast
With many heads butts me away。 Nay； mother； Where is your ancient
courage？ You were us'd To say extremities was the trier of spirits； That
common chances common men could bear； That when the sea was calm
all boats alike Show'd mastership in floating； fortune's blows； When most
struck home； being gentle wounded craves A noble cunning。 You were us'd
to load me With precepts that would make invincible The heart that conn'd
them。 VIRGILIA。 O heavens！ O heavens！ CORIOLANUS。 Nay； I prithee；
woman… VOLUMNIA。 Now the red pestilence strike all trades in Rome；
And occupations perish！ CORIOLANUS。 What； what； what！ I shall be
lov'd when I am lack'd。 Nay； mother； Resume that spirit when you were
wont to say； If you had b