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Enter CORIOLANUS

CORIOLANUS.

A goodly house. The feast smells well, but I

Appear not like a guest.

Re-enter the first SERVINGMAN

FIRST SERVANT.

What would you have, friend?

Whence are you? Here's no place for you: pray go to the door.

Exit

CORIOLANUS. I have deserv'd no better entertainment

In being Coriolanus.

Re-enter second SERVINGMAN

SECOND SERVANT.

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 SERVANT.

Away? Get you away.

CORIOLANUS.

Now th' art troublesome.

SECOND SERVANT.

Are you so brave? I'll have you talk'd with anon.

Enter a third SERVINGMAN. The first meets him

THIRD SERVANT.

What fellow's this?

FIRST SERVANT.

A strange one as ever I look'd on. I cannot get him

out o' th' house. Prithee call my master to him.

THIRD SERVANT.

What have you to do here, fellow? Pray you avoid the house.

CORIOLANUS.

Let me but stand- I will not hurt your hearth.

THIRD SERVANT.

What are you?

CORIOLANUS.

A gentleman.

THIRD SERVANT.

A marv'llous poor one.

CORIOLANUS.

True, so I am.

THIRD SERVANT.

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 from him]

THIRD SERVANT.

What, you will not? Prithee tell my master what a

strange guest he has here.

SECOND SERVANT.

And I shall. Exit

THIRD SERVANT. Where dwell'st thou?

CORIOLANUS.

Under the canopy.

THIRD SERVANT.

Under the canopy?

CORIOLANUS.

Ay.

THIRD SERVANT.

Where's that?

CORIOLANUS.

I' th' city of kites and crows.

THIRD SERVANT.

I' th' city of kites and crows!

What an ass it is! Then thou dwell'st with daws too?

CORIOLANUS.

No, I serve not thy master.

THIRD SERVANT.

How, sir! Do you meddle with my master?

CORIOLANUS.

Ay; 'tis an honester service than to meddle with thy

mistress. Thou prat'st and prat'st; serve with thy trencher;

hence! [Beats him away]

Enter AUFIDIUS with the second SERVINGMAN

AUFIDIUS.

Where is this fellow?

SECOND SERVANT.

Here, sir; I'd have beaten him like a dog, but for

disturbing the lords within.

AUFIDIUS.

Whence com'st thou? What wouldst thou? Thy name?

Why speak'st not? Speak, man. What's thy name?

CORIOLANUS.

[Unmuffling] If, Tullus,

Not yet thou know'st 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 has 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,

An suffer'd me by th' 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' th' 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