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Against my cank'red country with the spleen

Of all the under fiends. But if so be

Thou dar'st not this, and that to prove more fortunes

Th'art tir'd, 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 followed 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!

Each word thou hast spoke hath weeded from my heart

A root of ancient envy. If Jupiter

Should from yond cloud speak divine things,

And say ''Tis true,' I'd not believe them more

Than thee, all noble Marcius. Let me twine

Mine arms about that body, where against

My grained ash an hundred times hath broke

And scarr'd the moon with splinters; here I clip

The anvil of my sword, and do contest

As hotly and as nobly with thy love

As ever in ambitious strength I did

Contend against thy valour. Know thou first,

I lov'd the maid I married; never man

Sigh'd truer breath; but that I see thee here,

Thou noble thing, more dances my rapt heart

Than when I first my wedded mistress saw

Bestride my threshold. Why, thou Mars, I tell the

We have a power on foot, and I had purpose

Once more to hew thy target from thy brawn,

Or lose mine arm for't. Thou hast beat me out

Twelve several times, and I have nightly since

Dreamt of encounters 'twixt thyself and me-

We have been down together in my sleep,

Unbuckling helms, fisting each other's throat-

And wak'd half dead with nothing. Worthy Marcius,

Had we no other quarrel else to Rome but that

Thou art thence banish'd, we would muster all

From twelve to seventy, and, pouring war

Into the bowels of ungrateful Rome,

Like a bold flood o'erbeat. O, come, go in,

And take our friendly senators by th' hands,

Who now are here, taking their leaves of me

Who am prepar'd against your territories,

Though not for Rome itself.

CORIOLANUS.

You bless me, gods!

AUFIDIUS.

Therefore, most. absolute sir, if thou wilt have

The leading of thine own revenges, take

Th' one half of my commission, and set down-

As best thou art experienc'd, since thou know'st

Thy country's strength and weakness- thine own ways,

Whether to knock against the gates of Rome,

Or rudely visit them in parts remote

To fright them ere destroy. But come in;

Let me commend thee first to those that shall

Say yea to thy desires. A thousand welcomes!

And more a friend than e'er an enemy;

Yet, Marcius, that was much. Your hand; most welcome!

Exeunt CORIOLANUS and AUFIDIUS

The two SERVINGMEN come forward

FIRST SERVANT.

Here's a strange alteration!

SECOND SERVANT.

By my hand, I had thought to have strucken him with

a cudgel; and yet my mind gave me his clothes made a false report of him.

FIRST SERVANT.

What an arm he has! He turn'd me about with his

finger and his thumb, as one would set up a top.

SECOND SERVANT.

Nay, I knew by his face that there was something in

him; he had, sir, a kind of face, methought- I cannot tell how to term it.

FIRST SERVANT.

He had so, looking as it were- Would I were hang'd,

but I thought there was more in him than I could think.

SECOND SERVANT.

So did I, I'll be sworn. He is simply the rarest

man i' th' world.

FIRST SERVANT.

I think he is; but a greater soldier than he you wot on.

SECOND SERVANT.

Who, my master?

FIRST SERVANT.

Nay, it's no matter for that.

SECOND SERVANT.

Worth six on him.

FIRST SERVANT.

Nay, not so neither; but I take him to be the greater soldier.

SECOND SERVANT.

Faith, look you, one cannot tell how to say that;

for the defence of a town our general is excellent.

FIRST SERVANT.

Ay, and for an assault too.

Re-enter the third SERVINGMAN

THIRD SERVANT.

O slaves, I can tell you news- news, you rascals!

BOTH.

What, what, what? Let's partake.

THIRD SERVANT.

I would not be a Roman, of all nations;

I had as lief be a condemn'd man.

BOTH.

Wherefore? wherefore?

THIRD SERVANT.

Why, here's