Coriolanus

MENENIUS. You have told them home,
And, by my troth, you have cause. You'll sup with me?
VOLUMNIA. Anger's my meat; I sup upon myself,
And so shall starve with feeding. Come, let's go.
Leave this faint puling and lament as I do,
In anger, Juno-like. Come, come, come.
Exeunt VOLUMNIA and VIRGILIA
MENENIUS. Fie, fie, fie! Exit

SCENE III. A highway between Rome and Antium

Enter a ROMAN and a VOLSCE, meeting

ROMAN. I know you well, sir, and you know me; your name, I
think,
is Adrian.
VOLSCE. It is so, sir. Truly, I have forgot you.
ROMAN. I am a Roman; and my services are, as you are, against
'em.
Know you me yet?
VOLSCE. Nicanor? No!
ROMAN. The same, sir.
VOLSCE. You had more beard when I last saw you, but your favour
is
well appear'd by your tongue. What's the news in Rome? I have
a
note from the Volscian state, to find you out there. You have
well saved me a day's journey.
ROMAN. There hath been in Rome strange insurrections: the
people
against the senators, patricians, and nobles.
VOLSCE. Hath been! Is it ended, then? Our state thinks not so;
they
are in a most warlike preparation, and hope to come upon them
in
the heat of their division.
ROMAN. The main blaze of it is past, but a small thing would
make
it flame again; for the nobles receive so to heart the
banishment
of that worthy Coriolanus that they are in a ripe aptness to
take
all power from the people, and to pluck from them their
tribunes
for ever. This lies glowing, I can tell you, and is almost
mature
for the violent breaking out.
VOLSCE. Coriolanus banish'd!
ROMAN. Banish'd, sir.
VOLSCE. You will be welcome with this intelligence, Nicanor.
ROMAN. The day serves well for them now. I have heard it said
the
fittest time to corrupt a man's wife is when she's fall'n out
with her husband. Your noble Tullus Aufidius will appear well
in
these wars, his great opposer, Coriolanus, being now in no
request of his country.
VOLSCE. He cannot choose. I am most fortunate thus accidentally
to
encounter you; you have ended my business, and I will merrily
accompany you home.
ROMAN. I shall between this and supper tell you most strange
things
from Rome, all tending to the good of their adversaries. Have
you
an army ready, say you?
VOLSCE. A most royal one: the centurions and their charges,
distinctly billeted, already in th' entertainment, and to be
on
foot at an hour's warning.
ROMAN. I am joyful to hear of their readiness, and am the man,
I
think, that shall set them in present action. So, sir,
heartily
well met, and most glad of your company.
VOLSCE. You take my part from me, sir. I have the most cause to
be
glad of yours.
ROMAN. Well, let us go together.

SCENE IV. Antium. Before AUFIDIUS' house

Enter CORIOLANUS, in mean apparel, disguis'd and muffled

CORIOLANUS. A goodly city is this Antium. City,
'Tis I that made thy widows: many an heir
Of these fair edifices fore my wars
Have I heard groan and drop. Then know me not.
Lest that thy wives with spits and boys with stones,
In puny battle slay me.

Enter A CITIZEN

Save you, sir.
CITIZEN. And you.
CORIOLANUS. Direct me, if it be your will,
Where great Aufidius lies. Is he in Antium?
CITIZEN. He is, and feasts the nobles of the state
At his house this night.
CORIOLANUS. Which is his house, beseech you?