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- $Unique_ID{SSP01520}
- $Title{Coriolanus: Act IV, Scene IV}
- $Author{Shakespeare, William}
- $Subject{}
- $Log{Dramatis Personae*01500.txt}
-
- Portions copyright (c) CMC ReSearch, Inc., 1989
-
- The Complete Works of William Shakespeare
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- CORIOLANUS
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- ACT IV
- ................................................................................
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- SCENE IV: Antium. Before Aufidius's house.
- . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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- {Enter CORIOLANUS in mean apparel, disguised
- and muffled.}
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- 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.}
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- Save you, sir.
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- Citizen: And you.
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- CORIOLANUS: Direct me, if it be your will,
- Where great Aufidius lies: is he in Antium?
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- Citizen: He is, and feasts the nobles of the state
- At his house this night. 10
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- CORIOLANUS: Which is his house, beseech you?
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- Citizen: This, here before you.
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- CORIOLANUS: Thank you, sir: farewell.
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- [Exit Citizen.]
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- O world, thy slippery turns! Friends now fast sworn,
- Whose double bosoms seem to wear one heart,
- Whose house, whose bed, whose meal, and exercise,
- Are still together, who twin, as 'twere, in love
- Unseparable, shall within this hour,
- On a dissension of a doit, break out
- To bitterest enmity: so, fellest foes,
- Whose passions and whose plots have broke their sleep, 20
- To take the one the other, by some chance,
- Some trick not worth an egg, shall grow dear friends
- And interjoin their issues. So with me:
- My birth-place hate I, and my love's upon
- This enemy town. I'll enter: if he slay me,
- He does fair justice; if he give me way,
- I'll do his country service.
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- [Exit.]
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