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The Illustrated Works of Shakespeare
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Illustrated Works of Shakespeare, The (1990)(Animated Pixels)[!][CDTV-PC].iso
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40
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05_02
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1991-04-10
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153 lines
The Volscian Camp before Rome.
Enter MENENIUS to the WATCH on guard.
1st Watch Stay! Whence are you?
2nd Watch Stand, and go back.
Menenius You guard like men; 'tis well; but, by your leave,
I am an officer of state and come
To speak with Coriolanus.
1st Watch From whence?
Menenius From Rome.
1st Watch You may not pass; you must return: our general
Will no more hear from thence.
2nd Watch You'll see your Rome embraced with fire before
You'll speak with Coriolanus.
Menenius Good my friends,
If you have heard your general talk of Rome,
And of his friends there, it is lots to blanks
My name hath touched your ears: it is Menenius.
1st Watch Be it so, go back: the virtue of your name
Is not here passable.
Menenius I tell thee, fellow,
Thy general is my lover; I have been
The book of his good acts, whence men have read
His fame unparalleled, haply amplified;
For I have ever verified my friends,
Of whom he's chief, with all the size that verity
Would without lapsing suffer. Nay, sometimes,
Like to a bowl upon a subtle ground,
I have tumbled past the throw, and in his praise
Have almost stamped the leasing. Therefore, fellow,
I must have leave to pass.
1st Watch Faith, sir, if you had told as many lies in his behalf as
you have uttered words in your own, you should not pass
here; no, though it were as virtuous to lie as to live
chastely. Therefore go back.
Menenius Prithee, fellow, remember my name is Menenius, always
factionary on the party of your general.
2nd Watch Howsoever you have been his liar, as you say you have, I am
one that, telling true under him, must say you cannot pass.
Therefore go back.
Menenius Has he dined, canst thou tell? For I would not speak with
him till after dinner.
1st Watch You are a Roman, are you?
Menenius I am as thy general is.
1st Watch Then you should hate Rome, as he does. Can you, when you
have pushed out your gates the very defender of them, and,
in a violent popular ignorance, given your enemy your
shield, think to front his revenges with the easy groans of
old women, the virginal palms of your daughters, or with
the palsied intercession of such a decayed dotant as you
seem to be? Can you think to blow out the intended fire
your city is ready to flame in with such weak breath as
this? No, you are deceived; therefore back to Rome and
prepare for your execution: you are condemned; our general
has sworn you out of reprieve and pardon.
Menenius Sirrah, if thy captain knew I were here, he would use me
with estimation.
1st Watch Come, my captain knows you not.
Menenius I mean thy general.
1st Watch My general cares not for you. Back, I say; go, lest I let
forth your half-pint of blood. Back, that's the utmost of
your having. Back!
Menenius Nay, but fellow, fellow-
Enter CORIOLANUS with AUFIDIUS.
Coriolanus What's the matter?
Menenius Now, you companion, I'll say an errand for you: you shall
know now that I am in estimation; you shall perceive that a
Jack guardant cannot office me from my son Coriolanus:
guess but by my entertainment with him, if thou stand'st
not i'th' state of hanging, or of some death more long in
spectatorship and crueller in suffering. Behold now
presently, and swound for what's to come upon thee.
[To CORIOLANUS.] The glorious gods sit in hourly synod
about thy particular prosperity, and love thee no worse
than thy old father Menenius does. O my son, my son, thou
art preparing fire for us: look thee, here's water to
quench it. I was hardly moved to come to thee, but being
assured none but myself could move thee, I have been blown
out of your gates with sighs, and conjure thee to pardon
Rome and thy petitionary countrymen. The good gods assuage
thy wrath, and turn the dregs of it upon this varlet here;
this, who, like a block, hath denied my access to thee.
Coriolanus Away!
Menenius How, away?
Coriolanus Wife, mother, child, I know not. My affairs
Are servanted to others. Though I owe
My revenge properly, my remission lies
In Volscian breasts. That we have been familiar,
Ingrate forgetfulness shall poison, rather
Than pity note how much. Therefore be gone.
Mine ears against your suits are stronger than
Your gates against my force. Yet, for I loved thee,
Take this along; I writ it for thy sake,
[Gives a letter.
And would have sent it. Another word, Menenius,
I will not hear thee speak. This man, Aufidius,
Was my beloved in Rome: yet thou behold'st.
Aufidius You keep a constant temper.
[Exeunt CORIOLANUS and AUFIDIUS.
Manet the GUARD and MENENIUS.
1st Watch Now, sir, is your name Menenius?
2nd Watch 'Tis a spell, you see, of much power. You know the way home
again.
1st Watch Do you hear how we are shent for keeping your greatness
back?
2nd Watch What cause do you think I have to swound?
Menenius I neither care for the world nor your general. For such
things as you, I can scarce think there's any, you're so
slight. He that hath a will to die by himself fears it not
from another. Let your general do his worst. For you, be
that you are, long; and your misery increase with your age!
I say to you, as I was said to - Away!
[Exit.
1st Watch A noble fellow, I warrant him.
2nd Watch The worthy fellow is our general. He's the rock, the oak
not to be wind-shaken.
[Exeunt.