William Shakespeare: The Tragedy of Coriolanus

ACT III. 1. SCENE I. Rome. A street

[Cornets. Enter CORIOLANUS, MENENIUS, COMINIUS, TITUS LARTIUS,
Senators, and Patricians.]

CORIOLANUS.
Tullus Aufidius, then, had made new head?

LARTIUS.
He had, my lord; and that it was which caus'd
Our swifter composition.

CORIOLANUS.
So then the Volsces stand but as at first;
Ready, when time shall prompt them, to make road
Upon's again.

COMINIUS.
They are worn, lord consul, so
That we shall hardly in our ages see
Their banners wave again.

CORIOLANUS.
Saw you Aufidius?

LARTIUS.
On safeguard he came to me; and did curse
Against the Volsces, for they had so vilely
Yielded the town; he is retir'd to Antium.

CORIOLANUS.
Spoke he of me?

LARTIUS.
He did, my lord.

CORIOLANUS.
How? What?

LARTIUS.
How often he had met you, sword to sword;
That of all things upon the earth he hated
Your person most; that he would pawn his fortunes
To hopeless restitution, so he might
Be call'd your vanquisher.

CORIOLANUS.
At Antium lives he?

LARTIUS.
At Antium.

CORIOLANUS.
I wish I had a cause to seek him there,
To oppose his hatred fully.--Welcome home. [To Laertes.]

[Enter SICINIUS and BRUTUS.]

Behold! these are the tribunes of the people;
The tongues o' the common mouth. I do despise them,
For they do prank them in authority,
Against all noble sufferance.

SICINIUS.
Pass no further.

CORIOLANUS.
Ha! what is that?

BRUTUS.
It will be dangerous to go on: no further.

CORIOLANUS.
What makes this change?

MENENIUS.
The matter?