William Shakespeare: The Tragedy of Coriolanus

ACT I. 3. SCENE III. Rome. An apartmnet in MARCIUS' house. (continued)

VALERIA.
Come, lay aside your stitchery; I must have you play the idle
huswife with me this afternoon.

VIRGILIA.
No, good madam; I will not out of doors.

VALERIA.
Not out of doors!

VOLUMNIA.
She shall, she shall.

VIRGILIA.
Indeed, no, by your patience; I'll not over the threshold till my
lord return from the wars.

VALERIA.
Fie, you confine yourself most unreasonably; come, you must go
visit the good lady that lies in.

VIRGILIA.
I will wish her speedy strength, and visit her with my prayers;
but I cannot go thither.

VOLUMNIA.
Why, I pray you?

VIRGILIA.
'Tis not to save labour, nor that I want love.

VALERIA.
You would be another Penelope; yet they say all the yarn she spun
in Ulysses' absence did but fill Ithaca full of moths. Come; I
would your cambric were sensible as your finger, that you might
leave pricking it for pity.--Come, you shall go with us.

VIRGILIA.
No, good madam, pardon me; indeed I will not forth.

VALERIA.
In truth, la, go with me; and I'll tell you excellent news
of your husband.

VIRGILIA.
O, good madam, there can be none yet.

VALERIA.
Verily, I do not jest with you; there came news from him last
night.

VIRGILIA.
Indeed, madam?

VALERIA.
In earnest, it's true; I heard a senator speak it. Thus it
is:--the Volsces have an army forth; against whom Cominius the
general is gone, with one part of our Roman power: your lord and
Titus Lartius are set down before their city Corioli; they
nothing doubt prevailing, and to make it brief wars. This is
true, on mine honour; and so, I pray, go with us.