Auf. Say, what's thy name?
Thou hast a grim appearance, and thy face
Bears a command in 't; though thy tackle's torn,[3522] 60
Thou show'st a noble vessel: what's thy name?
Cor. Prepare thy brow to frown:—know'st thou me yet?
Auf. I know thee not:—thy name?[3523]
Cor. My name is Caius Marcius, who hath done[3524]
To thee particularly, and to all the Volsces, 65
Great hurt and mischief; thereto witness may
My surname, Coriolanus: the painful service,
The extreme dangers, and the drops of blood
Shed for my thankless country, are requited[3525]
But with that surname; a good memory,[3526] 70
And witness of the malice and displeasure
Which thou shouldst bear me: only that name remains:[3527]
The cruelty and envy of the people,[3528]
Permitted by our dastard nobles, who
Have all forsook me, hath devour'd the rest; 75
And suffer'd me by the voice of slaves to be
Whoop'd out of Rome. Now, this extremity[3529]
Hath brought me to thy hearth: not out of hope—
Mistake me not—to save my life, for if
I had fear'd death, of all the men i' the world 80
I would have 'voided thee; but in mere spite,[3530]
To be full quit of those my banishers,
Stand I before thee here. Then if thou hast
A heart of wreak in thee, that wilt revenge[3531]
Thine own particular wrongs and stop those maims[3532] 85
Of shame seen through thy country, speed thee straight,[3532]
And make my misery serve thy turn: so use it
That my revengeful services may prove
As benefits to thee; for I will fight
Against my canker'd country with the spleen 90
Of all the under fiends. But if so be
Thou darest not this and that to prove more fortunes
Thou'rt tired, then, in a word, I also am[3533]
Longer to live most weary, and present
My throat to thee and to thy ancient malice; 95
Which not to cut would show thee but a fool,[3534]
Since I have ever follow'd thee with hate,
Drawn tuns of blood out of thy country's breast,
And cannot live but to thy shame, unless
It be to do thee service.
Auf. O Marcius, Marcius![3535] 100
Each word thou hast spoke hath weeded from my heart[3536]
A root of ancient envy. If Jupiter[3537]
Should from yond cloud speak divine things,[3538]
And say 'Tis true,' I'ld not believe them more[3539]
Than thee, all noble Marcius. Let me twine[3540] 105
Mine arms about that body, where against[3541]
My grained ash an hundred times hath broke,
And scarr'd the moon with splinters: here I clip[3542]
The anvil of my sword, and do contest
As hotly and as nobly with thy love 110
As ever in ambitious strength I did
Contend against thy valour. Know thou first,[3543]
I loved the maid I married; never man[3543]
Sigh'd truer breath; but that I see thee here,
Thou noble thing! more dances my rapt heart 115
Than when I first my wedded mistress saw
Bestride my threshold. Why, thou Mars! I tell thee,[3544]
We have a power on foot; and I had purpose
Once more to hew thy target from thy brawn,
Or lose mine arm for't: thou hast beat me out[3545] 120
Twelve several times, and I have nightly since
Dreamt of encounters 'twixt thyself and me;
We have been down together in my sleep,
Unbuckling helms, fisting each other's throat;
And waked half dead with nothing. Worthy Marcius, 125
Had we no quarrel else to Rome but that[3546]
Thou art thence banish'd, we would muster all
From twelve to seventy, and pouring war
Into the bowels of ungrateful Rome,
Like a bold flood o'er-beat. O, come, go in,[3547] 130
And take our friendly senators by the hands,
Who now are here, taking their leaves of me,
Who am prepared against your territories,
Though not for Rome itself.
Cor. You bless me, gods!
Auf. Therefore, most absolute sir, if thou wilt have 135
The leading of thine own revenges, take
The one half of my commission, and set down—[3548]
As best thou art experienced, since thou know'st
Thy country's strength and weakness—thine own ways;
Whether to knock against the gates of Rome, 140
Or rudely visit them in parts remote,
To fright them, ere destroy. But come in:[3549]
Let me commend thee first to those that shall[3550]
Say yea to thy desires. A thousand welcomes!
And more a friend than e'er an enemy; 145
Yet, Marcius, that was much. Your hand: most welcome!
[Exeunt Coriolanus and Aufidius. The two Servingmen come forward.[3551]
First Serv. Here's a strange alteration![3552]