Act 4. Scene VI

SCENE VI. Rome. A public place.

Enter SICINIUS and BRUTUS
SICINIUS
We hear not of him, neither need we fear him;
His remedies are tame i' the present peace
And quietness of the people, which before
Were in wild hurry. Here do we make his friends
Blush that the world goes well, who rather had,
Though they themselves did suffer by't, behold
Dissentious numbers pestering streets than see
Our tradesmen with in their shops and going
About their functions friendly.

BRUTUS
We stood to't in good time.

Enter MENENIUS

Is this Menenius?

SICINIUS
'Tis he,'tis he: O, he is grown most kind of late.

Both Tribunes
Hail sir!

MENENIUS
Hail to you both!

SICINIUS
Your Coriolanus
Is not much miss'd, but with his friends:
The commonwealth doth stand, and so would do,
Were he more angry at it.

MENENIUS
All's well; and might have been much better, if
He could have temporized.

SICINIUS
Where is he, hear you?

MENENIUS
Nay, I hear nothing: his mother and his wife
Hear nothing from him.

Enter three or four Citizens

Citizens
The gods preserve you both!

SICINIUS
God-den, our neighbours.

BRUTUS
God-den to you all, god-den to you all.

First Citizen
Ourselves, our wives, and children, on our knees,
Are bound to pray for you both.

SICINIUS
Live, and thrive!

BRUTUS
Farewell, kind neighbours: we wish'd Coriolanus
Had loved you as we did.

Citizens
Now the gods keep you!

Both Tribunes
Farewell, farewell.

Exeunt Citizens

SICINIUS
This is a happier and more comely time
Than when these fellows ran about the streets,
Crying confusion.

BRUTUS
Caius Marcius was
A worthy officer i' the war; but insolent,
O'ercome with pride, ambitious past all thinking,
Self-loving,--

SICINIUS
And affecting one sole throne,
Without assistance.

MENENIUS
I think not so.

SICINIUS
We should by this, to all our lamentation,
If he had gone forth consul, found it so.

BRUTUS
The gods have well prevented it, and Rome
Sits safe and still without him.

Enter an AEdile

AEdile
Worthy tribunes,
There is a slave, whom we have put in prison,
Reports, the Volsces with two several powers
Are enter'd in the Roman territories,
And with the deepest malice of the war
Destroy what lies before 'em.

MENENIUS
'Tis Aufidius,
Who, hearing of our Marcius' banishment,
Thrusts forth his horns again into the world;
Which were inshell'd when Marcius stood for Rome,
And durst