ACT IV
SCENE IV Antium. Before Aufidius's house.


 [Enter CORIOLANUS in mean apparel, disguised
 and muffled]

CORIOLANUS A goodly city is this Antium. City,
 'Tis I that made thy widows: many an heir
 Of these fair edifices 'fore my wars
 Have I heard groan and drop: then know me not,
 Lest that thy wives with spits and boys with stones
 In puny battle slay me.

 [Enter a Citizen]

    Save you, sir.

Citizen And you.

CORIOLANUS        Direct me, if it be your will,
 Where great Aufidius lies: is he in Antium?

Citizen He is, and feasts the nobles of the state
 At his house this night.

CORIOLANUS Which is his house, beseech you?

Citizen This, here before you.

CORIOLANUS Thank you, sir: farewell.

 [Exit Citizen]

 O world, thy slippery turns! Friends now fast sworn,
 Whose double bosoms seem to wear one heart,
 Whose house, whose bed, whose meal, and exercise,
 Are still together, who twin, as 'twere, in love
 Unseparable, shall within this hour,
 On a dissension of a doit, break out
 To bitterest enmity: so, fellest foes,
 Whose passions and whose plots have broke their sleep,
 To take the one the other, by some chance,
 Some trick not worth an egg, shall grow dear friends
 And interjoin their issues. So with me:
 My birth-place hate I, and my love's upon
 This enemy town. I'll enter: if he slay me,
 He does fair justice; if he give me way,
 I'll do his country service.

 [Exit]




 CORIOLANUS


ACT IV