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 seems to wear one heart,
Whose hours, 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 birthplace 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.