Coriolanus Act 2.1.4

Scene 2.1.4

The Hero shines

Marcius whom we shall now addressed as Coriolanus; shied his face from the crowd, but Lartius pulled him upright. He was after all a hero.

“No more of this, it does offend my heart.” Coriolanus pulled himself up as if he was under orders. “Pray now, no more.”

Coriolanus was to lower himself into the sanctuary of the carrier when he heard the voice of General Cominius on the comms.

“Look, your mother.” General Cominius called out. The General then climbed out of the turret and descended to the street. He had seen the mother of the hero at the grandstand. The enforcers there part a way for him to approach the lady; it was not hard for them for the Commoners had shied away from being too near the General. It was probably his after shave than his reputation as a hard line Noble.

The General reached out with his hand for the lady to join him at the street. Volumnia gracefully stepped off the grandstand with deft steps lest she toppled onto the ground with the Commoners. The General was more kind to guide ever slowly while the surrounding all stood there in silence, shall I placed it as open mouthed stupefied by the act. Coriolanus had seen his mother at the grandstand also took flight of the carrier to greet his mother.

“O”, Coriolanus went down on his knees before his mother. The officers lined at the rear of the carrier followed their commander in gesture. General Cominius propped up his spine as if he was the one being saluted. He then turned to the lady and did a curtsy bow. It was a move that had won hearts for elections.

“You have, I know, petitioned all the Gods for my prosperity.” Coriolanus thanked his mother for her prayers.

“My good soldier, up; my gentle Marcius, worthy of Caius and by deed achieving honor newly named~” Volumnia tried to recall the name, and was thus helped by the General with a close ear whisper.

“Coriolanus must I call thee?” Volumnia struggled with the name for she had always called him as Caius and for so long that the name was well embedded on her tongue. The name given by her husband on his birth and then echoed in the home they had raised him. Caius; must I? Volumnia struggled with that in her mind. She looked to the General and yet he showed her nothing but admiration for her son.

“But, O, thy wife!” Volumnia looked to Virgilia for strength. Coriolanus sensed his mother’ discomfort and feared that she was upset with him. He moved on his knees towards her.

“My gracious silence, hail!” Coriolanus called out. “Wouldst thou have laughed had I come coffined home, that weeps to see me triumph?”

Volumnia reached down for her son. Coriolanus pressed on her for his reply.

“Such eyes the widows in Corioli wore and mother that lacks sons.” It was the General who stepped in to correct the scene.

“The Gods crown thee!” Menenius; at the grandstand timed his entry with the shout. He praised the Gods that Coriolanus stood there alive for he was blessed by the Gods. It was also then the lady named Valeria stole herself to be stand beside the elder man. She was determined to be in the light of event.

“And live yet?” Coriolanus spoke out of his thanks to the Gods. He then stood up and stood by his mother. He had to nudge his way in for the other lady stood on firmly in the way.

“O my sweet lady, pardon.” Coriolanus elbowed her to the rear and stood with his mother next to Menenius.

“I know not where to turn: O welcome home!” The older lady finally shouted out to her son. “And welcome, General: And you are welcome all.”

“A hundred thousand welcomes. I could weep.” The elder man held up his hands to wipe at his eyes; feigning emotions stirred up others to your cause. He had learned that a long time ago. “And I could laugh, I am light and heavy.”

“Welcome!” Menenius shouted out drawing the crowd to himself. He looked to the stars of the event; the mother, the son, the wife.

“And curse is gnawing the very root on one’s heart that is not glad to see thee! You are three that Rome should dote on; yet by the faith of men, we have some old crab trees here at home that will not be grafted to your relish.” Menenius stood his back to the two he had met earlier and was stand a distance away.

“Yet welcome, warriors: we call a nettle but a nettle, and the faults of fools but folly.” The older man attests to his character of speaking blunt and true to the words.

“Ever right!” A call of support came from the General who knew not what was meant, but the stirring of the expressions in the crowd told him it was right to support. He was soon proven right by the words from Coriolanus.

“Menenius, ever, ever.” Coriolanus shouted out in support. It was the cue for the herald then who had taken to the sidelines to bring back her show.

“Give way there and go on.” The herald swung her arms to clear a passage back to the street. Coriolanus beaming with pride on his mother’ acceptance of his return, took the hand of both his mother and wife.

“Your hand and yours! Here in our own house I do shade my head, the good patricians must be visited; from whom I shall received not only greetings, but with change of honors.”

“I have lived to see inherited my very wishes. And the building of my fancy: only there one thing wanting, which I doubt not but our Rome will cast upon thee...” Volumnia had visions of her son in higher positions.

“Know, good mother, I had rather be their servant in my way than sway with them in theirs.” Coriolanus replied to her aspirations. It was either spoken in humble or in ignorance of his then burden.