Coriolanus Act Scene 1.3.2

Scene 1.3.2

Lady Valeria intrudes

Virgilia stood up and grabbed her electronic pad with relief that she was to be excused. She was looking forward to spend her day in bed with the passages of love and not of war.

“Beseech you give leave to retire myself.” Virgilia took to the doorway but she was stopped by the elder lady. 

“Methinks I hear hither your husband’s drum; see him pluck Aufidius down by the hair. As children from a bear, the Volsces shunning him.”

Virgilia looked to the elder lady. She must had taken one much of her drink, or she flounder in the glories of bloodletting events.

“Methinks I see him stamp thus, and call thus.” The elder lady stood up and stood to attention like a leader waving on his men. “Come, you cowards! You were got in fear, though you were born in Rome.”

“His bloody brow with his mailed hand then wiping forth he goes.” The elder lady imitated the motion with her own acts. “Like to a harvest man that’s tasked to mow; or all or lose his hire.”

“His bloody brow?  Jupiter, no blood.” Virgilia took to task on the idea of the killing.

“Away, you fool! It more becomes a man than gilt his trophy.” The elder lady pushed forth her pronounced breasts and cradled her hands below it. “The breasts of Hecuba, when she did suckle Hector, looked not lovelier than Hector’s forehead when it spit forth blood.”

Hecuba was the Queen of Troy. She had a dozen children and Hector was one of them. He died in the war of Troy while his mother held him to her breasts. It was then Volumnia saw the servant still standing there and held her composure.

“We are fit to bid her welcome.” The servant left to escort the newly arrived Lady Valeria. The lady dressed in the silky shades of yellow dress with the gradual green shadow on the hems strolled in. She was detested by Virgilia for being a bitch and a social parasite. The lady had once made her climb among the Noble by soliciting her wares through devious means. There were rumors that she knew no love but lust for power.

“My ladies both, good day to you.” Lady Valeria did a curtsy bow withstanding her posture less her orbs fell out of the lower cut on her dress.

“Sweet madam!” Volumnia replied the greeting. She bathed in the limelight of visitors to her home. It had been of constant lately with the exploits of Marcius at the battle fronts. Then he was marching to another one made the home a center of gossips of his exploits.

“How do you both? You are manifest housekeepers.” Lady Valeria stole her look to the panel before Volumnia. “What are you sewing here? A fine spot, in good faith.”

Lady Valeria looked up with envious that the Major never looked further than the apple tree. He would have a better past if he had seen her as the elegant nymph by the pond. That thought however did not evade the eyes of Virgilia whose thought of a smite remark for the lady; never a finer spot to be beneath the legs of the house master. Maybe it was not to be. Lady Valeria looked to Virgilia.

“How does your little son?”

“I thank your ladyship; well, good madam.” Virgilia gave a slight bow to her curtsy in return.

“He had rather see the swords and hear a drum than look up his schoolmaster.” Volumnia called on the attention towards her.

“Oh my word, the father’s son.” Valeria looked to the elder lady. She had come to enquire on the hero and was given a tale to tell. “I was with him last Wednesday. I could have sworn he was a pretty boy. I saw him run after a gilded butterfly and when he caught it, he let it go again, and after it again. He did several times and …Whether it was the fall; he set his teeth and tore it. I warrant how he mammocked it!”

Valeria ended with a gleeful smile. If she had more cells in her head than at her bosom, she would have seen the aggressiveness of the child was worrying, but the only aggressiveness was her acts beneath the sheets.

“One of his father’s moods”, Volumnia attest to the behavior as if it was normal for children to remove life.

‘Indeed, it’s a Noble child” Valeria cracked back and it caught the attention of Virgilia. The later intervened with the offer of a seat to Lady Valeria but the later was jumpy on moving up.

“Come, lay aside your stitchery. I must have you play the idle housewife with this afternoon on a lady.” Valeria had moved to the doorway but Virgilia declined her invitation.

“No, good madam; I will not be out of doors.” Virgilia grabbed her pad to go back to her room.

“Not out of doors!” Valeria exhumed out in despair but Volumnia was ever insistent that Virgilia does her social responsibility to visit the lady in question asked by the Lady Valeria.

“She shall, she shall.” Volumnia encouraged her daughter in law but Virgilia had declined strongly.

“Indeed by no, by your patience; I’ll not over the threshold till my lord return from the wars.”

“Fine,” Valeria then reasoned with her.  “You confined yourself most unreasonably; come, you must go visit the good lady that lies in.”

“I will wish her speedy strength, and visit her with my prayers, but I cannot go there.” Virgilia stood her ground, and Volumnia asked.

“Why I pray you?”

“You would not be another Penelope; they say with all the yarn she spun in Ulysses’ absence did but fill Ithaca full of moths.” Penelope in the tale on Trojan War had used the excuse of weaving the shroud for her husband, Ulysses to deter off the admirers who asked for her hand.

“Come, I would your cambric were sensible as your finger, that you might leave pricking it for pity.” Valerie looked at the tapestry and noted its uneven edges. “Come, you shall go with us.”

Virgilia declined strongly again. Valerie sighed and then changed her tone.

“Come along and I will have you tales of your husband.” But Virgilia eager as she was then, but she knew there was not possible for any news.

“Verily, I do not jest with you; there came news for him last night.” Valerie pressed on her point.  Virgilia was all ears then.

“In earnest, it’s true; I heard a Consul speak it. Thus it is: the Volsces have an army forth; against whom Cominius the 

general with one part of our Roman power: your lord and Titus Lartius are set down before their city Corioli; they nothing doubts prevailing to make it brief wars. This on mine honor; and so; I pray, go with us.”

“Let her alone, lady; as she is now, she will but disease our better mirth.” Volumnia ever eager to leave.

“In truth, I think she would. Fare you well, then. Come, good sweet lady.” Valerie reached for the door. “Virgilia, turn thy solemnest outdoor and go along with us.”

"No,” Virgilia sighed. “At a word, madam, indeed I must not. I wish you much mirth.”

“Well then, farewell.” Valerie wished her.