Coriolanus Act 2.1.2

Scene 2.1.2

The street meeting

Menenius intercepted the ladies who were in his interest to meet. They were Volumnia, Virgilia, and Valeria. The ladies were dressed for the walk in their finest frocks. Their dress hems swept the street flooring while their boots stirred the dusts on it. The elderly one had a badge of honor sewn with ribbons for her returning son, on her left chest. The ladies were a welcome sight for the Consul, but he was wary of the last one. He was familiar with her pansy antics; admittedly he had subjected to her ministrations for a short while. It was more of his doing then hers, for he soon called off her service for nobler ones. He motioned them to nearby table by sidewalk café.

“How how, my as fair as noble ladies”, Menenius eyes skirted the glare of Valeria. He had to admit that even then, he was still wanting of her. “And the moon was she earthly…”

“Honorable Menenius, my boy Marcius approaches; for the love of Juno, lets’ go.” Volumnia greet the man.

“Ha? Martius coming home!” Menenius feigned surprise at that thought. He rejoiced with the mother.

“Ay, worthy Menenius; and with most prosperous approbation.” Volumnia exclaimed at his arrival.

“Take my hand, Jupiter, and I thank thee. Hoo! Marcius coming home!’ Menenius displayed over joys at the news.

“Nay, it’s true.” Virgilia and Valerie added to their belief that the hero was coming back. The mother of the hero produced a vid-pad from her jacket.

“Here’s a message from him; the state had another, his wife another, and I think there’s one at home for you.”

“I will make my very house reel tonight. A letter for me?” The older man twirled in glee as if he was waiting for this moment for a long time. The ladies laughed at the older man’ antics.

“Yes, certain, there’s a letter for you; I saw it.” Virgilia added to his glee.

“A letter for me! Its’ give me an estate of seven years.” Menenius cited the extended term of a Consul on re-election. “In which time, I will make a lip at the physician; the most sovereign prescription in Galen is but empiricutic, and to this preservative, of no better report than a horse drench.”

“Is he not wounded?” Menenius turned down his tone, to enquire. “He was sent to come home wounded.”

“O, no, no, no…” Virgilia distressed at the notion that her love was wounded. She had fear that from the moment he had left the doorway of their bedroom.

“O, he is wounded; I think the God for it.” The mother of the hero knew that the image of her son with wounds would awe the heroism to a higher level.

“So do I too, be it not too much…?” Menenius recalled his limping when he returned from the war. A hero he was declared too but not many recalled his deeds. “Brings a victory in his pockets, the wound become him.”

“He comes the third time home with the oaken garland.” Volumnia gloated on her son.

“Has he disciplined Audifius soundly?” Menenius stroke the embers to inflame the fire.

“Titus Audifius writes that they fought together, but Audifius got off.”

“It was time for him too. I’ll warrant that him; and he had stayed by him. I would not have it otherwise. Have the Senate be told?” The elderly man pushed for more.

“Good ladies, let’s go.” Volumnia looked to her companion. She then recalled the question from the elderly man. She turned towards him. “Yes, yes, and yes: then Senate has letters from the General, wherein he gives my son the whole glory of the war. He had added that I this action, Marcius had outdone his former deed doubly.”

“In truth, there’s wondrous things spoke of him.” Valerie snapped in to support her then current bastion for leaning on. She had nudged herself forth to look at the elderly man; he was one of her earlier catches, but had swim free from the netting. There were few, but he was kindred to her memory for his rather lasting prowess that left wanting. She looked into his eyes and smiled. He does have beautiful eyes; she spoke within herself.

“Wondrous!” Menenius looked away and focus on the youngest among the three. That one won’t be a widow just yet. “I warrant you that it was all his doing.”

“The Gods grant them true!” Virgilia added to the proud line made by the elderly man. She smiled while she looked at the elderly man. He may be the pompous windbag that Caius had said but his was sweet.

“Where is he wounded?” Menenius asked of the mother before he turned to the previous balcony where the two idiotic fools still stood observing the conversation here. “Marcius is coming home. He more causes to be proud.”

“Where is he wounded?” Menenius asked again not for the physical wounds but to mock the previous two who snide the personality of the hero.

“In the shoulder… and in the left arm.” Volumnia searched her mind for the locations, and in her expression, she held out her left arm. “There would be large cicatrices to show the people, when he stand for his place. He received no less than seven wounds in the body at Tarquin.”

“One in the neck, and two in the thigh, that nine I know.” Menenius recount his own told to him. “That’s nine that I know.”

“He had before this last war, twenty five wounds upon him.” Volumnia stressed on that for the elderly man. It pained her to see him hurt but it was in his glory that he was inflicted.

“Every gash was an enemy’s grave.” Menenius spoke out loud for the others to hear. He then heard the klaxon announcing the arrival of the hero.