Coriolanus Scene 4.1.2

Scene 4.1.2

The Gates at Rome border

Coriolanus got off the civilian vehicle that drove him and his small entourage of send off party. There was Volumnia in her finest three piece suit, with the wide hair and the matching veil over her face. Virgilia had followed with her own version of the three piece suit with a fedora hat while her son was in his finest army ceremonial suit complete with polished shoes. Menenius and Cominius had arrived earlier in the official sedan vehicle, complete with personal guards. 

The gate there was called the Main Gate to the city, but they are there to see someone leave. The Audile had the enforcers cleared the gate area by a wide radius to avoid any Commoners who may decide to bury the banished there.

“Come, leave your tears; a brief farewell to the beast.” Coriolanus dressed in his battle fatigues but he kept on a dark jacket over his shoulders. He have removed the army ranks and insignia and kept on a beret over his head. His cheeks were showing the day old stubble which he refused to shave for the occasion. He looked to his mother who stood there in a firm stance. Her eyes betrayed her emotions but she held it there behind her eye lids.

“Nay mother, where is your ancient courage? You used to say extremity was the trier of spirits; that common chances common men could bear; that when the sea was calm all boats alike showed mastership in floating. When fortune blows, when most struck home, being gentle wounded, craves a noble cunning. You were used to load me with percepts that would make me invincible the heart that would conned them.”  Coriolanus remembered the yachting with his parents when his mother would coach him. Her father was a sea faring Captain and so were her grandfather. She once told him, that nothing makes a man more than him alone on his yacht in the storm out at sea.

Virgilia could not hold her tears but her mother in law gave her the stares.

“Now the pestilence strikes all trades in Rome.” The older lady cursed out. Coriolanus smiled, and replied.

“I shall be loved when I am lacked. Nay, mother, resume that spirit when you were there then.” The son embraced his mother and then his wife. The later he held for a while but the third with his son, he shook the young boy’s hand before the salute.

“Where would you go?” The concerned mother asked. “Take Cominius with you. Determine some courses than a wild exposure to each chance in the way before thee.”

“Oh!” The wife beseech while she held tight to their son. Cominius took the cue to present forth.

“Oh, come now, Virgilia. He had not been home for months before.” The senior lady lashed out. “Be that office wife which you are now. Stand fast to his decision.”

Virgilia held back her emotions while the General cuts in. Coriolanus was undecided to hold his wife or stand there as if he was going on a training mission.

“I will follow thee a month.” Cominius was concerned that his long disappearance from the Consuls may erode his influence, unlike a war he comes back to garlanded, but a long excursion meant someone may usurp your rank. “We will established a communication line which you may contact us or us with you. I do not want you missing that we would search the world for you.”

Coriolanus smiled at the old General. To him, a war was partially won by communications with the correct commands but sometimes divisions may go rogue and reap more rewards that way. He had been on his own before, and won battles with it. It is not sometimes the strength of many but cunning self of one that could turn the outcome of a battle. He looked to his wife and child. They looked so sad, but when he saw his mother’s glare, he shuddered from approaching his family. He picked up his bags and turned to look at the road ahead. It was going to a long road. He then turned back to his family.

“Farewell, mother. Farewell all of you. There is Rome, and there is the rest of the world. I am on my journey to see those parts of the world.” Coriolanus turned to the road. It looked long and then it was tired, but many a times during the war, he had the same feeling but he went on. For then, he would resolved to do so and walked till death do come or his world uncovered before him. His eyes welled up but with his head held high, he walked without a second glance. He did hear what Menenius had to whisper to his wife.

“If I could shake off the seven years off my age, I would have put these arms and legs to follow him.” Menenius tried to soothe the grieving wife, but she had ignored him and walked back to Rome with her son. Menenius shrugged his shoulders at the cold treatment and then recalled he have one with a lady named Valeria. He soon took with fast pace on his legs.