Coriolanus: Act 4, Scene 4 Translation

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 5In 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? 10

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. 15

CORIOLANUS Thank you, sir. Farewell.
Citizen exits.

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 20
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 25
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, 30
He does fair justice; if he give me way,
I’ll do his country service.

He exits.