Read the full text of Coriolanus Act 5 Scene 2 with a side-by-side translation HERE.
- At the Volscian army's camp just outside of Rome, Coriolanus prepares for battle.
- Menenius shows up to do some good old-fashioned begging but first he has to get past a bunch of Watchmen.
- The Watchmen don't believe that Menenius is a friend of Coriolanus so they give him a hard time.
- When Coriolanus shows up, Menenius tries to appeal to him as the guy who always treated him like a "son."
- Coriolanus is not having any of this. He says he'll have his revenge against Rome. Then he disowns his entire family: "Wife, mother, child I know not," he says.
- When Coriolanus storms off, Menenius is totally crushed.
- The Watchmen take the opportunity to rub it in.
- About two seconds go by and Menenius gets mad. He curses Coriolanus and the whole Volscian army.