Cor.
We will before the walls of Rome, to-morrow,
Set down our host. My partner in this action,
You must report to the Volscian lords how plainly
I've borne this business.

Auf.
Only their ends you have respected; stopt
Your ears against the general suit of Rome;
Never admitted private whisper; no,
Not with such friends that thought them sure of you.

Cor.
This last old man,
Whom with a crack'd heart I have sent to Rome,
Lov'd me above the measure of a father;
Nay, godded me, indeed. Their latest refuge,
Was to send him: for whose old love, I have
(Tho' I shew'd sow'rly to him) once more offer'd
The first conditions, which they did refuse,
And cannot now accept, to grace him only,
That thought he could do more; a very little
I've yielded to. Fresh embassie, and suits,
Nor from the state, nor private friends, hereafter,
Will I lend ear to. [Shout.
Ha! what shout is this?
Shall I be tempted to infringe my vow,
In the same time 'tis made? I will not— Enter Virgilia, Volumnia, Valeria, young Martius, with attendants, all in mourning.
My wife comes foremost, then the honour'd mould,
Wherein this trunk was fram'd, and in her hand
The grand-child to her blood. But out, affection!
All bond and privilege of nature break!
Let it be virtuous, to be obstinate. [Virgilia bends.
What is that curt'sie worth? or those dove's eyes,
Which can make gods forsworn? I melt, and am not
Of stronger earth than others: my mother bows, [Volumnia bends.
As if Olympus to a mole-hill should
In supplication nod; and my young boy

Hath an aspect of intercession, which
Great nature cries, Deny not. Let the Volscians
Plough Rome, and harrow Italy; I'll never
Be such a gosling to obey instinct: but stand
As if a man were author of himself,
And knew no other kin.

Vir.
My lord and husband!

Cor.
These eyes are not the same I wore in Rome.

Vir.
The sorrow that delivers us thus chang'd,
Makes you think so.

Cor.
Best of my flesh,
Forgive my tyranny, but do not say,
For that, Forgive our Romans.—O, a kiss
Long as my exile, sweet as my revenge!
Now, by the jealous queen of heav'n, that kiss
I carried from thee, dear; and my true lip
Hath virgin'd it, e'er since.—You gods! I prate,
And the most noble mother of the world,
Leave unsaluted: sink, my knee, i'th' earth; [Kneels.
Of thy deep duty more impression shew,
Than that of common sons.* ^note † ^note

Vol.
Thou art my warrior,
I holp to frame thee. Do you know this lady? [Pointing to Valeria.

Cor.
The noble sister of Poplicola:
The moon of Rome; chaste as the icicle,

That's curdled by the frost from purest snow,
And hangs on Dian's temple: dear Valeria—* ^note

Vol.
This is a poor epitome of yours, [Shewing young Martius.
Which by th' interpretation of full time,
May shew like all yourself.

Cor.
The god of soldiers,
With the consent of supreme Jove, inform
Thy thoughts with nobleness, that thou may'st prove
To shame invulnerable, and stick i'th' wars,
Like a great sea-mark, standing every flaw,
And saving those that eye thee!

Vol.
Your knee, sirrah.

Cor.
That's my brave boy.

Vol.
Even he, your wife, this lady, and myself,
Are suitors to you.

Cor.
I beseech you, peace:
Or if you'd ask, remember this, before;
The thing I have forsworn to grant, may never
Be held by you denial. Do not bid me
Dismiss my soldiers, or capitulate
Again with Rome's mechanicks. Tell me not
Wherein I seem unnatural: desire not
T' allay my rages and revenges, with
Your colder reasons.

Vol.
Oh, no more: no more:
You've said you will not grant us any thing:
For we have nothing else to ask, but that
Which you deny already: yet we will ask,
That if we fail in our request, the blame
May hang upon your hardness; therefore, hear us.

Cor.
Aufidius, and you Volscians, mark; for we'll
Hear nought from Rome, in private.—Your request?

Vol.
Should we be silent and not speak, our raiment,
And state of bodies, would bewray what life
We've led, since thy exile. Think with thyself,
How more unfort'nate than all living women,
Are we come hither; since thy sight, which should

Make our eyes flow with joy, hearts dance with comforts,
Constrains them weep, and shake with fear and sorrow;
Making the mother, wife, and child, to see
The son, the husband, and the father, tearing
His country's bowels out: and to poor we
Thine enmity's most capital; thou barr'st us
Our prayers to the gods, which is a comfort,
That all but we enjoy. For we must find
An eminent calamity, tho' we had
Our wish, which side shou'd win. For either thou
Must, as a foreign recreant,* ^note be led
With manacles along our streets, or else
Triumphantly tread on thy country's ruin,
And bear the palm for having bravely shed
Thy wife and children's blood. For myself, son,
If I can't persuade thee
Rather to shew a noble grace to both parts,
Than seek the end of one; thou shalt not sooner
March to assault thy country, than to tread
(Trust to't, thou shalt not) on thy mother's womb,
That brought thee to this world.

Virg.
Ay, and mine too,
That brought you forth this boy, to keep your name
Living to time.

Cor.
Not of a woman's tenderness to be,
Requires nor child nor woman's face to see;
I've sat, too long.

Vol.
Nay, go not from us thus:
If it were so, that our request did tend
To save the Romans, thereby to destroy
The Volscians whom you serve, you might condemn us
As poisoners of your honour. No; our suit
Is that you reconcile them: while the Volscians
May say, This mercy we have shew'd; the Romans,
This we receiv'd; and each on either side,
Give the all-hail to thee, and cry, Be blest,

For making up this peace! Thou know'st, great son,
The end of war's uncertain; but this certain,
That if thou conquer Rome, the benefit,
Which thou shalt thereby reap, is such a name,
Whose repetition will be dogg'd with curses;
Whose chronicle thus writ—The man was noble—
But with his last attempt he wip'd it out,
Destroy'd his country, and his name remains,
To th' ensuing age, abhorr'd. Speak to me, son:
Why dost not speak?
Think'st thou it honourable for a nobleman,
Still to remember wrongs? Daughter, speak you;
He cares not for your weeping. Speak thou, boy;
Perhaps thy childishness will move him more,
Than can our reasons. There's no man in the world,
More bound to's mother, yet here he lets me prate,
Like one i'th' stocks. Thou'st never, in thy life,
Shew'd thy dear mother any courtesie;
When she (poor hen) fond of no second brood,
Has cluck'd thee to the wars, and safely home,
Loaden with honour. Say, my request's unjust,
And spurn me back; but if it be not so,
Thou art not honest, and the gods will plague thee,
That thou restrain'st from me the duty, which
To a mother's part belongs. He turns away:
Down, ladies; let us shame him with our knees.
To his surname Coriolanus 'longs more pride,
Than pity to our prayers. Down; and end;
This is the last. So we will home to Rome,
And die among our neighbours: nay, behold us,
This boy, that cannot tell what he would have,
But kneels, and holds up hands for fellowship,
Does reason our petition with more strength,
Than thou hast to deny't. Come, let us go:
This fellow had a Volscian to his mother:
His wife is in Corioli, and this child
Like him by chance; yet give us our dispatch

I'm husht, until our city be afire,
And then I'll speak a little.* ^note

Cor.
Oh mother, mother!— [Holds her by the hands, silent.
What have you done? behold, the heav'ns do ope,
The gods look down, and this unnatural scene
They laugh at. O, mother, mother!
You've won a happy victory to Rome:† ^note
But for your son, believe it, oh, believe it,
Most dang'rously you have with him prevail'd,
If not most mortal to him. Let it come—
Aufidius, though I cannot make true wars,
I'll frame convenient peace. Now, good Aufidius,
Were you in my stead, say, would you have heard
A mother less? or granted less, Aufidius?

Auf.
I too was mov'd.

Cor.
I dare be sworn you were;
And, Sir, it is no little thing to make
Mine eyes to sweat compassion. But, good Sir,
O mother! wife!

Auf.
I'm glad thou'st set thy mercy and thy honour
At difference in thee, out of that I'll work
Myself a former fortune. [Aside.

Cor.
Ay, by and by;
And you shall bear [To Volumnia, Virg. &c.
A better witness back, than words, which we
On like conditions will have counterseal'd.

Auf.
Ladies, you deserve
To have a temple built you: all the swords
In Italy, and her confederate arms,
Could not have made this peace.

Cor.
Come, enter with us. [A March. Exeunt.

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