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 how can we,
Alas, how can we for our country pray,
Whereto we are bound, together with thy
victory,

Whereto we are bound? alack, or we must lose
The country, our dear nurse, or else thy per-

son, 110 Our comfort in the country. We must find An evident calamity, though we had

Our wish, which side should win for either thou

Must, as a foreign recreant, be led

With manacles thorough 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,

And yet to charge thy sulphur with a bolt That should but rive an oak. Why dost not speak?

Think'st thou it honorable for a noble man 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' the stocks. Thou hast never in thy life 160

Show'd thy dear mother any courtesy,
When she, poor hen, fond of no second brood,
Has cluck'd thee to the wars and safely home,
Loaden with honor. 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

To his surname Coriolanus 'longs more pride
Than pity to our prayers. Down: an end;
This is the last so we will home to Rome,
And die among our neighbors. Nay, be-
hold 's:

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 his child
Like him by chance. Yet give us our dis-
patch:

I am hush'd until our city be a-fire,
And then I'll speak a little.

Cor.

180

[He holds her by the hand, silent. O mother, mother! What have you done? Behold, the heavens do ope,

The gods look down, and this unnatural scene
They laugh at. O my mother, mother! O!
You have won a happy victory to Rome;
But, for your son,-believe it, O, believe it,
Most dangerously you have with him pre-
vail'd,

If not most mortal to him. But, let it come.
Aufidius, though I cannot make true wars, 190
I'll frame convenient peace. Now, good Au-
fidius,

Were you in my stead, would you have heard
A mother less? or granted less, Aufidius?
Auf. I was moved withal.
Cor.
I dare be sworn you were:
And, sir, it is no little thing to make
Mine eyes to sweat compassion. But, good
sir,

What peace you'll make, advise me
part,

for my

I'll not to Rome, I'll back with you; you,

and pray

A better witness back than words, which we, On like conditions, will have counter-seal'd. Come, enter with us. Ladies, you deserve To have a temple built you all the swords In Italy, and her confederate arms,

Could not have made this peace. [Exeunt. 209

SCENE IV. Rome. A public place.

Enter MENENIUS and SICINIUS.

Men. See you yond coign o' the Capitol, yond corner-stone?

Sic. Why, what of that?

Men. If it be possible for you to displace it with your little finger, there is some hope the ladies of Rome, especially his mother, may prevail with him. But I say there is no hope in't our throats are sentenced and stay upon execution.

Sic. Is't possible that so short a time can alter the condition of a man!

10

Men. There is differency between a grub and a butterfly; yet your butterfly was a grub. This Marcius is grown from man to dragon : he has wings; he's more than a creeping thing.

Sic. He loved his mother dearly.

Men. So did he me: and he no more remembers his mother now than an eight-yearold horse. The tartness of his face sours ripe grapes when he walks, he moves like an engine, and the ground shrinks before his treading he is able to pierce a corslet with his eye; talks like a knell, and his hum is a battery. He sits in his state, as a thing made for Alexander. What he bids be done is finished with his bidding. He wants nothing of a god but eternity and a heaven to throne in.

Sic. Yes, mercy, if you report him truly. Men. I paint him in the character.. Mark what mercy his mother shall bring from him : there is no more mercy in him than there is milk in a male tiger; that shall our poor city find: and all this is long of you.

Sic. The gods be good unto us!

Men. No, in such a case the gods will not be good unto us. When we banished him, we respected not them; and, he returning to break our necks, they respect not us.

Enter a Messenger.

Mess. Sir, if you'ld save your life, fly to your house:

The plebeians have got your fellow-tribune And hale him up and down, all swearing, if 40 The Roman ladies bring not comfort home, They'll give him death by inches,

Enter a second Messenger.

What's the news? Sec. Mess. Good news, good news; the ladies have prevail'd,

The Volscians are dislodged, and Marcius

gone:

A merrier day did never yet greet Rome, No, not the expulsion of the Tarquins.

Sic.

Friend,

Art thou certain this is true? is it most cer

Where have you lurk'd, that you make doubt of it ?

Ne'er through an arch so hurried the blown tide, 50

As the recomforted through the gates. Why, hark you! [Trumpets; hautboys; drums beat; all together. The trumpets, sackbuts, psalteries and fifes, Tabors and cymbals and the shouting Romans, Make the sun dance. Hark you!

[A shout within. Men. This is good news : will go meet the ladies. This Volumnia Is worth of consuls, senators, patricians, A city full; of tribunes, such as you, A sea and land full. You have pray'd well to-day:

This morning for ten thousand of your throats I'd not have given a doit. Hark, how they [Music still, with shouts. 60 Sic. First, the gods bless you for your tidings; next,

joy!

Accept my thankfulness.

Sec. Mess.

Sir, we have all
Great cause to give great thanks.
Sec.

They are near the city?
Sec. Mess. Almost at point to enter.
Sic.

And help the joy.

SCENE V. The same.

We will meet them, [Exeunt.

A street near the gate.

Enter two Senators with VOLUMNIA, VIRGILIA, VALERIA, &c. passing over the stage, followed by Patricians and others.

First Sen. Behold our patroness, the life of Rome !

Call all your tribes together, praise the gods, And make triumphant fires; strew flowers be

fore them:

Unshout the noise that banish'd Marcius, Repeal him with the welcome of his mother; Cry Welcome, ladies, welcome!'

All. Welcome, ladies, Welcome! [A flourish with drums and trum pets. Exeunt.

SCENE VI. Antium. A public place. Enter TULLUS AUFIDIUS, with Attendants. Auf. Go tell the lords o' the city I am here: Deliver them this paper having read it, Bid them repair to the market-place; where I,

Mine honor for his truth who being so heighten'd,

[tery,

He water'd his new plants with dews of flat-
Seducing so my friends; and, to this end,
He bow'd his nature, never known before
But to be rough, unswayable and free.
Third Con. Sir, his stoutness

When he did stand for consul, which he lost
By lack of stooping,-

Auf. That I would have spoke of: 29 Being banish'd for't, he came unto my hearth; Presented to my knife his throat: I took him; Made him joint-servant with me; gave him

Therefore, at your vantage, Ere he express himself, or move the people With what he would say, let him feel your sword,

Which we will second. When he lies along,
After your way his tale pronounced shall bury
His reasons with his body.
Say no more :

Auf.

Here come the lords.

Enter the Lords of the city.

60

All the Lords. You are most welcome home. Auf. I have not deserved it. But, worthy lords, have you with heed perused What I have written to you? Lords.

First Lord.

We have.

And grieve to hear't. What faults he made before the last, I think Might have found easy fines: but there to end Where he was to begin and give away The benefit of our levies, answering us With our own charge, making a treaty where There was a yielding,-this admits no excuse. Auf. He approaches: you shall hear him. 70 Enter CORIOLANUS, marching with drum and colors; commoners being with him.

Cor. Hail, lords! I am return'd your soldier,

No more infected with my country's love
Than when I parted hence, but still subsisting
Under your great command. You are to know
That prosperously I have attempted and
With bloody passage led your wars even to
The gates of Rome. Our spoils we have brought
home

Do more than counterpoise a full third part The charges of the action. We have made peace

With no less honor to the Antiates

80

Than shame to the Romans and we here deliver,

Subscribed by the consuls and patricians,
Together. with the seal o' the senate, what
We have compounded on.

Auf.

But tell the traitor, in the high'st degree He hath abused your powers.

Cor. Traitor ! how now !

I'll grace thee with that robbery, thy stol'n

name

Coriolanus in Corioli ?

90

You lords and heads o' the state, perfidiously He has betray'd your business, and given up,

grave lords,

:

Must give this cur the lie and his own notion

Who wears my stripes impress'd upon him; that

Must bear my beating to his grave-shall join To thrust the lie unto him.

110 First Lord. Peace, both, and hear me speak.

Cor. Cut me to pieces, Volsces; men and lads,

Stain all your edges on me. Boy! false hound!

If you have writ your annals true, 'tis there,
That, like an eagle in a dove-cote, I
Flutter'd your Volscians in Corioli:
Alone I did it. Boy!

Auf.

Why, noble lords,

Will you be put in mind of his blind fortune, Which was your shame, by this unholy braggart,

'Fore your own eyes and ears?

All Consp.

All the people. Tear him to pieces.' it presently.' 'He killed my son.' daughter.' 'He killed my cousin Marcus.' 'He killed my father.'

Sec. Lord. Peace, ho! no outrage: peace! The man is noble and his fame folds-in

And trouble not the peace.

130

Cor. O that I had him, With six Aufidiuses, or more, his tribe, To use my lawful sword! Auf. Insolent villain ! All Consp. Kill, kill, kill, kill, kill him! [The Conspirators draw, and kill Coriolanus: Aufidius stands on his body. Lords. Hold, hold, hold, hold! Auf. My noble masters, hear me speak. First Lord. O Tullus,

Sec. Lord. Thou hast done a deed whereat valor will weep.

Third Lord. Tread not upon him. Masters all, be quiet;

Put up your swords.

Auf. My lords, when you shall know-as in this rage,

Provoked by him, you cannot-the great dan

ger

Which this man's life did owe you, you'll rejoice

141

That he is thus cut off. Please it your honors
To call me to your senate, I'll deliver
Myself your loyal servant, or endure
Your heaviest censure.
First Lord.

Bear from hence his body
And mourn you for him: let him be regarded
As the most noble corse that ever herald
Did follow to his urn.

Takes from Aufidius a great part of blame.
Let's make the best of it.

Auf.
My rage is gone;
And I am struck with sorrow. Take him up.
Help, three o' the chiefest soldiers; I'll be one.
Beat thou the drum, that it speak mournfully:
Trail your steel pikes. Though in this city he
Hath widow'd and unchilded many a one,
Which to this hour bewail the injury,
Yet he shall have a noble memory.
Assist. [Exeunt, bearing the body of Corio-
lanus. A dead march sounded.