The things, I have forsworn to grant, may never Again with Rome's mechanics.-Tell me not To allay my rages and revenges, with Your colder reasons. Vol. O, no more, no more! You have said you will not grant us any thing; Are we come hither; since that thy sight, which should row; Making the mother, wife, and child, to see Our wish, which side should win; for either thou With manacles through our streets, or else Thy wife and children's blood. For myself, son, These wars determine;1 if I cannot persuade thee (Trust to 't, thou shalt not) on thy mother's womb, That brought thee to this world. Vir. Ay, and on mine, That brought you forth this boy, to keep your name Living to time. Boy. He shall not tread on me; Vol. Nay, go not from us thus. If it were so, that our request did tend To save the Romans, thereby to destroy [Rising. The Volces whom you serve, you might condemn us, As poisonous of your honor. No; our suit Is, that you reconcile them; while the Volces May say, This mercy we have showed; the Romans, This we received; and each in either side Give the all-hail to thee, and cry, Be blessed For making up this peace! Thou know'st, great son, To tear with thunder the wide cheeks o' the air, That should but rive an oak. Why dost not speak? Than can our reasons.-There is no man in the world When she, (poor hen!) fond of no second brood, Thou art not honest; and the gods will plague thee, 2 Like him, by chance.-Yet give us our despatch; And then I'll speak a little. Cor. O mother, mother! What have you done? Behold, the heavens do ope, 1 "Keeps me in a state of ignominy, talking to no purpose.” Most dangerously you have with him prevailed, I'll frame convenient peace. Now, good 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, Auf. I am glad thou hast set thy mercy and thy honor At difference in thee; out of that I'll work Myself a former fortune.1 Cor. [Aside. [The Ladies make signs to CORIOLANUS. Ay, by and by; 2 [TO VOLUMNIA, VIRGILIA, &c. But we will drink together; and you shall bear A better witness back than words, which we, On like conditions, will have countersealed. Come, enter with us. Ladies, you deserve To have a temple built you;3 all the swords In Italy, and her confederate arms, Could not have made this peace. [Exeunt. SCENE IV. Rome. A public Place. Enter MENENIUS and SICINIUS. Men. See you yond' coign o' the Capitol; yond' corner-stone? 1 "I will take advantage of this concession to restore myself to my former credit and power." 2 Farmer has suggested that we should, perhaps, read think. Shakspeare has, however, introduced drinking as a mark of confederation in King Henry IV. Part ii. The text, therefore, may be allowed to stand, though at the expense of female delicacy. 3 Plutarch informs us that a temple dedicated to the Fortune of the Ladies was built, on this occasion, by order of the senate. 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? 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-year-old 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 corselet with his eye; talks like a knell, and his hum is a battery. He sits in his state, as a thing made 3 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! unto us. Men. No, in such a case the gods will not be good 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'd save your life, fly to your house; The plebeians have got your fellow tribune, 1 i. e. stay but for it. 2 Sub-intelligetur-remembers his dam. |