SCENE I.-Rome. A public Place. Enter MENENIUS, COMINIUS, SICINIUS, BRUTUS, and others. Men. No, I'll not go: you hear what he hath said Which was sometime his general; who loved him Com. Yet one time he did call me by my name. Men. Why, so; you have made good work: A pair of tribunes that have racked for Rome, To make coals cheap. A noble memory! Com. I minded him how royal 't was to pardon When it was less expected: he replied, It was a base petition of a state Com. I offered to awaken his regard Men. For one poor grain or two? I am one of those: his mother, wife, his child, And this brave fellow too, we are the grains: You are the musty chaff; and you are smelt Above the moon. We must be burnt for you. Sic. Nay, pray be patient: if you refuse your aid In this so never-heeded help, yet do not Upbraid us with our distress. But sure, if you Would be your country's pleader, your good tongue, More than the instant army we can make, Might stop our countryman. Men. I'll undertake it: I think he'll hear me :-yet to bite his lip Till he be dieted to my request, And then I'll set upon him. Bru. You know the very road into his kindness, And cannot lose your way. Men. Good faith, I'll prove him, Speed how it will. I shall ere long have knowledge Of my success. Com. He'll never hear him. Not? [Exit. Sic. Unless his noble mother and his wife; Will no more hear from thence. 2nd Gua. You'll see your Rome embraced with fire, before You'll speak with Coriolanus. If you have heard your general talk of Rome, 1st Gua. Be it so; go back: the virtue of your I must have leave to pass. 1st Gua. Faith, sir, if you had told as many lies in his behalf as you have uttered words in your own, you should not pass here: no, though it were as virtuous to lie as to live chastely. Therefore, go back. Men. Pr'y thee, fellow, remember my name is Menenius, always factionary on the party of your general. 2nd Gua. Howsoever you have been his liar (as you say you have), I am one that, telling true under him, must say, you cannot pass. Therefore, go back. Men. Has he dined, canst thou tell? for I would not speak with him till after dinner. 1st Gua. You are a Roman, are you? Men. I am as thy general is. 1st Gua. Then you should hate Rome, as he does. Can you, when you have pushed out your gates the very defender of them, and in a violent popular ignorance given your enemy your shield, think to front his revenges with the easy groans of old women, the virginal palms of your daughters, or with the palsied intercession of such a decayed dotant as you seem to be? Can you think to blow out the intended fire your city is ready to flame in, with such weak breath as this? No, you are deceived: therefore, back to Rome, and prepare for your execution: you are con demned: our general has sworn you out of reprieve and pardon. Men. Sirrah, if thy captain knew I were here, he would use me with estimation. 2nd Gua. Come, my captain knows you not. Men. I mean, thy general. 1st Gua. My general cares not for you. Back, I say, go; lest I let forth your half pint of blood. Back:-that's the utmost of your having. Back! Men. Nay, but fellow, fellow, Enter CORIOLANUS and AUFIDIUS. Men. Now, you companion, I'll say an errand for you: you shall know now that I am in estimation: you shall perceive that a Jack guardant cannot office me from my son Coriolanus. Guess but by my entertainment with him if thou standst not i'the state of hanging, or of some death more long in spectatorship and crueller in suffering. Behold now presently, and swoon for what 's to come upon thee.-The glorious gods sit in hourly synod about thy particular prosperity, and love thee no worse than thy old father Menenius does! O, my son, my son! thou art preparing fire for us: look thee, here's water to quench it. I was hardly moved to come to thee: but being assured none but myself could move thee, I have been blown out of your gates with sighs: and conjure thee to pardon Rome and thy petitionary countrymen. The good gods assuage thy wrath, and turn the dregs of it upon this varlet here:-this, who like a block hath denied my access to thee. Cor. Away! Men. How! away? Cor. Wife, mother, child, I know not. My affairs Are servanted to others: though I owe In Volcian breasts. That we have been familiar, [Gives a letter. And would have sent it. Another word, Menenius, I will not hear thee speak.-This man, Aufidius, Was my beloved in Rome: yet thou behold'stAuf. You keep a constant temper. [Exeunt CORIOLANUS and AUFIDIUS. 1st Gua. Now, sir, is your name Menenius? 2nd Gua. "Tis a spell, you see, of much power. You know the way home again. 1st Gua. Do you hear how we are shent for keeping your greatness back? 2nd Gua. What cause do you think I have to swoon? Men. I neither care for the world nor your general for such things as you, I can scarce think there's any, you are so slight. He that hath a will to die by himself, fears it not from another let your general do his worst. For you, be that you are long, and your misery increase with your age! I say to you, as I was said to, "Away!" [Exit. 1st Gua. A noble fellow, I warrant him. 2nd Gua. The worthy fellow is our general: he is the rock, the oak not to be wind-shaken. [Exeunt. Whom with a cracked heart I have sent to Rome, The first conditions which they did refuse, Shall I be tempted to infringe my vow Enter, in mourning habits, VIRGILIA; VOLUMNIA, leading young MARCIUS; VALERIA, and At tendants. My wife comes foremost: then the honoured mould am not I have forgot my part, and I am out, Or if you I'd ask, remember this before,- You have said you will not grant us anything: Vol. Should we be silent and not speak, our raiment And state of bodies would bewray what life 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 I These wars determine: if I cannot persuade thee Than seek the end of one, thou shalt no sooner The end of war's uncertain: but this certain, you: He cares not for your weeping. Speak thou, boy: Perhaps thy childishness will move him more Than can our reasons.-There is no man in the world More bound to his mother; yet here he lets me prate Like one i' the stocks! Thou hast never in thy life [Holding VOLUMNIA by the hands, silent. 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 prevailed, If not most mortal to him. But let it come.Aufidius, though I cannot make true wars, I'll frame convenient peace. Now, good Aufidius, 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: At difference in thee: out of that I'll work [Aside. [The Ladies make signs to CORIOLANUS. Cor. Ay, by-and-by: [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 counter-sealed. 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. 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. |