Than seek the end of one, thou shalt no sooner
March to assault thy country, than to tread,
(Trust to't, thou shalt not,) on thy mother's
That brought thee to this world. [womb,
Vir,
Ay, and on mine,
That brought you forth this boy, to keep your
Living to time.
[name
Boy.
He shall not tread on me;
I'll run away, till 1 am bigger, but then I'll
Cor. Not of a woman's tenderness to be, [fight.
Requires nor child nor woman's face to see.
I have sat too long.
[Rising.
Vol.
Nay, go not from us thus.
If it were so, that our request did tend
To save the Romans, thereby to destroy
The Volces whom you serve, you might con-
demn us,

As poisonous of your honour: No; our suit
Is, that you reconcile them: while the Volces
May say, This mercy we have show'd; the
Romans,

This we received; and each in either side Give the all-hail to thee, and cry, Be bless'd, 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,

you:

Think'st thou it honourable for a noble man Still to remember wrongs?-Daughter, speak [boy: He cares not for your weeping-Speak thou, Perhaps, thy childishness will move him more Than can our reasons.-There is no man in the world [me prate

More bound to his mother; yet here he lets Like one i' the stocks. Thou hast never in thy Show'd thy dear mother any courtesy; [life 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 unAnd spurn me back: But, if it be not so, [just, 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; an 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 Volcian to his mother;
His wife is in Corioli, and his child
Like him by chance:-Yet give us our des
I am hush'd until our city be afire, [patch:
And then I'll speak a little.

Cor. O mother, mother! [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. 0 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 prevail'd,
If not most mortal to him. But, let it come :-
Aufidius, though I cannot make true wars,
I'll frame convenient peace. Now, good Au-
fidius,
[heard
Were you in my stead, say, would you have
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 [sir,
Mine eyes to sweat compassion. But, good
What peace you'll make, advise me: For my
part,

[you,

I'll not to Rome, I'll back with you; and pray Stand to me in this cause.-O mother! wife! Auf. I am glad thou hast set thy mercy and thy honour

At difference in thee: out of that I'll work Myself a former fortune.

[Aside. [The Ladies make signs to CORIOLANUS. Ay, by and by;

Cor.

[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-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. 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?

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 re-
Stay but for it.

• The refinements.

Patricians, and People. They pass over the Stage.

1 Sen. Behold our patroness,the life of Rome, Call all your tribes together, praise the gods, And make triumphant fires; strew flowers before them; Unshout the noise that banish'd Marcius, Repealt him with the welcome of his mother; Cry,-Welcome, ladies, welcome !All. Welcome, ladies! Welcome!

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'd save your life, fly to your house;

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

Enter another Messenger.

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

The Volces 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 certain? Mess. As certain as I know the sun is fire: Where have you lurk'd, that you make doubt of it? [tide, blown Why,

Ne'er through an arch so hurried the
As the recomforted through the gates.

hark you:
[Trumpets and Hautboys sounded, and
Drums beaten, all together. Shout-
ing also within.

The trumpets, sackbuts, psalteries, and fifes,
Tabors, and cymbals, and the shouting Ro-
Make the sun dance. Hark you! [mans,
[Shouting again.
Men.
This is good news:
I will go meet the ladies. This Volumnia
Is worth of consuls, senators, patricians,
A city full; of tribunes, such as you, [to-day;
A sea and land, full: You have prayed well
This morning, for ten thousand of your throats,
I'd not have given a doit. Hark, how they
joy!
[Shouting and Music.
Sie. First, the gods bless you for your tid-
Accept my thankfulness.
[ings; next,
Mess.
Sir, we have all
Great cause to give great thanks.
Sic.
They are near the city?
31ess. Almost at point to enter.

And help the joy.

Chair of state.

[A Flourish with Drums and Trumpets. [Exeunt. SCENE V. Antium. A Public Place. Enter TULLUS AUFIDIUS, with Attendants. Auf. Go tell the lords of the city, I am here: Deliver them this paper: having read it, Bid them repair to the market-place; where I, Even in theirs and in the commons' ears, Will vouch the truth of it. Him I accuse, The city ports by this hath enter'd, and Intends to appear before the people, hoping. To purge himself with words: Despatch.

[Exeunt Attendants. Enter three or four Conspirators of Aufi dius' Faction.

Most welcome!

1 Con. How is it with our general? Auf.

Even so As with a man by his own alms empoison'd, And with his charity slain.

2 Con.

Most noble sir,
If you do hold the same intent wherein
You wish'd us parties, we'll deliver yon
Of your great danger.
Auf.

Sir, I cannot tell;
We must proceed, as we do find the people.
3 Con. The people will remain uncertain,
whilst
{either
Twixt you there's difference; but the fall of
Makes the survivor heir of all.
Auf.
I know it;
And my pretext to strike at him admits
A good construction. I raised him, and I
pawn'd
[heightened
Mine honour for his truth: Who being so
He water'd his new plants with dews of flat-
Seducing so my friends: and to this end, [tery
He bow'd his nature, never known before
But to be rough, unswayable, and free.
3 Con. Sir, his stoutness,
When he did stand for consul, which he lost
By lack of stooping,
Auf.
That I would have spoke of:
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 way
In all his own desires: nay, let him choose
Out of my files his projects to accomplish,[ments
My best and freshest men; served his design-
In mine own person; holp to reap the fame,
Which he did end all his; and took some
To do myself this wrong: till, at the last, [pride
I seem'd his follower, not partner; and

SCENE I. Rome. A Street. Enter FLAVIUS, MARULLUS, and a Rabble of Citizens.

Fla. Hence; home, you idle creatures, get you home;

Is this a holiday? What! know you not,
Being mechanical, you ought not walk,
Upon a labouring day, without the sign
Of your profession ?-Speak, what trade art
1 Cit. Why, sir, a carpenter. [thou?
Mar.Where is thy leather apron and thy rule?
What dost thou with thy best apparel on?-
You, sir; what trade are you?

2 Cit. Truly, sir, in respect of a fine workI am but, as you would say, a cobbler. [man, Mar. But what trade art thou? Answer me directly.

2 Cit. A trade, sir, that, I hope, I may use with a safe conscience; which is, indeed, sir, a mender of bad soals.

Mar. What trade, thou knave; thou naughty knave, what trade?

2 Cit. Nay, I beseech you, sir, be not out with me: yet, if you be out, sir, I can mend you.

Mar. What meanest thou by that? Mend me, thou saucy fellow?

2 Cit. Why, sir, cobble you. Flav. Thou art a cobbler, art thou? 2 Cit. Truly, sir, all that I live by is, with the awl: I meddle with no tradesman's matters, nor women's matters, but with awl. I am, indeed, sir, a surgeon to old shoes; when they are in great danger, I recover them. As proper men as ever trod upon neats' leather, have gone upon my handy-work.

Flav. But wherefore art not in thy shop to-day? Why dost thou lead these men about the streets?

2 Cit. Truly, sir, to wear out their shoes to get myself into more work. But, indeed, sir, we make holiday, to see Cæsar, and to rejoice in his triumph.

Mar. Wherefore rejoice? What conquest brings he home?

What tributaries follow him to Rome,
To grace in captive bonds his chariot wheels?
You blocks, you stones, you worse than sense-
less things!

O, you hard hearts, you cruel men of Rorne, Knew you not Pompey? Many a time and oft

Have you climb'd up to walls and battlements, To towers and windows, yea, to chimneytops,

[sat
Your infants in your arms, and there have
The live-long day, with patient expectation,
To see great Pompey pass the streets of Rome :
And when you saw his chariot but appear,
Have you not made an universal shout,
That Tyber trembled underneath her banks,
To hear the replication of your sounds,
Made in her concave shores?
And do you now put on your best attire?
And do you now cull out a holiday?
And do you now strew flowers in his way,
That comes in triumph over Pompey's blood?
Be gone;

Run to your houses, fall upon your knees,
Pray to the gods to intermit the plague
That needs must light on this ingratitude. [fault,
Flav. Go, go, good countrymen, and, for this
Assemble all the poor men of your sort *;