William Shakespeare - William Shakespeare - Complete Works

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 Aufidius,

Were you in my stead, would you have heard

A mother less, or granted less, Aufidius?

AUFIDIUS. I was mov'd withal.

CORIOLANUS. 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'fl make, advise me. For my part,

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

Stand to me in this cause. O mother! wife!

AUFIDIUS. [Aside] 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.

CORIOLANUS. [To the ladies] Ay, by and by;

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

Enter MENENIUS and SICINIUS

MENENIUS. See you yond coign o' th' Capitol, yond cornerstone?

SICINIUS. Why, what of that?

MENENIUS. 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 sentenc'd, and stay upon execution.

SICINIUS. Is't possible that so short a time can alter the

condition of a man?

MENENIUS. 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.

SICINIUS. He lov'd his mother dearly.

MENENIUS. 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 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

finish'd with his bidding. He wants nothing of a god but

eternity, and a heaven to throne in.

SICINIUS. Yes- mercy, if you report him truly.

MENENIUS. 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.

SICINIUS. The gods be good unto us!

MENENIUS. No, in such a case the gods will not be good unto us.

When we banish'd him we respected not them; and, he returning to

break our necks, they respect not us.

Enter a MESSENGER

MESSENGER. 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

SICINIUS. What's the news?

SECOND MESSENGER. Good news, good news! The ladies have prevail'd,

The Volscians are dislodg'd, and Marcius gone.

A merrier day did never yet greet Rome,

No, not th' expulsion of the Tarquins.

SICINIUS. Friend,

Art thou certain this is true? Is't most certain?

SECOND MESSENGER. As certain as I know the sun is fire.

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

Ne'er through an arch so hurried the blown tide

As the recomforted through th' 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]

MENENIUS. 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,

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 joy!

[Sound still with the shouts]

SICINIUS. First, the gods bless you for your tidings; next,

Accept my thankfulness.

SECOND MESSENGER. Sir, we have all

Great cause to give great thanks.

SICINIUS. They are near the city?

MESSENGER. Almost at point to enter.

SICINIUS. We'll meet them,

And help the joy. Exeunt

Enter two SENATORS With VOLUMNIA, VIRGILIA, VALERIA, passing over the stage,

'With other LORDS

FIRST SENATOR. 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,

Repeal him with the welcome of his mother;

ALL. Welcome, ladies, welcome!

[A flourish with drums and trumpets. Exeunt]

Enter TULLUS AUFIDIUS with attendents

AUFIDIUS. Go tell the lords o' th' city I am here;

Deliver them this paper' having read it,

Bid them repair to th' 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 t' appear before the people, hoping

To purge himself with words. Dispatch.

Exeunt attendants

Enter three or four CONSPIRATORS of AUFIDIUS' faction

Most welcome!

FIRST CONSPIRATOR. How is it with our general?

AUFIDIUS. Even so

As with a man by his own alms empoison'd,

And with his charity slain.

SECOND CONSPIRATOR. Most noble sir,

If you do hold the same intent wherein

You wish'd us parties, we'll deliver you

Of your great danger.

AUFIDIUS. Sir, I cannot tell;

We must proceed as we do find the people.

THIRD CONSPIRATOR. The people will remain uncertain whilst

'Twixt you there's difference; but the fall of either

Makes the survivor heir of all.

AUFIDIUS. I know it;

And my pretext to strike at him admits

A good construction. I rais'd him, and I pawn'd

Mine honour for his truth; who being so heighten'd,

He watered his new plants with dews of flattery,

Seducing so my friends; and to this end

He bow'd his nature, never known before

But to be rough, unswayable, and free.

THIRD CONSPIRATOR. Sir, his stoutness

When he did stand for consul, which he lost

By lack of stooping-

AUFIDIUS. That I would have spoken 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,

My best and freshest men; serv'd his designments

In mine own person; holp to reap the fame

Which he did end all his, and took some pride

To do myself this wrong. Till, at the last,

I seem'd his follower, not partner; and

He wag'd me with his countenance as if

I had been mercenary.

FIRST CONSPIRATOR. So he did, my lord.

The army marvell'd at it; and, in the last,

When he had carried Rome and that we look'd

For no less spoil than glory-

AUFIDIUS. There was it;

For which my sinews shall be stretch'd upon him.

At a few drops of women's rheum, which are