ACT V.
Scene I. Rome. A public place.
Enter Menenius, Cominius, Sicinius and Brutus, the two
Tribunes, and others.[3679]
Men. No, I'll not go: you hear what he hath said
Which was sometime his general, who loved him[3680]
In a most dear particular. He call'd me father:
But what o' that? Go, you that banish'd him;[3681]
A mile before his tent fall down, and knee[3681][3682] 5
The way into his mercy: nay, if he coy'd
To hear Cominius speak, I'll keep at home.
Com. He would not seem to know me.
Men. Do you hear?
Com. Yet one time he did call me by my name:
I urged our old acquaintance, and the drops 10
That we have bled together. Coriolanus
He would not answer to: forbad all names;
He was a kind of nothing, titleless,
Till he had forged himself a name o' the fire[3683]
Of burning Rome.
Men. Why, so: you have made good work![3684] 15
A pair of tribunes that have rack'd for Rome,[3685]
To make coals cheap: a noble memory![3686]
Com. I minded him how royal 'twas to pardon
When it was less expected: he replied,[3687]
It was a bare petition of a state[3688] 20
To one whom they had punish'd.
Com. I offer'd to awaken his regard
For 's private friends: his answer to me was,[3690]
He could not stay to pick them in a pile 25
Of noisome musty chaff, he said 'twas folly,
For one poor grain or two, to leave unburnt,
And still to nose the offence.
Men. For one poor grain or two!
I am one of those; his mother, wife, his child,[3691]
And this brave fellow too, we are the grains:[3692] 30
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-needed help, yet do not[3693]
Upbraid's with our distress. But, sure, if you[3694] 35
Would be your country's pleader, your good tongue,
More than the instant army we can make,
Might stop our countryman.
Men. No, I'll not meddle.
Sic. Pray you, go to him.
Bru. Only make trial what your love can do 40
For Rome, towards Marcius.
Sic. Yet your good will 45
Must have that thanks from Rome, after the measure[3702]
As you intended well.
Men. I'll undertake 't:[3703]
I think he'll hear me. Yet, to bite his lip
And hum at good Cominius, much unhearts me.
He was not taken well; he had not dined: 50
The veins unfill'd, our blood is cold, and then
We pout upon the morning, are unapt
To give or to forgive; but when we have stuff'd[3704]
These pipes and these conveyances of our blood[3705]
With wine and feeding, we have suppler souls 55
Than in our priest-like fasts: therefore I'll watch him
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,[3706] 60
Speed how it will. I shall ere long have knowledge[3706]
Of my success. [Exit.
Com. He'll never hear him.
Com. I tell you, he does sit in gold, his eye[3708]
Red as 'twould burn Rome; and his injury
The gaoler to his pity. I kneel'd before him; 65
'Twas very faintly he said 'Rise;' dismiss'd me
Thus, with his speechless hand: what he would do,
He sent in writing after me; what he would not,[3709][3710]
Bound with an oath to yield to his conditions:[3710][3711][3712]
So that all hope is vain,[3710][3711][3713] 70
Unless his noble mother, and his wife;[3713][3714]
Who, as I hear, mean to solicit him[3713][3715]
For mercy to his country. Therefore, let's hence,[3716]
And with our fair entreaties haste them on. [Exeunt.
Scene II. Entrance of the Volscian camp before Rome.
Two Sentinels on guard.
Enter to them, Menenius.[3717]
First Sen. Stay: whence are you?[3718]
Sec. Sen. Stand, and go back.[3719]
Men. You guard like men; 'tis well: but, by your leave,
I am an officer of state, and come[3720]
To speak with Coriolanus.[3720]
Men. From Rome.
First Sen. You may not pass, you must return: our general[3722] 5
Will no more hear from thence.[3722][3723]
Sec. Sen. You'll see your Rome embraced with fire, before
You'll speak with Coriolanus.
Men. Good my friends,
If you have heard your general talk of Rome
And of his friends there, it is lots to blanks[3724] 10
My name hath touch'd your ears: it is Menenius.
First Sen. Be it so; go back: the virtue of your name
Is not here passable.
Men. I tell thee, fellow,[3725]
Thy general is my lover: I have been
The book of his good acts, whence men have read 15
His fame unparallel'd haply amplified;[3726]
For I have ever verified my friends,[3727]
Of whom he's chief, with all the size that verity[3728]
Would without lapsing suffer: nay, sometimes,
Like to a bowl upon a subtle ground, 20
I have tumbled past the throw, and in his praise[3729]
Have almost stamp'd the leasing: therefore, fellow,
I must have leave to pass.
First Sen. Faith, sir, if you had told as many lies in
his behalf as you have uttered words in your own, you 25
should not pass here; no, though it were as virtuous to lie
as to live chastely. Therefore go back.
Men. Prithee, fellow, remember my name is Menenius,
always factionary on the party of your general.[3730]
Sec. Sen. Howsoever you have been his liar, as you say 30
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.
First Sen. You are a Roman, are you? 35
Men. I am, as thy general is.[3731]
First Sen. Then you should hate Rome, as he does. Can
you, when you have pushed out your gates the very defender[3732]
of them, and, in a violent popular ignorance, given your
enemy your shield, think to front his revenges with the easy[3733] 40
groans of old women, the virginal palms of your daughters,[3734]
or with the palsied intercession of such a decayed dotant as[3735]
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, 45
and prepare for your execution: you are condemned; our
general has sworn you out of reprieve and pardon.
Men. Sirrah, if thy captain knew I were here, he would[3736][3737]
use me with estimation.[3736]
Sec. Sen. Come, my captain knows you not.[3738] 50
Men. I mean, thy general.
First Sen. My general cares not for you. Back, I say,
go; lest I let forth your half-pint of blood;—back,—that's[3739]
the utmost of your having:—back.[3739]
Men. Nay, but, fellow, fellow,— 55
Enter Coriolanus and Aufidius.[3740]
Cor. What's the matter?
Men. Now, you companion, I'll say an errand for you:[3741]
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[3742] 60
thou standest 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.[3743]
The glorious gods sit in hourly synod about thy particular
prosperity, and love thee no worse than thy old father 65
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[3744] 70
and thy petitionary countrymen. The good gods assuage
thy wrath, and turn the dregs of it upon this varlet here,—this,[3745]
who, like a block, hath denied my access to thee.
Cor. Away!
Men. How! away! 75
Cor. Wife, mother, child, I know not. My affairs
Are servanted to others: though I owe
My revenge properly, my remission lies[3746]
In Volscian breasts. That we have been familiar,
Ingrate forgetfulness shall poison rather[3747] 80
Than pity note how much. Therefore be gone.[3748]
Mine ears against your suits are stronger than
Your gates against my force. Yet, for I loved thee,
Take this along; I writ it for thy sake,
And would have sent it. [Gives him a letter.] Another word, Menenius,[3749]85
I will not hear thee speak. This man, Aufidius,
Was my beloved in Rome: yet thou behold'st.[3750]
Auf. You keep a constant temper.
[Exeunt Coriolanus and Aufidius.[3751]
First Sen. Now, sir, is your name Menenius?
Sec. Sen. 'Tis a spell, you see, of much power: you[3752] 90
know the way home again.[3752]
First Sen. Do you hear how we are shent for keeping
your greatness back?
Sec. Sen. What cause, do you think, I have to swoon?[3743]
Men. I neither care for the world nor your general: for 95
such things as you, I can scarce think there's any, ye're so[3753]
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. 100
First Sen. A noble fellow, I warrant him.
Sec. Sen. The worthy fellow is our general: he's the[3754][3755]
rock, the oak not to be wind-shaken. [Exeunt.[3754][3756]
Scene III. The tent of Coriolanus.
Enter Coriolanus, Aufidius, and others.[3757]
Cor. We will before the walls of Rome to-morrow
Set down our host. My partner in this action,
You must report to the Volscian lords how plainly
I have borne this business.[3758]
Auf. Only their ends[3759][3760]
You have respected; stopp'd your ears against[3759] 5
The general suit of Rome; never admitted[3759]
A private whisper, no, not with such friends[3759][3761]
That thought them sure of you.
Cor. This last old man,[3762]
Whom with a crack'd heart I have sent to Rome,
Loved me above the measure of a father, 10
Nay, godded me indeed. Their latest refuge
Was to send him; for whose old love I have,
Though I show'd sourly to him, once more offer'd
The first conditions, which they did refuse[3763]
And cannot now accept; to grace him only[3764] 15
That thought he could do more, a very little[3764]
I have yielded to: fresh embassies and suits,[3765]
Nor from the state nor private friends, hereafter[3766]
Will I lend ear to. [Shout within.] Ha! what shout is this?[3767]
Shall I be tempted to infringe my vow 20
In the same time 'tis made? I will not.
Enter, in mourning habits, Virgilia, Volumnia, leading young
Marcius, Valeria, and Attendants.[3768]
My wife comes foremost; then the honour'd mould
Wherein this trunk was framed, and in her hand
The grandchild to her blood. But out, affection!
All bond and privilege of nature, break![3769] 25
Let it be virtuous to be obstinate.
What is that curtsy worth? or those doves' eyes,[3770]
Which can make gods forsworn? I melt, and am not
Of stronger earth than others. My mother bows;
As if Olympus to a molehill should 30
In supplication nod: and my young boy
Hath an aspect of intercession, which
Great nature cries 'Deny not.' Let the Volsces
Plough Rome, and harrow Italy: I'll never
Be such a gosling to obey instinct; but stand, 35
As if a man were author of himself[3771][3772]
And knew no other kin.[3772]
Vir. My lord and husband!
Cor. These eyes are not the same I wore in Rome.
Vir. The sorrow that delivers us thus changed
Makes you think so.
Cor. Like a dull actor now[3773] 40
I have forgot my part and I am out,[3773]
Even to a full disgrace. Best of my flesh,[3773]
Forgive my tyranny; but do not say,
For that 'Forgive our Romans.' O, a kiss
Long as my exile, sweet as my revenge! 45
Now, by the jealous queen of heaven, that kiss
I carried from thee, dear, and my true lip
Hath virgin'd it e'er since. You gods! I prate,[3774]
And the most noble mother of the world
Leave unsaluted: sink, my knee, i' the earth; [Kneels. 50
Of thy deep duty more impression show[3775]
Than that of common sons.
Vol. O, stand up blest!
Whilst, with no softer cushion than the flint,
I kneel before thee, and unproperly
Show duty, as mistaken all this while[3776] 55
Between the child and parent. [Kneels.
Cor. What is this?[3777][3778]
Your knees to me? to your corrected son?[3778]
Then let the pebbles on the hungry beach[3779]
Fillip the stars; then let the mutinous winds[3780]
Strike the proud cedars 'gainst the fiery sun, 60
Murdering impossibility, to make
What cannot be, slight work.
Cor. The noble sister of Publicola,[3783]
The moon of Rome; chaste as the icicle 65
That's curdied by the frost from purest snow[3784]
And hangs on Dian's temple: dear Valeria!
Vol. This is a poor epitome of yours,[3785]
Which by the interpretation of full time
May show like all yourself.
Cor. The god of soldiers,[3786] 70
With the consent of supreme Jove, inform
Thy thoughts with nobleness, that thou mayst prove
To shame unvulnerable, and stick i' the wars[3787]
Like a great sea-mark, standing every flaw
And saving those that eye thee!
Vol. Your knee, sirrah.[3788] 75
Cor. That's my brave boy!
Vol. Even he, your wife, this lady and myself
Are suitors to you.
Cor. I beseech you, peace:
Or, if you'ld ask, remember this before:
The thing I have forsworn to grant may never[3789] 80
Be held by you denials. Do not bid me[3789]
Dismiss my soldiers, or capitulate
Again with Rome's mechanics: tell me not
Wherein I seem unnatural: desire not[3790]
To allay my rages and revenges with[3790] 85
Your colder reasons.[3790]
Vol. O, no more, no more!
You have said you will not grant us any thing;[3791]
For we have nothing else to ask, but that
Which you deny already: yet we will ask;
That, if you fail in our request, the blame[3792] 90
May hang upon your hardness: therefore hear us.
Cor. Aufidius, and you Volsces, mark; for we'll
Hear nought from Rome in private. Your request?
Vol. Should we be silent and not speak, our raiment
And state of bodies would bewray what life 95
We have led since thy exile. Think with thyself[3793]
How more unfortunate than all living women[3794]
Are we come hither: since that thy sight, which should[3795]
Make our eyes flow with joy, hearts dance with comforts,[3796]
Constrains them weep and shake with fear and sorrow; 100
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[3797][3798]
Thine enmity's most capital: thou barr'st us[3798][3799]
Our prayers to the gods, which is a comfort 105
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,[3800]
Whereto we are bound? alack, or we must lose[3800]
The country, our dear nurse, or else thy person, 110
Our comfort in the country. We must find
An evident calamity, though we had[3801]
Our wish, which side should win; for either thou
Must, as a foreign recreant, be led
With manacles thorough our streets, or else[3802] 115
Triumphantly tread on thy country's ruin
And bear the palm for having bravely shed
Thy wife and children's blood. For myself, son,
I purpose not to wait on fortune till
These wars determine: if I cannot persuade thee[3803] 120
Rather to show a noble grace to both parts[3804]
Than seek the end of one, thou shalt no sooner[3805]
March to assault thy country than to tread—
Trust to 't, thou shalt not—on thy mother's womb,
That brought thee to this world.
Boy. A' shall not tread on me;[3806][3808]
I'll run away till I am bigger, but then I'll fight.[3806]
Cor. Not of a woman's tenderness to be,
Requires nor child nor woman's face to see.[3809] 130
I have sat too long. [Rising.[3810]
Vol. Nay, go not from us thus.
If it were so that our request did tend
To save the Romans, thereby to destroy[3811]
The Volsces whom you serve, you might condemn us,
As poisonous of your honour: no; our suit[3812] 135
Is, that you reconcile them: while the Volsces
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 blest
For making up this peace!' Thou know'st, great son, 140
The end of war's uncertain, but this certain,[3813]
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, 145
But with his last attempt he wiped it out,
Destroy'd his country, and his name remains
To the ensuing age abhorr'd.' Speak to me, son:
Thou hast affected the fine strains of honour,[3814]
To imitate the graces of the gods; 150
To tear with thunder the wide cheeks o' the air,
And yet to charge thy sulphur with a bolt[3815]
That should but rive an oak. Why dost not speak?[3816]
Think'st thou it honourable for a noble man[3817]
Still to remember wrongs? Daughter, speak you: 155
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[3818]
More bound to 's mother, yet here he lets me prate[3819]
Like one i' the stocks. Thou hast never in thy life[3820] 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,[3821]
Loaden with honour. Say my request's unjust,
And spurn me back: but if it be not so, 165
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.[3822]
To his surname Coriolanus 'longs more pride[3823] 170
Than pity to our prayers. Down: an end;[3824]
This is the last: so we will home to Rome,
And die among our neighbours. Nay, behold's:[3825]
This boy, that cannot tell what he would have,
But kneels and holds up hands for fellowship, 175
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[3826]
Like him by chance. Yet give us our dispatch: 180
I am hush'd until our city be a-fire,[3827][3828]
And then I'll speak a little.[3827]
Cor. [After holding her by the hand, silent] O Mother, mother![3829]
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! 185
You have won a happy victory to Rome;[3791]
But, for your son, believe it, O, believe it,
Most dangerously you have with him prevail'd,[3830]
If not most mortal to him. But let it come.[3831]
Aufidius, though I cannot make true wars, 190
I'll frame convenient peace. Now, good Aufidius,[3832]
Were you in my stead, would you have heard[3833]
A mother less? or granted less, Aufidius?[3834]
Auf. I was moved withal.[3835]
Cor. I dare be sworn you were:
And, sir, it is no little thing to make 195
Mine eyes to sweat compassion. But, good sir,
What peace you'll 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!
Auf. [Aside] I am glad thou hast set thy mercy and thy honour[3836]200
At difference in thee: out of that I'll work
Myself a former fortune. [The Ladies make signs to Coriolanus.
Cor. [To Volumnia, Virgilia, &c.] Ay, by and by:—[3837][3838]
But we will drink together; and you shall bear[3838][3839]
A better witness back than words, which we
On like conditions will have counter-seal'd. 205
Come, enter with us. Ladies, you deserve[3840]
To have a temple built you: all the swords[3840]
In Italy, and her confederate arms,[3840]
Could not have made this peace. [Exeunt.[3840]
Scene IV. Rome. A public place.[3841]
Enter Menenius and Sicinius.