I’ll frame convenient peace. Now, good Aufidius,
Were you in my stead, would you have heard
195
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,
200
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!
AUFIDIUS [aside]
I am glad thou hast set thy mercy and thy honour
At difference in thee. Out of that I’ll work
205
Myself a former fortune.
CORIOLANUS [to Volumnia, Virgilia, etc.] 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 counterseal’d.
210
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.
5.4 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
5
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.
SICINIUS Is’t possible that so short a time can alter the
condition of a man?
10
MENENIUS There is differency between a grub and a
butterfly; yet your butterfly was a grub. This Martius
is grown from man to dragon: he has wings: he’s more
than a creeping thing.
SICINIUS He loved his mother dearly.
15
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
20
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 finished with his bidding. He wants
nothing of a god but eternity, and a heaven to throne
in.
25
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.
30
SICINIUS The gods be good unto us.
MENENIUS 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.
35
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?
40
2 MESSENGER
Good news, good news! The ladies have prevail’d,
The Volscians are dislodg’d, and Martius gone.
Exeunt attendants.
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?
45
2 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,
50
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,
55
A sea and land full. You have pray’d well today.
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.
2 MESSENGER Sir, we have all
60
Great cause to give great thanks.
SICINIUS They are near the city?
2 MESSENGER Almost at point to enter.
SICINIUS We’ll meet them,
And help the joy. Exeunt.
5.5 Enter two Senators, with the ladies VOLUMNIA, VIRGILIA and VALERIA, passing over the stage, with other lords.
1 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 Martius;
Repeal him with the welcome of his mother:
5
Cry, ‘Welcome, ladies, welcome!’
ALL Welcome, ladies,
Welcome!
A flourish with drums and trumpets. Exeunt.
5.6 Enter TULLUS AUFIDIUS, with attendants.
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
5
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’s faction.
Most welcome.
1 CONSPIRATOR How is it with our general?
AUFIDIUS Even so
10
As with a man by his own alms empoison’d,
And with his charity slain.
2 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.
15
We must proceed as we do find the people.
3 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
20
A good construction. I rais’d him, and I pawn’d
Mine honour for his truth; who being so heighten’d,
He water’d his new plants with dews of flattery,
Seducing so my friends; and to this end
<
br /> He bow’d his nature, never known before
25
But to be rough, unswayable and free.
3 CONSPIRATOR Sir, his stoutness
When he did stand for consul, which he lost
By lack of stooping –
AUFIDIUS That I would have spoke of.
Being banish’d for’t, he came unto my hearth,
30
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
35
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
40
I had been mercenary.
1 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;
45
At a few drops of women’s rheum, which are
As cheap as lies, he sold the blood and labour
Of our great action. Therefore shall he die,
And I’ll renew me in his fall. But hark!
[Drums and trumpets sound,
with great shouts of the people.]
1 CONSPIRATOR
Your native town you enter’d like a post,
50
And had no welcomes home; but he returns
Splitting the air with noise.
2 CONSPIRATOR And patient fools,
Whose children he hath slain, their base throats tear
With giving him glory.
3 CONSPIRATOR Therefore, at your vantage,
Ere he express himself or move the people
55
With what he would say, let him feel your sword,
Which we will second. When he lies along,
After your way his tale pronounc’d shall bury
His reasons with his body.
AUFIDIUS Say no more.
Here come the lords.
60
Enter the Lords of the city.
ALL LORDS You are most welcome home.
AUFIDIUS I have not deserv’d it.
But, worthy lords, have you with heed perus’d
What I have written to you?
ALL LORDS We have.
1 LORD And grieve to hear’t.
What faults he made before the last, I think
Might have found easy fines; but there to end
65
Where he was to begin, and give away
The benefit of our levies, answering us
With our own charge, making a treaty where
There was a yielding: this admits no excuse.
AUFIDIUS
He approaches: you shall hear him.
70
Enter CORIOLANUS marching with drum and colours, the Commoners being with him.
CORIOLANUS Hail lords, I am return’d your soldier,
No more infected with my country’s love
Than when I parted hence, but still subsisting
Under your great command. You are to know
That prosperously I have attempted, and
75
With bloody passage led your wars even to
The gates of Rome. Our spoils we have brought
home
Doth more than counterpoise a full third part
The charges of the action. We have made peace
With no less honour to the Antiates
80
Than shame to th’ Romans; and we here deliver,
Subscrib’d by th’ consuls and patricians,
Together with the seal o’th’ senate, what
We have compounded on.
AUFIDIUS Read it not, noble lords;
But tell the traitor in the highest degree
85
He hath abus’d your powers.
CORIOLANUS Traitor? How now!
AUFIDIUS Ay, traitor, Martius!
CORIOLANUS Martius!
AUFIDIUS Ay, Martius, Caius Martius! Dost thou think
I’ll grace thee with that robbery, thy stol’n name
Coriolanus, in Corioles?
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You lords and heads o’th’ state, perfidiously
He has betray’d your business, and given up,
The Arden Shakespeare Complete Works Page 102
