When proof against the tears of such a parent?

But I must weep :—

O, permit me,

To shed my gushing tears upon thy hand,
And take my last farewell!

Cor. Leave me.

Vir. I obey. How bitter thus to part, Upon such terms to part, perhaps for ever! But, tell me, ere I hence unroot my feet, When to my lonely home I shall return,

Cor. Come; and complete my happiness at Antium,

You, and my honour'd mother :

There shall you see with what respect the Volscians Will treat the wife and mother of their general.

Vol. Treat us thyself with more respect, my son; Nor dare to shock our ears with such proposals. Shall we desert our country,-we-who come To plead her cause? Ah, no,-a grave in Rome Would better please me than a throne at Antium. Cor. Cease, cease, to torture me;

You only tear my heart, but cannot shake it.

By the immortal gods,

Vir. O, vow not our destruction!

Vol. Daughter, rise:

[Falling on her Knees.

Let us no more before the Volscian people
Expose ourselves a spectacle of shame.-
Hear me, proud man! I have

A heart as stout as thine: I came not hither,
To be sent back rejected, baffled, shamed,
Hateful to Rome, because I am thy mother:
A Roman matron knows, in such extremes,
What part to take.-

Go, barb'rous son; go, double parricide;
Rush o'er my corse to thy beloved revenge!
Tread on the bleeding breast of her, to whom

Thou ow'st thy life!-Lo, thy first victim.

[She draws a Dagger.

Cor. [Seizing her Hand.] Ha!

What dost thou mean?

Vol. To die, while Rome is free.
Cor. O, set not thus

My treacherous heart in arms against my reason.
Here, here thy dagger will be well employ'd.-
Pity me, generous Volscians !-Ye are men.-
Must it then be?-My stifled words refuse
A passage to the throes that wring my heart.
Vol. Nay, if thou yieldest, yield like Coriolanus;
And what thou dost, do nobly.

Cor. There, 'tis done :

Thine is the triumph, Nature !-Ah, Volumnia,
Rome by thy aid is saved—but thy son lost!

Vol. He never can be lost, who saves his country. Cor. Ye matrons,-guardians of the Romans' safety,

We grant the truce you ask.-
Volscians, we raise the siege.

[CORIOLANUS turns to the ROMAN LADIES, whe
retire in the Order they entered.

Auf. 'Tis as we wish'd, Volusius.

But mark me well;

-one offer more

My honour bids me make to this proud man :

If he reject it,

His blood be on his head.

Volu Well, I obey.

Cor. I plainly, Tullus, by your looks perceive, You disapprove my conduct.

Auf. I mean not to assail thee with the clamour

Of loud reproaches, and the war of words;
But, pride apart, and all that can pervert
The light of steady reason, here to make
A candid, fair proposal.

Cor. Speak, I hear thee.

Auf. I need not tell thee, that I have perform'd My utmost promise. Thou hast been protected; Hast had thy, amplest, most ambitious, wish; Thy wounded pride is heal'd, thy dear revenge Completely sated; and, to crown thy fortune, At the same time, thy peace with Rome restored. Thou art no more a Volscian, but a Roman : Return, return; thy duty calls upon thee Still to protect the city thou hast saved;

It still may be in danger from our arms:
Retire: I will take care thou may'st with safety.
Cor. With safety?-Heavens !-and think'st thou
Coriolanus

Will stoop to thee for safety?-No! my safeguard
Is in myself, a bosom void of blame.-

O, 'tis an act of cowardice and baseness,
To seize the very time my hands are fetter'd
By the strong chain of former obligation,
The safe, sure, moment to insult me— Gods!
Were I now free, as on that day I was,
When at Corioli 1 tamed thy pride,
This had not been.

Auf. Thou speak'st the truth: it had not.
O, for that time again! propitious gods,

If you will bless me, grant it!-Know, for that,
For that dear purpose, I have now proposed

Thou should'st return: I pray thee, Marcius, do it;
And we shall meet again on nobler terms.

Cor. Till I have clear'd my honour in your council,

And proved before them all, to thy confusion,
The falsehood of thy charge; as soon in battle
I would before thee fly, and howl for mercy,
As quit the station they've assign'd me here.
Auf. Thou canst not hope acquittal from the Vol-
scians?

Cor. I do :-Nay, more, expect their approbation,

Their thanks. I will obtain them such a peace
As thou durst never ask; a perfect union
Of their whole nation with imperial Rome,
In all her privileges, all her rights;

By the just gods, I will.-What would'st thou more? Auf What would I more, proud Roman? This I would,

Fire the cursed forest, where these Roman wolves
Haunt and infest their nobler neighbours round them;
Extirpate from the bosom of this land

A false, perfidious people, who, beneath
The mask of freedom, are a combination
Against the liberty of human kind,—

The genuine seed of outlaws and of robbers.
Cor. The seed of gods.-'Tis not for thee, vain
boaster,-

'Tis not for such as thou,-so often spared
By her victorious sword, to speak of Rome,
But with respect, and aweful veneration.-
Whate'er her blots, whate'er her giddy factions,
There is more virtue in one single year

Of Roman story, than your Volscian annals

Can boast through all their creeping, dark duration. Auf. I thank thy rage:-This full displays the traitor.

Cor. Traitor!-How now?

Auf. Ay, traitor, Marcius.

Cor. Marcius!

Auf. Ay, Marcius, Caius Marcius: Dost thou think I'll grace thee with that robbery, thy stol'n name Coriolanus, in Corioli ?

You lords, and heads o' the state, perfidiously
He has betray'd your business, and given up,
For certain drops of salt, your city Rome,-
I say, your city,-to his wife and mother ;
Breaking his oath and resolution, like
A twist of rotten silk; never admitting

Counsel o' the war: but at his nurse's tears
He whined and roar'd away your victory;
That pages blush'd at him, and men of heart
Look'd wondering each at other.

Cor. Hear'st thou, Mars?

Auf. Name not the god, thou boy of tears.
Cor. Measureless liar, thou hast made my heart
Too great for what contains it.-Boy!—
Cut me to pieces, Volscians; men and lads,
Stain all your edges in me.-Boy!-

If you have writ your annals true, 'tis there,
That, like an eagle in a dovecote, I
Flutter'd your Volscians in Corioli;
Alone I did it :-Boy!-But let us part,
Lest my rash hand should do a hasty deed,
My cooler thought forbids.

Auf. I court

The worst thy sword can do; while thou from me Hast nothing to expect, but sore destruction;

Quit then this hostile camp; once more I tell thee, Thou art not here one single hour in safety.

Cor. O, that I had thee in the field,

With six Aufidiuses, or more, thy tribe,
To use my lawful sword,-

Volu. Insolent villain !

[VOLUSIUS, and other VOLSCIAN OFFICERS, draw, and kill Coriolanus.

Auf. My lords, when you shall know

The great danger

Which this man's life did owe you, you'll rejoice
That he is thus cut off. Please it, your honours,
To call me to your senate, I'll deliver
Myself your loyal servant, or endure
Your heaviest censure.-

My rage is gone,

And I am struck with sorrow.

Bear from hence his body:

Let him be regarded