But with his last attempt he wip'd 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,

To imitate the graces of the gods;

To tear with thunder the wide cheeks o'the air,
And yet to charge thy sulphur with a bolt
That should but rive an oak. Why dost not speak ?
Think'st thou it honourable for a noble man

Still to remember wrongs ?-Daughter, speak you :
He cares not for your weeping. --Speak thou, boy :
Perhaps, thy childishness will move him more
Than can our reasons. - There is no man in the world
More bound to his mother; yet here he lets me prate
Like one i'the stocks. Thou hast never in thy life
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,
Loaden with honour. Say, my request's unjust,
And spurn me back: But, if it be not so,
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 despatch:

I am hush'd until our city be afire,

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

[6] Keeps me in a state of ignominy talking to no purpose.
[7] Does argue for us and our petition. JOHNSON.

JOHNSON.

They laugh at. O 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 Aufidius,
Were you in my stead, say, would you have heard
A mother less? or granted less, Aufidius?

Auf. I was mov'd withal.

Cor. 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'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. 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.

Cor. Ay, by and by;
But we will drink together; and you shall bear

[TO VOLUMNIA, VIRGILIA, &c.

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.

SCENE IV.

[Exeunt.

Rome. A public Place. Enter MENENIUS and SICINIUS.

Men. See you yond' coign o'the Capitol; yond' cor

ner-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.'

[8] I will take advantage of this concession to restore myself to my former credit and power. JOHNSON. [9] Plutarch informs us, that a temple dedicated to the Fortune of the Ladies, was built on this occasion by order of the senate. STEEVENS.

[1] Stay but for it. STEEVENS.

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 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 finished with his bidding. He wants nothing of a god but eternity, and a heaven to throne in.

Sic, Yes, mercy, if you report him truly.

Men. 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.

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.

Mes. 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?

Mes. Good news, good news;-The ladies have pre

The Volces are dislodg'd, 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 ?

Mes. As certain, as I know the sun is fire :

[2] Subintelligitur, remembers his dam.

WARBURTON.

[vail'd,

(3) In a foregoing note he was said to sit in gold. The phrase, as a thing made for

Alexander, means as one made to resemble Alexander.

VOL. VII.

JOHNSON.

N2

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 the gates. Why, hark you;

[Trumpets and hautboys sounded, and drums beaten, all to

gether. Shouting also within.

The trumpets, sacbuts, psalteries, and fifes,
Tabors, and cymbals, and the shouting Romans,
Make the sun dance. Hark you !

Men. This is good news:

[Shouting again.

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!

[Shouting and music.

Sic. First, the gods bless you for their tidings: next,

Accept my thankfulness.

Mes. Sir, we have all

Great cause to give great thanks.

Sic. They are near the city ?

Mes. Almost at point to enter,

Sic. We will meet them,

and help the joy.

[Going.

Enter the Ladies, accompanied by Senators, 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,

Repeal him with the welcome of his mother;

Cry,-Welcome, ladies, welcome!

All. Welcome, ladies!

Welcome!

[A flourish with drums and trumpets.

SCENE V.

[Exeunt.

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.
• Enter three or four Conspirators of AUFIDIUS' 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 you
Of your great danger.

Auf. Sir, I cannot tell;

We must proceed, as we do find the people.

[Exe. Atten.

3 Con. The people will remain uncertain, whilst 'Twixt you there's difference; but the fall of either Makes the survivor heir of all.

Auf. 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 water'd 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.
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,
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

[4] That is, The one I accuse. So in The Winter's Tale.
" I am appointed him to murder you." MALONE.
[5] Instead of end, Mr. Rowe reads make. STEEVENS.

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