Cor. Away!

Men. How! away?

Cor. Wife, mother, child, I know not; my affairs Are servanted to others: though I owe

My revenge properly, my remission lies

In Volscian breasts.1 That we have been familiar,
Ingrate forgetfulness shall poison rather

Than pity note how much therefore be gone :
Mine ears against your suits are stronger than
Your gates against my force: yet, for 2 I loved thee,
Take this along: I writ it for thy sake,

[gives a letter.
And would have sent it. Another word, Menenius,
I will not hear thee speak. This man, Aufidius,
Was my beloved in Rome; yet thou behold'st-
Auf. You keep a constant temper.

[Exeunt Coriolanus and Aufidius.

1 Guard. Now, sir, is your name Menenius? 2 Guard. 'Tis a spell, you see, of much power. You know the way home again.

1 Guard. Do you hear how we are shent3 for keeping your greatness back?

2 Guard. What cause, do you think, I have to swoon?

Men. I neither care for the world nor your general for such things as you, I can scarce think there's any, you are so slight. He that hath a will

i. e. though I have a peculiar right in revenge, in the power of forgiveness the Volscians are conjoined.'-Johnson.

2 Because.

Reprimanded.

SHAK.

XI.

R

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!

1 Guard. A noble fellow, I warrant him.

[Exit.

2 Guard. The worthy fellow is our general. He is the rock, the oak not to be wind-shaken.

[Exeunt.

SCENE III.

The tent of Coriolanus.

Enter CORIOLANUS, AUFIDIUS, and others.

Cor. We will before the walls of Rome to-mor

row

Set down our host.-My partner in this action,

1

You must report to the Volscian lords how plainly 1 I have borne this business.

Auf.

Only their ends

You have respected; stopp'd your ears against
The general suit of Rome; never admitted
A private whiper, no, not with such friends
That thought them sure of you.

This last old man,

Cor.
Whom with a crack'd heart I have sent to Rome,
Loved me above the measure of a father;

Nay, godded me, indeed. Their latest refuge
Was to send him; for whose old love, I have

1 Openly.

(Though I show'd sourly to him) once more offer'd
The first conditions, which they did refuse,
And cannot now accept, to grace him only,
That thought he could do more: a very little
I have yielded too. Fresh embassies and suits,
Nor from the state nor private friends hereafter
Will I lend ear to.-Ha! what shout is this?
[shout within.

Shall I be tempted to infringe my vow
In the same time 'tis made? I will not.

Enter, in mourning habits, VIRGILIA, VOLUMNIA, leading YOUNG MARCIUS, VALERIA, and Attendants. My wife comes foremost; then the honor'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!

Let it be virtuous to be obstinate.

What is that courtesy worth, or those doves' eyes, 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

In supplication nod; and my young boy

Hath an aspect of intercession, which

Great Nature cries, Deny not.' Let the Volces
Plough Rome, and harrow Italy: I'll never
Be such a gosling to obey instinct; but stand,
As if a man were author of himself,

And knew no other kin.

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,

I have forgot my part, and I am out,
Even to a full disgrace. Best of my flesh,
Forgive my tyranny; but do not say,

For that, 'Forgive our Romans.'—O, a kiss,
Long as my exile, sweet as my revenge!
Now, by the jealous queen of heaven,1 that kiss
I carried from thee, dear; and my true lip
Hath virgin'd it e'er since.-You gods! I prate,
And the most noble mother of the world
Leave unsaluted: sink, my knee, i' the earth;

Of thy deep duty more impression show
Than that of common sons.

Vol.

[kneels.

0, stand up bless'd! Whilst, with no softer cushion than the flint,

I kneel before thee; and unproperly

Show duty, as mistaken all the while
Between the child and parent.

[kneels,

What is this?

Cor.
Your knees to me? to your corrected son?
Then let the pebbles on the hungry beach
Fillip the stars; then let the mutinous winds

1 Juno, the guardian of marriage.

Strike the proud cedars 'gainst the fiery sun;
Murdering impossibility, to make

What cannot be, slight work.

Vol.

Thou art my warrior;

I holp to frame thee. Do you know this lady?
Cor. The noble sister of Publicola,
The moon of Rome; chaste as the icicle,
That's curdied by the frost from purest snow,
And hangs on Dian's temple. Dear Valeria!
Vol. This is a poor epitome of yours,
Which, by the interpretation of full time,
May show like all yourself.

Cor.

The god of soldiers, With the consent of supreme Jove, inform

Thy thoughts with nobleness; that thou mayst

prove

To shame unvulnerable, and stick i' the wars
Like a great sea-mark, standing every flaw, 1
And saving those that eye thee!

Vol.

Cor. That's my brave boy.

Your knee, sirrah.

Vol. Even he, your wife, this lady, and myself Are suitors to you.

Cor.

Or, if

I beseech you, peace:

you I'd ask, remember this before ;

The things, I have forsworn to grant, may never
Be held by you denials. Do not bid me

Dismiss my soldiers, or capitulate

1 Gust, storm.