3347Corio. We will before the walls of Rome to morrow

3348Set downe our Hoast. My partner in this Action,

3349You must report to th' Volcian Lords, how plainly

3350I haue borne this Businesse.

3351Auf. Onely their ends you haue respected,

3352Stopt your eares against the generall suite of Rome:

3353Neuer admitted a priuat whisper, no not with such frends

3354That thought them sure of you.

3355Corio. This last old man,

3356Whom with a crack'd heart I haue sent to Rome,

3357Lou'd me, aboue the measure of a Father,

3358Nay godded me indeed. Their latest refuge

3359Was to send him: for whose old Loue I haue

3360(Though I shew'd sowrely to him) once more offer'd

3361The first Conditions which they did refuse,

3362And cannot now accept, to grace him onely,

3363That thought he could do more: A very little

3364I haue yeelded too. Fresh Embasses, and Suites,

3365Nor from the State, nor priuate friends heereafter

3366Will I lend eare to. Ha? what shout is this? Shout within

3367Shall I be tempted to infringe my vow

3368In the same time 'tis made? I will not.

3371My wife comes formost, then the honour'd mould

3372Wherein this Trunke was fram'd, and in her hand

3373The Grandchilde to her blood. But out affection,

3374All bond and priuiledge of Nature breake;

3375Let it be Vertuous to be Obstinate.

3376What is that Curt'sie worth? Or those Doues eyes,

3377Which can make Gods forsworne? I melt, and am not

3378Of stronger earth then others: my Mother bowes,

3379As if Olympus to a Mole-hill should

3380In supplication Nod: and my yong Boy

3381Hath an Aspect of intercession, which

3382Great Nature cries, Deny not. Let the Volces

3383Plough Rome, and harrow Italy, Ile neuer

3384Be such a Gosling to obey instinct; but stand

3385As if a man were Author of himself, & knew no other kin

3386Virgil. My Lord and Husband.

3387Corio. These eyes are not the same I wore in Rome.

3388Virg. The sorrow that deliuers vs thus chang'd,

3389Makes you thinke so.

3390Corio. Like a dull Actor now, I haue forgot my part,

3391And I am out, euen to a full Disgrace. Best of my Flesh,

3392Forgiue my Tyranny: but do not say,

3393For that forgiue our Romanes. O a kisse

3394Long as my Exile, sweet as my Reuenge!

3395Now by the iealous Queene of Heauen, that kisse

3396I carried from thee deare; and my true Lippe

3397Hath Virgin'd it ere since. You Gods, I pray,

3398And the most noble Mother of the world

3399Leaue vnsaluted: Sinke my knee i'th' earth, Kneeles

3400Of thy deepe duty, more impression shew

3401Then that of common Sonnes.

3402Volum. Oh stand vp blest!

3403Whil'st with no softer Cushion then the Flint

3404I kneele before thee, and vnproperly

3405Shew duty as mistaken, all this while,

3406Betweene the Childe, and Parent.

3407Corio. What's this? your knees to me?

3408To your Corrected Sonne?

3409Then let the Pibbles on the hungry beach

3410Fillop the Starres: Then, let the mutinous windes

3411Strike the proud Cedars 'gainst the fiery Sun:

3412Murd'ring Impossibility, to make

3413What cannot be, slight worke.

3414Volum. Thou art my Warriour, I hope to frame thee

3415Do you know this Lady?

3416Corio. The Noble Sister of Publicola;

3417The Moone of Rome: Chaste as the Isicle

3418That's curdied by the Frost, from purest Snow,

3419And hangs on Dians Temple: Deere Valeria.

3420Volum. This is a poore Epitome of yours,

3421Which by th' interpretation of full time,

3422May shew like all your selfe.

3423Corio. The God of Souldiers:

3424With the consent of supreame Ioue, informe

3425Thy thoughts with Noblenesse, that thou mayst proue

3426To shame vnvulnerable, and sticke i'th Warres

3427Like a great Sea-marke standing euery flaw,

3428And sauing those that eye thee.

3429Volum. Your knee, Sirrah.

3430Corio. That's my braue Boy.

3431Volum. Euen he, your wife, this Ladie, and my selfe,

3432Are Sutors to you.

3433Corio. I beseech you peace:

3434Or if you'ld aske, remember this before;

3435The thing I haue forsworne to graunt, may neuer

3436Be held by you denials. Do not bid me

3437Dismisse my Soldiers, or capitulate

3438Againe, with Romes Mechanickes. Tell me not

3439Wherein I seeme vnnaturall: Desire not t'allay

3440My Rages and Reuenges, with your colder reasons.

3441Volum. Oh no more, no more:

3442You haue said you will not grant vs any thing:

3443For we haue nothing else to aske, but that

3444Which you deny already: yet we will aske,

3445That if you faile in our request, the blame

3446May hang vpon your hardnesse, therefore heare vs.

3447Corio. Auffidius, and you Volces marke, for wee'l

3448Heare nought from Rome in priuate. Your request?

3449Volum. Should we be silent & not speak, our Raiment

3450And state of Bodies would bewray what life

3451We haue led since thy Exile. Thinke with thy selfe,

3452How more vnfortunate then all liuing women

3453Are we come hither; since that thy sight, which should

3454Make our eies flow with ioy, harts dance with comforts,

3455Constraines them weepe, and shake with feare & sorow,

3456Making the Mother, wife, and Childe to see,

3457The Sonne, the Husband, and the Father tearing

3458His Countries Bowels out; and to poore we

3459Thine enmities most capitall: Thou barr'st vs

3460Our prayers to the Gods, which is a comfort

3461That all but we enioy. For how can we?

3462Alas! how can we, for our Country pray?

3463Whereto we are bound, together with thy victory:

3464Whereto we are bound: Alacke, or we must loose

3465The Countrie our deere Nurse, or else thy person

3466Our comfort in the Country. We must finde

3467An euident Calamity, though we had

3468Our wish, which side should win. For either thou

3469Must as a Forraine Recreant be led

3470With Manacles through our streets, or else

3471Triumphantly treade on thy Countries ruine,

cc2 And

3472And beare the Palme, for hauing brauely shed

3473Thy Wife and Childrens blood: For my selfe, Sonne,

3474I purpose not to waite on Fortune, till

3475These warres determine: If I cannot perswade thee,

3476Rather to shew a Noble grace to both parts,

3477Then seeke the end of one; thou shalt no sooner

3478March to assault thy Country, then to treade

3479(Trust too't, thou shalt not) on thy Mothers wombe

3480That brought thee to this world.

3481Virg. I, and mine, that brought you forth this boy,

3482To keepe your name liuing to time.

3483Boy. A shall not tread on me: Ile run away

3484Till I am bigger, but then Ile fight.

3485Corio. Not of a womans tendernesse to be,

3486Requires nor Childe, nor womans face to see:

3487I haue sate too long.

3488Volum. Nay, go not from vs thus:

3489If it were so, that our request did tend

3490To saue the Romanes, thereby to destroy

3491The Volces whom you serue, you might condemne vs

3492As poysonous of your Honour. No, our suite

3493Is that you reconcile them: While the Volces

3494May say, this mercy we haue shew'd: the Romanes,

3495This we receiu'd, and each in either side

3496Giue the All-haile to thee, and cry be Blest

3497For making vp this peace. Thou know'st (great Sonne)

3498The end of Warres vncertaine: but this certaine,

3499That if thou conquer Rome, the benefit

3500Which thou shalt thereby reape, is such a name

3501Whose repetition will be dogg'd with Curses:

3502Whose Chronicle thus writ, The man was Noble,

3503But with his last Attempt, he wip'd it out:

3504Destroy'd his Country, and his name remaines

3505To th' insuing Age, abhorr'd. Speake to me Son:

3506Thou hast affected the fiue straines of Honor,

3507To imitate the graces of the Gods.

3508To teare with Thunder the wide Cheekes a'th' Ayre,

3509And yet to change thy Sulphure with a Boult

3510That should but riue an Oake. Why do'st not speake?

3511Think'st thou it Honourable for a Nobleman

3512Still to remember wrongs? Daughter, speake you:

3513He cares not for your weeping. Speake thou Boy,

3514Perhaps thy childishnesse will moue him more

3515Then can our Reasons. There's no man in the world

3516More bound to's Mother, yet heere he let's me prate

3517Like one i'th' Stockes. Thou hast neuer in thy life,

3518Shew'd thy deere Mother any curtesie,

3519When she (poore Hen) fond of no second brood,

3520Ha's clock'd thee to the Warres: and safelie home

3521Loden with Honor. Say my Request's vniust,

3522And spurne me backe: But, if it be not so

3523Thou art not honest, and the Gods will plague thee

3524That thou restrain'st from me the Duty, which

3525To a Mothers part belongs. He turnes away:

3526Down Ladies: let vs shame him with him with our knees

3527To his sur-name Coriolanus longs more pride

3528Then pitty to our Prayers. Downe: an end,

3529This is the last. So, we will home to Rome,

3530And dye among our Neighbours: Nay, behold's,

3531This Boy that cannot tell what he would haue,

3532But kneeles, and holds vp hands for fellowship,

3533Doe's reason our Petition with more strength

3534Then thou hast to deny't. Come, let vs go:

3535This Fellow had a Volcean to his Mother:

3536His Wife is in Corioles, and his Childe

3537Like him by chance: yet giue vs our dispatch:

3538I am husht vntill our City be afire, & then Ile speak a litle

3540Corio. O Mother, Mother!

3541What haue you done? Behold, the Heauens do ope,

3542The Gods looke downe, and this vnnaturall Scene

3543They laugh at. Oh my Mother, Mother: Oh!

3544You haue wonne a happy Victory to Rome.

3545But for your Sonne, beleeue it: Oh beleeue it,

3546Most dangerously you haue with him preuail'd,

3547If not most mortall to him. But let it come:

3548Auffidius, though I cannot make true Warres,

3549Ile frame conuenient peace. Now good Auffidius,

3550Were you in my steed, would you haue heard

3551A Mother lesse? or granted lesse Auffidius?

3552Auf. I was mou'd withall.

3553Corio. I dare be sworne you were:

3554And sir, it is no little thing to make

3555Mine eyes to sweat compassion. But (good sir)

3556What peace you'l make, aduise me: For my part,

3557Ile not to Rome, Ile backe with you, and pray you

3558Stand to me in this cause. Oh Mother! Wife!

3559Auf. I am glad thou hast set thy mercy, & thy Honor

3560At difference in thee: Out of that Ile worke

3561My selfe a former Fortune.

3562Corio. I by and by; But we will drinke together:

3563And you shall beare

3564A better witnesse backe then words, which we

3565On like conditions, will haue Counter-seal'd.

3566Come enter with vs: Ladies you deserue

3567To haue a Temple built you: All the Swords

3568In Italy, and her Confederate Armes

3569Could not haue made this peace. Exeunt.