To a mother's part belongs.- He turns away:
Down, Ladies; let us fhame him with our knees.
To's firname Coriolanus 'longs more pride,
Than pity to our prayers. Down, and 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 reafon our petition with more ftrength
Than thou haft to deny't. Come, let us go;
This fellow had a Volfcian to his mother;
His wife is in Corioli; and this child

Like him by chance: yet give us our dispatch.
I'm hush'd, until our city be afire;
And then I'll speak a little.

Cor. "O mother, mother!

[Holds her by the hands, filent. "What have you done? Behold, the heav'ns do ope, "The gods look down, and this unnatural scene "They laugh at. Oh, my mother, mother! oh! You've won a happy victory to Rome:

But for your fon, believe it, oh, believe it,
Moft dang'roufly you have with him prevail'd,
If not moft mortal to him. Let it come.-
Aufidius, though I cannot make true wars,
I'll frame convenient peace. Now, good Aufidius,
Were you in my ftead, fay, would you have heard
A mother lefs? or granted lefs, Aufidius?
Auf. I too was mov'd.

Cor. I dare be fworn you were ;

And, Sir, it is no little thing to make

Mine eyes to fweat compaffion. 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 caufe. O mother! wife!

Auf. I'm glad thou'ft fet thy mercy and thy honour
At difference in thee; out of that I'll work
Myfelf my former fortune.

[4fide.

Cor. Ay, by and by; but we will drink together; fhall bear [To Vol. Virg. Sc.

you

And
A better witnefs back than words, which we,

On like conditions, will have counterfeal'd.

Come,

Come, enter with us.

Auf. Ladies, you deserve

To have a temple built you: all the fwords
In Italy, and her confederate arms,
Could not have made this peace.

SCENE IV. The Forum in Rome:

Enter Menenius and Sicinius.

[Exeunt.

Men. See you yond coin. o' th' Capitol, yond cornerftone?

Sic. Why, what of that? >

Men. If it be poffible for you to difplace it with your little finger, there is fome hope the ladies of Rome, efpecially his mother, may prevail with him. But I fay there is no hope in't; our throats are fentenc'd, and ftay upon execution.

Sic. Is't poffible, that fo fhort a time can alter the condition of a man?

Men. There is difference between a grub and à 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 lov'd his mother dearly.

Men. So did he me: and he no more remembers his. mother now, than an eight-years-old horfet. The tartness of his face fours ripe grapes. When he walks, he moves like an engine, and the ground fhrinks beforeTM his treading. He is able to pierce a corflet with his eye; talks like a knell, and his hum is a battery. He fits in his state as a thing made for Alexander. What he bids be done, is finish'd with his bidding. He wants no. thing 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 fhall bring from him: there is no more mercy in him, than there is milk in a male tyger; that fhall our poor city find; and all this is long of you. Sic. The gods be good unto us!

Men. No, in fuch a cafe the gods will not be good unto us.. When we banifh'd him, we respected not

Kk 3

Subintelligitur, remembers his dam.

them;

them; and he returning to break our necks, they refpect

not us.

Enter a Meffenger.

M.. Sir, if you'd fave your life, fly to your houfe; The Plebeians have got your fellow-tribune, And hale him up and down; all fwearing, if The Roman ladies bring not comfort home, They'll give him death by inches.

Enter another Meffenger.

Sic. What's the news?

pre

Me. Good news, good news; the ladies have The Volfcians are diflodg'd, and Marcius gone. [vail'd, A merrier day did never yet greet Rome,

No, not the expulfion of the Tarquins.

Sic. Friend,

Art certain this is true? is it most certain ?

Me. As certain as I know the fun is fire.

Where have you lurk'd, that you make doubt of it?
Ne'er through an arch fo hurried the blown tide,
As the recomforted through th' gates. Why, hark you;
[Trumpets, hautboys, drums beat, all together.
The trumpets, fackbuts, pfalteries, and fifes,

Tabors and cymbals, and the fhouting Romans
Make the fun dance. Hark you!

Men. This is good news.

[Afbout within.

I will go meet the ladies. This Volumnia
Is worth of Confuls, Senators, Patricians,
A city full; of Tribunes, fuch as you,

A fea and land full. You've pray'd well to-day,
This morning, for ten thousand of
your throats
I'd not have given a doit. Hark, how they joy!
[Sound fill, with the bouts
Sic. Firft, the gods blefs you for your tidings: next,

Accept my thankfulnefs.

Me. Sir, we have all great caufe to give great

Sic. They're near the city?

Me Almoft at point to enter.

thanks.

Sic. We'll meet them, and help the joy.

[Exeunt.

Enter

Enter two Senators, with the Ladies, paffing over the stage; with other Lords.

Sen. Behold our patronefs, the life of Rome : Call all your tribes together, praise the gods, And make triumphant fires: ftrew flowers before them. Unfhout the noife that banifh'd Marcius;

Repeal him with the welcome of his mother.

Cry,

Welcome, Ladies, welcome!

All. Welcome, Ladies, welcome!

[Exeunt

[A flourish with drums and trumpets.

SCENE V Changes to a public place in Antium.

Enter Tullus Aufidius, with Attendants.

Auf. 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. He I accufe,
The city-ports by this hath enter'd; and
Intends t' appear before the people, hoping

[come!

To purge himself with words. Difpatch.Moft wel

Enter three or four Confpirators of Aufidius's fallion.

I Con. How is it with our General?

Auf. Even fo,

As with a man by his own alms impoifon'd,

And with his charity flain.

If

2 Con. Moft Noble Sir,

you hold the fame intent wherein

You wifh'd us parties, we'll deliver you

Of your great danger.

Auf. Sir, I cannot tell;

We muft proceed, as we do find the people.

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

Auf. I know it;

And my pretext to strike at him admits

A good conftruction. I raised him, and pawn'd Mine honour for his truth; who being fo heighten'd,

He

He water'd his new plants with dews of flattery, -
Seducing fo my friends; and to this end
He bow'd his nature, never known before
But to be rough, unfwayable, and fierce.
3 Con. Sir, his ftoutness

When he did ftand for Conful, which he loft
By lack of flooping-

Auf. That I would have spoke of.

Being banish'd for't, he came unto my hearth,.
Prefented to my knife his throat. I took him,
Made him joint fervant with me; gave him way
In all his own defires; nay, let him chufe
Out of my files, his projects to accomplish,
My best and frefheft men; ferv'd his defignments
In mine own perfon; holp to reap the fame,
Which he did make all his; and took fome pride
To do myself this wrong; till, at the last,
I feem'd his follower, not partner; and
He wag'd me with his countenance, as if
I had been mercenary.

1 Con. So he did, iny Lord.

The

army

marvell'd at it, and at last,', When he had carried Rome, and that we looked For no lefs fpoil than glery

Auf. There was it

;

(For which my finews shall be stretch'd upon him):
"At a few drops of womens'. rheum, which are.
"As cheap as lies, he fold the blood and labour
"Of our great action; therefore fhall he die,
And I'll renew me in his fall. But, hark!

[Drums and trumpets found, with great shouts of
the people.

1 Con. Your native town you enter'd like a poft, And had no welcomes home but he returns,

Splitting the air with noife.

2 Con. And patient fools,

:

Whofe children he hath flain, their bafe throats tear, Giving him glory.

3 Con. Therefore, at your vantage,

Ere he exprefs himself, or move the people

With what he would fay, let him feel your fword,
Which we will fecond. When he lies along,

After