Coriolanus

neighbours. Nay, behold’s:
This boy, that cannot tell what he would have,
But kneels and holds up bands for fellowship,
Does reason our petition with more strength
Than thou hast to deny’t. Come, let us go:
This fellow had a Volscian to his mother;
His wife is in Corioli and his child
Like him by chance. Yet give us our dispatch:
I am hush’d until our city be afire,
And then I’ll speak a little. He holds her by the hand, silent. Coriolanus

O mother, mother!
What have you done? Behold, the heavens do ope,
The gods look down, and this unnatural scene
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, would you have heard
A mother less? or granted less, Aufidius?

Aufidius I was moved withal. Coriolanus

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!

Aufidius

Aside. 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. The Ladies make signs to Coriolanus.

Coriolanus

Ay, by and by; To Volumnia, Virgilia, etc.
But we will drink together; and you shall bear
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. Exeunt.

Scene IV

Rome. A public place.

	Enter Menenius and Sicinius.
Menenius	See you yond coign o’ the Capitol, yond corner-stone?
Sicinius	Why, what of that?
Menenius	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.
Sicinius	Is’t possible that so short a time can alter the condition of a man?
Menenius	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.
Sicinius	He loved his mother dearly.
Menenius	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.
Sicinius	Yes, mercy, if you report him truly.
Menenius	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.
Sicinius	The gods be good unto us!
Menenius	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.
Messenger	Sir, if you’ld 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 a Second Messenger.
Sicinius	What’s the news?
Second Messenger	Good news, good news; the ladies have prevail’d, The Volscians are dislodged, and Marcius gone: A merrier day did never yet greet Rome, No, not the expulsion of the Tarquins.
Sicinius	Friend, Art thou certain this is true? is it most certain?
Second Messenger	As certain as I know the sun is fire: 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; hautboys; drums beat; all together. The trumpets, sackbuts, psalteries and fifes, Tabours and cymbals and the shouting Romans, Make the sun dance. Hark you! A shout within.
Menenius	This is good news: 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’ld not have given a doit. Hark, how they joy! Music still, with shouts.
Sicinius	First, the gods bless you for your tidings; next, Accept my thankfulness.
Second Messenger	Sir, we have all Great cause to give great thanks.
Sicinius	They are near the city?
Second Messenger	Almost at point to enter.
Sicinius	We will meet them, And help the joy. Exeunt.

Scene V

The same. A street near the gate.

	Enter two Senators with Volumnia, Virgilia, Valeria, etc., passing over the stage, followed by Patricians and others.
First Senator	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. Exeunt.

Scene VI

Antium. A public place.

	Enter Tullus Aufidius, with Attendants.
Aufidius	Go tell the lords o’ 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