Go to them, with this bonnet in thy hand; And thus far having stretch'd it (here be with them), Thy knee bussing the stones (for in such business Action is eloquence, and the eyes of the ignorant More learned than the ears), waving thy head, Which often thus, correcting thy stout heart, That humble, as the ripest mulberry, Now will not hold the handling: Or, say to them, Thou art their soldier, and being bred in broils, Hast not the soft way, which, thou dost confess, Were fit for thee to use, as they to claim, In asking their good loves; but thou wilt frame Thyself, forsooth, hereafter theirs, so far As thou hast power, and person.

VOLUMNIA'S RESOLUTION ON THE PRIDE OF CORIOLANUS.

At thy choice then:

To beg of thee, it is my more dishonour,
Than thou of them. Come all to ruin; let
Thy mother rather feel thy pride, than fear
Thy dangerous stoutness; for I mock at death
With as big heart as thou. Do as thou list.

Thy valiantness was mine, thou suck'dst it from me;
But owe* thy pride thyself.

Own.

CORIOLANUS'S DETESTATION OF THE VULgar.

You common cry* of curs! whose breath I hate
As reek o' the rotten fens, whose loves I prize
As the dead carcases of unburied men

That do corrupt my air, I banish you ;
And here remain with your uncertainty!
Let every feeble rumour shake your hearts!
Your enemies, with nodding of their plumes,
Fan you into despair! Have the power still
To banish your defenders; till, at length,
Your ignorance (which finds not till it feels),
Making not reservation of yourselves,
(Still your own foes), deliver you, as most
Abated captives, to some nation
That won you without blows!

ACT IV.

MARTIAL FRIENDSHIP.

LET me twine

Mine arms about that body, where against
My grained ash an hundred times hath broke,
And scar'd the moon with splinters! Here I clip§
The anvil of my sword; and do contest

As hotly and as nobly with thy love,
As ever in ambitious strength I did

Contend against thy valour. Know thou first,
I loved the maid I married; never man

Sigh'd truer breath; but that I see thee here,
Thou noble thing! more dances my rapt heart,
Than when I first my wedded mistress saw
Bestride my threshold. Why, thou Mars! I tell thee,
We have a power on foot; and I had purpose
Once more to hew thy target from thy brawn||,
Or lose mine arm for't: Thou hast beat me out¶
Twelve several times, and I have nightly since
Dreamt of encounters 'twixt thyself and me;
We have been down together in my sleep,
Unbuckling helms, fisting each other's throat,
And wak'd half dead with nothing.

* Pack. ↑ Vapour. Subdued § Embrace. || Arm. ¶ Full.

Cor. Which is his house, 'beseech you?
Cit. This, here, before you.

Cor. Thank you, sir; farewell.

O, world, thy slippery turns! Friends now fast sworn,
Whose double bosoms seem to wear one heart,
Whose hours, whose bed, whose meal, and exercise,
Are still together, who twin, as 'twere, in love
Unseparable, shall within this hour,

On a dissension of a doit*, break out
To bitterest enmity: So, fellest foes,

[sleep

Whose passions and whose plots have broke their

To take the one the other, by some chance,
Some trick not worth an egg, shall grow dear friends
And interjoin their issues.

You were us'd

To say, extremity was the trier of spirits;

That common chances common men could bear;
That, when the sea was calm, all boats alike

A small coin.
U

Show'd mastership in floating: fortune's blows, When most struck home, being gentle wounded,

craves

A noble cunning: you were us'd to load me
With precepts that would make invincible
The heart that conn'd them.

ACT V.

CORIOLANUS'S PRAYER FOR HIS SON.

THE god of soldiers,

With the consent of supreme Jove, inform
Thy thoughts with nobleness; that thou may'st prove
To shame unvulnerable, and stick i' the wars
Like a great sea-mark, standing every flaw*,
And saving those that eye thee!

OBSTINATE RESOLUTION.

My wife comes foremost; then the honour'd mould Wherein this trunk was fram'd, 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 curt'sey 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 Volsces
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.

* Gust, storm.

* A young goose.

THE SEASON OF SOLICITATION.

He was not taken well; he had not din'd: The veins unfill'd, our blood is cold, and then We pout upon the morning, are unapt

To give or to forgive; but when we have stuff'd These pipes and these conveyances of our blood With wine and feeding, we have suppler souls Than in our priest-like fasts: therefore I'll watch him Till he be dieted to my request.

RELENTING TENDERNESS.

Like a dull actor now,

I have forgot my part, and I am out,
Even to a foul 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, 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 knec, i' the earth;
Of thy deep duty more impression show
Than that of common sons.

CHASTITY.

The noble sister of Publicola,

The moon of Rome; chaste as the icicle,
That's curded by the frost from purest snow,
And hangs on Dian's temple: Dear Valeria!

VOLUMNIA'S PATHETIC SPEECH TO HER SON CORIOLANus.

Think with thyself,

How more unfortunate than all living women
Are we come hither: since that thy sight which

should

* Juno.