Men.

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'd not have given a doit. Hark, how they joy!
[Shouting and Musick.

Sic. First, the gods bless you for your tidings; next, Accept my thankfulness.

Mess.

Sir, we have all

-Enter the Ladies, accompanied by Senators, Patricians, and People. They pass over the Stage.

1 Sen. 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,

4

Repeal him with the welcome of his mother;
Cry,-Welcome, ladies, welcome!-

All.

Welcome, ladies! Welcome! [A Flourish with Drums and Trumpets. [Exeunt.

SCENE V. Antium. A public Place. Enter TULLUS AUFIDIUS, with Attendants. Auf. Go tell the lords of the city, I am here: Deliver them this paper: having read it, Bid them repair to the market-place; where I,

4 Recall.

2

Even in theirs and in the commons' ears,
Will vouch the truth of it. Him I accuse1,
The city ports by this hath enter'd, and
Intends to appear before the people, hoping
To purge himself with words: Despatch.

[Exeunt Attendants.

Enter Three or Four Conspirators of Aufidius' Faction.

Most welcome!

1 Con. How is it with our general? Auf.

Even so,

As with a man by his own alms empoison'd,
And with his charity slain.

If

2 Con.

you

Most noble sir,

do hold the same intent wherein You wish'd us parties, we'll deliver you Of your great danger.

Auf.

Sir, I cannot tell;

We must proceed, as we do find the people.

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

Auf.
I know it;
And my pretext to strike at him admits

A good construction. I rais'd him, and I pawn'd
Mine honour for his truth: Who being so heighten'd,
He water'd his new plants with dews of flattery,
Seducing so my friends: and, to this end,
He bow'd his nature, never known before
But to be rough, unswayable, and free.
3. Con. Sir, his stoutness,

1 i. e. he whom I accuse :

I am appointed him to murder you.'

The Winter's Tale.

2 Ports are gates. See Act i. Sc. 7, note 1.

When he did stand for consul, which he lost

By lack of stooping,-
Auf.
That I would have spoke of:
Being banish'd for't, he came unto my hearth;
Presented to my knife his throat: I took him;
Made him joint servant with me; gave him way
In all his own desires: nay, let him choose
Out of my files, his projects to accomplish,
My best and freshest men; serv'd his designments
In mine own person; holp to reap the fame,
Which he did end all his; and took some pride
To do myself this wrong: till, at the last,
I seem'd his follower, not partner; and
He wag'd me with his countenance3, as if
I had been mercenary.

So he did, my lord:

1 Con.
The army marvell'd at it. And, in the last,
When he had carried Rome; and that we look'd
For no less spoil, than glory,-

Auf.
There was it;-
For which my sinews shall be stretch'd upon him1.
At a few drops of women's rheum, which are
As cheap as lies, he sold the blood and labour
Of our great action; Therefore shall he die,
And I'll renew me in his fall. But, hark!

[Drums and Trumpets sound, with great Shouts of the People.

1 Con. Your native town you enter'd like a post,

3 The verb to wage was formerly in general use for to stipend, to reward. The meaning is, the countenance he gave me was a kind of wages.'

For his defence great store of men I wag'd.'

Mirror for Magistrates.

I receive thee gladly to my house,

And wage thy stay.'

Heywood's Wise Woman of Hogsdon. This is the point on which I will attack him with all my

energy.'

And had no welcomes home; but he returns,
Splitting the air with noise.

2 Con.

And patient fools,

Whose children he hath slain, their base throats tear, With giving him glory.

3 Con.

Therefore, at your vantage,

Ere he express himself, or move the people

With what he would say, let him feel your sword,
Which we will second. When he lies along,

After your way his tale pronounc'd shall bury
His reasons with his body.

But, worthy lords, have you with heed perus'd
What I have written to you?

Lords.

1 Lord.

We have.

And grieve to hear it.

What faults he made before the last, I think,
Might have found easy fines: but there to end
Where he was to begin; and give away

The benefit of our levies, answering us

With our own charge 5; making a treaty, where
There was a yielding; This admits no excuse.
Auf. He approaches, you shall hear him.

Enter CORIOLANUS, with Drums and Colours; a
Crowd of Citizens with him.

Cor. Hail, lords! I am returned your soldier; No more infected with my country's love, Than when I parted hence, but still subsisting

5 Rewarding us with our own expenses, making the cost of the war its recompense.'

Under your great command. You are to know,
That prosperously I have attempted, and
With bloody passage, léd your wars, even to
The gates of Rome. Our spoils we have brought home,
Do more than counterpoise, a full third part,
The charges of the action. We have made peace
With no less honour to the Antiates,

Than shame to the Romans: And we here deliver,
Subscrib'd by the consuls and patricians,

Together with the seal o'the senate, what

We have compounded on.

Auf.

Read it not, noble lords;

But tell the traitor, in the highest degree
He hath abus'd your powers.

Cor. Traitor!-How now?

Auf.
Cor.

Ay, traitor, Marcius.

Marcius!

Auf. Ay, Marcius, Caius Marcius; Dost thou think I'll grace thee with that robbery, thy stol'n name Coriolanus in Corioli?

You lords and heads of the state, perfidiously
He has betray'd your business, and given up,
For certain drops of salt, your city Rome
(I say, your city), to his wife and mother:
Breaking his oath and resolution, like
A twist of rotten silk; never admitting
Counsel o'the war; but at his nurse's tears
He whin'd and roar'd away your victory:
That pages blush'd at him, and men of heart
Look'd wondering each at other.

Cor.

Hear'st thou, Mars?

Auf. Name not the god, thou boy of tears,

Cor.

Auf. No more 6.

Ha!

6 This must be considered as continuing the former speech of Aufidius; he means to tell Coriolanus that he was no more than a boy of tears.'