 | Coriolanus |  |
SCENE III.
The back Scene opens, and discovers Coriolanus sitting on his Tribunal, attended by his Lictors, and a Croud of Volscian Officers. Files of Troops drawn up on either Hand. In the Depth of the Scene appear the Deputies from the Roman Senate, M. Minucius, Posthumus Cominius, Sp. Lartius, P. Pinnarius, and Q. Sulpitius, all Consular Senators, who had been his most zealous Friends. And behind them march the Priests, the Sacrificers, the Augurs, and the Guardians of the sacred Things, drest in their Ceremonial Habits. These advance slowly, betwixt the Files of Soldiers, under Arms. As Tullus enters, Coriolanus rising salutes him.Coriolanus.
Here, noble Tullus, sit, and judge my Conduct;
Nor spare to check me if I act amiss.
Tullus.
Marcius, the Volscian Fate is in thy Hands.
[Coriolanus is seated again, and Tullus places himself upon a Tribunal on his Left Hand. Mean time the Roman Deputies advance up to Coriolanus and salute him, which he returns.
Coriolanus.
What, Romans, from the Generals of the Volsci
Is your Demand?
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O Coriolanus, Rome,
Nurse of thy tender Years, thy Parent-City,
Her Senators, her People, Priests, and Augurs,
Her every Order and Degree, by us,
Thy ever-zealous, still-unshaken Friends,
Sue in the most pathetic Terms for Peace.
And if in This, constrain'd, We from our Maxim,
Never to ask but give it, must depart;
It is some Consolation, in the State
To which thou hast by thy superior Valour
Reduc'd us, that we ask it from a Roman.
Coriolanus.
I was a Roman once, and thought the Name
Was not dishonour'd by me; but it pleas'd
Your Lords, the Mob of Rome, to take it from me;
Nor will I now receive it back again.
Milucius.
The Name thou mayst reject, but canst not throw
The Duties from thee which that Name imports;
Indissoluble Duties, bound upon thee
By the strong Hand of Nature, and confirm'd
By the dread Sanction of all-ruling Jove.
Then hear thy Country's supplicating Voice;
By all those Duties I conjure thee hear us.
Coriolanus.
Well—I will hear thee; speak, declare thy Message.
Milucius.
Give Peace, give healing Peace, to two brave Nations,
Fatigu'd with War, and sick of cruel Deeds!
To carry on Destruction's easy Trade,
Afflict Mankind, and scourge the World with War,
Is what each wicked, each ambitious Man,
Who lets his furious Passions loose, may do:
But in the flattering Torrent of Success,
To check his Rage, and drop th'avenging Sword,
When a repenting People ask it of him,
That is the genuine Bounty of a God.
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Which, injur'd as you are, you needs must feel,
But never ought to carry into Action,
Against your sacred Country; whence you drew
Your Life, your Virtues, every mortal Good,
That very Valour you employ against her.
Stop, Coriolalus, ere, beyond Retreat,
You plunge yourself in Crimes. To the fierce Joy
Of Vengeance push'd to barbarous Excess,
Repentance will succeed, and sickning Horror.
Consider too the slippery State of Fortune.
The Gods take Pleasure oft, when haughty Mortals
On their own Pride erect a mighty Fabrick,
By slightest means, to lay their towering Schemes
Low in the Dust, and teach them they are nothing.
Return, thou virtuous Roman! to the Bosom
Of thy imploring Country. Lo! her Arms
She fondly spreads to take thee back again,
And by redoubled Love efface her Harshness.
Return, and crown thee with the noblest Wreathe,
Which Glory can bestow—the Palm of Mercy!
Coriolanus.
Marcus Minucius, and ye other Romans,
Respected Senators, and holy Flamens,
Attend, and take to your Demand this Answer:
Respected Senators, and holy Flamens,
Attend, and take to your Demand this Answer:
Why court you me, the Servant of the Volsci?
It is to them that you must bend for Peace,
Which on these only Terms they will accord you.
“Restore the conquer'd Lands, your former Wars
“Have ravish'd from them: from their Towns and Cities,
“Won by your Arms, withdraw your Colonies;
“And to the full Immunities of Rome
“Frankly admit them, as you have the Latines.”
Then, Romans, you have Peace, and not till then!
If these are Terms which suit not your Ambition,
They suit the State to which the Volscian Arms
Have now reduc'd you—We have learn'd from Rome
To use our Fortune, and command the Vanquish'd.
It is to them that you must bend for Peace,
Which on these only Terms they will accord you.
“Restore the conquer'd Lands, your former Wars
“Have ravish'd from them: from their Towns and Cities,
“Won by your Arms, withdraw your Colonies;
“And to the full Immunities of Rome
“Frankly admit them, as you have the Latines.”
Then, Romans, you have Peace, and not till then!
If these are Terms which suit not your Ambition,
They suit the State to which the Volscian Arms
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To use our Fortune, and command the Vanquish'd.
Tullus,
(aside.)
Death to my Hopes! I'm now his Slave for ever.
Coriolanus,
addressing himself to the Volsci.
This, my illustrious Patrons and Protectors,
Volsci, to you I ow'd. Permit me now
To do myself and injur'd Honour Justice.
[Turning again to the Romans.
As to the Liberty you idly vaunt
To give me of returning to your City,
'Tis what I hold unworthy of Acceptance.
Can I return into th'ungrateful Bosom
Of a distracted State, where, to the Rage
Of a vile senseless Populace, the Laws
Are by your shameful Weakness given a Prey?
Who are the Men that hold the Sway among you?
And whom have you expell'd, as even unworthy
To live within the Cincture of your Walls!—
O the wild Thought breaks in and troubles Reason!—
With what, ye Romans, can the sowerest Censor,
The most envenom'd Malice, justly charge me?
Did I e'er break your Laws? Nay, did I e'er
Do aught that could disturb the sacred Order,
The Peace and social Harmony of Life;
Or taint your ancient Sanctity of Manners?
What was my Crime? I could not bear to see
Your Dignity debas'd: to see the Rabble,
Tread on the reverend grey Authority
Of Senatorial Wisdom: Yes, for you,
In your Defence I did enrage this Monster;
And yet you basely left me to its Fury.
Then talk no more of Services and Friendship:
A Friend, who can, and does not shield, betrays me.
Or if the Power was wanting, then your Senate
Is sunk into Servility, and Bondage,
Nor should a Freeman deign to sit among you.
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The Wisest are sometimes compell'd to yield
To popular Storms: Yet I defend not, Marcius,
Our timid Conduct; we have felt our Error,
And now invite thee back to aid the Senate,
With thy heroic Spirit to restrain
The giddy Rage of Faction, and to hold
The Reins of Government more firm hereafter.
To popular Storms: Yet I defend not, Marcius,
Our timid Conduct; we have felt our Error,
And now invite thee back to aid the Senate,
With thy heroic Spirit to restrain
The giddy Rage of Faction, and to hold
The Reins of Government more firm hereafter.
As to th'Appeal which thou hast nobly made
In Vindication of thy spotless Fame,
With Pleasure we confirm it, and bear Witness
To all thy public and thy private Virtues:
But let us also beg thee not to stain
The Brightness of that Glory by a Crime,
Which, unrepented, would disgrace them all,
A dire rebellious War against thy Country.
In Vindication of thy spotless Fame,
With Pleasure we confirm it, and bear Witness
To all thy public and thy private Virtues:
But let us also beg thee not to stain
The Brightness of that Glory by a Crime,
Which, unrepented, would disgrace them all,
A dire rebellious War against thy Country.
Coriolanus.
Absurd! What can you mean? To call a People,
Who with the last Indignity have us'd me,
To call my Foes my Country! No, Minucius,
It is the generous Nation of the Volsci,
These brave, these virtuous Men, you see around me,
Who, when I wander'd a poor helpless Exile,
Took Pity of my Injuries and Woes;
Forgot the former Mischiefs of my Sword;
Heap'd on me Kindness, Honours, Dignities;
Fear'd not to trust me with this high Command,
And plac'd me here the Guardian of their Cause:—
Be Witness, Jove!—It is alone their Nation
I henceforth will acknowledge for my Country!
Let this suffice—You have my Answer, Romans.
Cominius.
This Answer, Coriolanus, is the Dictate
More of thy Pride than Magnanimity:
'Tis thy Revenge that gives it, not thy Virtue.
Art thou above the Gods? who joy to show'r
Their doubled Goodness on repenting Mortals?
But think not I intend, by This, to urge
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That were a Weakness ill becoming Romans.
Yet I must tell thee, it would better suit
A fierce despotic-Chief of barbarous Slaves,
Than the calm Dignity of one who sits
In the grave Senate of a free Republic,
To talk so high, and as it were to thrust
Plebeians from the native Rights of Man.—
Coriolanus.
Ha! dost thou come the People's Advocate
To Me, Cominius! Com'st thou to insult me!
Cominius.
Nay, hear me, Marcius:—These grey Hairs impower me
To set thee right before this great Assembly:
And there was once a Time, thou wouldst have heard
Thy General with more Deference and Patience.—
I tell thee then, whoe'er amidst the Sons
Of Reason, Valour, Liberty, and Virtue,
Displays distinguish'd Merit, is a Noble
Of Nature's own creating. Such have risen
Sprung from the Dust, or where had been our Honours?
And such in radiant Bands will rise again,
In yon immortal City, that, when most
Deprest by Fate, and near apparent Ruin,
Returns, as with an Energy divine,
On her astonish'd Foes, and shakes them from her—
Your Pardon, Volsci—But This, Coriolanus,
Is what I had to say.
Coriolanus.
And I have heard it—
[Rising from his Tribunal; and the Priests advancing to address him, he prevents them.
For you, ye awful Ministers of Heaven,
Let me not hear your holy Lips profan'd
By urging what my Duty must refuse.
I bow in Adoration to the Gods;
I venerate their Servants. But there is,
There is a Power, their chief, their darling Care,
The Guardian of Mankind, which to betray
Were violating all—And that is Justice.
[Rising from his Tribunal; and the Priests advancing to address him, he prevents them.
For you, ye awful Ministers of Heaven,
Let me not hear your holy Lips profan'd
By urging what my Duty must refuse.
I bow in Adoration to the Gods;
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There is a Power, their chief, their darling Care,
The Guardian of Mankind, which to betray
Were violating all—And that is Justice.
So far my public Character demands;
So far my Honour.—Now, what should forbid
The Man, and Friend, to be indulg'd a little?
So far my Honour.—Now, what should forbid
The Man, and Friend, to be indulg'd a little?
Permit me to embrace thee, good Minucius;
Thee, Lartius; you, Pinnarius and Sulpicius:
But chiefly thee, Cominius, who first rais'd me
To Deeds of Arms; who from thy Consular Brow
Took thy own Crown, and with it circled mine.
Tho nought can shake my Purpose, yet I wish
That Rome had sent me others on this Errand.
I thank you for your Friendship. The Protection,
Which you have given to those, whom once I call'd
By tender Names, I would not now remember.
How shall I—say—return your generous Goodness?
O there is nothing you, as Friends, can ask,
My grateful Heart will not with Pleasure grant you.
Thee, Lartius; you, Pinnarius and Sulpicius:
But chiefly thee, Cominius, who first rais'd me
To Deeds of Arms; who from thy Consular Brow
Took thy own Crown, and with it circled mine.
Tho nought can shake my Purpose, yet I wish
That Rome had sent me others on this Errand.
I thank you for your Friendship. The Protection,
Which you have given to those, whom once I call'd
By tender Names, I would not now remember.
How shall I—say—return your generous Goodness?
O there is nothing you, as Friends, can ask,
My grateful Heart will not with Pleasure grant you.
Cominius.
We thank thee, Coriolanus—But a Roman
Disdains that Favour you refuse his Country.
Coriolanus.
[To the Volscian Officers.
See that they be, with due Regard and Safety,
Conducted back.
[To the Roman Senators.
I will suspend th'Assault,
Till to these Terms, of which we will not bate
The smallest Part, your Senate may have Time
To send their latest Answer. Then we cut
All further Treaty off. Romans, farewel.
| Coriolanus | |