University of Virginia Library

ACT IV.

SCENE I.

Tullus
alone.

SCENE II.

Tullus. Galesus.
Galesus.
I listen'd, Tullus, to th'important Scene
That lately pass'd before us, with most strict
Unprejudic'd Attention; and have since
Revolv'd it in my Mind, both as a Man,
Ally'd to all Mankind, and as a Volscian.
Indeed our Terms are high, and by the Manner
In which they were prescrib'd by Coriolanus,
Are what we cannot hope will e'er be granted.
They should be soften'd. Let us yield a little,
Conscious ourselves to a great Nation's Pride,
The Pride of human Nature. Could the Romans
Stoop to such Peace, commanded by the Sword,
They then were Slaves, unworthy our Alliance.

Tullus.
Gods! do I hear in thee, one of the Chiefs
Intrusted with the Honour of the Volsci,
An Advocate for Rome?

Galesus.
I glory, Tullus,
To own myself an Advocate for Peace.
Peace is the happy natural State of Man;
War his Corruption, his Disgrace—

Tullus.
His Safeguard!
His Pride! his Glory!—What but War, just War,
Gave Greece her Heroes? Those who drew the Sword
(As we do now) against the Sons of Rapine;
To quell proud Tyrants, and to free Mankind.

Galesus.
Yes, Tullus, when to just Defence the Warrior
Confines his Force, he is a worship'd Name,
Dear to Mankind, the First and Best of Mortals!
Yet still, if this can by soft Means be done,
And fair Accommodation, that is better.
Why should we purchase with the Blood of Thousands,
What may be gain'd by mutual just Concession?
Why give up Peace, the best of human Blessings,
For the vain cruel Pride of useless Conquest?

Tullus.
These soothing Dreams of philosophic Quiet
Are only fit for unfrequented Shades.
The Sage should quit the busy bustling World
Ill suited to his gentle Meditations,
And in some Desart find that Peace he loves.

Galesus.
Mistaken Man! Philosophy consists not
In airy Schemes, or idle Speculations:
The Rule and Conduct of all social Life
Is her great Province. Not in lonely Cells
Obscure she lurks, but holds her heavenly Light
To Senates and to Kings, to guide their Councils,
And teach them to reform and bless Mankind.
All Policy but her's is false, and rotten;
All Valour not conducted by her Precepts
Is a destroying Fury sent from Hell
To plague unhappy Man, and ruin Nations.

Tullus.
To stop the Waste of that destroying Fury,
Is the great Cause and Purpose of this War.
Art thou a Friend to Peace?—subdue the Romans.
Who, who, but they, have turn'd this antient Land,
Where, from Saturnian Times, harmonious Concord
Still lov'd to dwell, into a Scene of Blood,
Of endless Discord, and perpetual Rapine?
The Sword, the vengeful Sword, must drain away
This boiling Blood, that thus disturbs the Nations!
Talk not of Terms. It is a vain Attempt
To bind th'Ambitious and Unjust by Treaties:
These they elude a thousand specious Ways;
Or if they cannot find a fair Pretext,
They blush not in the Face of Heaven to break them.

Galesus.
Why then affronted Heaven will combat for us.
Set Justice on our Side, and then my Voice
Shall be as loud for War as thine; my Sword
Shall strike as deep; at least my Blood shall flow
As freely, Tullus, in my Country's Cause.
But as I then would die to serve the Volscians,
So now I dare to serve them by opposing,
Even with my single Voice, th'impetuous Torrent
That hurries us away beyond the Bounds
Of temperate Wisdom; and presume to tell thee,
It is thy Passion, not thy Prudence dictates
This haughty Language.

Tullus.
Yes, it is my Passion,
A Passion for the Glory of my Country,
That scorns your narrow Views of timid Prudence.
Our injur'd Honour drew our Swords, and never
Shall they be sheath'd while I command the Volscians,
Till Rome submits to Antium.—

Galesus.
Rome will perish
Ere she submit; and she has still her Walls,
The Strength of her Allies, her native Valour,
Which oft has sav'd her in the worst Extremes,
And, stronger yet than all, Despair, to aid her.

Tullus.
All these will nought avail her, if our Fears
Come not to her Assistance—But, Galesus,
Why urge you this to me? Go, talk to Marcius.
The War has given him all his Pride could hope for,
To see Rome's Senate humbled at his Feet:
He now may wish to reign in Peace at Antium,
And thou, perhaps, art come an Envoy from him,
To learn if I shall prove a quiet Subject.

Galesus.
Thro' this unguarded Opening of thy Soul,
I see what stings thee—Ah! beware of Envy!
If that pale Fury seize thee, thou art lost!
Tullus, 'tis easier far, from the clear Breast,
To keep out treacherous Vice, than to expel it.
Farewel. Remember I have done my Duty.

[Goes out.
Tullus,
alone.
This Man discerns my Heart—Well: What of that?
Am I afraid its Movements should be seen?
I, whose clear Thoughts have never shunn'd the Light,
Must I now seek to hide them? O Misfortune!
To have reduc'd myself to such a State,
So much beneath the Greatness of my Soul,
That, like a Coward, I must learn to practise
The wretched Arts of vile Dissimulation!
By Heaven I will not do 't—I will not stoop
To veil my Discontent a Moment longer.
But see! my Rival comes, the happy Marcius.
His haughty Mien, his very Looks, affront me.

SCENE III.

Coriolanus, Tullus.
Coriolanus.
Tullus, I have receiv'd Intelligence,
That a strong Body of the Latin Troops
Is in full March to raise the Siege of Rome.
Another Day will bring them to its Aid.
But go thou forth, and lead the valiant Bands,
By thee commanded, to repel these Succours.
Go, and cut off from Rome its last Resource.

Tullus.
I lead my Troops, from the great Scene of Action,
From falling Rome, which, ere To-morrow's Sun
Shall set, may be our Prey! Sure you forget
My Rank and Station—I disdain the Service:
Give it to some you may command. For me,
I own no Master but the Volscian States.
Rome is my Object. I from Antium brought
The noblest Army ever shook her Walls.
And shall I now, on that decisive Day,
Doom'd by the Gods to lay her Pride in Ashes,
Shall I be absent from the glorious Work?
It is the highest Outrage even to think it.—
Just Gods! Dost thou presume to give thy Orders
To me? to me! thy Equal in Command?
Nay, thy Superior? Was it not my Hand,
My lavish Hand, bestow'd thy Power upon thee?
And know, proud Roman, that the Man who gave it,
Can at his Will resume it.

Coriolanus.
I propos'd
This Expedition to thee as thy Friend,
Not as thy General, Tullus. We are both
Commanders here; and for my Share of Pow'r,
Whene'er the Council of the Volscian States,
Who cloath'd me with it, shall again demand it,
I at their Feet will lay it down, persuaded,
The canker'd Tongue of Envy's Self must own,
That by my Service I have well deserv'd it.

Tullus
Was it to Them, or Me, you hither came
To crave Protection? Was not then your Fortune,
Your Liberty, your Life, at my Disposal?
I rais'd you from the Dust, a wretched Exile,
An Outcast, helpless, friendless, driven to beg
The lowest Refuge which Despair can seek,
Shelter amidst thy Foes. My pitying Goodness
Protected, trusted, and believ'd you grateful.
O ill-plac'd Confidence!—

Coriolanus.
Immortal Gods!
Hear I these Words from Tullus!

Tullus.
What for all this
Is thy Return? Pride; Self-sufficiency;
Councils apart from mine; despotic Orders;
The Glory of the War all pilfer'd from me:
And, to complete the Whole, a Latin Army
Now conjur'd up to draw me from the Siege;
Till by cajoling our tame Chiefs, and dazling
The senseless Eyes of the low Mob of Soldiers,
Thou shalt be solely seated in the Power
Which, thank my Folly! now is shar'd betwixt us.

Coriolanus.
O Indignation!—Down thou swelling Heart—
I will be calm—I will.—Thou dost accuse me
Of the worst Vice that can debase Mankind,
Of black Ingratitude. On what Foundations?
What have I done to merit such a Charge?
Is it my Fault, if in the Volscian Army
My Name is as rever'd and great as thine?
Can I forbid Authority, and Fame,
To follow Merit and Success?—You knew
The Man whom you employ'd, and should have known,
He would not be a Cypher in Employment.

Tullus.
Think'st thou my Heart can better brook than thine
To be that Cypher! that dishonour'd Tool!
Subservient to th'Ambition of another?
Gods! I had rather live a drudging Peasant,
Unknown to Glory, in some Alpine Village;
Than, at the Head of these victorious Legions,
Bear the high Name of Chief, without the Power.
No, Marcius, no. I will command indeed:
And thou shalt learn, with all the Volscian Army,
To treat their General with Respect.

Coriolanus.
Respect!
O Tullus! Tullus! by the Powers divine!
I bore thee once Respect, as high as Man
Can shew to Man. From thee, my Foe, my Rival,
I nor disdain'd nor fear'd to ask Protection.
You gave me all I ask'd, you gave me more,
With noble Warmth of Heart! which, to Esteem,
Added the Ties of Gratitude, and Friendship.
Whatever since, in Council, or in Arms,
Has been by me atchiev'd, was done for thee.
My Glory all was thine. The Palms I gain'd
Only compos'd a Garland for his Brow,
Who rais'd this banish'd Man to tread on Rome.

Tullus.
To tread on him who rais'd him—That, I know,
Is thy ambitious Purpose; but be certain,
However Rome may bend beneath thy Fortune,
Thou shalt not find an easy Conquest here.

Coriolanus.
May Jove with Lightning strike me to the Centre
If from the Day I saw thy Face at Antium,
My Heart has ever form'd one secret Thought
To hurt thy Honour, or depress thy Greatness:
I was thy Friend, thy Soldier, and thy Servant.
But now I will as openly avow,
Thy Jealousy has, with envenom'd Breath,
Made such a sudden Ravage in our Friendship,
I know not what to think.—

Tullus.
Think me thy Foe.
There is no lasting Friendship with the Proud

Coriolanus.
Nor with the Jealous—But of this enough.
Come, let us turn our Fire a nobler Way:
We have a worthier Quarrel to pursue.—
It were unjust, dishonourable, base,
Our Pride should hurt the Volscian Cause.

Tullus.
No, Marcius.
I mean to guard it better for the future:
The Volscian Cause is safest with a Volscian.
I therefore claim, insist upon my Right;
That you shall yield me my Command in Turn.
The first Attack was yours: 'Tis scanty Justice,
The second should be mine.

Coriolanus.
Tullus, 'tis yours.
O it imports not which of us command!
Give me the lowest Rank among your Troops:
All Italy will know, the Voice of Fame
Will tell all future Times, that I was present;
That Coriolanus in the Volscian Army
Assisted, when Imperial Rome was sack'd;
That City which, while he maintain'd her Cause,
Invincible herself, made Antium tremble.

Tullus.
What arrogant Presumption!

SCENE IV.

To them Volusius, entering hastily.
Tullus.
Ha! Volusius,
Thy Looks declare some Message of Importance.

Volusius.
Tullus, they do—I was to find thee, Marcius.
To thee a second Deputation comes,
Thy Mother, and thy Wife, with a long Train
Of all the noblest Ladies Rome can boast,
In mourning Habits clad, approach our Camp,
Preceded by a Herald, to demand
Another Audience of Thee.

Coriolanus.
How, Volusius!
Said you, the Roman Ladies! Low, indeed,
Must be the State of Rome, when thus her Matrons
She sends amidst the Tumults of a Camp,
To beg Protection for the Men, who lie
Trembling behind their Ramparts—Come! once more!
And see me put an End to Prayers and Treaty!

SCENE V.

Tullus. Volusius.
Volusius.
Tullus, 'tis well. This answers to my Wishes.

Tullus.
How? What is well? That humbled Rome once more
Shall deck him with the Trophies of our Arms?

Volusius.
And hop'st thou nothing from this blest Event?
They who have often blasted mighty Heroes,
Who oft have stoln into the firmest Hearts,
And melted them to Folly; They, my Friend,
Will do what Wisdom never could effect.

Tullus.
Think'st thou the Prayers and Tears of wailing Women
Can shake the Man, who with such cold Disdain
Stood firm against those venerable Consuls,
And spurn'd the Genius of his kneeling Country?

Volusius.
It was his Pride alone that made him ours.
That Passion kept him firm; the flattering Charm
Of humbling those, who in their Persons bore
The whole collected Majesty of Rome.
These Women are no proper Objects for it:
He cannot triumph o'er his Wife and Mother.
On this my Hopes are founded, that these Women
May by their gentler Influence subdue him.

Tullus.
Whate'er th'Event, he shall no longer here,
As wave his Passions, dictate Peace, or War.
Whether his stubborn Soul maintains its Firmness,
Or yields to Female Prayers, the Volscian Honour
Will be alike betray'd. If Rome prevails,
He stops our conquering Arms from her Destruction;
If he rejects her Suit, he reigns our Tyrant.
But, by th'Immortal Gods! his short-liv'd Empire
Shall never see yon radiant Sun descend.

Volusius.
Blest be those Gods that have at last inspir'd thee
With Resolution equal to thy Cause,
The Cause of Liberty!—

Tullus.
Be sure, Volusius,
If that should happen which thy Hopes portend;
Should he, by Nature tam'd, disarm'd by Love,
Respite the Roman Doom—He seals his own:
By Heaven! he dies.

Volusius.
Let me embrace thee, Tullus!
Now breaking from the Cloud, which, like the Sun,
Thy own too bounteous Beams had drawn around thee.

Tullus.
You was deceiv'd, my Friend. When I with Tameness,
With Tameness which astonish'd thy brave Spirit,
Seem'd to submit to that unequal Sway
He arrogated o'er me; know, my Heart
Ne'er swell'd so high as in that cruel Moment.
My Indignation, like th'imprison'd Fire
Pent in the troubled Breast of glowing Ætna,
Burnt deep and silent: But, collected now,
It shall beneath its Fury bury Marcius!
'Tis fixt. Our Tyrant dies.

Volusius.
Tullus, my Sword
Here claims to be employ'd.—Nor mine alone—
There are some worthy Volsci still remaining,
Who think with us, and pine beneath the Laurels
A Roman Chief bestows.

Tullus.
Go, find them strait,
And bring them to the Space before his Tent;
'Tis there he will receive this Deputation.
Then if he sinks beneath these Womens Prayers—
Or if he does not—But, Volusius, wait,
I give thee strictest Charge to wait my Signal.
Perhaps I may find Means to free the Volsci
Without his Blood. If not—We will be free.