University of Virginia Library

ACT I.

SCENE I.

The Volscian Camp.
Attius Tullus, Volusius.
Volusius.
Whence is it, Tullus, that our Arms are stopt
Here on the Borders of the Roman State?
Why sleeps that Spirit, whose Heroic Ardour
Urg'dy ou to break the Truce, and pour'd our Host,
From all th'united Cantons of the Volsci,
On their unguarded Frontier? Such Designs
Brook not an Hour's Delay; their whole Success
Depends on instant vigorous Execution.

Tullus.
Volusius, I approve thy brave Impatience;
And will to thee, in Confidence of Friendship,
Disclose my secret Soul. Thou know'st Galesus,
Whose Freedom Caius Marcius, once his Guest,
Of all the Spoil of sack'd Corioli,
Alone demanded; and who thence to Rome,
From Gratitude and Friendship, follow'd Marcius;
Whence lately to our Antium he return'd,
With Overtures of Peace propos'd by Rome.

Volusius.
I know him well; an antiquated Sage
Of that romantic School, Pythagoras
Establish'd here on our Hesperian Shore;
Whose gentle Dictates only serve to tame
Enfeebled Mortals into Slaves.

Tullus.
Galesus,
Doubtless, possesses many civil Virtues;
Is gentle, good; for Rectitude of Heart
And Innocence of Life by all rever'd.

Volusius.
Pardon me, Tullus, if my faithful Bluntness
Deems you too lib'ral in his Praise. In Peace,
Such may perhaps do well, when Prating rules
An idle World; but in tempestuous Times
They are stark naught, these visionary Statesmen,
Fit Rulers only for their golden Age.
The rugged Genius of rapacious Rome
For other Men, and other Counsels, calls.

Tullus.

Volusius.
O 'tis a wild Chimera! Peace with Rome!
Dream not of that, unless the Volscian Courage
Be quite subdu'd, and only seeks to gild
A vile Submission with that specious Name.
Learn Wisdom from your Neighbours. Peace with Rome
Has quell'd the Latines, tam'd their free-born Spirit,
And by her Friendship honour'd them with Chains.

Tullus.
She ne'er will grant it on the just Conditions
I now have brought the Volsci to demand:
The Restitution of our conquer'd Cities,
And fair Alliance upon equal Terms.
I know the Roman Insolence will scorn
To yield to this: and Titus must return
Within three Days, the longest Term allow'd him;
Of which the Third is near elaps'd already.
Then even Galesus will not dare to stop us,
With superstitious Forms, and solemn Trifles,
From letting loose th'unbridled Rage of War
Against those hated Tyrants of Hesperia.

Volusius.
Thanks to the Gods! my Sword will then be free.
Then, poor Corioli! thy bleeding Wounds,
Thy Treasures sack'd, thy captivated Matrons,
Shall amply be reveng'd by thy Volusius:
Then, Tullus, from the lofty Brows of Marcius
Thou may'st regain the wreaths his conquering hand,
By partial Fortune aided, tore from thine.

Tullus.
O my Volusius! thou, who art a Soldier,
A try'd and brave one too, say, in thy Heart
Dost thou not scorn me? thou, who saw'st me bend
Beneath the half-spent Thunder of a Foe,
Warm from the Conquest of Corioli,
Which, rushing furious in with those, whose Sally
He had repell'd, he seiz'd almost alone;
And gave to Fire and Sword. Yet thence he flew,
Scorning the Plunder of our richest City,
His Wounds undrest, without a Moment's Respite,
To where our Armies on the fearful Edge
Of Battle stood; and, asking of the Consul
To be oppos'd to me, with mighty Rage,
Resistless, bore us down.

Volusius.
True Valour, Tullus,
Lies in the Mind, the never-yielding Purpose,
Nor owns the blind Award of giddy Fortune.

Tullus.
My Soul, my Friend, my Soul is all on Fire!
Thirst of Revenge consumes me! the Revenge
Of generous Emulation, not of Hatred.
This happy Roman, this proud Marcius haunts me.
Each troubled Night when Slaves and Captives sleep,
Forgetful of their Chains, I, in my Dreams,
Anew am vanquish'd; and, beneath his Sword
With Horror sinking, feel a tenfold Death,
The Death of Honour. But I will redeem—
Yes, Marcius, I will yet redeem my Fame.
To face thee once again is the great Purpose
For which alone I live.—Till then how slow,
How tedious lags the Time! while Shame corrodes me,
With many a bitter Thought; and injur'd Honour
Sick, and desponding, preys upon itself.

Volusius.
It fast approaches now, the Hour of Vengeance,
To this fam'd Land, to ancient Latium due.
Unballanc'd Rome, at Variance with herself,
To Order lost, in deep and hot Commotion,
Stands on the dangerous Point of civil War;
Her haughty Nobles and seditious Commons
Reviling, fearing, hating one another:
While, on our part, all wears a prosperous Face:
Our Troops united, numerous, high in Spirit,
As if their Gen'ral's Soul inform'd them all.
O long-expected Day!

Tullus.
Go, brave Volusius,
Go breathe thy Ardour into every Breast,
That when the Volscian Envoy shall return,
Whom ere the Close of Evening I expect,
One Spirit may unite us in the Cause
Of generous Freedom, and our native Rights,
So long opprest by Rome's encroaching Power.

SCENE II.

Tullus
alone.
Galesus said that Marcius stands for Consul.
O favour thou his suit, propitious Jove!
That I may brave him at his Army's Head,
In all the Majesty of sovereign Pow'r!
That the whole Conduct of the War may rest
On us alone, and prove by its Decision,
Which of the two is worthiest to command—

SCENE III.

Tullus, Officer.
Tullus.
Ha! why this Haste? you look alarm'd.

Officer.
My Lord,
One of exalted Port, his Visage hid,
Has plac'd himself upon your sacred Hearth,
Beneath the dread Protection of your Lares;
And sits majestic there in solemn Silence.

Tullus.
Did you not ask him who, and what he was?

Officer.
My Lord, I could not speak; I felt appall'd,
As if the Presence of some God had struck me.

Tullus.
Come, Dastard! let me find this Man of Terrors.

SCENE IV.

The back Scene opens, and discovers Coriolanus as described above.
Coriolanus, Tullus.
Tullus,
after some Silence.
Illustrious Stranger—for thy high Demeanour
Bespeaks thee such—who art thou?

Coriolanus.
[Rising and unmuffling his Face.
View me, Tullus—
[After some pause.
Dost thou not know me?

Tullus.
No. That noble Front
I never saw before. What is thy Name?

Coriolanus.
Does not the secret Voice of hostile Instinct,
Does not thy swelling Heart declare me to thee?

Tullus.
Gods! can it be?—

Coriolanus.
Yes. I am Caius Marcius;
Known to thy smarting Country by the Name
Of Coriolanus. That alone is left me,
That empty Name, for all my Toils, my Service,
The Blood which I have shed for thankless Rome.
Behold me banish'd thence, a Victim yielded
By her weak Nobles to the maddening Rabble.
I seek Revenge. Thou may'st employ my Sword,
With keener Edge, with heavier Force against her,
Than e'er it fell upon the Volscian Nation.
But if thou, Tullus, dost refuse me this,
The only Wish of my collected Heart,
Where every Passion in one burning Point
Concenters, give me Death: Death from thy Hand
I sure have well deserv'd—Nor shall I blush
To take or Life or Death from Attius Tullus.

Tullus.
O Caius Marcius! in this one short Moment,
That we have friendly talk'd, my ravish'd Heart
Has undergone a great, a wonderous Change.
I ever held thee in my best Esteem;
But this Heroic Confidence has won me,
Stampt me at once thy Friend. I were indeed
A Wretch as mean as this thy Trust is noble,
Could I refuse thee thy Demand—Yes, Marcius!
Thou hast thy Wish! take half of my Command:
If that be not enough, then take the whole.
We have, my Friend, a gallant Force on Foot,
An Army, Marcius, fit to follow thee.
Go, lead them on, and take thy full Revenge.
All should unite to punish the Ungrateful.
Ingratitude is Treason to Mankind.

Coriolanus,
embracing him.
Thus, generous Tullus, take a Soldier's Thanks,
Who is not practis'd in the Gloss of Words—
Thou Friend indeed! Friend to my Cause, my Quarrel!
Friend to the darling Passion of my Soul!
All else I set at nought!—Immortal Gods!
I am new-made, and wonder at myself!
A little while ago, and I was nothing;
A powerless Reptile, crawling on the Earth,
Curs'd with a Soul that restless wish'd to wield
The Bolts of Jove! I dwelt in Erebus,
I wander'd through the hopeless Glooms of Hell,
Stung with Revenge, tormented by the Furies!
Now, Tullus, like a God, you draw me thence,
Throne me amidst the Skies, with Tempest charg'd,
And put the ready Thunder in my Hand!

Tullus.
What I have promis'd, Marcius, I will do.
Within an Hour at farthest we expect
The Freedman of Galesus back from Rome,
Who carry'd to the Senate our Demands.
Their Answer will, I doubt not, end the Truce,
And instant draw our angry Swords against them.
Till then retire within my inmost Tent,
Unknown to all but me, that when our Chiefs
Meet in full Council to declare for War,
I may produce thee to their wondering Eyes,
As if descended from avenging Heaven
To humble lofty Rome, and teach her Justice.

Coriolanus.
To thy Direction, Tullus, I resign
My future Life: my Fate is in thy Hands;
And, if I judge aright, the Fate of Rome.