Sic.

And help the joy.

They are near the city? 64 Sec. Mess. Almost at point to enter. Sic. We will meet them, [Going. Enter the Ladies, accompanied by Senators, Patricians, and People. They pass over the stage.

First Sen. Behold our patroness, the life of Rome!

Call all your tribes together, praise the gods, 68 And make triumphant fires; strew flowers before them:

Unshout the noise that banish'd Marcius;
Repeal him with the welcome of his mother;
Cry, 'Welcome, ladies, welcome!'

All. Welcome!

Welcome, ladies, 72 [A flourish with drums and trumpets. Exeunt.

4

SCENE V.-Corioli. A Public Place. Enter TULLUS AUFIDIUS, with Attendants. Auf. Go tell the lords o' the city I am here: Deliver them this paper: having read it, Bid them repair to the market-place; where I, Even in theirs and in the commons' ears, Will vouch the truth of it. Him I accuse The city ports by this hath enter'd, and Intends to appear before the people, hoping To purge himself with words: dispatch. [Exeunt Attendants. Enter three or four Conspirators of AUFIDIUS' faction.

Most welcome!

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

8

Even so

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

Sec. Con.

Most noble sir,

12

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,

24

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.
Third Con. Sir, his stoutness

When he did stand for consul, which he lost 28
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 design-
ments

Sir, I cannot tell:

First Lord. And grieve to hear 't. What faults he made before the last, I think 64 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, making a treaty where 68 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 return'd your soldier; No more infected with my country's love 72 Than when I parted hence, but still subsisting Under your great command. You are to know, That prosperously I have attempted and With bloody passage led your wars even to 76 The gates of Rome. Our spoils we have brought

home

116

If you have writ your annals true, 'tis there,
That, like an eagle in a dove-cote, I
Flutter'd your Volscians in Corioli:
Alone I did it. Boy!
Auf.
Why, noble lords,
Will you be put in mind of his blind fortune,
Which was your shame, by this unholy brag-
gart,

'Fore your own eyes and ears?
Conspirators.
Let him die for 't. 120
All the People. Tear him to pieces.-Do it
presently. He killed my son. My daughter.
-He killed my cousin Marcus.—He killed my
father.

124

Ay, traitor, Marcius. Marcius! Auf. Ay, Marcius, Caius Marcius. Dost thou

Insolent villain!

Auf.
Conspirators. Kill, kill, kill, kill, kill him!
[AUFIDIUS and the Conspirators draw,
and kill CORIOLANUS, who falls: Av-
FIDIUS stands on his body.

Lords.
Hold, hold, hold, hold! 132
Auf. My noble masters, hear me speak.
First Lord.
O Tullus!
Sec. Lord. Thou hast done a deed whereat
valour will weep.

Third Lord. Tread not upon him. Masters all, be quiet.

with drum and colours.

Sat. Noble patricians, patrons of my right,
Defend the justice of my cause with arms;
And, countrymen, my loving followers,
Plead my successive title with your swords:
I am his first-born son that was the last
That wore the imperial diadem of Rome;
Then let my father's honours live in me,
Nor wrong mine age with this indignity.
Bas. Romans, friends, followers, favourers
my right,

If ever Bassianus, Cæsar's son,
Were gracious in the eyes of royal Rome,
Keep then this passage to the Capitol,
And suffer not dishonour to approach
The imperial seat, to virtue consecrate,
To justice, continence, and nobility;
But let desert in pure election shine,

Enter MARCUS ANDRONICUS, aloft, with the

crown.

Mar. Princes, that strive by factions and by friends

Ambitiously for rule and empery,
Know that the people of Rome, for whom we

stand

20

A special party, have, by common voice,
In election for the Roman empery,
Chosen Andronicus, surnamed Pius,
For many good and great deserts to Rome: 24
A nobler man, a braver warrior,

4 Lives not this day within the city walls:
He by the senate is accited home

8

of

From weary wars against the barbarous Goths;
That, with his sons, a terror to our foes,
Hath yok'd a nation, strong, train'd up in

arms.

29

Ten years are spent since first he undertook
This cause of Rome, and chastised with arms 32
Our enemies' pride: five times he hath return'd
12 Bleeding to Rome, bearing his valiant sons
In coffins from the field;

And now at last, laden with honour's spoils, 36
Returns the good Andronicus to Rome,

16 Renowned Titus, flourishing in arms.

choice.

Whom worthily you would have now succeed, 40

And in the Capitol and senate's right,
Whom you pretend to honour and adore,
That you withdraw you and abate your strength;
Dismiss your followers, and, as suitors should,
Plead your deserts in peace and humbleness. 45
Sat. How fair the tribune speaks to calm my
thoughts!

Bas. Marcus Andronicus, so I do affy
In thy uprightness and integrity,

And so I love and honour thee and thine,
Thy noble brother Titus and his sons,
And her to whom my thoughts are humbled all,
Gracious Lavinia, Rome's rich ornament, 52
That I will here dismiss my loving friends,
And to my fortunes and the people's favour
Commit my cause in balance to be weigh'd.

[Exeunt the Followers of BASSIANUS. Sat. Friends, that have been thus forward in my right,

I thank you all and here dismiss you all;
And to the love and favour of my country
Commit myself, my person, and the cause.

56

60

[Exeunt the Followers of SATURNINUS. Rome, be as just and gracious unto me As I am confident and kind to thee. Open the gates, and let me in. Bas. Tribunes, and me, a poor competitor. [Flourish. They go up into the Senate-house.

Patron of virtue, Rome's best champion, Successful in the battles that he fights, With honour and with fortune is return'd From where he circumscribed with his sword, 68 And brought to yoke, the enemies of Rome. Drums and trumpets sounded, and then enter MARTIUS and MUTIUS; after them two Men bearing a coffin covered with black; then LUCIUS and QUINTUS. After them TITUS ANDRONICUS; and then TAMORA, with ALARBUS, CHIRON, DEMETRIUS, AARON, and other Goths, prisoners; Soldiers and people following. The bearers set down the coffin, and TITUS speaks.

Tit. Hail, Rome, victorious in thy mourning weeds!

Lo! as the bark, that hath discharg'd her fraught,

Tam. Stay, Roman brethren! Gracious conqueror, Victorious Titus, rue the tears I shed, A mother's tears in passion for her son: And if thy sons were ever dear to thee, O! think my son to be as dear to me. Sufficeth not that we are brought to Rome, To beautify thy triumphs and return, Captive to thee and to thy Roman yoke; But must my sons be slaughter'd in the streets

108

112

For valiant doings in their country's cause?
O! if to fight for king and commonweal
Were piety in thine, it is in these.
Andronicus, stain not thy tomb with blood: 116
Wilt thou draw near the nature of the gods?
Draw near them then in being merciful;
Sweet mercy is nobility's true badge:
Thrice-noble Titus, spare my first-born son. 120
Tit. Patient yourself, madam, and pardon

me.

124