Page:Coriolanus (1924) Yale.djvu/143

The Tragedy of Coriolanus, V. iii

Loaden with honour. Say my request's unjust,

And spurn me back; but if it be not so,

Thou art not honest, and the gods will plague thee,

That thou restrain'st from me the duty which

To a mother's part belongs. He turns away:

Down, ladies; let us shame him with our knees.

To his surname Coriolanus longs more pride

Than pity to our prayers. Down: an end;

This is the last; so we will home to Rome,

And die among our neighbours. Nay, behold 's,

This boy, that cannot tell what he would have,

But kneels and holds up hands for fellowship,

Does reason our petition with more strength

Than thou hast to deny 't. Come, let us go:

This fellow had a Volscian to his mother;

His wife is in Corioli, and his child

Like him by chance. Yet give us our dispatch:

I am hush'd until our city be a-fire,

And then I'll speak a little.

Cor. O, mother, mother!

What have you done? Behold! the heavens do ope,

The gods look down, and this unnatural scene

They laugh at. O my mother! mother! O!

You have won a happy victory to Rome;

But, for your son, believe it, O believe it,

Most dangerously you have with him prevail'd,

If not most mortal to him. But let it come.

Aufidius, though I cannot make true wars,

I'll frame convenient peace. Now, good Aufidius,

 166 honest: honorable

170 longs: belongs

175 for fellowship: to keep us company

176 Does strength: has stronger arguments in favor of our petition

181 hush'd: silent

189 most mortal: with most mortal results

191 convenient: a fitting

