Page:Coriolanus (1924) Yale.djvu/151

The Tragedy of Coriolanus, V. v

Where he was to begin, and give away

The benefit of our levies, answering us

With our own charge, making a treaty where

There was a yielding, this admits no excuse.

Auf. He approaches: you shall hear him.

Cor. Hail, lords! I am return'd your soldier;

No more infected with my country's love

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

The gates of Rome. Our spoils we have brought home

Do more than counterpoise a full third part

The charges of the action. We have made peace

With no less honour to the Antiates

Than shame to the Romans; and we here deliver,

Subscrib'd by the consuls and patricians,

Together with the seal o' the senate, what

We have compounded on.

Auf. Read it not, noble lords;

But tell the traitor, in the highest degree

He hath abus'd your powers.

Cor. Traitor! How now?

Auf. Ay, traitor, Martius.

Cor. Martius!

Auf. Ay, Martius, Caius Martius. Dost thou think

 67 benefit levies: profits of war

answering: repaying; cf. n.

68 treaty: compromise

69 yielding: complete defeat of the enemy

72 infected: affected, contaminated

75 prosperously attempted: my attempts have prospered

77 we have: which we have

84 compounded: agreed

