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As if a man were author of himself

And knew no other kin.

VIRGILIA.

My lord and husband!

CORIOLANUS.

These eyes are not the same I wore in Rome.

VIRGILIA.

The sorrow that delivers us thus chang'd

Makes you think so.

CORIOLANUS.

Like a dull actor now

I have forgot my part and I am out,

Even to a full disgrace. Best of my flesh,

Forgive my tyranny; but do not say,

For that, 'Forgive our Romans.' O, a kiss

Long as my exile, sweet as my revenge!

Now, by the jealous queen of heaven, that kiss

I carried from thee, dear, and my true lip

Hath virgin'd it e'er since. You gods! I prate,

And the most noble mother of the world

Leave unsaluted. Sink, my knee, i' th' earth; [Kneels]

Of thy deep duty more impression show

Than that of common sons.

VOLUMNIA.

O, stand up blest!

Whilst with no softer cushion than the flint

I kneel before thee, and unproperly

Show duty, as mistaken all this while

Between the child and parent. [Kneels]

CORIOLANUS.

What's this?

Your knees to me, to your corrected son?

Then let the pebbles on the hungry beach

Fillip the stars; then let the mutinous winds

Strike the proud cedars 'gainst the fiery sun,

Murd'ring impossibility, to make

What cannot be slight work.

VOLUMNIA.

Thou art my warrior;

I holp to frame thee. Do you know this lady?

CORIOLANUS.

The noble sister of Publicola,

The moon of Rome, chaste as the icicle

That's curdied by the frost from purest snow,

And hangs on Dian's temple- dear Valeria!

VOLUMNIA.

This is a poor epitome of yours,

Which by th' interpretation of full time

May show like all yourself.

CORIOLANUS.

The god of soldiers,

With the consent of supreme Jove, inform

Thy thoughts with nobleness, that thou mayst prove

To shame unvulnerable, and stick i' th' wars

Like a great sea-mark, standing every flaw,

And saving those that eye thee!

VOLUMNIA.

Your knee, sirrah.

CORIOLANUS.

That's my brave boy.

VOLUMNIA.

Even he, your wife, this lady, and myself,

Are suitors to you.

CORIOLANUS.

I beseech you, peace!

Or, if you'd ask, remember this before:

The thing I have forsworn to grant may never

Be held by you denials. Do not bid me

Dismiss my soldiers, or capitulate

Again with Rome's mechanics. Tell me not

Wherein I seem unnatural; desire not

T'allay my rages and revenges with

Your colder reasons.

VOLUMNIA.

O, no more, no more!

You have said you will not grant us any thing-

For we have nothing else to ask but that

Which you deny already; yet we will ask,

That, if you fail in our request, the blame

May hang upon your hardness; therefore hear us.

CORIOLANUS.

Aufidius, and you Volsces, mark; for we'll

Hear nought from Rome in private. Your request?

VOLUMNIA.

Should we be silent and not speak, our raiment

And state of bodies would bewray what life

We have led since thy exile. Think with thyself

How more unfortunate than all living women

Are we come hither; since that thy sight, which should

Make our eyes flow with joy, hearts dance with comforts,

Constrains them weep and shake with fear and sorrow,

Making the mother, wife, and child, to see

The son, the husband, and the father, tearing

His country's bowels out. And to poor we

Thine enmity's most capital: thou bar'st us

Our prayers to the gods, which is a comfort

That all but we enjoy. For how can we,

Alas, how can we for our country pray,

Whereto we are bound, together with thy victory,

Whereto we are bound? Alack, or we must lose

The country, our dear nurse, or else thy person,

Our comfort in the country. We must find

An evident calamity, though we had

Our wish, which side should win; for either thou

Must as a foreign recreant be led

With manacles through our streets, or else

Triumphantly tread on thy country's ruin,

And bear the palm for having bravely shed

Thy wife and children's blood. For myself, son,

I purpose not to wait on fortune till

These wars determine; if I can not persuade thee

Rather to show a noble grace to both parts

Than seek the end of one, thou shalt no sooner