Will I lend ear to. [Shout within.] Ha! what

shout is this?

Shall I be tempted to infringe my vow

20

In the same time 'tis made? I will not. Enter, in mourning habits, Virgilia, Volumnia, leading young Marcius, Valeria, and Attendants.

Vir.

My wife comes foremost; then the honor'd mould

Wherein this trunk was framed, and in her hand The grandchild to her blood. But out, affection!

All bond and privilege of nature, break!

Let it be virtuous to be obstinate.

What is that curtsy worth? or those doves' eyes,
Which can make gods forsworn? I melt, and am

not

Of stronger earth than others. My mother bows;

As if Olympus to a molehill should

In supplication nod: and my young boy
Hath an aspect of intercession, which

30

Great nature cries 'Deny not.' Let the Volsces
Plow Rome, and harrow Italy: I'll never

Be such a gosling to obey instinct; but stand,
As if a man were author of himself

And knew no other kin.

My lord and husband!

Cor. These eyes are not the same I wore in Rome. Vir. The sorrow that delivers us thus changed Makes you think so.

Cor.

Like a dull actor now 40

Vol.

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, i̇' the earth;
[Kneels.

Of thy deep duty more impression show
Than that of common sons.

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.

51

[Kneels.

Cor.
What is 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,
Murdering impossibility, to make

Vol.

What cannot be, slight work.

60

Thou art my warrior; I holp to frame thee. Do you know this lady? Cor. The noble sister of Publicola,

The moon of Rome; chaste as the icicle

46. "by the jealous queen of heaven"; Juno, the guardian of marriage, and consequently the avenger of connubial perfidy.-H. N. H. 65. "The moon of Rome"; Luna was identified with Diana and

That's curdied by the frost from purest snow And hangs on Dian's temple: dear Valeria! Vol. This is a poor epitome of yours,

Cor.

Vol.

Which by the interpretation of full time
May show like all yourself.

The god of soldiers,
With the consent of supreme Jove, inform

70

Thy thoughts with nobleness, that thou mayst

prove

To shame unvulnerable, and stick i' the wars
Like a great sea-mark, standing every flaw
And saving those that eye thee!

Cor. That's my brave boy!

Your knee, sirrah.

Vol. Even he, your wife, this lady and myself
Are suitors to you.

Cor.

I beseech you, peace:
Or, if you 'ld ask, remember this before:

The thing I have forsworn to grant may never was hence the goddess of chastity. The "chaste," "cold" moon belongs to classic, the "fickle" ("lunish") moon to medieval, folklore. -C. H. H.

67. "dear Valeria"; a lady named Valeria was one of the great examples of chastity held out by the writers of the middle ages. The following lines, from Shirley's Gentleman of Venice, deserve to be cited here:

"Thou art chaste

As the white down of heaven, whose feathers play
Upon the wings of the cold winter's gale,

Trembling with fear to touch th' impurer earth.”

-H. N. H.

71. "supreme Jove"; this is inserted with great decorum. Jupiter was the tutelary god of Rome.-H. N. H.

80. "The thing I have forsworn," etc.; i. e. in saying no, I shall not be refusing your request, as such, but merely observing my oath to refuse any.-C. H, H,

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