Act 1, Scene 5 Summary

Corvino enters the room and sees Volpone looking dead. Mosca tells him that although Volpone is not dead, he might as well be. Corvino has brought Volpone a lustrous pearl and a diamond. Mosca leads Corvino to believe that Volpone cannot hear. Corvino presses the diamond and pearl into Volpone's hand in the hopes of pleasing him. Mosca proceeds to assure Corvino that he is the heir.

Corvino inquires if Volpone has any children. Mosca informs him that Nano, Castrone, and Androgyno are his children and that he has a dozen bastard children, but that he is not affected by any of them and has left them nothing. Corvino and Mosca, at Mosca's encouragement, discuss how disgusting Volpone has become as his illness has taken hold of him. Mosca asks Corvino to suffocate Volpone, but Corvino refuses to use violence.

After...