to say that: for the defence of a town, our general is excellent. 1 Serv. Ay, and for an affault too. Enter a third Servant. peace, as far as day does night; it's fprightly, waking, audible, and full of vent 4. Peace is a very apoplexy, lethargy; mull'd 5, deaf, fleepy, infenfible; a getter of more bastard children, than 3 Serv. O, flaves, I can tell you news; news, 5 war's a deftroyer of men. you rafcals. Both. What, what, what? let's partake. 3 Serv. I would not be a Roman, of all nations, I had as lieve be a condemn'd man. Both. Wherefore? wherefore? 3 Serv. Why, here's he that was wont to thwack our general, Caius Marcius. 1 Serv. Why do you say, thwack our general? 3 Serv. I do not say, thwack our general; but he was always good enough for him. 2 Serv. Come, we are fellows, and friends: he was ever too hard for him; I have heard him fay fo himself. 2 Serv. 'Tis fo; and as war, in some fort, may be faid to be a ravisher; fo it cannot be denied, but peace is a great maker of cuckolds. 1 Serv. Ay, and it makes men hate one ano 10 ther. 15 1 Serv. He was too hard for him directly, to fay the truth on't: before Corioli, he scotch'd him 20 and notch'd him like a carbonado. 2 Serv. An he had been cannibally given, he might have broil'd and eaten him too. 1 Serv. But, more of thy news? 3 Serv. Reafon; because they then lefs need one another. The wars, for my money. I hope to fee Romans as cheap as Volces.They are rifing, they are rifing. All. In, in, in, in. SCENE VI. A publice Place in Rome. Enter Sicinius, and Brutus. [Exeunt. Sic. We hear not of him, neither need we fear His remedies are tame in the present peace 3 Serv. Why, he is fo made on here within, as 25 2 Serv. And he's as like to do't, as any man I can imagine. 3 Serv. Do't? he will do't: For, look you, fir, 4 he has as many friends as enemies; which friends, fir, (as it were) durft not (look you, fir) fhew themselves (as we term it) his friends, whilft he's in directitude. 1 Serv. Directitude! What's that? 3 Serv. But when they fhall fee, fir, his creft up again, and the man in blood, they will out of their burrows, like conies after rain, and revel all with him. 1 Serv. But when goes this forward? 3 Serv. To-morrow; to-day; prefently. You fhall have the drum ftruck up this afternoon: 'tis, as it were, a parcel of their feaft, and to be executed ere they wipe their lips. 45 50 2 Serv. Why, then we fhall have a ftirring 55 world again. This peace is nothing, but to ruft iron, encrease tailors, and breed ballad makers. 1 Serv. Let me have war, fay I; it exceeds] Enter Menenius. Bra. We ftood to't in good time. Is this Me- Of late.-Hail, fir! Men. Hail to you both! Sic. Your Coriolanus is not much mifs'd, And fo would do, were he more angry at it. Sic. Where is he, hear you? [better, if [wife Men. Nay, I hear nothing; his mother and his Hear nothing from him. Enter three or four Citizens. All. The gods preferve you both! Bru. Good-e'en to you all, good-e'en to you all. 1 Cit. Ourfelves, our wives, and children, on Are bound to pray for you both. Sic. Live, and thrive! [our knees, [riolanus Bru. Farewel, kind neighbours: We with'd Co- All. Now the gods keep you! [Exeunt Citizens. 1 Alluding, improperly, to the act of croffing upon any strange event. 2 That is, drag him down by the ears into the dirt. The word is derived from fot, i. e. to take hold of a perfon by the ears, as a dog feizes one of these animals. 3 That is, bared, cleared. 4i. e. full of rumour, full of materials for difcourfe. 5 i. e. foften'd and difpirited, as wine is when burnt and sweeten'd. 6 i. e. ineffiual in times of peace like thefe. Sic 5 10 The young'ft and oldest thing. Sic. This is most likely! Bru. Rais'd only, that the weaker fort may wish Good Marcius home again. Sic. The very trick on't. Men. This is unlikely: He and Aufidius can no more atone 3, Than violenteft contrariety. Enter another Melenger. Mef. You are fent for to the fenate : Upon our territories; and have already Enter Cominius. Com. O, you have made good work! Men. Pray now, the news? [news? You have made fair work, I fear me :-Pray, your 30 He is their god; he leads them like a thing 40 Men. You have made good work, You, and your apron-men; you that stood fo much The breath of garlick-eaters 5! Com. He'll fhake your Rome about your ears. Men. As Hercules did fhake down mellow fruit. You have made fair work! Bru. But is this true, fir? Com. Ay; and you'll look pale 45 Before you find it other. All the regions The tribunes cannot do't for fhame; the people 55 Does of the fhepherds: for his best friends, if they 2 i. e. talk. 3 Dr. Johnson remarks, That is, without affeffers; without any other fuffrage. that to atone, in the active fenfe, is to reconcile, and is so used by our author. To atone here is, in the neutral fenfe, to come to reconciliation. To atone is to unite. 4 Occupation is here used for mechanicks, men occupied in daily business. 5 To fmell of garlick was once fuch a brand of vulgarity, that gar lick was a food forbidden to an ancient order of Spanish knights, mentioned by Guevara. It appears alfo, that garlick was once much used in England, and afterwards as much out of fashion. Hence, perhaps, the cant denomination Pil-garlick for a deferted fellow, a perfon left to fuffer without friends. to affift him. 6 Alluding to the apples of the Hefperides. 7 To revolt fmilingly, is to revolt with figns of pleasure, or with marks of contempt. As They'll roar him in again. Tullus Aufidius, Enter a Troop of Citizens. Men. Here come the clusters. And is Aufidius with him?-You are they Which will not prove a whip; as many coxcombs, Omnes. 'Faith, we hear fearful news. 1 Cit. For mine own part, When I faid, banish him, I said, 'twas pity. 2 Cit. And fo did I. 3 Cit. And fo did I; and, to say the truth, fo did very many of us: That we did, we did for the best; and though we willingly confented to his banishment, yet it was againft our will. Com. You are goodly things, you voices! Men. You have made you Good work, you and your cry!-Shall us to the Com. O, ay; what else? [Exe. Com. and Men. [Capitol? 15(I mean, for your particular) you had not Auf. I understand thee well; and be thou fure, To the vulgar eye, that he bears all things fairly, Licu. Sir, I befeech you, think you he'll carry 30 Auf. All places yield to him ere he fits down; And the nobility of Rome are his : 35 The fenators, and patricians, love him too: To expel him thence. I think, he'll be to Rome Sic. Go, mafters, get you home, be not difmay'd, 45 1 Cit. The gods be good to us! Come, masters, let's home. I ever faid, we were i' the wrong, 50 when we banish'd him. 2 Cit. So did we all. But come, let's home. Bru. I do not like this news. [wealth 55 Bru. Let's to the Capitol :-'Would, half my S CEN E VII. A Camp; at a small diftance from Rome. Auf. Do they still fly to the Roman ? Even with the fame aufterity and garb To extol what it hath done 3. One fire drives out one fire; one nail, one nail; fail. 60 Come, let's away. When, Caius, Rome is thine, Thou art poor'ft of all; then shortly art thou mine. [Exeunt. 1 i. e. As they booted at his departure, they will roar at his return; as he went out with scoffs, he will come back with lamentations. 2 A kind of eagle. 3 The fenfe is, The virtue which delights to commend itfelf will find the fureft tomb in that chair wherein it holds forth its own commendations. 4 i. c. What is already right, and received as fuch, becomes lefs clear when fupported by fupernumerary proofs. ACT Which was fometime his general; who lov'd him Com. Yet one time he did call me by my name : Till he had forg'd himself a name i' the fire Men. Why, fo; you have made good work: Com. I minded him, how royal 'twas to pardon It was a bare 3 petition of a state, To one whom they had punish'd, Men. Very well: Could he fay lefs? Com. I offer'd to awaken his regard For his private friends: his anfwer to me was, Men. For one poor grain or two? I am one of thofe; his mother, wife, his child, 5 Return me, as Cominius is return'd, But as a difcontented friend, grief-shot Sic. Yet your good will Muft have that thanks from Rome, after the measure Men. I'll undertake it: I think, he'll hear me. Yet to bite his lip, To give or to forgive; but when we have stuff'd 20 25 And then I'll fet upon him. Bru. You know the very road into his kindness, And cannot lose your way. Men. Good faith, I'll prove him, Speed how it will. Ifhall ere long have knowledge Com. He'll never hear him. [Exit. Com. I tell you, he does fit in gold, his eye 35 Unlefs his noble mother, and his wife, [45] 2 Watch. Stand, and go back. [your leave, Might ftop our countryman. Me. No; I'll not meddle. 1 Watch. From whence? To rack means to barrafs by exactions. The meaning is, You that have been fuch good stewards for the Roman people, as to get their houfes burned over their heads, to fave them the expence of coals. Memory for memorial. 3 A bare petition means only a mere petition. 4 Dr. Johnson is of epinion, that here is a chafm. The speaker's purpose seems to be this: To yield to bis condition is ruin, and better cannot be obtained, so that all hope is vain. You'll 734 name Is not here paffable. Men. I tell thee, fellow, Thy general is my lover: I have been The book of his good acts, whence men have read (Of whom he's chief) with all the fize that verity I have tumbled past the throw; and in his praise Have, almoft, ftamp'd the leafing: Therefore, fellow, I must have leave to pass. 1 Watch. 'Faith, 'fir, if you had told as many lies in his behalf, as you have utter'd words in your own, you should not país here: no, though it were as virtuous to lie, as to live chately. Therefore, go back. Men. Pr'ythee, fellow, remember my name is Menenius, always factionary on the party of your general. 2 Watch. Howfoever you have been his liar, (as you fay, you have) I am one that, telling true under him, must say, you cannot país. Therefore, go back. Men. Has he din'd, can't thou tell? for I would not speak with him 'till after dinner. 1 Watch. You are a Roman, are you? 10 15 20 125 30 35 1 Watch. Then you should hate Rome, as he does. Can you, when you have push'd out of your gates the very defender of them, and, in a violent) popular ignorance, given your enemy your fhield, 40 think to front his revenges with the eafy groans of old women, the virginal palms of your daughters, or with the palfy'd interceffion of fuch a decay'd dotant as you feem to be? Can you think to blow out the intended fire your city is ready to 45 flame in, with fuch weak breath as this? No, you are deceiv'd; therefore, back to Rome, and prepare for your execution you are condemn'd, our general has fwon you out of reprieve and pardon. Men. Sirrah, if thy captain knew I were here, he would ufe me with estimation. 2 Watch. Come, my captain knows you not. Men. I mean, thy general. 50 fay, go, left I let forth your half pint of blood; -back, that's the utmost of your having :—back. Men. Nay, but fellow, fellow,— Enter Coriolanus, with Aufidius. Cor. What's the matter? Men. Now, you companion, I'll fay an errand for you: you shall know now, that I am in estimation: you fhall perceive that a Jack guardant cannot office me from my fon Coriolanus: guess, by my entertainment with him, if thou ftand'st not 'the ftate of hanging, or of fome death more long in fpectatorship, and crueller in fuffering; behold now presently, and fwoon for what's to come upon thee. The glorious gods fit in hourly fynod about thy particular profperity, and love thee no worfe than thy old father Menenius does! O, my fon, my fon! thou art preparing fire for us; look thee, here's water to quench it. I was hardiy moved to come to thee: but being affured, none but myfelf could move thee, I have been blown out of your gates with fighs; and conjure thee to pardon Rome, and thy petitionary countrymen. The good gods affwage thy wrath, and turn the dregs of it upon this varlet here; this, who, like a block, hath denied my access to thee. Cor. Away! Men. How away! Cor. Wife, mother, child, I know not. My affairs Are fervanted to others: Though I owe My revenge properly, my remiflion lyes In Volcian breafts 5. That we have been familiar, Ingrate forgetfulness fhall poifon, rather Than pity note how much.-Therefore be gone. Mine ears against your fuits are stronger, than Your gates against my force. Yet, for I lov'd thee, Take this along; I writ it for thy fake, [Gives him a letter. And would have fent it. Another word, Menenius, I will not hear thee fpeak.-This man, Aufidius, Was my belov'd in Rome: yet thou behold'ft[Excants Auf. You keep a constant temper. Manent the Guard, and Menenius. 1 Watch. Now, fir, is your name Menenius. 2 Watch. 'Tis a fpell, you fee, of much power: You know the way home again. I Watch. Do you hear how we are fhent for keeping your greatness back? 2 Watch. What cause, do you think, I have to fwoon? Men. I neither care for the world, nor your general: for fuch things as you, I can scarce think there's any, you are fo flight. He that hath a wil to die by himself, fears it not from another. Let 1 Watch. My general cares not for you. Back, 55/your general do his worst. For you, be that you A l here is a prize. 2 Dr. Johnson explains this paffage thus: To verify is to eftablish by t timony. One may fay with propriety, be brought falfe witnesses to verify bis title. Shakspeare confidered the word with his ufual laxity, as importing rather teftimony than truth, and only meant to fay, I bore 4 By 3 Subtle means fmooth, levd. witnefs to my friends with all the fire that verity would suffer. 5 i.e. Though I have 6 Sbent means virginal palms may be understood the holding up the hands in fupplication. a peculiar right in revenge, in the power of forgiveness the Volcians are conjoined. foamed, difgraced, made afbamed of ourselves. |