Which was sometime his general; who lov'd him Com. Yet one time he did call me by my name: Men. Why, so; you have made good work: A pair of tribunes, that have rack'd' for Rome, To make coals cheap: a noble memory 2! Com. I minded him, how royal 'twas to pardon To one whom they had punish'd. Could he say less? Com. I offer'd to awaken his regard For his private friends: his answer to me was, He could not stay to pick them in a pile Of noisome, musty chaff: he said, 'twas folly, For one poor grain or two, to leave unburnt, And still to nose the offence. Men. For one poor grain or two? I am one of those; his mother, wife, his child, And this brave fellow too, we are the grains: You are the musty chaff; and you are smelt Above the moon: We must be burnt for you. [aid Sic. Nay, pray, be patient: If you refuse your In this so never-needed help, yet do not Upbraid us with our distress. But sure, if you Wouldbeyourcountry'spleader, yourgoodtoifgue, More than the instant army we can make, Might stop our countrymen. Men. No; I'll not meddle. 5 Return me, as Cominius is return'd, But as a discontented friend, grief-shot Sic. Yet your good will [sure Must have that thanks from Rome, after the ineaAs you intended well. Men. I'll undertake it: I think he'll hear me. Yet to bite his lip, 10 And hum at good Cominius, much unhearts me. To give or to forgive; but when we have stuff'd 15 These pipes, and these conveyances of our blood With wine and feeding, we have suppler souls [him Than in our priest-like fasts: therefore I'll watch "Till he be dieted to my request, 20 25 And then I'll set 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. I shall ere long have knowledge Com. He'll never hear him. [Exit. Com. I tell you, he does sit in gold, his eye 35 Unless his noble mother, and his wife, Sic. Pray you, go to him. 50 Men. From Rome. Men. What should I do? 2 Watch. You'll see your Rome embrac'd with fire, before To rack means to harass by exactions.-The meaning is, You that have been such good stewards for the Roman people, as to get their houses burnt over their heads, to save them the expence of coals. Memory for memorial. A bare petition means only a mere petition. 4 Dr. Johnson is of opinion, that here is a chasm.-The speaker's purpose seems to be this: To yield to his condition is ruin, and better cannot be obtained; so that all hope is vain. You'll You'll speak with Coriolanus. CORIOLANUS. If you have heard your general talk of Rome, name Is not here passable. 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 size that verity I have tumbled past the throw; and in his praise I must have leave to pass. 1 Watch. 'Faith, sir, if you had told as many lies in his behalf, as you have utter'd words in your own, you should not pass here: no, though it were as virtucus to lie, as to live chastely. Therefore, go back. Men. Pr'ythee, fellow, remember my name is Menenius, always factionary on the party of your general. 2 Watch. Howsoever you have been his liar, (as you say, you have) I am one that, telling true under him, must say, you cannot pass. Therefore, go back. Men. Has he din'd, canst thou tell? for I would not speak with him 'till after dinner. Watch. You are a Roman, are you? Men. I am as thy general is. 4 10 15 20 25 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 shield, 40 think to front his revenges with the easy groans of old women, the virginal palms of your daughters, or with the palsy'd intercession of such a decay'd dotant as you seem to be? Can you think to blow out the intended fire your city is ready to 45 flame in, with such 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 sworn you out of reprieve and pardon. Men. Sirrah, if thy captain knew I were here, he would use me with estimation. 2 Watch. Come, my captain knows Men. I mean, thy general. you not. [Act 5. Scene 2. I say, go, lest I let forth your half pint of blood; Enter Coriolanus, with Aufidius. Men. Now, you companion, I'll say an errand Men. How! away! Cor. Wife, mother, child, I know not. My affairs Are servanted to others: Though I owe My revenge properly, my remission lies In Volcian breasts. That we have been familiar, Than pity note how much.-Therefore be gone. And would have sent it. Another word, Menenius, Manent the Guard, and Menenius. 1 Watch. Now, sir, is your name Menenius? 2 Watch. 'Tis a spell, you see, of much power: You know the way home again. 1 Watch. Do you hear how we are shent for keeping your greatness back? 2 Watch. What cause, do you think, I have to 50 swoon? Men. I neither care for the world, nor your general: for such things as you, I can scarce think there's any, you are so slight. He that hath a will 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 lot here is a prize. testimony. One may say with propriety, he brought false witnesses to verify his title.-Shakspeare 2 Dr. Johnson explains this passage thus: To verify is to establish by considered the word with his usual laxity, as importing rather testimony than truth, and only meant to say, I bore witness to my friends with all the size that verity would suffer. level. By virginal palms may be understood the holding up the hands in supplication. 3 Subtle means smooth, Though I have a peculiar right in revenge, in the power of forgiveness the Volcians are conjoined. • Shent means shumed, disgraced, made ashamed of ourselves. 5 i. e. are, Whom with a crack'd heart I have sent to Rome, Nay, godded me, indeed. Their latest refuge Shall I be tempted to infringe my vow Enter Virgilia, Volumnia, Valeria, young Mar 5 [10] Even to a full disgrace.--Best of my flesh, Of the deep duty more impression shew Vol. O, stand up blest! Whilst, with no soiter cushion than the flint, cius, with Attendants, all in mourning. am not Ofstronger earth than others.-My mother bows; In supplication nod: and my young boy Virg. My lord and husband! Cor. These eyes are not the samelwore in Rome. Virg. The sorrow, that delivers us thus chang'd, Makes you think so. Cor. Like a dull actor now, I have forgot my part, and I am out, e. bow openly. Cor. The god of soldiers, With the consent of supreme Jove, inform 40 To shame invulnerable, and stick i' the wars ii. e. Juno. Cor. That's my brave boy. Vol. Even he, your wife, this lady, and myself, Are suitors to you. Cor. I beseech you, peace: Or, if you'd ask, remember this before; Again with Rome's mechanics:-Tell me not 55 To allay my rages and revenges, with Vol. Oh, no more, no more! You have said, you will not grant us any thing; For we have nothing else to ask, but that 60 Which you deny already: Yet, we will ask; That, if we fail in our request, the blame i.e. every gust, every storm. Max May hang upon your hardness: therefore hear us. Which thou shalt thereby reap, is such a name, Whose repetition will be dogg'd with curses; Whose chronicle thus writ,- Themanwasnoble, "But with his last attempt he wip'd it out, 5" Destroy'd his country, and his name remains "To the ensuing age,abhorr'd." Speak to me,son: Thou hast affected the fine strains of honour, To imitate the graces of the gods; And state of bodies would bewray what life sorrow; Making the mother, wife, and child, to see With manacles thorough our streets; or else Virg. Ay, and mine, 20 world To tear with thunder the wide cheeks o' the air, 4 That brought you forth this boy, to keep your name 40 I am hush'd until our city be afire, Boy. He shall not tread on me; I'll run away 'till I am bigger, but then I'll fight. Vol. Nay, go not from us thus. If it were so, that our request did tend To save the Romans, thereby to destroy [us, And then I'll speak a little. [Holds her by the hands, silent. The Volces whom you serve, you might condemn 50 If not most mortal to him. But, let it come:- "This we receiv'd;" and each in either side son, The end of war's uncertain; but this certain, 55 Aufidius, though I cannot make true wars, Cor. I dare be sworn, you were: Mine eyes to sweat compassion. But, good sir, What peace you'll make, advise me: For my part, (60 I'll not to Rome, I'll back with you: and pray you, That is, constrains the eye to weep, and the heart to shake. much, and yet be merciful. 4 i. e. argue for. 2 The meaning is, to threaten i.e. keeps me in a state of ignominy, talking to no purpose. Stand 10 [Aside. 5 [The Ladies make signs to Coriolanus. Cor. Ay, by-and-by; But we will drink together; and you shall bear [To Volumnia, Virgilia, &c. A better witness back than words, which we, On like conditions, will have counter-scal'd. Come, enter with us. Ladies, you deserve To have a temple built you: all the swords In Italy, and her confederate arms, Could not have made this peace. SCENE IV. The Forum in Rome. Enter Menenius and Sicinius. [Excunt. 15 Art thou certain, this is true; is it most certain ? [Trumpets, hautboys, drums beat, all together. Men. See you yon coign o' the Capitol; yon 201 will go meet the ladies. This Volumnia corner-stone? Sic. Why, what of that? Men. If it be possible for you to displace it with your little finger, there is some hope the ladies of Rome,especially his mother, may prevail with him. 25 But, I say, there is no hope in 't; our throats are sentenc'd, and stay upon execution. Sic. Is 't possible, that so short a time can alter the condition of a man? Men. There is difference between a grub, and 30 a butterfly; yet your butterfly was a grub. This Marcius is grown from man to dragon: he has wings; he's more than a creeping thing. Sic. He lov'd his mother dearly, Men. So did he me: and he no more remembers 35 his mother now, than an eight-year old horse'. The tartness of his face sours ripe grapes. When he walks, he moves like an engine, and the ground shrinks before his treading. He is able to pierce a corslet with his eye; talks like a knell, and his 40 hum is a battery. He sits in his state, as a thing made for Alexander. What he bids be done, is finish'd with his bidding. He wants nothing of a god, but eternity, and a heaven to throne in. Sic. Yes, mercy, if you report him truly. Men. I paint him in the character. Mark what mercy his mother shall bring from him: There is no more mercy in him, than there is milk in a male tiger; and that shall our poor city find: and all this is 'long of you. Sic. The gods be good unto us! Men.No,in such a case the gods will not be good unto us. When we banish'd him, we respected not them: and, he returning to break our necks, they respect not us. Enter a Messenger. 45 50 Is worth, of consuls, senators, patricians, Sic. They are near the city? Sic. We'll meet them, and help the joy.[Exeunt. Enter two Senators, with the Ladies passing over the stage, &c. &c. Sen. Behold our patroness, the life of Rome: Unshout the noise that banish'd Marcius, [4 Flourish with drums and trumpets. SCENE V. A public Place in Antium. Enter Tullus Aufidius, with Attendants. Enterthreeor four Conspiratorsef Aufidius' faction. 60 Auf. Even so, As with a man by his own alms impoison'd, 'I will take advantage of this concession to restore myself to my former credit and power. intelligitur remembers his dam. 3 B |