Were to us all that do't, and suffer it,

A brand to th' end o' th' world.

Sic. This is clean kamme.

Bru. Merely awry: when he did love his country, It honour'd him.

Men. The fervice of the foot

Being once gangreen'd, it is not then respected
For what before it was-

Bru. We'll hear no more.

Purfue him to his houfe, and pluck him thence ;
Left his infection, being of catching nature,
Spread further.

Men. One word more, one word :

This tiger-footed rage, when it shall find

The harm of unfkann'd fwiftnefs, will (too late)
Tie leaden pounds to's heels. Proceed by process,
Left parties (as he is belov'd) break out,
And fack great Reme with Romans.

Bru. If 'twere fo

Sic. What do ye talk?

Have we not had a tale of his obedience ?
Our Ediles fmote, ourselves refifted, come-

Men. Confider this; he hath been bred i' th' wars
Since he could draw a sword, and is ill-school'd
In boulted language; meal and bran together
He throws without diftinction. Give me leave,
I'll go to him, and undertake to bring him
Where he fall anfwer by a lawful form,
In peace, to his utmost peril.

1 Sen. Noble tribunes,

It is the humane way; the other courfe
Will prove too bloody, and the end of it'
Unknown to the beginning.

Sic. Noble Menenius,

Be you then as the people's officer.
Mafters, lay down your weapons.

Bru. Go not home.

Sic. Meet on the forum; we'll attend you there, Where, if you bring not Marcius, we'll proceed In our first way.

2.

Men.

Men. I'll bring him to you.

Let me defire your company; he must come,
Or what is worst will follow.

1 Sen. Pray, let's to him.

[Exeunt.

SCENE changes to Coriolanus's House.
Enter Coriolanus, with Nobles.

Cor.

ET them pull all about mine ears, prefent me,

Or pile ten hills on the Tarpeian rock,
That the precipitation might down ftretch
Below the beam of fight, yet will I ftill
Be thus to them.

Enter Volumnia.

Noble. You do the nobler.

Cor. I mufe, my mother

Does not approve me further, who was wont
To call them woollen vaffals, things created
To buy and fell with groats; to fhew bare heads
In congregations, yawn, be ftill, and wonder,
When one but of my ordinance stood up
To speak of peace or war; (I talk of you)
Why did you wish me milder? wou'd you have me
Falfe to my nature ? rather fay, I play

The man I am.

Vol. Oh, Sir, Sir, Sir,

I would have had you put your power well on,
Before you had worn it out.

Cor. Let it go,

Vol. You might have been enough the man you are, With ftriving lefs to be fo. Leffer had been (25)

The thwartings of your difpofitions, if

(25)

-Leffer bad been

The things that thwart your difpofitions,]

The old copies exhibit it,

The things of your difpofitions,

A few letters replac'd, that by fome carelesness drop'd out, refiore us

the poet's genuine reading;

The thwartings of your difpofitions.

You had not shew'd them how ye were difpos'd
Ere they lack'd power to erofs you.

Cor. Let them hang.

Vol. Ay, and burn too.

Enter Menenius, with the Senators.

Men. Come, come, you've been too rough, fomething too rough:

You must return, and mend it.

Sen. There's no remedy,
Unless, by not fo doing, our good city
Cleave in the midft, and perish..

Vol. Pray, be counsell'd;

I have a heart as little apt as yours,
But yet a brain that leads my ufe of anger

To better vantage.

Men. Well faid, noble woman:

(26) Before he should thus ftoop to th' herd, but that The violent fit o' th' times craves it as phyfick

For the whole ftate, I'd put mine armour on,

Which I can fcarcely bear.

Cor. What must I do?

Men. Return to th' tribunes.

Cor. Well, what then? what then?
Men. Repent what you have fpoke.

Car. For them?-I cannot do it for the gods,

Muft I then do't to them?

Vol. You are too abfolute,

Tho' therein you can never be too noble,

But when extremities fpeak. I've heard you fay,
Honour and policy, like unfever'd fri.nds,

I' th' war do grow together; grant that, and tell me

(26) Before he thus fhould fivop to th' heart,-] But how did Corialanus ftoop to his heart? he rather, as we vulgarly exprefs it, made his proud heart stop to the neceffity of the times. I am perfuaded, my emendation gives the true reading. So, before, in this play; Are these your berd?

So, in Julius Cæfar

When he perceiv'd, the common berd was glad he refus'd the crown, &c.

And in many other paffages.

In peace, what each of them by th' other lofes,
That they combine not there?

Cor. Tufh, tufh

Men. A good demand.

Vol. If it be honour in your wars, to feem
The fame you are not, which for your best ends
You call your policy: how is 't lefs, or worse,
That it fhall hold companionship in peace
With honour, as in war; fince that to both
It stand in like request ?

Cor. Why force you this?

Vol. Because it lies on you to fpeak to th' people:
Not by your own inftruction, nor by th' matter
Which your heart prompts you to, but with fuch words
But roted in your tongue; baftards, and fyllables
Of no allowance, to your bofom's truth.
Now, this no more dishonours you at all,
Than to take in a town with gentle words,
Which elfe would put you to your fortune, and
The hazard of much blood.

I would diffemble with my nature, where
My fortunes, and my friends at ftake, requir'd
I should do fo in honour. (27) I'm in this
Your wife, your fon, thefe fenators, the nobles.-
And you will rather fhew our general lowts

How you can frown, than fpend a fawn upon 'em,
For the inheritance of their loves, and fafeguard
Of what that want might ruin!

Men. Noble Lady!

Come, go with us, fpeak fair: you may falve fo
Not what is dangerous prefent, but the lofs

Of what is past.

Vol. I pr'ythee now, my son,

(27)

I'm in this

Your wife, your fon: the fenators the nobles,

And you &c.] The pointing of the printed copies makes fark Bonfenfe of this paffage. Volumnia is perfuading Coriolanus that he ought to flatter the people, as the general fortune was at stake; and fays, that, in this advice, the speaks as his wife, as his fon; as the Senate, and body of the patricians; who were in fome measure link'd to his conduct. Mr. Warburton.

Go to them, with this bonnet in thy hand,
And thus far having stretch'd it (here be with them)
Thy knee buffing the ftones; (for in fuch bufinefs
Action is eloquence, and the eyes of th' ignorant
More learned than the ears;) (28) waving thy head,
Which often, thus, correcting thy ftout heart,
Now humble as the ripeft mulberry,

That will not hold the handling: or fay to them,
Thou art their foldier, and, being bred in broils,
Haft not the foft way, which thou doft confefs
Were fit for thee to use, as they to claim,
In afking their good loves; but thou wilt frame.
Thyfelf (forfooth) hereafter theirs so far,

As thou haft power and perfon.

Men. This but done,

Ev'n as fhe fpeaks, why, all their hearts were yours: For they have pardons, being afk'd, as free,

As words to little purpose.

Vol. Pr'ythee now,

Go and be rul'd: altho', I know, thou'dft rather
Follow thine enemy in a fiery gulf

Than flatter him in a bower.

Here is Cominius.

Enter Cominius.

Com. I've been i' th' market-place, and, Sir, 'tis fit You have ftrong party, or defend yourself

By calmness, or by abfence: all's in anger.

(28)

waving thy head,

Which often, thus, correcting thy flout beart,] But do any of the ancient, or modern mafters of elocution prefcribe the waving the bead, when they treat of action? or how does the waving the head correct the ftoutness of the heart, or evidence humility? or laftly, where is the fenfe or grammar of these words, Which often thus &c. These queftions are fufficient to fhew the abfurd corruption of thefe lines. I would read therefore;

-waring thy hand,

Which foften thus, correcting thy flout heart;

This is a very proper precept of action fuiting the occafion; wave thy hand, fays fhe, and foften the action of it thus, then ftrike upon thy breaft, and by that action fhew the people thou haft corrected thy fout heart. All here is fine and proper. Mr. Warburton.

Mer.