Though they themselves did fuffer by't, beheld
Diffentious numbers peftring streets, than fee
Our tradesmen finging in their fhops, and going
About their functions friendly.

Enter Menenius.

Bru. We food to't in good time. Is this Menenius? Sic. 'Tis he, 'tis he: O, he is grown moft kind of late. Hail, Sir!

Men. Hail to you both!

Sic. Your Coriolanus is not much mifs'd, but with his friends; the commonwealth doth stand, and so would do, were he more angry at it.

Men. All's well, and might have been much better, if he could have temporiz'd.

Sic. Where is he, hear you?

Men. Nay, I hear nothing:

His mother and his wife hear nothing from him.

Enter three or four Citizens.

All. The gods preferve you both!

Sic. Good-e'en, neighbours.

Bru. Good-e'en to you all, good-e'en to you all. 1 Cit. Ourselves, our wives, and children, on our knees, Are bound to pray for you both.

Sic. Live and thrive.

Bru. Farewel, kind neighbours:

We wish'd, Coriolanus had lov'd you, as we did.

All. Now the gods keep you!

Both Tri. Farewel, farewel.

[Exeunt Citizens.

Sic. This is a happier and more comely time, Than when thefe fellows ran about the streets,

Crying confufion.

Bru. Caius Marcius was

A worthy officer i' th' war, but infolent,

O'ercome with pride, ambitious past all thinking,
Self-loving.

Sic. And affecting one fole throne,

Without affiftance.

Men. Nay, I think not fo. IT. "9

Sic. We had by this, to all our lamentation, If he had gone forth conful, found it fo.

Bru. The gods have well prevented it, and Rome Sits fafe and still without him.

Enter Edile.

Edile. Worthy tribunes,

There is a flave, whom we have put in prifon,
Reports, the Volfcians with two feveral powers
Are entred in the Roman territories;

And with the deepest malice of the war
Destroy what lies before 'em.

Men. 'Tis Aufidius,

Who, hearing of our Marcius' banishment,
Thrufts forth his horns again into the world;
Which were in-fhell'd when Marcius flood for Rome,
And durft not once peep out.

Sic. Come, what talk you of Marcius!

Bru. Go fee this rumourer whipt. It cannot be, The Volfcians dare break with us.

Men. Cannot be !

We have record, that very well it can :
And three examples of the like have been
Within my age. But reafon with the fellow
Before you punish him, where he heard this;
Left you fhall chance to whip your information,
And beat the meflenger, who bids beware
Of what is to be dreaded.

Sic. Tell not me:
I know, this cannot be.

Bru. Not poffible.

Enter a Meffenger.

Mef. The nobles in great earneftness are going All to the Senate-houfe; fome news is come, That turns their countenances.

Sic. "Tis this flave:

Go whip him 'fore the people's eyes: his raifing!

Nothing

The flave's report is feconded, and more,
More fearful is delivered.

Sic. What more fearful?

C

Mef. It is fpoke freely out of many mouths,
How probable I do not know, that Marcius,
Join'd with Aufidius, leads a power 'gaint Rome;
And vows revenge as fpacious, as between
The young'ft and oldest thing.

Sic. This is most likely !

Bru. Rais'd only, that the weaker fort may wish Good Marcius hóme again."

Sic. The very trick on't.

Men. This is unlikely.

He and Aufidius can no more atone, (34)

Than violenteft contrariety.

1

Enter Meffenger Lis

Mef. You are fent for to the Senater:990) ..

A fearful army, led by Caius Marcius,

Affociated with Aufidius, rages

Upon our territories; and have already

O'er-born their way, confum'd with fire, and took
What lay before them.

Enter Cominius.

Com. Oh, you have made good work.
Men. What news? what news?

(34) He and Aufidius can no more be one Than violentest contrariety.]

.

This is only Mr. Pope's fophiftication. I have restor❜d the reading of the genuine copies ;---can no more atone, i, e be reconcil'd, agree; for in this fenfe the word is as frequently ufed, as in the active one, to pacify, to reconcile.

So in As like it;

you

Then is there mirth in heav'n,

When earthly things, made ev'n,
Atone together.

And in many other paffages of our author.

U 3

Com.

Com. You have holp to ravish your own daughters, and To melt the city-leads upon your pates,

To fee your wives difhonour'd to your noses.

Men. What's the news? what's the news?
Com. Your temples burned in their cement, and
Your franchises, whereon you stood, confin'd
Into an augre's bore.

Men. Pray now, the news?

You've made fair work, I fear me: pray, your news? If Marcius fhould be joined with the Volfcians,

Com. If he is their god; he leads them like a thing Made by fome other deity than nature,

That thapes man better; and they follow him,
Against us brats, with no lefs confidence,
Than boys purfuing fummer butter-flies,
Or butchers killing flies.

Men. You've made good work,

You and your apron-men; that itood fo much
Upon the voice of occupation, and

The breath of garlick-eaters.

Com. He'll make your Rome about your ears. Men. As Hercules did fhake down mellow fruit: You have made fair work!

Bru. But is this true, Sir?

Com. Ay, and you'll look pale

Before you find it other. All the regions

Do fmilingly revolt; and, who refifts,

Are mock'd for valiant ignorance,

And perish conftant fools: who is't can blame him
Your enemies and his find fomething in him.

Men. We're all undone, unless

The noble man have mercy.

Com. Who fhall afk it?

The tribunes cannot do't for fhame; the people
Deferve fuch pity of him, as the wolf

Does of the fhepherds: his beft friends, if they
Shou'd fay, be good to Rome, they charge him even
As thofe should do that had deferv'd his hate,
And therein thew'd like enemies.

Men.

Men. Tis true.

If he were putting to my house the brand.

That would confume it, I have not the face:

To fay, befeech you, ceafe. You've made fair hands, You and your crafts! you've crafted fair !

Com. You've brought

A trembling upon Rome, fuch as was never
So incapable of help.

Tri. Say not, we brought it..

Men. How? was it we? we lov'd him; but, like beasts, And coward nobles, gave way to your clusters,

Who did hoot him out o' th' city.

Com. But I fear,
They'll roar him in again.

Tullus Aufidius,

The fecond name of men, obeys his points
As if he were his officer: Defperation
Is all the policy, ftrength, and defence,
That Rome can make against them.

Enter a Troop of Citizens.

Men. Here come the clufters.

And is Aufidius with him?-You are they,
That made the air, unwholfome, when you caft
Your ftinking, greafy eaps, in hooting at
Coriolanus' exile. Now he's coming,

And not a hair upon a foldier's head,

Which will not prove a whip: as many coxcombs,
As you threw caps up, will he tumble down,

And pay you for

your voices. 'Tis no matter,

If he should burn us all into one coal,

We have deferv'd it.

Omnes. Faith, we hear fearful news.
1 Cit. For mine own part,

When I faid, banish him; I faid, 'twas pity.
2 Cit.. And fo did I.

3 Cit. And fo did I; and to fay the truth, fo did very many of us; that we did, we did for the best: and tho' we willingly confented to his banishment, yet it was against our will.

U 4

Com.