And still to nose th' offence.

Men. For one poor grain or two?

I'm one of thofe his mother, wife, his child,
And this brave fellow too, we are the grains;
You are the muity chaff; and you are smelt
We must be burnt for you.

Above the moon.

Sic. Nay, pray, be patient: if you refuse your aid In this fo-never-needed help, yet do not

Upbraid us with our diftrefs. But, fure, if you
us
Would be your country's pleader, your good tongue,
More than the inftant army we can make,

Might top our countryman.
Men. No: I'll not meddle.

་་

Bru. Only make tryal what your love can do For Rome, tow'rds Marcius.

Men. Well, and fay, that Marcius

Return me, as Cominius is return'd,
Unheard: (what then ?)

But as a difcontented friend, grief-fhot
With his unkindness. Say't be fo?
Sic. Yet your good will

Must have that thanks from Rome, after the measure
As you intended well.

Men, I'll undertake it:

I think, he'll hear me. Yet to bite his lip,

And hum at good Cominius, much unhearts me.
He was not taken well, he had not din'd.-

The veins unfill'd, our blood is cold, and then (37)
We powt upon the morning, are unapt

To give or to forgive; but when we've ftuff'd
Thefe pipes, and thefe conveyances of blood
With wine and feeding, we have fuppler fouls
Than in our prieft like fafts; therefore I'll watch him
"Till he be dieted to my requeft,

And then I'll fet upon him.

(37) The veins unfill'd, our blood is cold, &c.] Lord Bacon fomewhere in his effays makes this very remark concerning the feasons of follicitation,

Bru

i

Bru. You know the very road into his kindness, And cannot lofe your way.

Men. Good faith, I'll prove him,

Speed how it will. I fhall ere long have knowledge

Of

my fuccefs.

Com. He'll never hear him..

Sic. Not?

[Exit..

Com. I tell you, he does fit in gold; his eye
Red as 'twould burn Rome; and his injury
The goaler to his pity. I kneel'd before him,
'Twas very faintly he faid, rife: difmifs'd me
Thus, with his fpeechlefs hand. What he would do,
He fent in writing after; what he would not,
Bound with an oath to yield to his conditions:
So that all hope is vain, unless his mother
And wife,-who (as I hear) mean to follicit him
For mercy to his country: therefore hence,
And with our fair intreaties hafte them on.

[Exeunt.

SCENE changes to the Volfcian Camp.

I Watch.

Enter Menenius to the Watch or Guard.

S

Tay: whence are you?

2 Watch. Stand, and go back.

Men. You guard like men, 'tis well. But, by your leave,, I am an officer of ftate, and come

To speak with Coriolanus.

1 Watch. Whence?

Men. From Rome,

[General

1 Watch. You may not pafs, you must return: our Will no more hear from thence.

2 Watch. You'll fee your Rome embrac'd with fire, before You'll fpeak with Coriolanus.

Men. Good my friends,

If you have heard your General talk of Rome,
And of his friends there, it is lots to blanks,
My name hath touch'd your cars; it is Menenius.
Watch. Be it fo, go back: the virtue of your name

Is not here paffable.

Men. I tell thee, fellow,

Thy

Thy General is my lover: I have been

The book of his good acts; whence men have read:
His fame unparallel'd happily amplified :

For I have ever verified my friends,

(Of whom he's chief) with all the fize that verity.
Would without lapfing fuffer: nay, fometimes,
Like to a bowl upon a subtle ground,

I've tumbled paft the throw; and in his praise
Have, almoft, ftamp'd the leafing. Therefore, fellow,
I must have leave to pafs.

I 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 pafs here: no, though it were as vir. tuous to lye, as to live chately. Therefore, go back. Men. Pr'ythee, fellow, remember, my name is Menenius; always factionary of the party of your General.. 2 Watch. How foever you have been his liar, (as you fay, you have;) I am one that, telling true under him, muft fay, you cannot pafs. Therefore, go back.

Men. Has he din'd, canft thou tell? for I would not speak with him 'till after dinner.

I Watch. You are a Roman, are you?

Men. I am as thy General is.

1 Watch. Then you should hate Rome, as he does. Can you, when you have pufh'd out of your gates the very defender of them, and, in a violent popular ignorance, given your enemy your fhield, think to. front his revenges with the eafy groans of old women, the virginal palms of your daughters, or with the palfied interceffion of fuch a decay'd dotard as you feem to be? can you think to blow out the intended fire your city is ready to 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 fworn you out of ieprieve and pardon. Men. Sirrah, if thy Captain knew I were here, he would use me with estimation.

Watch. Come, my Captain knows you not. Men. I mean, thy General.

+

1 Watch. My General cares not for you. Back, I fay,

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,gs cibari

Enter Coriolanus, with Aufidius.

Cor. What's the matter?

Men. Now, you companion, I'll fay an errand for you; you fhall know now, that I am in eftimation; you fhall perceive, that a Jack-gardant cannot office me from my fon Coriolanus; guefs but my entertainment with him; if thou ftand'ft not th' ftate of hanging, or of fome death more long in fpectatorship, and crueller in fuffering, behold now prefently, 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! Oh my fon, my fon! thou art preparing fire for us; Look thee, here's water to quench it. I was hardly mov'd to come to thee; but being affured, none but myself could move thee, I have been blown out of our gates with fighs; and conjure thee to pardon Rome, and thy petitionary countrymen. The good gods. affuage thy wrath, and turn the dregs of it upon this varlet here; this, who, like a block, hath denied my accefs to thee

Cor. Wife, mother, child, I know not. My affairs Are fervanted to others: though I owe

My revenge properly, remiffion lies

In Volfcian breafts, That we have been familiar, (38)

(38)

That que bare been familiar,

Ingrate forgetfulness spall poiion, raiber
Than pity: Note how much- -}

Ingrate

We cannow defire a more fignal inftance of the indolent (stupidity of our editors. Forgetfulness might poijon, in not remembering a converfation of friendship, but how could it, in fuch an action, be faid to pity too? The pointing is abfurd; and the sentiment confequently funk into nonfenfe. As I have regulated the ftops, both. Dr. Thirlby aid Mr. Warburton faw with me, they ought to be regulated, [ have fill ventur'd beyond my ingenious friends, in changing poison

१

Ingrate forgetfulness fhall prifon, rather

Than pity note how much.-Therefore, be gone;
Mine ears against your fuits are ftronger than

Your gates against my force. Yet, for I loved thee,
Take this along; I writ it for thy fake,

ཏི

[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'ftAuf. You keep a conftant temper.

Manent the Guard, and Menenius.

[Exeunt.

1 Watch. Now, Sir, is your name Menenius? 10 2 Watch. "Tis a spell, you fee, of much power : you know the way home again,

Watch. Do you hear, how we are fhent for keeping your greatnefs back

*

95

2 Watch. What cause, do you think, I have to swoan? Men. I neither care for the world, nor your General for fuch things as you, I can fcarce think there's any, y'are fo flight. He, that hath a will to die by himself, fears it not from another: let your General do his worft. For you, be what you are, long; and your mifery encrease with your age! I fay to you, as I was faid to, away!

[Exit.

1 Watch. Á noble fellow, I warrant him. 2 Watch. The worthy fellow is our General. He's the rock, the oak not to be wind-fhaken. [Ex. Watch.

Re-enter Coriolanus and Aufidius.

Cor. We will before the walls of Rome to-morrow Set down our hoft. My partner in this action, You must report to th Kolcian Lords how plainly I've borne this bufinefs.

"

Auf. Only their ends you have refpected; stopt Your ears against the general fuit of Rome :

, +3

7

into prifor which adds an antithefis, by which the sense seems clearer and more natural: viz. That forgetfulness hall rather keep it a fecret, that we have been familiar; than pity thall dife lose how much we have been fo."