He sent in writing after me; what he would not, 'Bound with an oath, to yield to his conditions : So, that all hope is vain, Unless his noble mother, and his wife; Who, as I hear, mean to solicit him For mercy to his country. Therefore, let's hence, SCENE II. [Exeunt. An advanced post of the Volcian Camp before Rome. 1 G. Stay Whence are you? : 2 G. Stand, and go back. Enter MENENius. The Men. You guard like men; 'tis well: But, by your leave, I am an officer of state, and come To speak with Coriolanus. 1 G. From whence ? Men. From Rome. 1 G. You may not pass, you must return: our general Will no more hear from thence. 2 G. You'll see your Rome embrac'd, with fire, before You'll speak with Coriolanus. Men. Good my friends, If you have heard your general talk of Rome, My name hath touch'd your ears; it is Menenius. 1 G. Be it so; go back the virtue of your 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 For I have ever verified my friends (Of whom he's chief,) with all the size that verity I have tumbled past the throw; and in his praise 1 G. 'Faith, sir, if you had told as many lies in his behalf as you have uttered words in your own, you [1] Here is, I think, a chasm. The speaker's purpose seems to be this; 'To yield to his conditions is ruin, and better cannot be obtained, so that all hope is vain. JOHNSON. [2] A lot is here a prize. JOHNSON. [3] Subtle, means smooth, level ground. STEEVENS.-May it not have its more ordinary acceptation, deceitful? MALONE. should not pass here: no, though it were as virtuous to lie, as to live chastely. Therefore, go back. Men. Pr'ythee, fellow, remember my name is Mene nius, always factionary on the party of your general. 2 G. 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 dined, canst thou tell? for I would not speak with him till after dinner. 1 G. You are a Roman, are you? Men. I am as thy general is. 1 G. Then you should hate Rome, as he does. Can you, when you have pushed out your gates the very defender of them, and, in a violent popular ignorance, given your enemy your shield, think to front his revenges with the easy groans of old women, the virginal palms of your daughters, or with the palsied intercession of such a decayed dotard as you seem to be? Can you think to blow out the intended fire your city is ready to flame in, with such weak breath as this? No, you are deceived; therefore, back to Rome, and prepare for your execution : You are condemned, 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 G. Come, my captain knows you not Men. I mean, thy general. 1 G. My general cares not for you. Back, I say, go, lest I let forth your half pint of blood;-back, that's the utmost of your having :-back. Men. Nay, but fellow, fellow,— Enter CORIOLANUS and Aufidius. Cor. What's the matter? Men. Now you companion, I'll say an errand for you; you shall know now, that I am in estimation; you shall perceive that a Jack guardent cannot office me from my son Coriolanus: guess, but by my entertainment with him, if thou stand'st not i'the state of hanging, or of some death more long in spectatorship, and crueller in suffering; behold now presently, and swoon for what's to come upon thee. The glorious gods sit in hourly synod about thy particular prosperity, and love thee no worse than thy old father Menenius does! O, my son! my son! thou 14] This term is equivalent to one still in use---u jack in office. STEEVENS art preparing fire for us; look thee, here's water to quench it. I was hardly moved to come to thee; but being assured, none but myself could move thee, I have been blown out of your gates with sighs; and conjure thee to pardon Rome, and thy petitionary countrymen. The good gods assuage 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 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, begone. [Exeunt COR. and Aur. 1 G. Now, sir, is your name Menenius? 2 G. 'Tis a spell, you see, of much power: You know the way home again. 1 G. Do you hear how we are shent for keeping your greatness back? 2 G. What cause, do you think, I have to 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 your general do his worst. For you, be that you are, long; and your misery increase with your age! I say to you, as I was said to, Away! [Exit 1 G. A noble fellow, I warrant him. 2 G. The worthy fellow is our general: He is the rock, the oak not to be wind-shaken. [Exeunt. [5] Though I have a peculiar right in revenge, in the power of forgiveness the Volcians are conjoined. JOHNSON. JOHNSON.Shent does not mean brought to destruction, but shamed, disgraced, made ashamed of himself. PERCY, [6] Shent---is brought to destruction. SCENE III. The Tent of CORIOLANUS. Enter CORIOLANUS, AUFIDIUS, and others. Cor. We will before the walls of Rome to-morrow Set down our host.-My partner in this action, Auf. Only their ends You have respected; stopp'd your ears against Cor. This last old man, 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 [Shout within. Enter in mourning habits, VIRGILIA, VOLUMNIA, leading young MARCIUS, VALERIA, and Attendants. My wife comes foremost; then the honour'd mould Let it be virtuous, to be obstinate. What is that curt'sy worth? or those doves' eyes, In supplication nod: and my young boy Great nature cries, Deny not.-Let the Volces [4] i. e. how openly, how remotely from artifice or concealment. JOHNSON Be such a gosling to obey instinct; but stand, And knew no other kin. Vir. My lord and husband! Cor. These eyes are not the same I wore in Rome. Vir. 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, Leave unsaluted: Sink, my knee, i'the earth; [Kneels. Than that of common sons. Vol. 0, stand up bless'd! Whilst, with no softer cushion than the flint, Show duty, as mistaken all the while Cor. What is this? Your knees to me? to your corrected son? Vol. Thou art my warrior; I holp to frame thee. Do you know this lady? The moon of Rome; chaste as the icicle, yours, [Kneels [8] Virgilia makes a voluntary misinterpretation of her husband's words. He says, These eyes are not the same,' meaning, that he saw things with other eyes, or other dispositions. She lays hold on the word eyes, to turn his attention on their present appearance. JOHNSON. [9] That is, by Juno, the guardian of marriage, and consequently the avenger of connubial perfidy. JOHNSON. |