A Sennet. Enter, with Lictors before them, COMINIUS the Consul, MENENIUS, CORIOLANUS, many other Senators, SICINIUS and BRUTUS. The Senators take their places; the Tribunes take theirs also by themselves. Men. Having determin'd of the Volces, and To send for Titus Lartius, it remains, As the main point of this our after-meeting, To gratify his noble service, that Hath thus stood for his country: Therefore, please you, Most reverend and grave elders, to desire The present consul, and last general We meet here, both to thank, and to remember 1 Sen. Speak, good Cominius: Leave nothing out for length, and make us think, Rather our state's defective for requital, Than we to stretch it out.s Masters o'the people, Sic. We are convented Upon a pleasing treaty; and have hearts Inclinable to honour and advance The theme of our assembly. Rather our state's defective for requital, Than we to stretch it out.] i. e. Rather say that our means are too defective to afford an adequate reward for his services, than suppose our wishes to stretch out those means are defective. 9 Your loving motion toward the common body,] Your kind interposition with the common people. Bru. Which the rather We shall be bless'd to do, if he remember He hath hereto priz'd them at. Men. That's off, that's off;' I would you rather had been silent: Please you Bru. Most willingly: He loves your people; But yet my caution was more pertinent, Men. But tie him not to be their bedfellow. Worthy Cominius, speak.-Nay, keep your place. CORIOLANUS rises, and offers to go away. 1 Sen. Sit, Coriolanus; never shame to hear What you have nobly done. Cor. Your honours' pardon; I had rather have my wounds to heal again, Than hear say how I got them. Bru. My words dis-bench'd you not. Sir, I hope, No, sir: yet oft, Cor. When blows have made me stay, I filed from words. You sooth'd not, therefore hurt not: But, your people, I love them as they weigh. Men. Pray now, sit down. Cor. I had rather have one scratch my head i' the sun, When the alarum were struck, than idly sit To hear my nothings monster'd. Men. [Exit CORIOLAnus. Masters o'the people, Your multiplying spawn how can he flatter,2 That's off, that's off;] That is, that is nothing to the purpose. how can he flatter,] The reasoning of Menenius is this: (That's thousand to one good one,) when you now see, He had rather venture all his limbs for honour, Than one of his ears to hear it?-Proceed, Cominius. Com. I shall lack voice: the deeds of Coriolanus Should not be utter'd feebly.-It is held, That valour is the chiefest virtue, and The man I speak of cannot in the world 6 How can he be expected to practise flattery to others, who abhors it so much, that he cannot hear it even when offered to himself? 3 When Tarquin made a head for Rome,] When Tarquin who had been expelled, raised a power to recover Rome. 4 no beard. his Amazonian chin-] i. e. his chin on which there was 5 And struck him on his knee:] This does not mean that he gave Tarquin a blow on the knee, but gave him such a blow as occasioned him to fall on his knee. • When he might act the woman in the scene,] It has been more than once mentioned, that the parts of women were, in Shakspeare's time, represented by the most smooth-faced young men to be found among the players. But here is a great anachronism. There were no theatres at Rome for the exhibition of plays for about two hundred and fifty years after the death of Coriolanus. And, in the brunt of seventeen battles since, For this last, I cannot speak him home: He stopp'd the fliers; A vessel under sail, so men obey'd, And fell below his stem: his sword (death's stamp) Men. Worthy man! 1 Sen. He cannot but with measure fit the ho nours1 "He lurch'd all swords o'the garland.] To lurch, in Shakspeare's time, signified to win a maiden set at cards, &c. "To lurch all swords of the garland," therefore, was, to gain from all other warriors the wreath of victory, with ease, and incontestable superiority. every motion Was tim'd with dying cries.] The cries of the slaughtered regularly followed his motion, as musick and a dancer accompany each other. 9 The mortal gate-] The gate that was made the scene of death. 'He cannot but with measure fit the honours ] That is, no Which we devise him. Com. Men. Let him be call'd for. 1 Sen. Off. He doth appear. He's right noble; Call for Coriolanus. Re-enter CORIOLANUS. Men. The senate, Coriolanus, are well pleas'd I do beseech you, Let me o'erleap that custom; for I cannot Put on the gown, stand naked, and entreat them, For my wounds' sake, to give their suffrage: please you, That I may pass this doing. Sic. Must have their voices; One jot of ceremony. Men. Sir, the people neither will they bate Put them not to't: Pray you, go fit you to the custom; and Take to you, as your predecessors have, honour will be too great for him; he will show a mind equal to any elevation. Than misery-] Misery for avarice; because a miser signifies avaricious. |