And power, unto itself moft commendable, (36).
Hath not a tomb fo evident, as a chair

T' extol what it hath done.

One fire drives out one fire; one nail, one nail;
Right's by right fouler, ftrengths by ftrengths do fail.
Come, let's away; when, Caius, Rome is thine,
Thou'rt poor'ft of all, then shortly art thou mine.
[Exeunt

(36) And pow'r, unto itself moft commendable,

Hath not a tomb fo evident, as a chair

T'extol what it hath done.]

This is a very common fentiment, but moft obfcurely expreffed. This is the fenfe. That virtue, which delights to commend itfelf, will find the certainest tomb in that chair, in which it holds forth on its own commendations. i. e. Nothing fo readily throws our own virtue into oblivion, as the practice of commending one's felf. That power, which is moft jealous of competitors, [unto itself most commendable, 1 hath no certainer grave than that chair in which it extols its own .worth. Mr. Warburton.

U 6

A C T V.

SCENE, a publick place in Rome.

Enter Menenius, Cominius, Sicinius, Brutus, with others.

N

MENENIUS.

O, I'll not go: you

hear, what he hath faid, Which was fometime his General; who lov'd him

In a most dear particular. He call'd me father:
But what o' that? go you, that banish'd him,
A mile before his tent, fall down, and knee
The way into his mercy nay, if he coy'd
To hear Cominius fpeak, I'll keep at home.
Com. He would not feem to know me.
Men. Do you hear?

Com. Yet one time he did call me by my name ;
I urg'd our old acquaintance, and the drops
That we have bled together. Coriolanus
He would not anfwer to; forbad all names;
He was a kind of nothing, titleless,

"Till he had forg'd himself a name o' th' fire
Of burning Rome.

Men. Why, fo; you've made good work:
A pair of tribunes, that have rack'd fór Rome,
To make coals cheap : noble memory!

Com. I minded him, how royal 'twas to pardon
When it was leaft expected. He reply'd,
It was a bare petition of a state

To one whom they had punish'd.

Men. Very well, could he fay lefs?
Com. I offer'd to awaken his regard
For's private friends. His answer to me was,
He could not ftay to pick them in a pile
Of noisom mufty chaff. He faid, 'twas folly,
For one poor grain or two, to leave unburnt,

And

And ftill to nofe th' offence.

Men. For one poor grain or two?

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

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

aid

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

Might ftop our countryman.

Men. No: I'll not meddle.
Sic. Pray you, go to him.
Men. What fhould I do?

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 stuff'd
Thefe pipes, and these 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 request,

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

Bru. You know the very road into his kindness, And cannot lose 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?

knowledg 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) niean to follicit him For mercy to his country: therefore hence, And with our fair entreaties hafte them on.

[Exeunt.

SCENE changes to the Volfcian Camp:

Enter Menenius to the Watch or Guard.

■ Watch. STay; 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 fpeak with Coriolanus.

1 Watch. Whence ?

Men. From Rome.

[General

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

Our

[before

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

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 ears; it is Menenius. Watch. Be it fo, go back: the virtue of your name

Is not here passable.

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 size that verity Would without lapfing fuffer: nay, fometimes, Like to a bowl upon a fubtle ground,

I've tumbled paft the throw; and in his praise
Have, almoft, stamp'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 virtuous 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.

for I would

2 Watch. Howfoever 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 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 push'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 seem 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 reprieve and pardon. Men. Sirrah, if thy Captain knew I were here, he would ufe me with estimation.

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

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

fay,