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to say that: for the defence of a town, our gene- peace, as far as day does night; it's sprightly, ral is excellent.

1 Serv. Ay, and for an assault too.

Enter a third Servant.

waking, audible, and full of vent. Peace is a very apoplexy, lethargy; mull'd', deaf, sleepy, insensible; a getter of more bastard children,

3 Serv. O, slaves, I can tell you news; news, 5 than war's a destroyer of men. you rascals.

Both. What, what, what? let's partake.

3 Serv. I would not be a Roman, of all nations, I had as lieve be a condemn'd man.

Both. Wherefore? wherefore?

3 Serv. Why, here's he that was wont to thwack our general;Caius Marcius.

1 Serv. Why do you say, thwack our general? 3 Serv. I do not say, thwack our general; but he was always good enough for him.

2 Serv. Come, we are fellows, and friends: he was ever too hard for him; I have heard him say so himself.

2 Serv. 'Tis so; and as war, in some sort, may be said to be a ravisher; so it cannot be denied, but peace is a great maker of cuckolds.

1 Serv. Ay, and it makes men hate one ano

10 ther.

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1 Serv. He was too hard for him directly, to say the truth on 't: before Corioli, he scotch'd 20 him and notch'd him like a carbonado.

2 Serv. An he had been cannibally given, he might have broil'd and eaten him too.

I Serv. But, more of thy news?

3 Serv. Why, he is so made on here within, as 25 if he were son and heir to Mars: set at upper end o' the table: no question ask'd him by any of the senators, but they stand bald before him: Our general himself makes a mistress of him; sanctifies himself with's hand',and turns up the white o' the 30 eye to his discourse. But the bottom of the news is, our general is cut i' the middle, and but one half of what he was yesterday: for the other has half, by the intreaty and grant of the whole table. He will go, he says, and sowle' the porter of 35 Rome gates by the ears: He will mow down all before him, and leave his passage poll'd'.

2 Serv. And he's as like to do 't, as any man I can imagine.

3 Serv. Do't? he will do't: For, look you, sir, 40 he has as many friends as enemies; which friends, sir, (as it were) durst not (look you, sir,) shew themselves (as we term it) his friends, whilst he's in directitude.

1 Serv. Directitude! What's that?

3 Serv. But when they shall see, sir, his crest up again, and the man in blood, they will out of their burrows, like conies after rain, and revel all with him.

1 Serv. But when goes this forward?

3 Serv. To-morrow; to-day; presently. You shall have the drum struck up this afternoon: 'tis, as it were, a parcel of their feast, and to be executed ere they wipe their lips.

2 Serv. Why, then we shall have a stirring world again. This peace is nothing, but to rust ison, increase tailors, and breed ballad-makers. 1 Serv. Let me have war, say I; it exceeds

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150

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And so would do, were he more angry at it. Men. All's well; and might have been much He could have temporiz'd. [better, if [wife

Sic. Where is he, hear you? Men. Nay, I hear nothing; his mother and his Hear nothing from him.

Enter three or four Citizens. All. The gods preserve you both! Sic. Good-e'en, our neighbours. Bru. Good-e'en to you all, good-e'en to you all! 1 Cit. Ourselves, our wives, and children, on Are bound to pray for you both. [our knees, Sic. Live, and thrive!

[riolanus

Bru. Farewell, kind neighbours: We wish'd CoHad lov'd you as we did.

All. Now the gods keep you!
Both Tri. Farewell, farewell.

[Exeunt Citizens.

Alluding, improperly, to the act of crossing upon any strange event. 2 That is, drag him down by the ears into the dirt.-The word is derived from sow, i. e. to take hold of a person by the ears, as a dog seizes one of these animals. 3 That is, bared, cleared. 4i. e. full of rumour, full of materials for discourse. soften'd and dispirited, as wine is when burnt and sweeten'd. • i. e. ineffectual in times of peace like these.

5

i. e.

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Enter Adile.

Edile. Worthy tribunes,

There is a slave, whom we have put in prison,
Reports, the Volces with two several powers
Are enter'd in the Roman territories;
And with the deepest malice of the war
Destroy what lies before 'em.

Men. 'Tis Aufidius,

The young'st and oldest thing.
Sic. This is most likely!

Bru. Rais'd only, that the weaker sort may
Good Marcius home again.

5 Sic. The very trick on 't.

10

Men. This is unlikely:

He and Aufidius can no more atone',
Than violentest contrariety.

Enter another Messenger.

Mes. You are sent for to the senate:

A fearful army, led by Caius Marcius,
Associated with Aufidius, rages

Upon our territories; and have already
C'er-borne their way, consum'd with fire, and to
15 What lay before them.

Enter Cominius.

Com. O, you have made good work! Men. What news? what news? Com. You have holp to ravish your own daug [ters, a 20 To melt the city leads upon your pates; To see your wives dishonour'd to your noses;Men. What's the news? what's the news? Com. Your temples burned in their cement; an Into an augre's bore. Your franchises, whereon you stood, confin'd Men. Pray now, the news?You have made fair work, I fear me:-Pray, you [news if Marcius should be joined with the Volces,

Who, hearing of our Marcius' banishment,
Thrusts forth his horns again into the world;
Which were in-shell'd, when Marcius stood for 25
And durst not once peep out.

[Rome,

[be,

Sic. Come, what talk you of Marcius?
Bru. Go, see this rumourer whipp'd.-It cannot

The Volces 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 reason with the fellow,

Before you punish him, where he heard this;
Lest you shall chance to whip your information,
And beat the messenger who bids beware
Of what is to be dreaded.

Sic. Tell not me:

I know, this cannot be.

Bru. Not possible.

Enter a Messenger.

Mes. The nobles, in great earnestness, are going All to the senate-house; some news is come, That turns their countenances.

Sic. 'Tis this slave :

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

Com. If!

30 He is their god; he leads them like a thing
Made by some other deity than nature,
That shapes man better: and they follow him,
Against us brats, with no less confidence,
Than boys pursuing summer butter-flies,

35 Or butchers killing flies.

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Men. You have made good work,

You, and your apron-men; you that stood so much
Upon the voice of occupation, and

Com. He'll shake your Rome about your ears.

The breath of garlick-eaters'!

Men. As Hercules did shake down mellow You have made fair work!

[fruit

Bru. But is this true, sir?

Com. Ay; and you'll look pale

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Nothing but his report!

Mes. Yes, worthy sir,

The slave's report is seconded; and more,

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More fearful, is deliver'd.

Sic. What more fearful?

Mes. It is spoke freely out of many mouths,

(How probable, I do not know) that Marcius,

Before you find it other. All the regions

7

Do smilingly revolt; and, who resist,

And perish constant fools. Who is't can blame

Your enemies, and his, find something in him.

Men. We are all undone, unless

The noble man have mercy.

Com. Who shall ask it?

The tribunes cannot do 't for shame; the people
Deserve such pity of him, as the wolf

Join'd with Aufidius, leads a power 'gainst Rome; 55 Does of the shepherds: for his best friends, if they And vows revenge as spacious, as between

Should say, Be good to Rome,theycharg'd him even

2 i. e. talk.

4

1 That is, without assessors; without any other suffrage. that to atone, in the active sense, is to reconcile, and is so used by our author. To atone here is, in 3 Dr. Johnson remarks, the neutral sense, to come to reconciliation. To atone is to unite. mechanicks, nien occupied in daily business. garity, that garlick was a food forbidden to an ancient order of Spanish knights, mentioned by To smell of garlick was once such a brand of vulOccupation is here used for Guevara. It appears also, that garlick was once much used in England, and afterwards as much out of fashion. Hence, perhaps, the cant denomination Pil-garlick for a deserted fellow, a person left to suffer without friends to assist him. Alluding to the annles of the H

volt smilingly, is to revolt with

As those should do that had deserv'd his hate, And therein shew'd like enemies.

Men. 'Tis true:

If he were putting to my house the brand
That should consume it, I have not the face [hands,
To say,'Beseech you, cease.-You have made fair
You, and your crafts! you have crafted fair!
Com. You have brought

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

Tri. Say not, we brought it.

[like beasts, Men. How! Was it we? We lov'd him; but, And cowardly nobles, gave way to your clusters, Who did hoot him out o' the city.

Com. But, I fear, They'll roar him in again'. Tullus Aufidius, The second name of men, obeys his points As if he were his officer:-desperation Is all the policy, strength, and defence, That Rome can make against them.

Enter a Troop of Citizens.

Men. Here come the clusters.And is Aufidius with him?-You are they That made the air unwholesome, when you cast Your stinking, greasy caps, in hooting at Coriolanus' exile. Now he's coming; And not a hair upon a soldier'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 could burn us all into one coal, We have deserv'd it.

Omnes, 'Faith, we hear fearful news. 1 Cit. For mine own part, When I said, banish him, I said, 'twas pity. 2 Cit. And so did I.

[Capitol?

5

Lieut. I do not know what witchcraft's in him;

but

Your soldiers use him as the grace 'fore meat,
Their talk at table, and their thanks at end;
And you are darken'd in this action, sir,
Even by your own.

Auf. I cannot help it now;

Unless by using means, I lame the foot

Of our design. He bears himself more proudly 10 Even to my person, than I thought he would, When first I did embrace him: yet his nature In that's no changeling; and I must excuse. What cannot be amended.

Lieut. Yet I wish, sir,

15(I mean, for your particular) you had not
Join'd in commission with him; but either borne
The action of yourself, or else to him
Had left it solely.

Auf. I understand thee well; and be thou sure, 20 When he shall come to his account, he knows not What I can urge against him. Although it seems, And so he thinks, and is no less apparent

To the vulgar eye, that he bears all things fairly, And shews good husbandry for the Volcian state; 25 Fights dragon-like, and does atchieve as soon As draw his sword: yet he hath left undone That, which shall break his neck, or nazard mine, Whene'er we come to our account. [Rome? Lieut. Sir, I beseech you, think you he'll carry Auf. All places yield to him ere he sits down; And the nobility of Rome are his :

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The senators, and patricians, love him too: The tribunes are no soldiers; and their people Will be as rash in the repeal, as hasty

35 To expel him thence. I think, he'll be to Rome As is the osprey to the fish, who takes it By sovereignty of nature. First he was

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3 Cit. And so did I; and, to say the truth, so did very many of us: That we did, we did for the best; and though we willingly consented to his banishment, yet it was against our will. Com. You are goodly things, you voices! Men. You have made you Good work, you and your cry!-Shall us to the Com. O, ay; what else? [Exe. Com. and Men. Sic. Go, masters, get you home, be not dismay'd; 45 These are a side, that would be glad to have This true, which they so seem to fear, Go home, And shew no sign of fear.

1 Cit. The gods be good to us! Come, masters,

A noble servant to them; but he could not
Carry his honours even: whether 'twas pride,
Which out of daily fortune ever taints
The happy man; whether defect of judgement,
To fail in the disposing of those chances
Which he was lord of; or whether nature,
Not to be other than one thing, not moving
From the casque to the cushion, but commanding

peace

Even with the same austerity and garb As he controll'd the war: but, one of these, (As he hath spices of them all, not all,

let's home. I ever said, we were i' the wrong, 50 For I dare so far free him) made him fear'd, when we banish'd him.

2 Cit. So did we all. But come, let's home. [Exeunt Citizens.

Bru. I do not like this news.

Sic. Nor I.

So hated, and so banish'd; but he has a merit,
To choak it in the utterance. So our virtues
Lie in the interpretation of the time:
And power, unto itself most commendable,
[wealth 55 Hath not a tomb so evident as a chair
To extol what it hath done3.

Bru. Let's to the Capitol:-'Would, half my Would buy this for a lie!

Sic. Pray, let us go,

[Exeunt Tribunes. SCENE VII.

A Camp; at a small distance from Rome. Enter Aufidius, with his Lieutenant.

Auf. Do they still fly to the Roman?

One fire drives out one fire; one nail, one nail; Right's by right fouler, strengths by strength do fail.

60 Come, let's away. When, Caius, Rome is thine, Thou art poor'st of all; then shortly art thou mine. [Exeunt.

1i. e. As they hooted at his departure, they will roar at his return; as he went out with scoffs, he will come back with lamentations. 2 Á kind of eagle. 3 The sense is, The virtue which delights

to commend itself, will find the surest tomb in that chair wherein it holds forth its own commendations. * i. e. What is already right, and received as such, becomes less clear when supported by supernumerary proofs, ACT

LANUS.

SCENE I.

A public Place in Rome.

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

Men. No, I'll not go: you hear, what he hath

said,

Which was sometime 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 speak, I'll keep at home.
Com. He would not seem 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 answer to: forbad all names;
He was a kind of nothing, titleless,
"Till he had forg'd himself a name i' the fire
Of burning Rome.

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

Com. I minded him, how royal 'twas to pardon
When least it was expected: he replied,
It was a bare' petition of a state,
To one whom they had punish'd.
Men. Very well:

Could he say less?

Com. I offer'd to awaken his regard
For his private friends: his answer to me was,
He could not stay to pick them in a pile
Of noisome, musty chaff: he said, 'twas folly,
For one poor grain or two, to leave unburnt,
And still to nose the offence.

Men. For one poor grain or two?

I am one of those; his mother, wife, his child,
And this brave fellow too, we are the grains:
You are the musty chaff; and you are smelt
Above the moon: We must be burnt for you. [aid
Sic. Nay, pray, be patient: If you
In this so never-needed help, yet do not
refuse your
Upbraid us with our distress. But sure, if you
Wouldbeyourcountry'spleader, yourgoodtongue,
More than the instant army we can make,

Might stop our countrymen.

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10 And hum at good Cominius, much unhearts
He was not taken well; he had not din'd:
The veins unfill'd, our blood is cold, and the
We pout upon the morning, are unapt

To give or to forgive; but when we have stu
15 These pipes, and these conveyances of our bl
With wine and feeding, we have suppler souls [
Than in our priest-like fasts: therefore I'll wa
Till he be dieted to my request,

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And then I'll set upon him."

Bru. You know the very road into his kindn And cannot lose your way.

Men. Good faith, I'll prove him,

Speed how it will. I shall ere long have knowled
Of my success.

Com. He'll never hear him.

Sic. Not?

[E

Com. I tell you, he does sit in gold, his eye
Red as 'twould burn Rome: and his injury
The gaoler to his pity. I kneel'd before him
30 'Twas very faintly he said, Rise; dismiss'd me
Thus, with his speechless hand: What he would d
He sent in writing after me; what he would no
Bound with an oath, to yield to his conditions
35 Unless his noble mother, and his wife,
So that all hope is vain;
Who, as I hear, mean to solicit him
For mercy to his country-Therefore, let's hence
And with our fair entreaties haste them on.

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Men. You guard like men; 'tis well: But, by

I am an officer of state, and come

To speak with Coriolanus.

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Men. No; I'll not meddle.

1 Watch. From whence?

Sic. Pray you, go to him.

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Men. From Rome.

Men. What should I do?

Bru. Only make trial what your love can do

For Rome, towards Marcius.

Men. Well, and say that Marcius

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

To rack means to harass by exactions.-The meaning is, You that have been such good stewards for the Roman people, as to get their houses burnt over their heads, to save them the expence of coals. Memory for memorial.

son is of opinion, that here is a chasm.-The speaker's purpose soome tel

› A bare petition means only a mere petition.

dition is ruin. and better

4 Dr. John

me,

And of his friends there, it is lots' to blanks,
My name hath touch'd your ears: it is Menenius. 5
i Watch. 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
His fame unparallel'd, happily, amplified;
For I have ever verified my friends,

10

(Of whom he's chief) with all the size that verity Would without lapsing suffer: nay, sometimes, 15 Like to a bowl upon a subtle' ground,

I have tumbled past the throw; and in his praise Have, almost, stamp'd the leasing: Therefore, fellow,

I must have leave to pass.

1 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 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 Menenius, always factionary on the party of your general.

Men. Nay, but fellow, feilov

Enter Coriolanus, with Cor. What's the matter? Men. Now, you companion, for you: you shall know now, mation: you shall perceive that cannot office me from my son C by my entertainment with him, il 'the state of hanging, or of so long in spectatorship,and crueller hold now presently, and swoon fo upon thee. The glorious gods si about thy particular prosperity, worse than thy old father Menen son, my son! thou art preparing thee, here's water to quench i 20moved to come to thee: but bei but myself could move thee, I out of your gates with sighs; and pardon Rome, and thy petitiona The good gods assuage thy wrat dregs of it upon this varlet here; a block, hath denied my access Cor. Away!

25

2 Watch. Howsoever you have been his liar, (as you say, you have) I am one that, telling 30 true under him, must say, you cannot pass. Therefore, go back.

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

1 Watch. You are a Roman, are you? Men. I am as thy general is.

35

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 shield, 40 think to front his revenges with the easy groans of old women, the virginal palms of your daughters, or with the palsy'd intercession of such a decay'd dotant as you seem to be? Can you think to blow out the intended fire your city is ready to 45 flame in, with such 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 sworn you out of reprieve and pardon.

Men. Sirrah, if thy captain knew I were here, he would use me with estimation.

2 Watch. Come, my captain knows you not. Men. I mean, thy general.

1 Watch. My general cares not for you. Back,

Men. How! away!

Cor. Wife, mother, child, I know Are servanted to others: Thoug My revenge properly, my remissi In Volcian breasts". That we hav Ingrate forgetfulness shall poison, Than pity note how much.-The Mine ears against your suits are s Your gates against my force. Yet, Take this along; I writ it for thy

[Giv

And would have sent it. Another w

I

will not hear thee speak.-This Was my belov'd in Rome: yet th Auf. You keep a constant temp

Manent the Guard, and M 1 Watch. Now, sir, is your nani 2 Watch. 'Tis a spell, you see, of You know the way home again.

1 Watch. Do you hear how we keeping your greatness back?

2 Watch. What cause, do you th 50 swoon?

Men. I neither care for the wo general: for such things as you, I ca there's any, you are so slight. He t 55/your general do his worst. For yo to die by himself, fears it not from

A lot here is a prize. 2 Dr. Johnson explains this passage thus: To verify is testimony. One may say with propriety, he brought false witnesses to verify his title. considered the word with his usual laxity, as importing rather testimony than truth, an to say, I bore witness to my friends with all the size that verity would suffer.

4

3 Subtle 1

level. By virginal palms may be understood the holding up the hands in supplicat Though I have a peculiar right in revenge, in the power of forgiveness the Volcians a • Shent means shamed, disgraced, made ashamed of ourselves.

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