Sic. Anfwer to us.

Cor. Say then: 'tis true, I ought fo.

[take

Sic. We charge you, that you have contriv'd to
From Rome all feafon'd 3 office, and to wind
Yourself into a power tyrannical;
For which, you are a traitor to the people.
Cor. How! Traitor?

Men. Nay; temperately: Your promise.
Cor. The fires i' the loweft hell fold in the people!!
Call me their traitor !-Thou injurious tribune!
Within thine eyes fat twenty thousand deaths,
In thine hands clutch'd as many millions, in
Thy lying tongue both numbers, I would fay,
Thou lieft, unto thee, with a voice as free

As I do pray the gods.

(As much as in him lies) from time to time Envy'd 4 against the people, feeking means To pluck away their power; as 5 now at laft 25| Given hoftile ftrokes, and that not in the prefence Of dreaded juftice, but on the ministers

30

35

That do diftribute it; In the name o' the people,
And in the power of us the tribunes, we,

Even from this inftant, banish him our city;
In peril of precipitation

From off the rock Tarpeian, never more

To enter our Rome gates: I' the people's name,
I fay, it fhall be so.

All. It fhall be fo, it fhall be fo; let him away:
He's banish'd, and it fhall be fo. [friends;-
Com. Hear me, my mafters, and my common
Sic. He's fentenc'd: no more hearing.
Com. Let me fpeak:

I have been conful, and can shew from Rome,
40 Her enemies' marks upon me. I do love
My country's good, with a refpe&t more tender,
More holy, and profound, than mine own life,
My dear wife's estimate 7, her womb's increase,
And treasure of my loins: then if I would
45 Speak that-

150

Sic. Mark you this, people?

55

All. To the rock with him! to the rock with him!
Sic. Peace.

We need not lay new matter to his charge:

Sic. We know your drift: Speak what?
Bru. There's no more to be faid, but he is banish'd
As enemy to the people, and his country:
It fhall be fo.

All. It fhall be fo, it fhall be fo.

Cor. You common cry of curs! whofe breath I hate
As reek o' the rotten fens, whofe loves I prize
As the dead carcaffes of unburied men
That do corrupt my air, I banish you;
And here remain with your uncertainty !
Let every feeble rumour thake your hearts!
Your enemies, with nodding of their plumes,
Fan you into despair! have the power still

i. e. would bear being called a knave as often as would fill out a volume. 2 Envy is here taken

at large for malignity, or ill intention. with figns of hatred to the people. Not ftands again for not only.

dear wife.

3i.e. all office eftallifhed and fettled by time. 4 i. e. behaved

5 As, in this inftance, would feem to have the power of as well 7 i. e. I love my country beyond the rate at which I value my

I shall be lov'd, when I am lack'd. Nay, mother,
Refume that spirit, when you were wont to say,
If you had been the wife of Hercules,
Six of his labours you'd have done, and fav'd
Your husband fo much fweat.-Cominius,
Droop not; adieu:-Farewel, my wife ! my mother!
I'll do well yet. Thou old and true Menenius,
Thy tears are falter than a younger man's,
And venomous to thine eyes.-My fometime general,
I have feen thee stern, and thou haft oft beheld
Heart-hard`ning fpectacles; tell these fad women,
'Tis fond 3 to wal inevitable strokes,

As 'tis to laugh at them.-My mother, youwot well,
My hazards ftill have been your folace: and
Believe't not lightly, (though I go alone,
Like to a lonely dragon, that his fen

[fon

Makes fear'd, and talk'd of more than feen) your
Will, or exceed the common, or be caught

IV. .

With cautelous baits and practice 4.

Vol. My first 5 fon,

20 Whither wilt thou go? Take good Cominius
With thee a while: Determine on fome course,
More than a wild expofture to each chance
That ftarts the way before thee.
Cor. O the gods!

25

Com. I'll follow thee a month, devife with thee
Where thou shalt reft, that thou may'st hear of us,
And we of thee: fo, if the time thrust forth,
A caufe for thy repeal, we fhall not fend
O'er the vaft world, to seek a single man;
30 And lofe advantage, which doth ever cool
I' the abfence of the needer.

Cor. Fare ye well:

Thou haft years upon thee; and thou art too full
Of the war's furfeits, to go rove with one

35 That's yet unbruis'd; bring me but out at gate.-
Come, my fweet wife, my dearest mother, and
My friends of noble touch; when I am forth,
Bid me farewel, and smile. I pray you, come.
While I remain above the ground, you shall
40 Hear from me ftill; and never of me aught
But what is like me formerly.

Abated is dejected, fubdued, depreffed in fpirits. 2 The fenfe is, When fortune ftrikes her hardest blows, to be wounded, and yet continue calm, requires a generous policy. He calls this calmness cunning, because it is the effect of reflection and philofophy. 3 i. e. foolish. falfe tricks, and treason. 5 First, i. e. nobleft, and most eminent of men. anallay'd: a metaphor taken from trying gold on the touchstone.

4. e. by artful and

i. e. of true metal

Sice

[rabble:

Vol. I would he had? 'Twas you incens'd the
Cats, that can judge as fitly of his worth,

As I can of thofe myfteries which heaven
Will not have earth to know.

Bru. Pray, let us go.

Vol. Now, pray, fir, get you gone:

You have done a brave deed. Ere you go, hear this:
As far as doth the Capitol exceed

The meaneft houfe in Rome; fo far, my fon,
(This lady's husband here, this, do you fee)
Whom you have banifh'd, does exceed you all.
Bra. Well, well, we'll leave you.

Sic. Why stay we to be baited

With one that wants her wits?
Vel. Take my prayers with you.-
I would the gods had nothing elfe to do,
[Exeunt Tribunes.

201

But to confirm my curfes! Could I meet 'em
But once a-day, it would unclog my heart
Of what lies heavy to 't.

727

[with me? You'll fup

Men. You have told them home,
And, by my troth, you have caufe.
Vel. Anger's my meat; I fup upon myself,
And fo fhall ftarve with feeding.-Come, let's go:
Leave this faint puling, and lament as I do,
in anger, Juno-like. Come, come, come.
Men. Fie, fie, fie!

SCENE III.

Between Rome and Antium.

Enter a Roman, and a Volce.

[Exeunt.

Rom. I know you well, fir, and you know me : your name, I think, is Adrian.

Vol. It is fo, fir: truly, I have forgot you.
Rom. I am a Roman; and my fervices are, as
you are, against 'em: Know you me yet?
Vel. Nicanor? No.

Rom. The fame, fir.

Vel. You had more beard, when I last saw you; but your favour is well appear'd by your tongue. What's the news in Rome? I have a note from 25 the Volcian ftate, to find you out there: You have well faved me a day's journey.

30

Rom. There hath been in Rome strange infurrection: the people against the fenators, patricians, and nobles.

Vol. Hath been! Is it ended then? Our state thinks not fo; they are in a most warlike preparation, and hope to come upon them in the heat of their divifion.

Rom. The main blaze of it is past, but a small 35thing would make it flame again. For the nobles receive fo to heart the banishment of that worthy Coriolanus, that they are in a ripe aptnefs, to take all power from the people, and to pluck from them their tribunes for ever. This lies glowing, 40I can tell you, and is almoft mature for the violent breaking out.

Vol. Coriolanus banish'd?

Rom. Banish'd, fir.

Vol. You will be welcome with this intelli45 gence, Nicanor.

Rom. The day ferves well for them now. I have heard it faid, The fittest time to corrupt a man's wife, is when he's fallen out with her hufband. Your noble Tullus Aufidius will appear 50well in thefe wars, his great oppofer Coriolanus being now in no request of his country.

Vol. He cannot choofe. I am most fortunate, thus accidentally to encounter you: You have ended my bufinefs, and I will merrily accompany you 55 home.

Rom. I fhall, between this and fupper, tell you more ftrange things from Rome; all tending to the good of their adverfaries. Have you an army [ready, fay you?

1 Dr. Johnson here remarks, that the word mankind is ufed maliciously by the first speaker, and taken perverfely by the second. A mankind woman is a woman with the roughness of a man, and, in an aggravated fenfe, a woman ferocious, violent, and eager to fhed blood. In this fenfe Sicinius asks Volumnia, if the be mankind. She takes mankind for a human creature, and accordingly cries out: “ Note but this fool.-Was not a man my father?" 2. e. cunning enough.

3A 4

On a diffention of a doit, break out
To bittereft enmity: So, felleft foes,
Whofe paffions and whofe plots have broke their
To take the one the other, by fome chance,
Some trick not worth an egg, fhall grow dear friends,
And interjoin their iffues. So with me:
My birth-place hate I, and my love's upon
This enemy town.-I'll enter: if he flay me,
He does fair juftice; if he give me way,
I'll do his country fervice.

SCENE V.

A Hall in Aufidius's Houfe.
Mufick plays. Enter a Serving-man.

45

[Exit.

50

I Serv. Wine, wine, wine! What fervice is here! I think our fellows are asleep.

Enter another Serving-man.

[Exit.

2 Ser. Where's Cotus? my mafter calls for 55 him. Cotus!

Enter Coriolanus.

[Exit.

Cor. A goodly houfe: The feaft fmells well: but I

Appear not like a guest.

Cor. Follow your function, go,

And batten on cold bits.

[Pufbes bim away. 3 Serv. What, will you not? Pr'ythee, tell my mafter what a ftrange gueft he has here.

2 Str. And I fhall.

3 Serv. Where dwell'st thou ?

Cor. Under the canopy.

3 Serv. Under the canopy?

Cor. Ay.

3 Serv. Where's that?

Cor. I' the city of kites and crows.

[Exit.

3 Serv. I' the city of kites and crows?-What an afs it is?-Then thou dwell'ft with daws too? Cor. No, I ferve not thy master.

3 Serv. How, fir! Do you meddle with my master? Cor. Ay; 'tis an honefter fervice, than to meddle with thy mistress:

hence!

Thou prat'ft, and prat'ft; ferve with thy trencher,
[Beats bim away.
Enter Aufidius, with the fecond Serving-man.
Auf. Where is this fellow?

2 Serv. Here, fir; I'd have beaten him like a dog, but for disturbing the lords within.

Auf. Whence comeft thou? what wouldeft
thou? Thy name?

Why fpeak'ft not? Speak, man: What's thy name?
Cor. If, Tullus,

Not yet thou know'ft me, and feeing me, doft not
Think me for the man I am, neceffity

160l Commands me name myself.

That is, though not actually encamped, yet already in pay. To entertain an army is to take them into pay. 2 Companion was formerly ufed in the fame fenfe as we now ufe the word

fellow.

Auf.

Auf. What is thy name?

Cor. A name unmufical to the Volces' ears, And harsh in found to thine.

Auf. Say, what's thy name?

Thou haft a grim appearance, and thy face
Bears a command in't: though thy tackle's torn,
Thou fhew'ft a noble vessel: What's thy name?
Cor. Prepare thy brow to frown: Know'st thou
Auf. I know thee not:-Thy name? [me yet?
Cor. My name is Caius Marcius, who hath done
To thee particularly, and to all the Volces,
Great hurt and mischief; thereto witness may
My furname, Coriolanus: The painful fervice,
The extreme dangers, and the drops of blood
Shed for my thanklefs country, are requited
But with that furname; a good memory',
And witness of the malice and displeasure [mains:|
Which thou shouldft bear me, only that name re-
The cruelty and envy of the people,
Permitted by our daftard nobles, who
Have all forfook me, hath devour'd the rest;
And suffer'd me by the voice of flaves to be
Whoop'd out Rome. Now, this extremity
Hath brought me to thy hearth: Not out of hope,
Mistake me not, to fave my life; for if

I had fear'd death, of all the men i' the world
I would have 'voided thee: but in mere spite,
To be full quit of those my banishers,
Stand I before thee here. Then if thou haft
A heart of wreak in thee, that wilt revenge
Thine own particular wrongs, and stop thofe maims
Of shame 3 seen through thy country, speed thee
ftraight,

And make my misery serve thy turn; fo use it,
That my revengeful fervices may prove
As benefits to thee; for I will fight
Against my canker'd country with the spleen
Of all the under fiends. But if fo be

Thou dar'ft not this, and that to prove more fortunes
Thou art tir'd, then, in a word, I also am
Longer to live most weary, and present
My throat to thee, and to thy ancient malice:
Which not to cut would fhew thee but a fool;
Since I have ever follow'd thee with hate,
Drawn tuns of blood out of thy country's breaft,
And cannot live but to thy fhame, unless
It be to do thee service.

Auf. O Marcius, Marcius,

[heart

Each word thou haft spoke hath weeded from my
A root of ancient envy. If Jupiter

Should from yon cloud speak divine things, and fay,
'Tis true; I'd not believe them more than thee,
All noble Marcius.-Let me twine
Mine arms about that body, where against
My grained ash an hundred times hath broke,

And fearr'd the moon with splinters! Here I clip

The anvil of my fword; and do contest

As hotly and as nobly with thy love,

As ever in ambitious ftrength I did

5

Sigh'd truer breath; but that I fee thee here,
Thou noble thing! more dances my rapt heart,
Than when I first my wedded mistress saw
Beftride my threshold. Why, thou Mars! I tell
thee,

We have a power on foot; and I had purpose
Once more to hew thy target from thy brawn,
Or lofe mine arm for't: Thou haft beat me out
Twelve feveral times, and I have nightly fince
Dreamt of encounters 'twixt thyfelf and me;
We have been down together in my sleep,
Unbuckling helms, fisting each other's throat,
And wak'd half dead with nothing. Worthy
Marcius,

15 Had we no quarrel elfe to Rome, but that
Thou art thence banifh'd, we would mufter all
From twelve to feventy; and, pouring war
Into the bowels of ungrateful Rome,
Like a bold flood o'er-beat. O, come, go in,
20 And take our friendly fenators by the hands;
Who now are here, taking their leaves of me,
Who am prepar'd against your territories,
Though not for Rome itself.

25

30

Auf. Therefore, moft abfolute fir, if thou wilt
The leading of thine own revenges, take
The one half of my commiffion, and fet down,-
As beft thou art experienc'd, fince thou know'st
Thy country's ftrength and weaknefs,-thine own
ways:

Whether to knock against the gates of Rome,
Or rudely visit them in parts remote,

To fright them, ere destroy. But come in:
Let me commend thee first to those, that shall
35 Say, yea, to thy defires. A thousand welcomes !
And more a friend than e'er an enemy;
Yet, Marcius, that was much. Your hand: Moft
welcome!
[Exeunt.

40

1 Serv. Here's a strange alteration!

2 Serv. By my hand, I had thought to have ftrucken him with a cudgel; and yet my mind gave me, his clothes made a false report of him.

I Serv. What an arm he has! He turn'd me about with his finger and his thumb, as one would 45 fet up a top.

2 Serv. Nay, I knew by his face that there was fomething in him: He had, fir, a kind of face, methought,-I cannot tell how to term it.

1 Serv. He had fo; looking, as it were,50Would I were hang'd, but I thought there was more in him than I could think.

2 Serv. So did I, I'll be fworn: He is fimply the rareft man i' the world.

1 Serv. I think he is: but a greater foldier

55 than he, you wot one.

2 Serv. Who? my master?

1 Serv. Nay, it's no matter for that.

2 Serv. Worth fix of him.

1 Serv. Nay, not fo neither: but I take him to

Contend against thy valour. Know thou first, 60 be the greater foldier.

I lov'd the maid I marry'd; never man

1 Memory for memorial.

territory.

2 Serv. 'Faith, look you, one cannot tell how

2 i. e. refentment or revenge.

3 i. e. difgraceful diminutions of

to