sun,

When the alarum were struck, than idly sit
To hear my nothings monster'd.

[Exit CORIOLANUS.
Men.
Masters o' the people,
Your multiplying spawn how can he flatter,
(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, Co-
minius.

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
Most dignifies the haver: if it be,

The man I speak of cannot in the world
Be singly counterpois'd. At sixteen years,
When Tarquin made a head for Rome,' he fought
Beyond the mark of others: our then dictator,
Whom with all praise I point at, saw him fight,
When with his Amazonian chin he drovo
The bristled lips before him: he bestrid
An o'er-press'd Roman, and i' the consul's view
Slew three opposers: Tarquin's self he met,
And struck him on his knee :2 in that day's feats,
When he might act the woman in the scene,
He prov'd best man i' the field, and for his meed
Was brow-bound with the oak.
His pupil age
Man-enter'd thus, he waxed like a sea;
And, in the brunt of seventeen battles since,4
He lurch'd' all swords o' the garland. For this last,
Before and in Corioli, let me say,

I cannot speak him home: He stopp'd the fliers;
And, by his rare example, made the coward
Turn terror into sport as waves before

1 When Tarquin, who had been expelled, raised a power to recover Rome.

2 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: ad terram duplicato poplite Turnus.'

3 It has been before 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. This is a palpable anachronism; there were no theatres at Rome for the exhibition of plays until about two hundred and fifty years after the death of Coriolanus.

4 Plutarch says, 'seventeen years of service in the wars, and many and sundry battles: but from Coriolanus's first campaign to his death was only a period of eight years.

A vessel under sail, so men obey'd,
And fell below his stem: his sword (death's stamp)
Where it did mark, it took; from face to foot
He was a thing of blood, whose every motion
Was tim'd' with dying cries: alone he enter'd
The mortal gates o' the city, which he painted
With shunless destiny, aidless came off,
And with a sudden reinforcement struck
Corioli, like a planet: now all's his :
When by-and-by the din of war 'gan pierce
His ready sense: then straight his doubled spirit
Requicken'd what in flesh was fatigate,
And to the battle came he; where he did
Run reeking o'er the lives of men, as if
'Twere a perpetual spoil: and, till we call'd
Both field and city ours, he never stood
To case his breast with panting.
Men.

9

Worthy man'

1 Sen. He cannot but with measure fit the ho

&c. which Malone pertinaciously adheres to. I think with Steevens, that a vessel stemming the waves is an image much more suitable to the prowess of Coriolanus, than that which Malone would substitute.

7 The cries of the slaughtered regularly followed h motion, as music and a dancer accompany each other. 8 The gate which was made the scene of death. 9 Wearied.

10 No honour will be too great for him; he will show a mind equal to any elevation.

11 Misery for avarice, because a miser signifies avaricious.

12 Coriolanus (as Warburton observes) was banished A. U. C. 262. But till the time of Manlius Torquatus, A. U. C. 393, the senate chose both consuls; and then the people, assisted by the seditions temper of the tribunes, got the choice of one. Shakspeare follows Plu5 To lurch is to win or carry off easily the prize ortarch, who expressly says in the Life of Coriolanus, stake at any game. It originally signified to devour that it was the custome of Rome at that time, that greedily, from lurco, Lat. ; then to purloin, subtract, or such as dyd sue for any office, should for certen dayes withdraw any thing from another. Thus in Ben Jon-before be in the market-place, only with a poor gowne son's Silent Woman-You have lurch'd your friends on their backes, and without any coate underneath, to of the better half of the garland. Cole, in his Latin praye the people to remember them at the day of elec Dictionary, 1679, has A lurch, duplex palina facilis tion.'- North's Translation, p. 244.

victoria.'

6 Thus the second folio. The first folio' as weeds,'

13 Your form' is the form which custom prescribes to you.

Show them the unaking scars which I should hide, | tongues: therefore follow me, and I'll direct you As if I had receiv'd them for the hire

1 Cit. Once, if he do require our voices, we'll leave you: Pray you, speak to them, I pray you, ought not to deny him.

2 Cit. We may, sir, if we will.

3 Cit. We have power in ourselves to do it, but it is a power that we have no power to do :3 for if he show us his wounds, and tell us his deeds, we are to put our tongues into those wounds, and speak for them: so, if he tell us his noble deeds, we must also tell him our noble acceptance of them. Ingratitude is monstrous: and for the multitude to be ingrateful, were to make a monster of the multitude; of the which, we being members, should bring ourselves to be monstrous members.

serted when after once, which is indeed elliptically un-tuous precepts which our divines preach to them.' This derstood.

dearer estimation of them: 'tis a condition they account gentle and since the wisdom of their choice is rather to have my hat than my heart, I will practise the insinuating nod, and be off to them most counterfeitly: that is, sir, I will counterfeit the bewitchment of some popular man, and give it bountifully to the desirers. Therefore, beseech you, I may be consul,

4 Cit. We hope to find you our friend; and therefore give you our voices heartily.

3 Cit. You have received many wounds for your

3

[Exeunt.

Better it is to die, better to starve,
Than crave the hire which first we do deserve.
Why in this wolvish gown2 should I stand here,
To beg of Hob and Dick, that do appear,
Their needless vouches? Custom calls me to't:-
What custom wills, in all things should we do't,
The dust on antique time would lie unswept,
And mountainous error be too highly heap'd
For truth to overpeer. Rather than fool it so,
Let the high office and the honour go
To one that would do thus.-I am half through:
The one part suffer'd, the other will I do.
Enter three other Citizens.

Here come more voices,—
Your voices; for your voices I have fought;
Watch'd for your voices; for your voices, bear
Of wounds two dozen odd; battles thrice six

I have seen, and heard of; for your voices, have4
Done many things, some less, some more: your

voices?

Indeed, I would be consul.

5 Cit. He has done nobly, and cannot go without any honest man's voice.

6 Cit. Therefore, let him be consul: The gods give him joy, and make him good friend to the people!

All. Amen, Amen.-
God save thee, noble consul! [Exeunt Citizens.
Cor,
Worthy voices!
Re-enter MENENIUS, with BRUTUS and SICINIUS.
Men. You have stood your limitation; and the
tribunes

Endue you with the people's voice; Remains
That, in the official marks invested, you
Anon do meet the senate.
Cor,

Is this done?

Sic. The custom of request you have discharg'd:
The people do admit you; and are summon'd
To meet anon, upon your approbation.
Cor, Where? at the senate-house?
Sic.

There, Coriolanus.
Cor. May I change these garments?
Sic

You may, sir. 1 I will not strengthen or complete your knowledge. The seal is that which ratifics or completes a writing.

2 Thus the second folio. The first folio reads wolvish tongue,' apparently an error of the press for toge; the same mistake having occurred in Othello, where tongued consuls' is printed for aged consuls. By a walvish gown Coriolanus means a deceitful one; in allusion to the fable of the wolf in sheep's clothing: not that he means to call himself the wolf, but merely to say, Why should I stand here playing the hypocrite, and simulating the humility that is not in my nature Or, as Shakspeare expresses it in All's Well that Ends Well: To wear the surprice of humility over the black gown of a big heart. Brutus afterwards says:With a proud heart he wore

6

His humble weeds.'

3 Cit. He said, he had wounds, which he could show in private;

And with his hat, thus waving it in

scorn,

I would be consul, says he: aged custom,
But by your voices, will not so permit me;
Your voices therefore: When we granted that,
Here was, I thank you for your voices,-thank
you,-

Your most sweet voices :-now you have left your
voices,

I have no further with you:Was not this
mockery?

Sie. Why, either, were you ignorant to see't?"
Or, seeing it, of such childish friendliness
To yield your voices?

Bru.
Could you not have told him,
As you were lesson'd-When he had no power,
But was a petty servant to the state,
He was your enemy; ever spake against
Your liberties, and the charters that you bear
I' the body of the weal: and now, arriving
A place of potency, and sway o' the state,
If he should still malignantly remain
Fast foe to the plebeii, your voices might
Be curses to yourselves. You should have said,
That, as his worthy deeds did claim no less
Than what he stood for; so his gracious nature
Would think upon you for your voices, and
Translate his malice towards you into love,
Standing your friendly lord.

Sic.
Thus to have said,
As you were fore-advis'd, had touch'd his spirit,
And try'd his inclination; from him pluck'd
Either his gracious promise, which you might,

4 Dr. Farmer says, perhaps we should read:-
battles thrice six

I've seen, and you have heard of; for your voices
Done many things,' &c.

Coriolanus seeming now in earnest to petition for the
consulate.

5 The Romans (as Warburton observes) had but lately changed the regal for the consular government: for Coriolanus was banished the eighteenth year after the expulsion of the kings. Plutarch, as we have before seen, led the poet into the error concerning this agea custom.

6 Were you ignorant to see't?' is 'did you want knowledge to discern it?' arriving

7

A place of potency.

The poet has here given the names (as in many other places he has attributed the customs) of England So in the Third Part of King Henry VI. Act v. Sc. 3 →→→ to ancient Rome. Hob and Dick were names of frequent occurrence among the common people in Shakspeare's time, and generally used to signify a peasant or low person.

Hath

8 i. e. you,' &c.

those powers that the queen rais'd in Gallia have arriv'd our coast. Would retain a grateful remembrance or

As cause hac call'd you up, nave held him to;
Or else it would have gail'd his surly nature,
Which easily endures not article

Tying him to aught; so, putting him to rage,
You should have ta'en the advantage of his choler,
And pass'd him unelected.

Bru.
Did you perceive,
He did solicit you in free contempt,'
When he did need your loves; and do you think
That his contempt shall not be bruising to you,
When he hath power to crush? Why, had your
bodies

Have you,

No heart among you? Or had you tongues, to cry
Against the rectorship of judgment?
Sic.
Ere now, deny'd the asker? and, now again,
On him, that did not ask, but mock, bestow

Your sued-for tongues?"

Let them go on;

This mutiny were better put in hazard,
Than stay, past doubt, for greater:
If, as his nature is, he fall in rage
With their refusal, both observe and answer
The vantage of his anger.
Sic.
To the Capitol :
Come, we'll be there before the stream o' the people,

3 Cit. He's not confirm'd, we may deny him yet. And this shall seem, as partly 'tis, their own,
2 Cit. And will deny him;

I'll have five hundred voices of that sound.

1 Cit. I twice five hundred, and their friends to piece 'em.

Bru. Get you hence instantly; and tell those
friends,-

They have chose a consul, that will from them take
Their liberties; make them of no more voice
Than dogs, that are as often beat for barking,
As therefore kept to do so.
Sic.
Let them assemble;
And, on a safer judgment, all revoke
Your ignorant election: Enforce3 his pride,
And his old hate unto you: besides, forget not
With what contempt he wore the humble weed;
How in his suit he scorn'd you but your loves,
Thinking upon his services, took from you
The apprehension of his present portance,
Which most gibingly, ungravely he did fashion
After the inveterate hate he bears you.

Bru.

Lay
A fault on us, your tribunes; that we labour'd
(No impediment between) but that you must
Cast your election on him.
Sic.
Say you chose him
More after our commandment, than as guided
By your own true affections: and that, your minds
Preoccupy'd with what you rather must do
Than what you should, made you against the grain
To voice him consul: Lay the fault on us.
Bru. Ay, spare us not. Say, we read lectures

to you,

How youngly he began to serve his country,

Which we have goaded onward.

ACT III.

[Exeunt.

Cor. I wish, I had cause to seek him there

How long continued: and what stock he springs of, To oppose his hatred fully.-Welcome home

The noble house o' the Marcians; from whence came
That Ancus Marcius, Numa's daughter's son,
Who, after great Hostilius, here was king:
Of the same house Publius and Quintus were,
That our best water brought by conduits hither;
And Censorinus, darling of the people,
And nobly nam'd so, being censor twice,
Was his great ancestor.

Sic.

One thus descended,

That hath beside well in his person wrought
To be set high in place, we did commend

1 That is, in pure contempt, open and unrestrained.
2 Your voices, to obtain which so many have
hitherto solicited.'

3 Object his pride, and enforce the objection. afterwards:

Enforce him with his envy to the people.'

4 i. e. carriage. So in Othello :

And portance in my travels' history.'

So

5 Pope supplied this verse, which the context evidently requires, and which is warranted by the narration in Plutarch, from whence this passage is taken :-The house of the Martians at Rome was of the number of the patricians, out of which sprung many noble person. ages, whereof Ancus Martius was one, King Numaes daughter's sonne, who was King of Rome after Tullus Hostilius. Of the same house were Publius and Quintus, who brought to Rome their best water they had by conduits. Censorinus came of that familie, that was so surnamed because the people had chosen him censor twice. Publius and Quintus and Censorinus were not!

the ancestors of Coriolanus, but his descendants. Caius
Martius Rutilius did not obtain the name of Censorinus
till the year of Rome 487; and the Marcian waters were
not brought to the city by aqueducts till the year 613, near
350 years after the death of Coriolanus. Shakspeare
has confounded the ancestors and posterity of Coriola-
nus together.

6 That is, weighing his past and present behaviour.
7 i. e. our incitation. So in King Lear :-
you protect this course,

And put it on by your allowance.'

8 Shakspeare has here again given the usage of England to Rome. In his time the title of lord was given to many officers of state who were not peers, as lords of the council, lord ambassador, lord general, &c. 9 That is, with a convoy, a guard appointed to pro tect him.

10 So in Measure for Measure, Act ii. Sc. 2:-
'Drest in a little brief authority'

Com. Hath he not pass'd the nobles, and the commons?

Bru. Cominius, no.
Cor.

As for my country I have shed my blood, Not fearing outward force, so shall my lungs Have I had children's voices? Coin words till their decay, against those meazels, 1 Sen. Tribunes, give way; he shall to the mar-Which we disdain should tetter us, yet sought ket-place. The very way to catch them. Bru. You speak o' the people, As if you were a god to punish, not A man of their infirmity. Sic.

Bru. The people are incens'd against him.
Sic.

Stop,

Or all will fall in broil.
Cor.
Are these your herd?-
Must these have voices, that can yield them now,
And straight disclaim their tongues ?-What are
your offices?

You, being their mouths, why rule you not their
teeth?

Have you not set them on?
Men.

Be calm, be calm.
Cor. It is a purpos'd thing, and grows by plot,
To curb the will of the nobility:-

Suffer it, and live with such as cannot rule,
Nor ever will be rul'd.

Call't not a plot :

Bru.
The people cry, you mock'd them; and, of late,
When corn was given them gratis, you repin'd;
Scandal'd the suppliants for the people; call'd them
Time-pleasers, flatterers, foes to nobleness.
Cor. Why, this was known before.
Bru.

Not to them all.

Cor. Have you inform'd them since?
Bru.
How! I inform them!
Cor. You are like to do such business.
Bru.

Each way to better yours.'

Not unlike,

Cor. Why then should I be consul? By yon
clouds,

Let me deserve so ill as you, and make me
Your fellow tribune.
Sic.
You show too much of that,
For which the people stir: If you will pass
To where you are bound, you must inquire your way,
Which you are out of, with a gentler spirit;
Or never be so noble as a consul,
Nor yoke with him for tribune.

Men.

Let's be calm.

We let the people know't.
Men.

Cor. Choler!

"Twere well

What, what? his choler?

O good, but most unwise patricians, why,
You grave, but reckless' senators, have you thus
Given Hydra here to choose an officer,
That with his peremptory shall, being but
The horn and noise1o o' the monsters, wants not
spirit

To say, he'll turn your current in a ditch,
And make your channel his? If he have power,
Then vail your ignorance: if none, awake
Your dangerous lenity. If you are learned,
Be not as common fools; if you are not,
Let them have cushions by you. You are plebeians,
If they be senators: and they are no less,
When both your voices blended, the greatest taste
Most palates theirs.12 They choose their magis-

trate;

And such a one as he, who puts his shall,
His popular shall, against a graver bench
Than ever frown'd in Greece! By Jove himself,
It makes the consuls base: and my soul aches,
To know, when two authorities are up,
Neither supreme, how soon confusion
May enter 'twixt the gap of both, and take
The one by the other.13
Com.
Well-on to the market place.
Cor. Whoever gave that counsel, to give forth
The corn o' the storehouse gratis, as 'twas us'd
Sometime in Greece,-

Men.
Well, well, no more of that.
Cor. (Though there the people had more abso-
lute power,)

I say they nourish'd disobedience, fed
The ruin of the state.

Bru.

Why, shall the people give
One, that speaks thus, their voice?

Cor.
I'll give my reasons,
More worthier than their voices. They know, the

corn

Was not our recompense; resting well assur'd
They ne'er did service for't: Being press'd to the

war,

Even when the navel of the state was touch'd,

7 So in Loves Labours Lost:- That base minnow of thy mirth.'

8 The old copy has O God, but,' &c. The emendation was made by Theobald.

9 Careless.

10 The horn and noise,' alluding to his having called him Triton of the minnows before.

11 If this man has power, let the ignorance that gave it him vail or bow down before him."

12 The plebeians are no less than senators, when the voices of the senate and the people being blended, the predominant taste of the compound smacks more of the populace than the senate.'

13 The mischief and absurdity of what is called im. perium in imperio is here finely expressed,' says War

burton