Vol. O, you're well met: The hoarded plague o'the gods Requite your love! Men. Vol. If that I could for weeping, you should hear,— Nay, Peace, peace; be not so loud. and shall hear some. be you gone? [TO BRUTUS. Vir. You shall stay too: [To Sic.] I would, I had the power To say so to my husband. Sic. Are you mankind1? Vol. Ay, fool; is that a shame?—Note but this fool. Was not a man my father? Hadst thou foxship2 To banish him that struck more blows for Rome, Than thou hast spoken words? Sic. O blessed heavens! Vol. More noble blows, than ever thou wise words; And for Rome's good.-I'll tell thee what:-Yet Nay, but thou shalt stay too:— 1 Mankind is fierce, ferocious. See vol. iv. p. 40, note 6. That it had this sense is evident, because we sometimes find it applied to a stubborn or ferocious animal. Volumnia chooses to understand it as meaning a human creature. 2 i. e. mean cunning. Sic. Vir. What then? What then? He'd make an end of thy posterity. Vol. Bastards, and all. Good man, the wounds that he does bear for Rome! Men. Come, come, peace. Sic. I would he had continu'd to his country, As he began; and not unknit himself The noble knot he made. Bru. I would he had. Vol. I would he had! 'Twas you, incens'd the rabble: Cats, that can judge as fitly of his worth, Bru. Pray, let us go. Vol. Now, pray, sir, get you gone: You have done a brave deed. Ere you go, hear this: The meanest house in Rome: so far, my son Sic. Why stay we to be baited With one that wants her wits? Vol. Take my prayers with you. I would the gods had nothing else to do, [Exeunt Tribunes. But to confirm my curses! Could I meet them But once a day, it would unclog my heart Of what lies heavy to't. Men. You have told them home, And, by my troth, you have cause. with me? You'll sup Vol. Anger's my meat; I sup upon myself, And so shall starve with feeding.-Come, let's go: Leave this faint puling, and lament as I do, SCENE III. [Exeunt. A Highway between Rome and Antium. Enter a Roman and a Volce, meeting. Rom. I know you well, sir, and you know me: your name, I think, is Adrian. Vol. It is so, sir: truly, I have forgot you. Rom. I am a Roman; and my services are, as you are, against them: Know you me yet? Vol. Nicanor? No. Rom. The same, sir. Vol. You had more beard, when I last saw you; but your favour is well appayed1 by your tongue. What's the news in Rome? I have a note from the Volcian state, to find you out there: You have well saved me a day's journey. Rom. There hath been in Rome strange insurrection: the people against the senators, patricians, and nobles. Vol. Hath been! Is it ended then? Our state 1 The old copy reads, Your favour is well appeared by your tongue.' For the emendation in the text I am answerable. Warburton proposed appealed; Johnson, affeared; Steevens, approved; and Malone thought the old reading might be right. No phrase is more common in our elder language than well appaied, i. e. satisfied, contented. The Volcian means to say, 'Your countenance is altered, but your voice perfectly satisfies me.' They buy thy help: but sin ne'er gives a fee, He gratis comes; and thou art well appay'd, Shakspeare's Rape of Lucrece. 'Glad in his heart, and inly well appay'd, Fairfax, Tasso, ix. 5. thinks not so; they are in a most warlike preparation, and hope to come upon them in the heat of their division. Rom. The main blaze of it is past, but a small thing would make it flame again. For the nobles receive so to heart the banishment of that worthy Coriolanus, that they are in a ripe aptness, to take all power from the people, and to pluck from them their tribunes for ever. This lies glowing, I can tell you, and is almost mature for the violent breaking out. Vol. Coriolanus banished? Rom. Banished, sir. Vol. You will be welcome with this intelligence, Nicanor. Rom. The day serves well for them now. I have heard it said, the fittest time to corrupt a man's wife, is when she's fallen out with her husband. Your noble Tullus Aufidius will appear well in these wars, his great opposer, Coriolanus, being now in no request of his country. Vol. He cannot choose. I am most fortunate, thus accidentally to encounter you: You have ended my business, and I will merrily accompany you home. Rom. I shall, between this and supper, tell you most strange things from Rome; all tending to the good of their adversaries. Have you an army ready, say you? Vol. A most royal one: the centurions, and their charges, distinctly billeted, already in the entertainment, and to be on foot at an hour's warning. Rom. I am joyful to hear of their readiness, and am the man, I think, that shall set them in present action. So, sir, heartily well met, and most glad of your company. 2 i. e. taken into pay. Vol. You take my part from me, sir; I have the most cause to be glad of yours. Rom. Well, let us go together. SCENE IV. Antium. Before Aufidius's House. [Exeunt. Enter CORIOLANUS, in mean Apparel, disguised and muffled. Cor. A goodly city is this Antium: City, "Tis I that made thy widows; many an heir Of these fair edifices 'fore my wars Have I heard groan, and drop: then know me not; Lest that thy wives with spits, and boys with stones, Direct me, if it be your will, Cor. Where great Aufidius lies: Is he in Antium? Cit. He is, and feasts the nobles of the state, At his house this night. Cor. Which is his house, 'beseech you? Cit. This, here, before you. you, sir; farewell. [Exit Citizen. O, world, thy slippery turns! Friends now fast sworn, Whose double bosoms seem to wear one heart, Whose hours, whose bed, whose meal, and exercise, Are still together, who twin, as 'twere, in love Unseparable, shall within this hour, 1 This fine picture of common friendship is an artful introduction to the sudden league which the poet makes him enter into with Aufidius, and a no less artful apology for his commencing enemy to Rome.'-Warburton. |