Bru Then our office may, During his power, go fleep.

Sie. He cannot temp'rately tranfport his honoure, From where he should begin and end, but will Lofe thofe he hath won.

Bru. In that there's comfort.

Sic. Doubt not,

The commoners, for whom we ftand, but they
Upon their ancient malice, will forget,

With the least cause, these his new honours; which
*That he will give, make I as little queftion

As he is proud to do't.

Bru. I heard him swear,

Were he to stand for conful, never would he
Appear i' th' market-place, nor on him put
The napless vefture of humility;

Nor fhewing, as the manner is, his wounds
To th' people, beg their stinking breaths.
Sic. 'Tis right.

Bru. It was his word: oh, he would miss it, rather Than carry it, but by the fuit o' th' gentry,

And the defire o' th' nobles.

Sic. I wish no better,

Than have him hold that purpose, and to put it
In execution.

Bru. 'Tis most like, he will.

Sic. It fhall be to him then, as our good wills, A fure deftruction.

Bru. So it must fall out

To him, or our authorities. For an end,

We must fuggeft the people, in what hatred

He ftill hath held them; that to's power he would
Have made them mules, filenc'd their pleaders, and
Difproperty'd their freedoms: holding them,
In human action and capacity,

Of no more foul nor fitnefs for the world,
Than camels in their war, who have their provender
Only for bearing burdens, and fore blows
For finking under them.

Sic

Sic. (15) This, as you fay, fuggefted
At fome time, when his foaring infolence
Shall reach the people, (which time shall not want,
If he be put upon't; and that's as easy,
As to fet dogs on fheep) will be the fire

To kindle their dry stubble; and their blaze
Shall darken him for ever.

Enter a Meffenger.

Bru. What's the matter?

Mef. You're fent for to the capitol: 'tis thought, "That Marcius fhall be conful: I have seen

The dumb men throng to fee him, and the blind
To hear him speak; the matrons flung their gloves,
Ladies and maids their scarfs and handkerchiefs,
Upon him as he pass'd; the nobles bended
As to Jove's ftatue, and the commons made

(15)

-This, as you Jay, suggested
At fome time, when bis foaring infolence

Shall teach the people, which, (time fhall not want,
If he be put upon't. and that's as eafy,

As to fet dogs on fheep) will be the fire

To kindle their dry ftubble; and their blaze

Shall darken bim for ever.] As nominatives are fometimes wanting to the verb, fo, on the other hand, as this paffage has been all along pointed, we have a redundance: for two relative pronouns, this and which, ftand as nominatives to will be.There is, befides, one word still in this fentence, which, notwithstanding the concur rence of the printed copies, I fufpect to have admitted a fmall corruption. Why fhould it be imputed as a crime to Coriolanus, that he was prompt to teach the people? Or how was it any foaring infolence in a patrician to attempt this? The poet must certainly have wrote,

-When his foaring infolence

Shall reach the people;

i. e. When it shall extend to impeach the conduct, or touch the cha racter of the people. A like mistake, upon this word, has poffefs'd the Maid's Tragedy in all the copies.

If thy hot foul had fubftance with thy blood,

I would kill that too; which, being past my fteel,

My tongue fhall teach.

For here too we must correct, read. I regulated and amended this paffage in the appendix to my SHAKESPEARE reftor'd; and Mr. Pope has reform'd it, with me, in his last edition.

A

A shower and thunder with their caps and shouts :
I never faw the like.

Bru. Let's to the capitol,

And carry with us ears and eyes for th' time,
But hearts for the event.

Sic. Have with you.

1 Off.

[Exeunt.

SCENE changes to the Capitol.
Enter tavo Officers, to lay cushions.

Ome, come, they are almost here; how many
ftand for confulihips?

C%

2 Of. Three, they fay; but 'tis thought of every one, Coriolanus will carry it.

Of. That's a brave fellow, but he's vengeance proud, and loves not the common people.

2 Off. 'Faith, there have been many great men that have flatter'd the people, who ne'er lov'd them; and there be many that they have loved, they know not wherefore; fo that if they love they know not why, they hate upon no better a ground. Therefore, for Coriolanus neither to care whether they love or hate him, manifefts the true knowledge he has in their dif pofition, and out of his noble carelessness lets them plainly fee't.

1 Off. If he did not care whether he had their love or no, he wav'd indifferently 'twixt doing them neither good, nor harm: but he feeks their hate with greater devotion than they can render it him; and leaves nothing undone, that may fully discover him their oppofite. Now to feem to affect the malice and difpleasure of the people, is as bad as that, which he diflikes, to flatter them for their love.

2 Of. He hath deferved worthily of his country: and his afcent is not by fuch eafy degrees as thofe, who have been fupple and courteous to the people; bonnetted, without any further deed to heave them at all into their eftimation and report: but he hath fo planted his honours in their eyes, and his actions in their hearts, that for their tongues to be filent, and not conVOL. VI. S

fefs

fefs fo much, were a kind of ingrateful injury; to report otherwife, were a malice, that, giving itself the lye, would pluck reproof and rebuke from ev'ry ear

that heard it.

1 Off. No more of him, he is a worthy man: make way, they are coming.

Enter the Patricians, and the Tribunes of the People, Liaors before them; Coriolanus, Menenius, Cominius the Conful: Sicinius and Brutus take their places by themSelves.

Men. Having determin'd of the Volfcians, and To fend for Titus Lartius, it remains,

Therefore, please you,

As the main point of this our after-meeting,
To gratify his noble fervice, that
Hath thus ftood for his country.
Most reverend and grave elders, to defire
The prefent Conful, and last General,
In our well-found fucceffes, to report
A little of that worthy work perform'd
By Caius Marcius Coriolanus; whom

We met here, both to thank, and to remember
With honours like himself.

1 Sen. Speak, good Cominius:

Leave nothing out for length, and make us think,
Rather our ftate's defective for requital,

Than we to ftretch it out.

Masters o' th' people,

We do request your kindeft ear; and, after,

Your loving motion toward the common body,
To yield what paffes here.

Sic. We are convented

Upon a pleafing treaty; (16) and have hearts

Inclinable to bonour and advance

Inclinable

The theme of our affembly.] Without doubt it would have been more proper for the tribune, who is here addreffing himfelf to the Senate, to have said:

The theme of your assembly.

But Shakespeare, contrary to the truth of hiftory, makes the tribunes fit in the Senate, as part of that body. For 'till the Lex Attinia

Inclinable to honour and advance
The theme of our affembly.

Bru. Which the rather

We shall be bleft to do, if he remember
A kinder value of the people than
He hath hitherto priz'd them at.
Men. That's off, that's off:----

I would, you rather had been filent: please you
To hear Cominius speak?

Bru. Moft willingly :

But yet my caution was more pertinent,
Than the rebuke you give it.

Men. He loves your people,

But tie him not to be their bed-fellow :
Worthy Cominius, fpeak.

[Coriolanus rifes and offers to go away.

Nay, keep your place.

1 Sen. Sit, Coriolanus; never fhame to hear What you have nobly done.

Cor. Your honours' pardon :

I had rather have my wounds to heal again.

Then hear say, how I

Bru. Sir, I hope,

got

them.

My words dif-bench'd you not?

Cor. No, Sir; yet oft,

When blows have made me stay, I fled from words.
You footh not, therefore hurt not: but your people,
I love them as they weigh,-

Men. Pray now, fit down.

Cor. I had rather have one scratch my head i' th' fun, When the alarum were ftruck, than idly fit

To hear my nothings monster'd.

Men. Mafters of the people,

[Exit Coriolanus.

Your multiplying spawn how can he flatter,

That's thoufand to one good one? when you fee,

(which Attinius is fuppos'd by Sigonius, De Vetere Italiæ Jure, to have been contemporary with Quintus Metellus Macedonicus;) the tribunes had not the privilege of entring the fenate, but had feats placed for them, near the door, on the outfide of the house.