Where he should find you lions, finds you hares;
Where foxes, geese: you are no surer, no,
Than is the coal of fire upon the ice,
Or hailstone in the sun. Your virtue is,
To make him worthy whose offence subdues him,
And curse that justice did it. Who deserves
greatness,

Deserves your hate; and your affections are
A sick man's appetite, who desires most that
Which would increase his evil. He that depends
Upon your favours, swims with fins of lead,
And hews down oaks with rushes. Hang ye!
Trust ye!

With every minute you do change a mind;
And call him noble that was now your hate,
Him vile that was your garland.

matter,

What's the

That in these several places of the city

You cry against the noble senate, who,
Under the gods, keep you in awe, which else

Would feed on one another?-What's their

seeking?

MEN. For corn at their own rates; whereof, they say,

The city is well stor❜d.

MAR. Hang 'em! They say! They'll sit by the fire, and presume to know What's done i' the Capitol; who's like to rise, Who thrives, and who declines; side factions, and give out

Conjectural marriages; making parties strong, And feebling such as stand not in their liking Below their cobbled shoes. They say there's grain enough!

Would the nobility lay aside their ruth,

And let me use my sword, I'd make a quarry

A quarry," in the language of the forest, meant a pile of slaughtered game.

"the generous islanders

By you invited, do attend your presence."

So

с

The present wars devour him! he is grown
Too proud to be so valiant.]

The beginning of this speech, which has been explained,-his pride of military prowess in these wars devours him, we prefer to read, with Warburton, as an imprecation. The latter words appear to import,-He is grown too proud of being so valiant.

Tickled with good success, disdains the shadow
Which he treads on at noon: but I do wonder,
His insolence can brook to be commanded
Under Cominius.

BRU.
Fame, at the which he aims,—
In whom already he's well grac'd,—cannot
Better be held, nor more attain'd, than by
A place below the first: for what miscarries
Shall be the general's fault, though he perform
To the utmost of a man; and giddy censure
Will then cry out of Marcius, O, if he
Had borne the business!

SIC. Besides, if things go well, Opinion, that so sticks on Marcius, shall Of his demerits a rob Cominius.

BRU.

Come;

Let's along. [Exeunt.

1 SEN.

2 SEN.

ALL. Farewell.

The gods assist you!

Farewell.

Farewell.

[Exeunt.

SCENE II.-Corioli. The Senate-House. Enter TULLUS AUFIDIUS, and certain Senators.

1 SEN. So, your opinion is, Aufidius, That they of Rome are enter'd in our counsels, And know how we proceed.

AUF.
Is it not yours?
What ever have been thought on in this state,
That could be brought to bodily act, ere Rome
Had circumvention? 'Tis not four days gone,
Since I heard thence; these are the words :-I
think

I have the letter here ;-yes, here it is:- [Reads.
They have press'd a power, but it is not known
Whether for east or west: the dearth is great ;
The people mutinous: and it is rumour'd,
Cominius, Marcius your old enemy,
(Who is of Rome worse hated than of you)
And Titus Lartius, a most valiant Roman,
These three lead on this preparation
Whither 'tis bent: most likely 'tis for you:
Consider of it.

1 SEN.

Our army's in the field:

a Of his demerits rob Cominius.] "Demerits" and merits had, of old, the same meaning, that of deserts.

b More than his singularity,-] As "singularity" formerly implied pre-eminence, Sieinius may mean, sarcastically,-after what fashion beside his usual assumption of superiority.

Enter VOLUMNIA and VIRGILIA: they sit down on two low stools, and sew.

VOL. I pray you, daughter, sing; or express yourself in a more comfortable sort: if my son were my husband, I should freelier rejoice in that absence wherein he won honour, than in the embracements of his bed where he would show most love. When yet he was but tender-bodied, and the only son of my womb; when youth with comeliness plucked all gaze his way; when, for a day of kings' entreaties, a mother should not sell him an hour from her beholding; I,- considering how honour would become such a person; that it was no better than picture-like to hang by the wall, if renown made it not stir,-was pleased to let him seek danger where he was like to find fame. To a cruel war I sent him; from whence he returned, his brows bound with oak.(3) I tell thee, daughter, -I sprang not more in joy at first hearing he was

care enter'd in our counsels,-] Have penetrated into our secrets, or, are informed of our purposes.

d Corioli:] In the folio this name is spelt "Coriolus," "Corioles," or "Carioles."

a man-child, than now in first seeing he had proved himself a man.

VIR. But had he died in the business, madam,how then?

VOL. Then his good report should have been my son; I therein would have found issue. Hear me profess sincerely, had I a dozen sons,-each in my love alike, and none less dear than thine and my good Marcius,-I had rather had eleven die nobly for their country, than one voluptuously surfeit out of action.

Enter a Gentlewoman.

GENT. Madam, the lady Valeria is come to visit you.

VIR. Beseech you, give me leave to retire myself.

VOL. Indeed, you shall not.

At Grecian swords' contending.] "Contending" is the word

in the second folio; the first reads,

"At Grecian sword. Contenning, tell Valeria," &c.

Mr. Collier's annotator proposes,

Methinks I hear hither your husband's drum;
See him pluck Aufidius down by the hair;
As children from a bear, the Volsces shunning him:
Methinks I see him stamp thus, and call thus,-
Come on, you cowards! you were got in fear,
Though you were born in Rome: his bloody brow
With his mail'd hand then wiping, forth he goes,
Like to a harvest-man, that's task'd to mow.
Or all, or lose his hire.

VIR. His bloody brow! O, Jupiter, no blood!
VOL. Away, you fool! it more becomes a man
Than gilt his trophy: the breasts of Hecuba,
When she did suckle Hector, look'd not lovelier
Than Hector's forehead when it spit forth blood
At Grecian swords' contending."-Tell Valeria,
We are fit to bid her welcome.
[Exit Gent.

VIR. Heavens bless my lord from fell Aufidius! VOL. He'll beat Aufidius' head below his . knee, upon

And tread

his neck.

"At Grecian swords contemning," &c.;

and Mr. W. N. Lettsom,

"As Grecian swords contemning."

Enter VALERIA, attended by an Usher, and a

Gentlewoman.

VAL. My ladies both, good day to you.
VOL. Sweet madam.

VIR. I am glad to see your ladyship.

VAL. How do you both? you are manifest house-keepers. What are you sewing here? A fine spot, in good faith.-How does your little son?

VIR. I thank your ladyship; well, good madam. VOL. He had rather see the swords, and hear a drum, than look upon his school-master.

VAL. O' my word, the father's son: I'll swear, 'tis a very pretty boy. O' my troth, I looked upon him o' Wednesday half an hour together: h'as such a confirmed countenance. I saw him run after a gilded butterfly; and when he caught it, he let it go again; and after it again; and over and over he comes, and up again: catched it again or whether his fall enraged him, or how 'twas, he did so set his teeth, and tear it; O, I warrant, how he mammocked it.

:

VOL. One of his father's moods. VAL. Indeed la, 'tis a noble child.

VIR. A crack, madam.

VAL. Come, lay aside your stitchery; I must have you play the idle huswife with me this afternoon.

VAL. In earnest, it's true; I heard a senator speak it. Thus it is :-The Volsces have an army forth; against whom Cominius the general is gone, with one part of our Roman power: your lord and Titus Lartius are set down before their city Corioli; they nothing doubt prevailing, and to make it brief wars. This is true, on mine honour; and So, I pray, go with us.

VIR. Give me excuse, good madam ; I will obey you in every thing hereafter.

VOL. Let her alone, lady; as she is now, she will but disease our better mirth.

VAL. In troth, I think, she would.-Fare you well then.-Come, good sweet lady.-Pr'ythee, Virgilia, turn thy solemness out o'door, and go along with us.

VIR. No, at a word, madam; indeed, I must not.

I wish you much mirth.
VAL. Well then, farewell.

SCENE IV.-Before Corioli.

[Exeunt,

doors.

VAL. Not out of doors!

VOL. She shall, she shall.

VIR. Indeed, no, by your patience; I'll not over the threshold till my lord return from the

wars.

VAL. Fie, you confine yourself most unreasonably come, you must go visit the good lady that lies in.

VIR. I will wish her speedy strength, and visit her with my prayers; but I cannot go thither. VOL. Why, I pray you?

VIR. 'Tis not to save labour, nor that I want love.

VAL. You would be another Penelope: yet, they say, all the yarn she spun in Ulysses' absence, did but fill Ithaca full of moths. Come; I would your cambric were sensible as your finger, that you might leave pricking it for pity. Come, you shall go with us.

VIR. No, good madam, pardon me; indeed, I will not forth.

VAL. In truth la, go with me; and I'll tell you excellent news of your husband.

(*) Old text, Athica.

or whether his fall enraged him,-] Or, here, is probably a misprint for and.

LARTIUS, Officers and Soldiers. MAR. Yonder comes news:-a wager they have met. LART. My horse to yours, no. MAR. LART.

'Tis done.

Agreed.