And shows good husbandry for the Volscian state, Fights dragon-like, and does achieve as soon Lieu. Sir, I beseech you, think you he'll carry Auf. All places yield to him ere he sits down; 30 The senators and patricians love him too: Not to be other than one thing, not moving 40 34. "as is the osprey"; referring to the power of fascination formerly attributed to the osprey. This fine allusion is well explained by the following from Drayton's Poly-Olbion, Song_xxv.: "The ospray oft here seen, though seldom here it breeds, -H. N. H. 41. “nature, not to be other,” etc.; his unbending temperament.— C. H. H. 42-43. “not moving from the casque to the cushion”; Aufidius as From the casque to the cushion, but command ing peace Even with the same austerity and garb As he controll'd the war; but one of these— For I dare so far free him-made him fear'd, To extol what it hath done. 50 One fire drives out one fire; one nail, one nail; do fail. signs three probable reasons for the miscarriage of Coriolanus; pride, which easily follows an uninterrupted train of success; unskillfulness to regulate the consequences of his own victories; a stubborn uniformity of nature, which could not make the proper transition from the casque to the cushion, or chair of civil authority; but acted with the same despotism in peace as in war (Johnson).— H. N. H. 46. "not all"; in their full extent.-H. N. H. 49. "to choke it in the utterance"; but such is his merit as ought to choke the utterance of his faults.-H. N. H. 49-53. The sense of the lines should be to this effect-"Power is in itself most commendable, but the orator's chair, from which a man's past actions are extolled, is the inevitable tomb of his power." The passage is crude, and many suggestions have been advanced.I. G. "our virtues lie," etc.; our reputation for virtue is in the hands of our contemporaries; and power, confident of its own merits, has no more obvious road to ruin than by proclaiming them. This I think the clear sense. But some commentators prefer to understand the whole as a tribute to Coriolanus, taking "tomb" in the sense of "monument."-C. H. H. 55. "fouler"; Dyce's ingenious reading, "falter," is the best conjectural emendation of the line.-I. G. Come, let's away. When, Caius, Rome is thine Thou art poor'st of all; then shortly art thou mine. [Exeunt. ACT FIFTH SCENE I Rome. A public place. Enter Menenius, Cominius, Sicinius and Brutus, the two Tribunes, with others. Men. No, I'll not go: you hear what he hath said Which was sometime his general, who loved him In a most dear particular. He call'd me father: But what o' that? Go, you that banish'd him; Men. Till he had forged himself a name o' the fire 5. "knee"; so in the original. Modern editions generally have demented the expression by turning knee into kneel. Of course, to knee one's way is to go on one's knees, as to foot one's way is to go on one's feet.-H. N. H. Men. Why, so: you have made good work! A pair of tribunes that have rack'd for Rome, To make coals cheap: a noble memory! Com. I minded him how royal 'twas to pardon When it was less expected: he replied, It was a bare petition of a state To one whom they had banish'd. Men. Could he say less? Very well: Com. I offer'd to awaken his regard For's private friends: his answer to me was, Men. 20 For one poor grain or two! I am one of those; his mother, wife, his child, And this brave fellow too, we are the grains: 30 You are the musty chaff, and you are smelt Above the moon: we must be burnt for you. Sic. Nay, pray, be patient: if you refuse your aid In this so never-needed help, yet do not Upbraid's with our distress. But sure, if you More than the instant army we can make, 16-17. That is, destroyed a noble memorial of Rome by expatriating the great fame and services of Coriolanus. The original gives the passage thus, precisely: "A paire of Tribunes, that have wrack'd for Rome, To make Coales cheape: A Noble memory."-H. N. H. |