Men. Well, and say that Marcius Return me, as Cominius is return'd, But as a discontented friend, grief-shot With his unkindness? Say't be so? Sic. Yet your good will Must have that thanks from Rome, after the measure As you intended well. Men. I think, he'll hear me. I'll undertake it: Yet to bite his lip, And hum at good Cominius, much unhearts me. To give or to forgive; but when we have stuff'd Than in our priest-like fasts: therefore I'll watch him And then I'll set upon him. Bru. You know the very road into his kindness, And cannot lose your way. Men. Speed how it will. I shall ere long have knowledge Of my success. Com Sic. Good faith, I'll prove him, [Exit. He'll never hear him. Not? Com. I tell you, he does sit in gold': his eye 3 He was not taken well; he had not din'd: &c.] This observation is not only from nature, and finely expressed, but admirably befits the mouth of one, who in the beginning of the play had told us, that he loved convivial doings. 4 I tell you, he does sit in gold:] He is enthroned in all the pomp and pride of imperial splendour. He sent in writing after me; what he would not, Unless his noble mother, and his wife; Who, as I hear, mean to solicit him. For mercy to his country. Therefore, let's hence, SCENE II. [Exeunt. An advanced Post of the Volcian Camp before Rome. The Guard at their Stations. Enter to them MENENIUS. 1 G. Stay Whence are you? 2 G. Stand, and go back. Men. You guard like men; 'tis well: But, by your 1 G. You may not pass, you must return: our ge neral Will no more hear from thence. 2 G. You'll see your Rome embrac'd with fire, before You'll speak with Coriolanus. Men. Good my friends, 5 Bound with an oath, to yield to his conditions ;] What he would do, i. e. the conditions on which he offered to return, he sent in writing after Cominius, intending that he should have carried them to Menenius. What he would not, i. e. his resolution of neither dismissing his soldiers, nor capitulating with Rome's mechanicks, in case the terms he prescribed should be refused, he bound himself by an oath to maintain. If these conditions were admitted, the oath of course, being grounded on that proviso, must yield to them, and be cancelled. If you have heard your general talk of Rome, Men. I tell thee, fellow, The book of his good acts, whence men have read For I have ever verified my friends, (Of whom he's chief,) with all the size that verity' Would without lapsing suffer: nay, sometimes, Like to a bowl upon a subtle ground, I have tumbled past the throw; and in his praise Have, almost, stamp'd the leasing': therefore, fellow, I must have leave to pass. 1 G. 'Faith, sir, if you had told as many lies in his behalf, as you have uttered words in your own, you should not pass here: no, though it were as virtuous to lie, as to live chastly. Therefore, go back. Men. Pr'ythee, fellow, remember my name is Menenius, always factionary on the party of your general. 2 G. Howsoever you have been his liar, (as you say, you have,) I am one that, telling true under him, must say, you cannot pass. Therefore, go back. 6 lots to blanks,] A lot here is a prize. 7 For I have ever verified my friends, with all the size that verity, &c.] To verify, is to establish by testimony. One may say with propriety, he brought false witnesses to verify his title. Shakspeare considered the word with his usual laxity, as importing rather testimony than truth, and only meant to say, I bore witness to my friends with all the size that verity would suffer. 8 deceitful. 9 upon a subtle ground,] Subtle means smooth, level, perhaps, and in his praise Have, almost, stamp'd the leasing :] i. e. given the sanction of truth to my very exaggerations. Men. Has he dined, canst thou tell? for I would not speak with him till after dinner. 1 G. You are a Roman, are you? Men. I am as thy general is. 1 G. Then you should hate Rome, as he does. Can you, when you have pushed out your gates the very defender of them, and, in a violent popular ignorance, given your enemy your shield, think to front his revenges with the easy groans' of old women, the virginal palms of your daughters, or with the palsied intercession of such a decayed dotant as you seem to be? Can you think to blow out the intended fire your city is ready to flame in, with such weak breath as this? No, you are deceived therefore, back to Rome, and prepare for your execution: you are condemned, our general has sworn you out of reprieve and pardon. 2 Men. Sirrah, if thy captain knew I were here, he would use me with estimation. 2 G. Come, my captain knows you not. Men. I mean, thy general. 1 G. My general cares not for you. Back, I say, go, lest I let forth your half pint of blood;-back,-that's the utmost of your having:-back. Men. Nay, but fellow, fellow, Enter CORIOLANUS and AUFIDIUS. Cor. What's the matter? Men. Now, you companion, I'll say an errand for you; you shall know now, that I am in estimation; you shall perceive that a Jack guardant cannot office me 1 3 easy groans] i. e. slight, inconsiderable. 2 — a decayed dotant -] Thus the old copy. Modern editors have read-dotard. 3 a Jack guardant-] This term is equivalent to one still in use-a Jack in office; i. e. one who is as proud of his petty consequence, as an excise-man. from my son Coriolanus: guess, but by my entertainment with him, if thou stand'st not i'the state of hanging, or of some death more long in spectatorship, and crueller in suffering; behold now presently, and swoon for what's to come upon thee.-The glorious gods sit in hourly synod about thy particular prosperity, and love thee no worse than thy old father Menenius does! O, my son! my son! thou art preparing fire for us; look thee, here's water to quench it. I was hardly moved to come to thee; but being assured, none but myself could move thee, I have been blown out of your gates with sighs: and conjure thee to pardon Rome, and thy petitionary countrymen. The good gods assuage thy wrath, and turn the dregs of it upon this varlet here; this, who, like a block, hath denied my access to thee. Cor. Away! Men. How! away? Cor. Wife, mother, child, I know not. My affairs Are servanted to others: Though I owe My revenge properly, my remission lies In Volcian breasts. That we have been familiar, Was my beloved in Rome: yet thou behold'st- 4 [Exeunt CORIOLANUS and AUFIDIUS. 1 G. Now, sir, is your name Menenius? Though I owe My revenge properly,] Though I have a peculiar right in revenge, in the power of forgiveness the Volcians are conjoined. |