they are in a ripe aptnefs, 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 banish'd? Rom. Banish'd, fir. Vol. You will be welcome with this intelligence, Ni canor. Rom. The day serves well for them now. I have heard it faid, The fittest time to corrupt a man's wife, is when fhe'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. Val. He cannot choose. I am moft fortunate, thus accidentally to encounter you: You have ended my businefs, and I will merrily accompany you home. Rom. I fhall, between this and fupper, tell you moft ftrange things from Rome; all tending to the good of their adverfaries. Have you an army ready, say you? Vol. A moft royal one: the centurions, and their charges, diftinctly 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 fet them in prefent action. So, fir, heartily well met, and most glad of your company. Vol. You take my part from me, fir; I have the most cause to be glad of yours. Rom. Well, let us go together, [Exeunt. Enter CORIOLANUS, in mean apparel, disguis'd, and muffled. Cor. A goodly city is this Antium: City, 7 already in the entertainment,] That is, though not actually encamped, yet already in pay. To entertain an army is to take them into pay. JouNSON. See Vol. I. p. 209, n. I. MALONE. 'Tis 'Tis I that made thy widows; many an heir, Have I heard groan, and drop: then know me not; In puny battle flay me.-Save you, fir, Cor. Direct me, if it be your will, Where great Aufidius lies: Is he in Antium? Cit. He is, and feafts the nobles of the ftate, At his houfe this night. Cor. Which is his houfe, 'befeech you? Cit. This, here, before you. Cor. Thank you, fir; farewel. [Exit Citizen. O, world, thy flippery turns! Friends now fast sworn, Whofe hours, whofe bed, whofe meal, and exercise, Unfeparable, Many an heir, &c.] I once thought that beir might mean here poffeffor (So Shakspeare ufes to inberit in the fenfe of to poffefs;) but beir I now think is ufed in its ordinary fignification, for prefumptive fucceffor. So, in A&t V. fc. ult. "And patient fools, "Whole children he hath flain, their bafe throats tear, The words of Aufidius in the fame fcene may fupport either inter pretation: "Though in this city he, "Hath widow'd and uncbilded many a one,-". MALONE. 90, world, thy flippery turns! &c.] This fine picture of common friendships, is an artful introduction to the fudden league, which the poet made him enter into with Aufidius, and no lefs artful an apology for his commencing enemy to Rome. WARBURTON. 1 Whofe bours, whofe bed, whofe meal, and exercife, Are fill together, who twin, as 'twere, in love,] Our author has again ufed this verb in Orbello: "And he that is approv'd in this offence, "Though he had twinn'd with me," &c. Part of this defcription naturally reminds us of the following lines in A Midsummer Night's Dream: "We, Hermia, like two artificial gods, "Have with our neelds created both one flower, Both Unfeparable, fhall within this hour, Whose paffions and whofe plots have broke their fleep Some trick not worth an egg, fhall grow dear friends, SCENE V. The fame. A Hall in Aufidius's House, Mufick within. Enter a Servant. [Exitè 1. Serv. Wine, wine, wine! What fervice is here! I think our fellows are asleep. Enter another Servant. [Exit. 2. Serv. Where's Cotus? my mafter calls for him. Cotus! Enter CORIOLANUS. [Exit. Cor. A goodly houfe: The feast smells well: but I Appear not like a guest. Re-enter the firft Servant. 1. Serv. What would you have, friend? Whence are you? Here's no place for you: Pray, go to the door. "Both on one fampler, fitting on one cushion, "But yet a union in partition, "Two lovely berries molded on one stem: 2 My birth place hate I,] The old copy inftead of bate reads-bave. The emendation was made by Mr. Steevens. I'll enter," means I'll enter the house of Aufidius. MALONE. $ 2 Cor. Cor. I have deferv'd no better entertainment, In being Coriolanus. Re-enter fecond Servant. 2. Serv. Whence are you, fir? Has the porter his eyes in his head, that he gives entrance to fuch companions3 ? Pray, get you out. Cor. Away! 2. Serv. Away? Get you away. Cor. Now thou art troublesome. 2. Serv. Are you fo brave? I'll have you talk'd with anon. Enter a third Servant. The firft meets him. 3. Serv. What fellow's this? 1. Serv. A flrange one as ever I look'd on: I cannot get him out o'the house; Pr'ythee, call my master to him. 3. Serv. What have you to do here, fellow? Pray you, avoid the house. Cor. Let me but ftand; I will not hurt your hearth. 3. Serv. What are you? Cor. A gentleman. 3. Serv. A marvellous poor one. Cor. True, fo I am. 3. Serv. Pray you, poor gentleman, take up fome other station: here's no place for you; pray you, avoid: come. Cor. Follow your function, go, And batten on cold bits. [pushes him away. 3. Serv. What, will you not? Pr'ythee, tell my master what a ftrange guest he has here. 2. Serv. And I fhall. 3. Serv. Where dwell'st thou ? Cor. Under the canopy. 3. Serv. Under the canopy? Cor. Ay. 3. Serv. Where's that? [Exit. Cor. I' the city of kites and crows. 3-that be gives entrance to fuch companions?] Companion was former. ly used in the fame sense as we now use the word fellow, MALONE. 3. Serv. 3. Serv. I' the city of kites and crows? What an afs it is!-Then thou dwell'ft with daws too? Cor. No, I ferve not thy mafter. 3. Serv. How, fir! Do you meddle with my mafter? Cor. Ay; 'tis an honefter fervice, than to meddle with thy mistress: Thou prat'ft, and prat'ft; serve with thy trencher, hence! [beats him away. Enter AUFIDIUS, and the fecond Servant. Auf. Where is this fellow? 2. Serv. Here, fir? I'd have beaten him like a dog, but for disturbing the lords within. Auf. Whence comeft thou? what wouldest thou? Thy name? Why speak'ft not? Speak, man: What's thy name? [unmuffling. Not 4 If Tullus, &c.] Thefe fpeeches are taken from the following in fir Thomas North's tranflation of Plutarch: "If thou knoweft me not yet, Tullus, and feeing me, doft not perhappés beleeue me to be the man I am in dede, I must of neceflitee bewraye myselfe to be that I am. I am Caius Martius, who hath done to thy felf particularly, and to all the Volces generally, great hurte and mifchef, which I cannot denie for my furname of Coriolanus that I beare. For I neuer had other benefit nor recompence, of all the true and paynefull feruice I haue done, and the extreme daungers I haue bene in, but this only furname: a good memorie and witnes of the malice and displeasure thou shouldeft bear me. In deede the name only remaineth with me: for the reft the enuie and crueltie of the people of Rome haue taken from me, by the fufferance of the daftardly nobilitie and magiftrates, who haue forfaken me, and let me be banished by the people. This extremitie hath now driuen me to come as a poore futer, to take thy chimney harthe, not of any hope I haue to faue my life thereby. For if I had feared death, I would not haue come hither to haue put my life in hazard: but prickt forward with spite and defire I have to be reuenged of them that have banished me, whom now I beginne to be auenged on, putting my perfone betweene thy enemies. Wherefore, if thou haft any harte to be wreeked of the injuries thy enemies haue done thee, fpede thee now, and let my miferie ferue thy turne, and so vse it, as my feruice maye be a benefit to the Volces: promifing thee, that I will fight with better good will for all you, than cuer 1 dyd when I was against you, knowing that they fight $ 3 |