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Enter another Meffenger.

Sic. What's the news?

Mef.Good news, good news ;-The ladies have prevail'd, The Volcians are diflodg'd, and Marcius gone:

A merrier day did never yet greet Rome,

No, not the expulfion of the Tarquins.

Sic. Friend,

Art thou certain, this is true? is it most certain ?
Mef. As certain, as I know the fun is fire:

Where have you lurk'd, that you make doubt of it?
Ne'er through an arch fo hurry'd the blown tide,

As the recomforted through the gates 2. Why, hark you;
[Trumpets and hautboys founded, and drums
beaten, all together. Shouting also within.
The trumpets, fackbuts, pfalteries, and fifes,
Tabors, and cymbals, and the fhouting Romans,
Make the fun dance. Hark you! [Shouting again.
Men. This is good news:

I will go meet the ladies. This Volumnia
Is worth of confuls, fenators, patricians,

A city full; of tribunes, fuch as you,

A fea and land full: You have pray'd well to-day;
This morning, for ten thoufand of your throats
I'd not have given a doit. Hark, how they joy!

[Shouting and mufick.

2 Ne'er through an arch fo burry'd the blown tide,

As the recomforted through the gates.] So, in our author's Rape of Дистесе:

"As through an arch the violent roaring tide

"Out-runs the eye that doth behold his hafte."

Blown in the text is fwell' d. So, in Antony and Cleopatra:

here on her breaft

Water that is

"There is a vent of blood, and fomething blown." The effect of a high or fpring tide, as it is called, is so much greater than that which wind commonly produces, that I am not convinced by the following note that my interpretation is erroneous. fubject to tides, even when it is not accelerated by a spring tide, appears fwoln, and to move with more than ordinary rapidity, when paffing through the narrow ftrait of an arch. MALONE.

The blown tide is the tide blown, and confequently accelerated by the wind. So, in another of our author's plays:

"My boat fails fwiftly both with wind and tide," STEEVENS.

Sic.

Sic. First, the gods blefs you for your tidings: next, Accept my thankfulness.

Mej. Sir, we have all great caufe to give great thanks. Sic. They are near the city?

Mef. Almoft at point to enter.

Sic. We'll meet them, and help the joy.

[going.

Enter the Ladies, accompanied by Senators, Patricians, and People. They pass over the stage.

1. Sen. Behold our patronefs, the life of Rome:
Call all your tribes together, praise the gods,
And make triumphant fires; ftrew flowers before them:
Unfhout the noise that banish'd Marcius,

Repeal him with the welcome of his mother;
Cry, Welcome, ladies, welcome!--

All. Welcome, ladies, welcome!

[A flourish with drums and trumpets. Exeunt, SCENE V.

Antium. A publick Place.

Enter TULLUS AUFIDIUS, with Attendants.
Auf. Go tell the lords of the city, I am here:
Deliver them this paper: having read it,
Bid them repair to the market-place; where I,
Even in theirs and in the commons' ears,
Will vouch the truth of it. Him I accufe
The city ports by this hath enter'd, and
Intends to appear before the people, hoping
To purge himself with words: Difpatch.

[Exeunt Att,

Enter three or four Confpirators of Aufidius' faction, Moft welcome!

1. Con. How is it with our general ? Auf. Even fo,

As with a man by his own alms impoison'd,

And with his charity flain.

2. Con. Moft noble fir,

Him I accufe,-&c.] So, in the Winter's Tale:
"I am appointed bim to murder you."

Mr. Pope and all the fubfequent editors read-He I accufe

MALONE.

If you do hold the fame intent wherein
You wish'd us parties, we'll deliver you
Of your great danger.

Auf. Sir, I cannot tell;

We must proceed, as we do find the people.

3. Con. The people will remain uncertain, whilft 'Twixt you there's difference; but the fall of either Makes the furvivor heir of all.

Auf. I know it;

And my pretext to strike at him admits

A good construction. I rais'd him, and I pawn'd
Mine honour for his truth: Who being fo heighten'd,
He water'd his new plants with dews of flattery,
Seducing fo my friends: and, to this end,

He bow'd his nature, never known before
But to be rough, unfwayable, and free.
3. Con. Sir, his stoutness,

When he did ftand for conful, which he loft
By lack of stooping,-

Auf. That I would have spoke of:

Being banish'd for't, he came unto my hearth;
Prefented to my knife his throat: I took him;
Made him joint-fervant with me; gave him way
In all his own defires; nay, let him choose
Out of my files, his projects to accomplish,
My best and fresheft men; ferv'd his defignments
In mine own perfon; holp to reap the fame,
Which he did end all his; and took fome pride
To do myself this wrong: till, at the laft,
I feem'd his follower, not partner; and
He wag'd me with his countenance3, as if

299

I had

3 He wag'd me with his countenance,-] This is obfcure. The meaning, I think, is, he prefcribed to me with an air of authority, and gave me bis countenance for my wages; thought me fufficiently rewarded with good looks. JOHNSON.

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The verb, to wage, is ufed in this fenfe in Greene's Mamillia, 1593: by custom common to all that could wage her honesty with the appointed price."

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To wage a task was, anciently, to undertake a task for wages. So, in Geo. Wither's Verfes prefixed to Drayton's Polyolbion:

"Good

I had been mercenary.

1. Con. So he did, my lord:

The army marvell'd at it. And, in the last,
When he had carried Rome; and that we look'd
For no less spoil, than glory,-

Auf. There was it ;

For which my finews fhall be ftretch'd+ upon
As a few drops of women's rheum, which are
As cheap as lies, he fold the blood and labour
Of our great action; Therefore fhall he die,
And I'll renew me in his fall. But, hark!

him.

[Drums and trumpets found, with great shouts of the people.

1. Con. Your native town you enter'd like a post, And had no welcomes home; but he returns, Splitting the air with noise.

2. Con. And patient fools,

Whose children he hath flain, their base throats tear,
With giving him glory.

3. Con. Therefore, at your vantage,

Ere he express himself, or move the people

With what he would fay, let him feel your fword,
Which we will fecond. When he lies along,

After your way his tale pronounc'd shall bury
His reafons with his body.

Auf. Say no more;

Here come the lords.

Enter the Lords of the city.

Lords. You are moft welcome home.

Auf. I have not deferv'd it,

"Good speed befall thee who haft wag'd a task,
"That better cenfures, and rewards doth afk."

Again, in Spenter's Faery Queen, B. II. c. vii:

66

muft wage

"Thy works for wealth, and life for gold engage."

Again, in Holinfhed's Reign of K. John, p. 168: "the fumme of 28 thousand markes to levie and wage thirtie thousand men." 4 For which my finers fall be ftretch'd-] This is the point on which I will attack him with my utmoft abilities. JOHNSON.

But,

But, worthy lords, have you with heed perus'd
What I have written to you?

Lords. We have.

1. Lord. And grieve to hear it.

What faults he made before the laft, I think,
Might have found easy fines: but there to end,
Where he was to begin; and give away
The benefit of our levies, answering us,
With our own charge'; making a treaty, where
There was a yielding; This admits no excufe.
Auf. He approaches, you fhall hear him.

Enter CORIOLANUS, with drums and colours; a crowd of Citizens with him.

Cor. Hail, lords! I am return'd your

foldier;

No more infected with my country's love,

Than when I parted hence, but still fubfifting
Under your great command. You are to know,
That profperoufly I have attempted, and

With bloody paffage, led your wars, even to

The gates of Rome. Our fpoils we have brought home,
Do more than counterpoife, a full third part,

The charges of the action. We have made peace,
With no lefs honour to the Antiates,

Than fhame to the Romans: And we here deliver,
Subfcrib'd by the confuls and patricians,
Together with the feal o'the fenate, what
We have compounded on.

Auf. Read it not, noble lords;
But tell the traitor, in the highest degree

He hath abus'd your powers.

Cor. Traitor!-How now ?--

Auf. Ay, traitor, Marcius.

Cor. Marciu !

Auf. Ay, Marcius, Caius Marcius; Doft thou think I'll grace thee with that robbery, thy ftol'n name Coriolanus in Corioli?

5- answering us

With our own charge;] That is, rewarding us with our own expences; making the cost of the war its recompence. JOHNSON.

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