3 Con. The people will remain uncertain, whilst "Twixt you there's difference; but the fall of either Makes the survivor 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 He bow'd his nature, never known before 3 Con. Sir, his stoutness, When he did stand for consul, which he lost Auf. That I would have spoke of. Being banish'd for't, he came unto my hearth; I seem'd his follower, not partner; and He waged me with his countenance, as if 1 Con. So he did, my lord; The army marvell'd at it; and, in the last, Auf. There was it; For which my sinews shall be stretch'd upon him. At a few drops of women's rheum, which are As cheap as lies, he sold the blood and labour 5 He WAGED me with his countenance,] i. e. He paid me, or remunerated me with his countenance. To "wage," in this sense, was not in unfrequent use. Of our great action: therefore shall he die, [Drums and Trumpets sound, with great Shouts of 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 slain, 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 say, let him feel your sword, But, worthy lords, have you with heed perus'd What I have written to you? Lords. 1 Lord. We have. And grieve to hear it. What faults he made before the last, I think, Might have found easy fines; but there to end, Enter CORIOLANUS, with Drums and Colours; a Crowd of Citizens with him. Cor. Hail, lords! I am return'd your soldier; No more infected with my country's love, With bloody passage led your wars, even to home, Our spoils we have brought Do more than counterpoise, a full third part, Than shame to the Romans; and we here deliver, Together with the seal o' the senate, what 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. Cor. Ay, traitor, Marcius. Auf. Ay, Marcius, Caius Marcius. Dost thou think I'll grace thee with that robbery, thy stol'n name Coriolanus in Corioli?— You lords and heads of the state, perfidiously Cor. Hear'st thou, Mars? Auf Name not the god, thou boy of tears. Ha! Auf. No more". Cor. Measureless liar, thou hast made my heart Too great for what contains it. Boy! O slave!Pardon me, lords, 'tis the first time that ever I was forc'd to scold. Your judgments, my grave lords, Must give this cur the lie: and his own notion 1 Lord. Peace both, and hear me speak. Cor. Cut me to pieces, Volsces; men and lads, Stain all your edges on me.-Boy! False hound! have writ your annals true, 'tis there, If you That like an eagle in a dove-cote, I Flutter'd your Volscians in Corioli': Alone I did it.-Boy! Auf. Why, noble lords, Will you be put in mind of his blind fortune, Which was your shame, by this unholy braggart, 'Fore your own eyes and ears? All Con. Let him die for't. All People. Tear him to pieces; do it presently. He killed my son;-my daughter:-he killed my cousin Marcus: he killed my father.— 2 Lord. Peace, ho!-no outrage :-peace! No more.] According to Monck Mason, Aufidius does not mean by these words to put a stop to the altercation, but to say that Coriolanus was no more" than "a boy of tears." 7 FLUTTER'D your VOLSCIANS in Corioli:] Malone (Shakespeare by Boswell, vol. xxiv. p. 225) reads "Flutter'd your voices," and in this remarkable deviation from all the old copies, he is followed in many modern editions: neither does he assign the slightest reason for the alteration. The first and second folio have Flatter'd for "Flutter'd," an obvious error, but not corrected until the publication of the third folio. All People.] This is the prefix in the old copies, and it is not only unnecessary, but less forcible, to change it to "Cit. Speaking promiscuously," as it stands in modern editions. In the same way, All Con., in the preceding line, means all the conspirators, and not "several speaking at once," as Malone and others give it. The man is noble, and his fame folds in This orb o' the earth. His last offences to us - Shall have judicious hearing.-Stand, Aufidius, And trouble not the peace. Cor. O! that I had him, With six Aufidiuses, or more, his tribe, Auf. Insolent villain ! All Con. Kill, kill, kill, kill, kill him! [AUFIDIUS and the Conspirators draw, and kill CORIOLANUS, who falls: AUFIDIUS stands on Lords. him. Hold, hold, hold, hold! O Tullus! Auf. My noble masters, hear me speak. 2 Lord. Thou hast done a deed whereat valour will weep. 3 Lord. Tread not upon him. - Masters all, be quiet. Put up your swords. Auf. My lords, when you shall know (as in this rage, Provok'd by him, you cannot) the great danger That he is thus cut off. Please it Please it your honours To call me to your senate, I'll deliver Myself your loyal servant, or endure Your heaviest censure. 1 Lord. Bear from hence his body, And mourn you for him. Let him be regarded, |