To gratify his noble service, that Hath thus stood for his country: Therefore, please you, The present consul, and last general By Caius Marcius Coriolanus; whom We meet here, both to thank, and to remember 1 Sen. Speak, good Cominius. Than we to stretch it out.8 Masters o'the people, Sic. We are convented Upon a pleasing treaty; and have hearts Inclinable to honour and advance The theme of our assembly. Bru. Which the rather We shall be bless'd to do, if he remember A kinder value of the people, than He hath hereto priz'd them at. Men. That's off, that's off;1 I would you rather had been silent: Please you To hear Cominius speak? Bru. Most willingly: But yet my caution was more pertinent, Than the rebuke you give it. Rather our state's defective for requital, Than we to stretch it out.] i. e. Rather say that our means are too defective to afford an adequate reward for his services, than suppose our wishes to stretch out those means are defective. 9 Your loving motion toward the common body,] Your kind interposition with the common people. 1 That's off, that's off;] That is, that is nothing to the purpose. Men. He loves your people; But tie him not to be their bedfellow. Worthy Cominius, speak. Nay, keep your place. [CORIOLANUS rises, and offers to go away. 1 Sen. Sit, Coriolanus; never shame to hear What you have nobly done. Cor. I had rather have my wounds to heal again, Than hear say how I got them. Bru. My words dis-bench'd you not. Your honours' pardon; Sir, I hope, No, sir: yet oft, I fled from words. When blows have made me stay, Men. Pray now, sit down. Cor. I had rather have one scratch my head i'the sun, When the alarum were struck, than idly sit To hear my nothings monster'd. 'Men. [Exit CORIOLANUS. Masters o'the people, Your multiplying spawn how can he flatter, 2 (That's thousand to one good one,) when you now see, He had rather venture all his limbs for honour, Than one of his ears to hear it? - Proceed, Cominius. Com. I shall lack voice: the deeds of Coriolanus Should not be utter'd feebly. It is held, That valour is the chiefest virtue, and Most dignifies the haver: if it be, The man I speak of cannot in the world Be singly counterpois'd. At sixteen years, When Tarquin made a head for Rome, he fought how can he flatter,] The reasoning of Menenius is this: How can he be expected to practise flattery to others, who abhors it so much, that he cannot hear it even when offered to himself? 3 When Tarquin made a head for Rome,] When Tarquin, who had been expelled, raised a power to recover Rome. Whom with all praise I point at, saw him fight, An o'er-press'd Roman, and i'the consul's view And, in the brunt of seventeen battles since, For this last, I cannot speak him home: He stopp'd the fliers; Turn terror into sport: as waves before + A vessel under sail, so men obey'd, And fell below his stem: his sword (death's stamp) 4 no beard. his Amazonian chini. e. his chin on which there was 5 And struck him on his knee :] This does not mean that he gave Tarquin a blow on the knee, but gave him such a blow as occasioned him to fall on his knee. 6 When he might act the woman in the scene,] It has been more than once mentioned, that the parts of women were, in Shakspeare's time, represented by the most smooth-faced young men to be found among the players. But here is a great anachronism. There were no theatres at Rome for the exhibition of plays for about two hundred and fifty years after the death of Coriolanus. 7 He lurch'd all swords o'the garland.] To lurch, in Shakspeare's time, signified to win a maiden set at cards, &c. "To lurch all swords of the garland," therefore was, to gain from all other warriors the wreath of victory, with ease, and incontestable superiority. +"as weeds before". MALONE. 8 every motion Was timed with dying cries.] The cries of the slaughtered regularly followed his motion, as musick and a dancer accompany each other. The mortal gate' o'the city, which he painted Men. Worthy man! 1 Sen. He cannot but with measure fit the honours1 Which we devise him. Com. Our spoils he kick'd at; And look'd upon things precious, as they were Men. The senate, Coriolanus, are well pleas'd To make thee consul. 9 The mortal gate - The gate that was made the scene of death. 1 He cannot but with measure fit the honours ] That is, no honour will be too great for him; he will show a mind equal to any elevation. 2 Than misery-] Misery for avarice; because a miser signifies avaricious. + Mr. Malone omits for. Let me o'erleap that custom; for I cannot Put on the gown, stand naked, and entreat them, For my wounds' sake, to give their suffrage: please you, That I may pass this doing. Sic. Sir, the people Must have their voices; neither will they bate One jot of ceremony. Men. Put them not to't: - Pray you, go fit you to the custom; and Take to you, as your predecessors have, Cor. It is a part That I shall blush in acting, and might well Bru. Mark you that? - Cor. To brag unto them, Thus I did, and thus ;Show them the unaking scars which I should hide, As if I had receiv'd them for the hire Of their breath only: Men. Do not stand upon't. and to our noble consul We recommend to you, tribunes of the people, Our Sen. To Coriolanus come all joy and honour! [Flourish. Then exeunt Senators. 3 Your honour with your form.] Your form, may mean the form which custom prescribes to you. 4 We recommend to you, tribunes of the people, Our purpose to them;] We entreat you, tribunes of the people, to recommend and enforce to the plebeians, what we propose to them for their approbation; namely, the appointment of Coriolanus to the consulship. |