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 guardant3 cannot office me 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 thec. 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 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. Though I owe My revenge properly,] Though I have a peculiar right in revenge, in the power of forgiveness the Volscians are conjoined. In Volscian breasts. That we have been familiar, Ingrate forgetfulness shall poison, rather Than pity note how much.-Therefore, be gone. Mine ears against your suits are stronger, than Your gates against my force. Yet, for I lov'd thee,' Take this along; I writ it for thy sake, [Gives a Letter. And would have sent it. Another word, Menenius, I will not hear thee speak.-This man, Aufidius, Was my beloved in Rome: yet thou behold'stAuf. You keep a constant temper. [Exeunt CORIOLANUS and AUFID. 1 G. Now, sir, is your name Menenius. 2 G. "Tis a spell, you see, of much power: You know the way home again. 1 G. Do you hear how we are shent for keeping your greatness back? 2 G. What cause, do you think, I have to swoon? Men. I neither care for the world, nor your general: for such things as you, I can scarce think there's any, you are so slight. He that hath a will to die by himself,' fears it not from another. Let your general do his worst. For you, be that you are, long; and your misery increase with your age! I say to you, as I was said to, Away! [Exit. 1 G. A noble fellow, I warrant him. 2 G. The worthy fellow is our general: He is the rock, the oak not to be wind-shaken. 6 [Exeunt. how we are shent-] i. e. shamed, disgraced, made ashamed of ourselves. Mr. Malone says, rebuked, reprimanded. Cole, in his Latin Dict. 1679, renders to shend, increpo. It is so used by many of our old writers. 7 by himself,] i. e. by his own hands. SCENE III. The Tent of Coriolanus. Enter CORIOLANUS, AUFIDIUS, and Others. Cor. We will before the walls of Rome to-morrow Auf. Cor. Nay, godded me, indeed. Their latest refuge [Shout within. Shall I be tempted to infringe my vow In the same time 'tis made? I will not. how plainly I have borne this business,] That is, how openly, how remotely from artifice or concealment. Enter, in mourning Habits, VIRGILIA, VOLUMNIA, leading young MARCIUS, VALERIA, and Attendants. My wife comes foremost; then the honour'd mould What is that curt'sy worth? or those doves' eyes, In supplication nod: and my young boy Great nature cries, Deny not.-Let the Volces And knew no other kin. Vir. My lord and husband! Cor. These eyes are not the same I wore in Rome. Vir. The sorrow, that delivers us thus chang'd, Makes you think so.9 Cor. I have forgot my part, Even to a full disgrace. Like a dull actor now, and I am out, Best of Best of my flesh, Forgive my tyranny; but do not say, For that, Forgive our Romans.-O, a kiss 9 The sorrow, that delivers us thus chang'd, Makes you think so.] Virgilia makes a voluntary misinterpretation of her husband's words. He says, These eyes are not the same, meaning, that he saw things with other eyes, or other dispositions. She lays hold on the word eyes, to turn his attention on their present appearance. JOHNSON. Now, by the jealous queen of heaven,] That is, by Juno, VOL. VII. I carried from thee, dear; and my true lip Of thy deep duty more impression show [Kneels. Vol. Show duty, as mistaken all the while [Kneels. What is this? Cor. What cannot be, slight work. Vol. The moon of Rome; chaste as the icicle, Čor. The god of soldiers, Thy thoughts with nobleness; that thou may'st prove on the hungry beach-] The hungry beach is the sterile unprolifick beach.. 3 Like a great sea-mark, standing every flaw,] That is, every gust, every storm. |