Tickled with good success, disdains the shadow Which he treads on at noon: but I do wonder, His insolence can brook to be commanded Under Cominius.

BRU. Fame, at the which he aims,In whom already he's well grac'd, cannot Better be held, nor more attain'd, than by A place below the first: for what miscarries Shall be the general's fault, though he perform To the utmost of a man; and giddy censure Will then cry out of Marcius, O, if he Had borne the business!

SIC.

Besides, if things go well, Opinion, that so sticks on Marcius, shall Of his demerits rob Cominius.

BRU.

a

Come ;

Let's along. [Exeunt.

1 SEN.

2 SEN.

ALL. Farewell.

Farewell.

Farewell. [Exeunt.

SCENE II.-Corioli. The Senate-House. Enter TULLUS AUFIDIUS, and certain Senators.

1 SEN. So, your opinion is, Aufidius, That they of Rome are enter'd in our counsels," And know how we proceed.

AUF.
Is it not yours?
What ever have been thought on in this state,
That could be brought to bodily act, ere Rome
Had circumvention? 'Tis not four days gone,
Since I heard thence; these are the words :-I
think

I have the letter here ;-
;-yes, here it is :- [Reads.
They have press'd a power, but it is not known
Whether for east or west: the dearth is great;
The people mutinous: and it is rumour'd,
Cominius, Marcius your old enemy,
(Who is of Rome worse hated than of you)
And Titus Lartius, a most valiant Roman,
These three lead on this preparation
Whither 'tis bent: most likely 'tis for you:
Consider of it.

1 SEN.

Our army's in the field:

a of his demerits rob Cominius.] "Demerits" and merits had, of old, the same meaning, that of deserts.

b More than his singularity,-] As "singularity" formerly implied pre-eminence, Sicinius may mean, sarcastically,-after what fashion beside his usual assumption of superiority.

SCENE III-Rome. An Apartment in Mar

cius' House.

Enter VOLUMNIA and VIRGILIA: they sit down on two low stools, and sew.

VOL. I pray you, daughter, sing; or express yourself in a more comfortable sort: if my son were my husband, I should freelier rejoice in that absence wherein he won honour, than in the embracements of his bed where he would show most love. When yet he was but tender-bodied, and the only son of my womb; when youth with comeliness plucked all gaze his way; when, for a day of kings' entreaties, a mother should not sell him an hour from her beholding; I,-considering how honour would become such a person; that it was no better than picture-like to hang by the wall, if renown made it not stir,-was pleased to let him scek danger where he was like to find fame. To a cruel war I sent him; from whence he returned, his brows bound with oak.(3) I tell thee, daughter, -I sprang not more in joy at first hearing he was

care enter'd in our counsels,-] Have penetrated into our secrets, or, are informed of our purposes.

d Corioli;] In the folio this name is spelt "Coriolus," "Corioles," or "Carioles."

a man-child, than now in first seeing he had proved himself a man.

VIR. But had he died in the business, madam,how then?

VOL. Then his good report should have been my son; I therein would have found issue. Hear me profess sincerely, had I a dozen sons,-each in my love alike, and none less dear than thine and my good Marcius,-I had rather had eleven die nobly for their country, than one voluptuously surfeit out of action.

Enter a Gentlewoman.

GENT. Madam, the lady Valeria is come to visit you.

VIR. Beseech you, give me leave to retire myself.

VOL. Indeed, you shall not.

At Grecian swords' contending.] "Contending" is the word

in the second folio; the first reads,

"At Grecian sword. Contenning, tell Valeria," &c.

Mr. Collier's annotator proposes,

Methinks I hear hither your husband's drum;
See him pluck Aufidius down by the hair;
As children from a bear, the Volsces shunning him:
Methinks I see him stamp thus, and call thus,-
Come on, you cowards! you were got in fear,
Though you were born in Rome: his bloody brow
With his mail'd hand then wiping, forth he goes
Like to a harvest-man, that's task'd to mow
Or all, or lose his hire.

VIR. His bloody brow! O, Jupiter, no blood! VOL. Away, you fool! it more becomes a mar Than gilt his trophy: the breasts of Hecuba, When she did suckle Hector, look'd not lovelier Than Hector's forehead when it spit forth blood At Grecian swords' contending."-Tell Valeria, We are fit to bid her welcome. [Exit Gent.

VIR. Heavens bless my lord from fell Aufidius! VOL. He'll beat Aufidius' head below his knee, And tread upon his neck.

"At Grecian swords contemning," &c.,

and Mr. W. N. Lettsom,

"As Grecian swords contemning."

Enter VALERIA, attended by an Usher, and a Gentlewoman.

VAL. My ladies both, good day to you.
VOL. Sweet madam.

VIR. I am glad to see your ladyship.

VAL. How do you both? you are manifest house-keepers. What are you sewing here? A fine spot, in good faith.-How does your little son?

VIR. I thank your ladyship; well, good madam. VOL. He had rather see the swords, and hear a drum, than look upon his school-master.

VAL. O' my word, the father's son: I'll swear, 'tis a very pretty boy. O' my troth, I looked upon him o' Wednesday half an hour together : h'as such a confirmed countenance. I saw him run after a gilded butterfly; and when he caught it, he let it go again; and after it again; and over and over he comes, and up again; catched it again: or whether his fall enraged him, or how 'twas, he did so set his teeth, and tear it; O, I warrant, how he mammocked it.

VOL. One of his father's moods.

VAL. Indeed la, 'tis a noble child.

VAL. Fie, you confine yourself most unreasonably come, you must go visit the good lady that lies in.

VIR. I will wish her speedy strength, and visit her with my prayers; but I cannot go thither. VOL. Why, I pray you

?

VIR. 'Tis not to save labour, nor that I want love.

VAL. You would be another Penelope: yet, they say, all the yarn she spun in Ulysses' absence, did but fill Ithaca* full of moths. Come; I would your cambric were sensible as your finger, that you might leave pricking it for pity. Come, you shall go with us.

VIR. No, good madam, pardon me; indeed, I 'will not forth.

VAL. In truth la, go with me; and I'll tell you excellent news of your husband.

(*) Old text, Athica.

a or whether his fall enraged him,-] Or, here, is probably a misprint for and.

VIR. O, good madam, there can be none yet VAL. Verily, I do not jest with you; there came news from him last night.

VIR. Indeed, madam?

VAL. In earnest, it's true; I heard a senator speak it. Thus it is:-The Volsces have an army forth; against whom Cominius the general is gone, with one part of our Roman power: your lord and Titus Lartius are set down before their city Corioli; they nothing doubt prevailing, and to make it brief wars. This is true, on mine honour; and so, I pray, go with us.

VIR. Give me excuse, good madam; I will obey you in every thing hereafter.

VOL. Let her alone, lady; as she is now, she will but disease our better mirth.

VAL. In troth, I think, she would.-Fare you well then.-Come, good sweet lady.-Pr'ythee, Virgilia, turn thy solemness out o'door, and go along with us.

VIR. No, at a word, madam; indeed, I must not.

I wish you much mirth.

VAL. Well then, farewell.

SCENE IV. Before Corioli.

[Exeunt.

b A crack, madam.] A "crack" is a bold, sharp boy; a manikin. The term occurs again in the "Second Part of Henry IV." Act III. Sc. 2:-"I saw him break Skogan's head at the courtgate, when he was a crack, not thus high."