There is a world elsewhere. [Exeunt CORIOLANUS, COMINIUS, MENE- Ed. The people's enemy is gone, is gone! [The People shout, and throw up their Caps. Sic. Go, see him out at gates, and follow him, As he hath follow'd you, with all despite; Cit. Come, come, let us see him out at gates; come: The gods preserve our noble tribunes!-Come. [Exeunt. ACT IV. SCENE I. The same. Before a Gate of the City. Enter CORIOLANUS, VOLUMNIA, VIRGILIA, MENENIUS, COMINIUS, and several young Patri cians. Cor. Come, leave your tears; a brief farewell:the beast With many heads butts me away.-Nay, mother, craves A noble cunning: you were us'd to load me Vir. O heavens! O heavens! Cor. Nay, I pr'ythee, woman, Vol. Now the red pestilence strike all trades in Rome, And occupations perish! Cor. What, what, what! I shall be lov'd, when I am lack'd. Nay, mother, Resume that spirit, when you were wont to say, you had been the wife of Hercules, If Six of his labours you'd have done, and sav'd As 'tis to laugh at them.-My mother, you wot well, fortune's blows, When most struck home, being gentle wounded, craves A noble cunning:] This is the ancient and authentick reading. The modern editors have, for gentle wounded, silently substituted gently warded, and Dr. Warburton has explained gently by nobly. It is good to be sure of our author's words before we go to explain their meaning. The sense is, when Fortune strikes her hardest blows, to be wounded, and yet continue calm, requires a generous policy. He calls this calmness cunning, because it is the effect of reflection and philosophy. Perhaps the first emotions of nature are nearly uniform, and one man differs from another in the powers of endurance, as he is better regulated by precept and instruction. 'They bore as heroes, but they felt as men." ''Tis fond-] i. e. 'tis foolish. JOHNSON. Believe't not lightly, (though I go alone, Makes fear'd, and talk'd of more than seen,) your son Will, or exceed the common, or be caught Vol. My first son,2 Whither wilt thou go? Take good Cominius Cor. O the gods! Com. I'll follow thee a month, devise with thee Where thou shalt rest, that thou may'st hear of us, And we of thee: so, if the time thrust forth A cause for thy repeal, we shall not send O'er the vast world, to seek a single man; And lose advantage, which doth ever cool I' the absence of the needer. Fare well:- Cor. Thou hast years upon thee; and thou art too full Of the wars' surfeits, to go rove with one "That's yet unbruis'd: bring me but out at gate.Come, my sweet wife, my dearest mother, and My friends of noble touch, when I am forth, Bid me farewell, and smile. I pray you, come. While I remain above the ground, you shall Hear from me still; and never of me aught But what is like me formerly. 1 Men. That's worthily cautelous-] Cautelous, in the present instance, signi fies-insidious. 2 My first son,] First, i. e. noblest, and most eminent of men. More than a wild exposture-] I know not whether the word exposture be found in any other author. If not, I should incline to read exposure. MALONE. 4 My friends of noble touch,] i. e. of true metal unallayed. Metaphor from trying gold on the touchstone. As any ear can hear.-Come, let's not weep.- From these old arms and legs, by the good gods, I'd with thee every Cor. Come. foot. Give me thy hand: [Exeunt. SCENE II. The same. A Street near the Gate. Enter SICINIUS, BRUTUS, and an Ædile. Sic. Bid them all home; he's gone, and we'll no further. The nobility are vex'd, who, we see, have sided Say, their great enemy is gone, and they Keep on your way. Vol. O, you're well met: The hoarded plague o'the gods Requite your love! Men. VOL. VIII. Peace, peace; be not so loud. Q Vol. If that I could for weeping, you should hear, Nay, and you shall hear some.-Will you be gone? TO BRUTUS. Vir. You shall stay too: [To SICIN.] I would, I had the power To say so to my husband. Sic. Are you mankind? Vol. Ay, fool; Is that a shame?-Note but this fool. Was not a man my father? Hadst thou foxship' To banish him that struck more blows for Rome, Than thou hast spoken words? Sic. O blessed heavens! Vol. More noble blows, than ever thou wise words; And for Rome's good.-I'll tell thee what;-Yet go: Nay, but thou shalt stay too:-I would my son His good sword in his hand. Sic. Vir. What then? What then? He'd make an end of thy posterity. Vol. Bastards, and all. Good man, the wounds that he does bear for Rome! Men. Come, come, peace. Sic. I would he had continu'd to his country, As he began; and not unknit himself The noble knot he made. Bru. I would he had. Vol. I would he had? 'Twas you incens'd the rabble: Cats, that can judge as fitly of his worth, As I can of those mysteries which heaven "Hadst thou foxship-] Hadst thou, fool as thou art, mean cunning enough to banish Coriolanus? |