ACT FIFTH

SCENE I

Rome. A public place.

Enter Menenius, Cominius, Sicinius and Brutus, the two Tribunes, with others.

Men. No, I'll not go: you hear what he hath said Which was sometime his general, who loved him In a most dear particular. He call'd me father:

But what o' that? Go, you that banish'd him;
A mile before his tent fall down, and knee
The way into his mercy: nay, if he coy'd
To hear Cominius speak, I'll keep at home.
Com. He would not seem to know me.

Men.
Do you hear?
Com. Yet one time he did call me by my name:
I urged our old acquaintance, and the drops 10
That we have bled together. Coriolanus
He would not answer to: forbade all names;
He was a kind of nothing, titleless,

Till he had forged himself a name o' the fire
Of burning Rome.

5. "knee"; so in the original. Modern editions generally have demented the expression by turning knee into kneel. Of course, to knee one's way is to go on one's knees, as to foot one's way is to go on one's feet.-H. N. H.

Men.

Why, so: you have made good work! A pair of tribunes that have rack'd for Rome, To make coals cheap: a noble memory! Com. I minded him how royal 'twas to pardon When it was less expected: he replied, It was a bare petition of a state

To one whom they had banish'd.

Men.

Could he say less?

Very well:

Com. I offer'd to awaken his regard

For's private friends: his answer to me was,
He could not stay to pick them in a pile

Of noisome musty chaff: he said, 'twas folly,
For one poor grain or two, to leave unburnt,
And still to nose the offense.

Men.

20

For one poor grain or two! I am one of those; his mother, wife, his child, And this brave fellow too, we are the grains: 30 You are the musty chaff, and you are smelt Above the moon: we must be burnt for you. Sic. Nay, pray, be patient: if you refuse your aid In this so never-needed help, yet do not

Upbraid's with our distress. But sure, if you
Would be your country's pleader, your good
tongue,

More than the instant army we can make,
Might stop our countryman.

16-17. That is, destroyed a noble memorial of Rome by expatriating the great fame and services of Coriolanus. The original gives the passage thus, precisely:

"A paire of Tribunes, that have wrack'd for Rome,

To make Coales cheape: A Noble memory."-H. N. H.

Men.

Sic. Pray you, go to him.

Men.

No, I'll not meddle.

What should I do?

Bru. Only make trial what your love can do 40 For Rome, towards Marcius.

Men.

Sic.

Well, and say that Marcius

Return me, as Cominius is return'd,
Unheard; what then?

But as a discontented friend, grief-shot
With his unkindness? say 't be so?

Yet your good will
Must have that thanks from Rome, after the

50

And hum at good Cominius, much unhearts me.
He was not taken well; he had not dined:
The veins unfill'd, our blood is cold, and then
We pout upon the morning, are unapt

To give or to forgive; but when we have stuff'd
These pipes and these conveyances of our blood
With wine and feeding, we have suppler souls
Than in our priest-like fasts: therefore I'll
watch him

Till he be dieted to my request,

50. "This observation is not only from nature, and finely expressed, but admirably befits the mouth of one who, in the beginning of the play, had told us that he loved convivial doings" (Warburton).—H. N. H.

56. "priest-like fasts"; the Poet here attributes to the old Romans the modern customs of the Romish Church; by whose discipline the priests are forbid to break their fast before the celebration of mass, which must take place after sun-rise, and before mid-day.-H. N. H.

And then I'll set upon him.

Bru. You know the very road into his kindness, And cannot lose your way.

Men.

Good faith, I'll prove him, 60 Speed how it will. I shall ere long have knowl

Com. I tell you, he does sit in gold, his eye Red as 'twould burn Rome; and his injury The jailer to his pity. I kneel'd before him; 'Twas very faintly he said 'Rise;' dismiss'd me Thus, with his speechless hand: what he would do,

He sent in writing after me; what he would not,

Bound with an oath to yield to his conditions:

i

63. "The ambassadors that were sent were Marcius' familiar friends and acquaintance, who looked at the least for a courteous welcome of him, as of their familiar friend and kinsman. Howbeit they found nothing less; for at their coming they were brought through the camp to the place where he was set in his chair of state, with a marvellous and unspeakable majesty" (North).-C. H. H.

69. Many emendations have been proposed to clear up the obscurity of the line. It appears to mean either (i.) that Coriolanus bound Cominius by an oath to yield to his conditions; or (ii.) that Coriolanus was bound by an oath as "to what he would not," unless the Romans should yield to his conditions. Johnson proposed to read

"What he would not,

Bound by an oath. To yield to his conditions,”—

the rest being omitted. Many attempts have been made to improve the passage, but no proposal carries conviction with it.-I. G.

The transaction is obscurely described. Apparently it is thus. Coriolanus indicates what he will concede, and binds himself by oath to concede nothing more.-C. H. H.

So that all hope is vain,

Unless his noble mother, and his wife;
Who, as I hear, mean to solicit him

70

For mercy to his country. Therefore, let's hence,

And with our fair entreaties haste them on.

SCENE II

[Exeunt.

Entrance to the Volscian camp before Rome.
Two Sentinels on guard.

Enter to them, Menenius.

First Sen. Stay: whence are you?

Sec. Sen.

Stand, and go back.

Men. You guard like men; 'tis well: but, by your

First Sen. You may not pass, you must return:

our general

Will no more hear from thence.

Sec. Sen. You'll see your Rome embraced with fire, before

You'll speak with Coriolanus.

Men.

Good,

my friends,

70-72. That is, "unless there be hope in his noble mother and his wife"; or perhaps the construction should be thus: "Unless his noble mother and his wife solicit him for mercy to his country; who, as I hear, mean to do so."--H. N. H.