His insolence can brook to be commanded
Under Cominius.

Bru.

Fame, at the which he aims,In whom already he is 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!

Sie.

Besides, if things go well,

Opinion, that so sticks on Marcius, shall
Of his demerits28 rob Cominius.

Bru.

Come:

Half all Cominius' honours are to Marcius,

Though Marcius earn'd them not; and all his faultsTo Marcius shall be honours, though, indeed,

In aught he merit not.

Sic.

Let's hence, and hear

How the despatch is made; and in what fashion,
More than in singularity29, he goes

Upon his present action.

Bru.

SCENE II. Corioli.

Let's along. [Exeunt.

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.

28 Demerits and merits had anciently the same meaning.

---and my demerits May speak, &c.

Othello.

Thus in Cavendish's Life of Wolsey, p. 200, ed. 1825: I have not promoted and preferred you to condign preferments according to your demerits."

29 Perhaps the word singularity implies a sarcasm on Coriolanus, and the speaker means to say-after what fashion beside that in which his own singularity of disposition invests him, he goes into the field. So in Twelfth Night

Put thyself into the trick of singularity,

Auf dem w Is it not yours? What ever hath been thought on in this state1, That could be brought to bodily actere Rome Had circumvention! 'Tis not four days gone,

5

Since I heard thence; these are the words: I think,
I have the letter here; yes, here it is:Reads
They have prest2 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:

le doubt but It

We never yet made doubt but Rome was ready
To answer us.

Auf.

Nor did you think it folly, To keep your great pretences veil'd, till when They needs must show themselves; which in the hatching,

It seem'd, appear'd to Rome. By the discovery, We shall be shorten'd in our

aim; which was, To take in3 many towns, ere, almost, Rome Should know we were a

afoot.

Noble Aufidius,

Take your commission; hie you to your bands:
Let us alone to guard Corioliss

The old copy reads:

What have been ever thought on in this state. We must either suppose this an ellipsis for What things have,' &c. or read, with Steevens, hath, as in the text.

2. e. ready; from the old French prest. Thus in the Merchant of Venice, Act i. Sc. 1:at I should dolg

say to me what

That in your knowledge may by me be done,

And I am prest unto it.'

3 To take in was formerly used as we now use to take for to subdue, to conquer. Thus in Antony and Cleopatra:-

cut the Ionian seas,

And take in Toryne, le meditus are bate

If they set down before us, for the remove4
Bring up your army; but I think you'll find
They have not prepar'd for us.co

Auf. O, doubt not that; I speak from certainties. Nay, more. bisod 1 oun Some parcels of their powers are forth already, And only hitherward. I leave your honours. If we and Caius Marcius chance to meet, 'Tis sworn between us, we shall never strike Till one can do no more.

Rome. An Apartment in Marcius' 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 way1; 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 picturelike to hang by the wall, if renown made it not stir, was pleased to let him seek danger where he was like to find fame. To a cruel war I sent

4 If the Romans besiege us, bring up your army to remove them. 1 Attracted the attention of every one toward him,

him; from whence he returned, his brows bound with oak2. I tell thee, daughter, I sprang not more in joy at first hearing he was 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 retire3 myself.
Vol. Indeed, you shall not.

Methinks, I hear hither your husband's drum;
See him pluck Aufidius down by the hair;

As children from a bear, the Volces 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
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 man, Than gilt his trophy: The breasts of Hecuba, When she did suckle Hector, look'd not lovelier

2 The crown given by the Romans to him that saved the life of a citizen, which was accounted more honourable than any other. 3 This verb active (signifying to withdraw) occurs in The Tempest:I will thence

Retire me to my Milan.'

4 Gilt means a superficial display of gold. The word is now obsolete.

Our gayness and our gilt are all besmirched.'

King Henry V.

Than Hector's forehead, when it spit forth blood At Grecian swords' contending.-Tell Valeria, re 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.

Re-enter Gentlewoman, with VALERIA and
her Usher.

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 housekeepers. What, are you sewing here? A fine spots, 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: he has 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; 0, I warrant, how he mammocked it!

Vol. One of his father's moods.
Val. Indeed fa,
'tis as

a noble child. Ak

Vir. A crack', madam.

5 i. e, a handsome spot of embroidery. We often hear of spotted muslin.d

6 To mammock is to tear or cut in pieces.

A crack signifies a sprightly forward boy: it is often used by Jonson and his cotemporaries:

If we could get a witty boy now, Eugine,
That were an excellent crack, I could instruct him
To the true height."

A notable dissembling lad, a crack.'

Devil is an Ass.

Four Prentices of London, 1615.