a To the pot, I warrant him.] Mr. Collier's annotator reads,— "To the port, I warrant him," and Mr. Collier defends the substitution in this wise,-"In the folio, 1623, the letter r had dropped out in 'port,' and it was always ridiculously misprinted pot, 'To the pot, I warrant him.' To what pot? To go to pot,' is certainly an old vulgarism, but here it is not to pot,' but to the pot,' as if some particular pot were intended." This is strange oblivion. "To the pot," as Mr. Collier, better than anyone else, ought to know, was one of the most familiar expressions in our early dramatists. Take only the following examples, from plays which that gentleman must be familiar with:"Thou mightest sweare, if I could, I would bring them to the pot.""New Custome," Act II. Sc. 3. "For goes this wretch, this traitor, to the pot " b G. PEELE'S "Edward I." DYCE's ed. p. 115, Vol. I. they go to the pot for 't." WEBSTER'S "White Devil," &c. DYCE's ed. p. 117, Vol. I. The old text has, "Who sensibly In the old text, "Even to Calues wish;" the correction, Theobald's, is established by the relative passage in North's Plutarch: -"But Martius being there [before Corioli] at that time, ronning out of the campe with a fewe men with him, he slue the first enemies he met withall, and made the rest of them staye upon a sodaine, crying out to the Romaines that had turned their backes, and calling them againe to fight with a lowde voice. For he was even such another, as Cato would have a souldier and a captaine to be not only terrible and fierce to laye about him, but to make the enemie afeard with the sounde of his voyce, and grimnes of his countenaunce." d that do prize their hours-] Pope changed the word "hours" to honours, but, as Steevens pointed out, Shakespeare followed his authority, Plutarch." The cittie being taken in this sorte, the most parte of the souldiers beganne incontinently to spoyle, to carie away, and to looke up the bootie they had wonne. But Martius was marvelous angry with them, and cried out on them, that it was no time now to looke after spoyle, and to ronne stragling here and there to enriche themselves." stand'st up." SCENE VI.-Near the Camp of Cominius. Enter COMINIUS and Forces, retreating. COм. Breathe you, my friends: well fought; we are come off Like Romans, neither foolish in our stands, By interims and conveying gusts we have heard That both our powers, with smiling fronts encountering, May give you thankful sacrifice!— drums: How couldst thou in a mile confound an hour, Where is the enemy? Are you lords o' the field? If not, why cease you till you are so? COм. Marcius, we have at disadvantage fought, And did retire to win our purpose. MAR. How lies their battle? Know you on which side COM. 'Tis not a mile; briefly we heard their They have plac'd their men of trust? And bring thy news so late? MAR. [without.] Who's yonder, Come I too late? COм. The shepherd knows not thunder from a tabor, More than I know the sound of Marcius' tongue From every meaner man. MAR. I do beseech you, By all the battles wherein we have fought, Set me against Aufidius and his Antiates: COM. Though I could wish You were conducted to a gentle bath, And balms applied to you, yet dare I never Deny your asking; take your choice of those That best can aid your action. MAR. Those are they That most are willing.-If any such be here, (As it were sin to doubt) that love this painting Wherein you see me smear'd; if any fear Lesser his person than an ill report; If any think brave death outweighs bad life, And that his country's dearer than himself; Let him alone, or so many so minded, Wave thus, [Waving his sword.] to express his disposition, And follow Marcius. [They all shout, and wave their swords; O me, alone! make you a sword of me! As cause will be obey'd. Please you to march; Сом. March on, my fellows Make good this ostentation, and you shall Divide in all with us. [Exeunt think. SCENE VII.-The Gates of Corioli. TITUS LARTIUS, having set a guard upon Corioli, going with drum and trumpet toward COMINIUS and CAIUS MARCIUS, enters with a Lieutenant, a party of Soldiers, and a Scout. LART. So, let the ports be guarded: keep your duties, As I have set them down. If I do send, dispatch LIEU. us. MAR. If I fly, Marcius, [blood Within these three hours, Tullus, Alone I fought in your Corioli walls, And made what work I pleas'd: 't is not my Wherein thou seest me mask'd; for thy revenge Wrench up thy power to the highest. AUF. Wert thou the Hector, That was the whip of your bragg'd progeny, Thou shouldst not scape me here.— [They fight, and certain Volsces come to the aid of AUFIDIUS. Officious, and not valiant,—you have sham'd me In your condemned seconds. [Exeunt fighting, driven out by MARCIUS. Thou'lt not believe thy deeds: but I'll report it, That, with the fusty plébeians, hate thine honours, Shall say, against their hearts,-We thank the gods, Our Rome hath such a soldier !— The grave of your deserving; Rome must know (In sign of what you are, not to reward The treasure in this field achiev'd and city, MAR. better read,-"More than thy fame I hate and envy." So in Plutarch-"Martius knew very well that Tullus did more malice and envy him than he did all the Romains besides." |