The fon, the hufband, and the father, tearing Our wish, which fide fhould win: for either thou With manacles thorough our streets; or else Thefe wars determine: if I cannot perfuade thee (Trust to't, thou shalt not,) on thy mother's womb, That brought thee to this world. VIRG. Ay, and on mine," That brought you forth this boy, to keep your name Living to time. Bor. He fhall not tread on me; I'll run away till I am bigger, but then I'll fight. 9 Thefe wars determine:] i. e. conclude, end. So, in King Henry IV. P. II: 2 "Till thy friend fickness have determin'd me." STEEVENS. and on mine,] On was supplied by fome former editor, to complete the meafure. STEEVENS. COR. Not of a woman's tenderness to be, Requires nor child nor woman's face to fee. I have fat too long. VOL. [rifing. Nay, go not from us thus. If it were fo, that our requeft did tend To fave the Romans, thereby to destroy The Volces whom you ferve, you might condemn us, As poisonous of your honour: No; our fuit Is, that you reconcile them: while the Volces Give the all-hail to thee, and cry, Be bless'd To tear with thunder the wide cheeks o'the air, 4 3 the fine frains. -] The niceties, the refinements. JOHNSON. The old copy has five. The correction was made by Dr. Johnfon, I fhould not have mentioned fuch a manifeft error of the prefs, but that it juftifies a correction that I have made in Romeo and Juliet, Act I. another in Timon of Athens; and a third that has been made in A Midsummer Night's Dream. See Vol. V. p. 125, n.7. MALONE. 4 And yet to charge thy fulphur-] The old copy has change, The correction is Dr. Warburton's. In The Taming of the Shrew, Act III. fc. i. charge is printed instead of change. MALONE. The meaning of the paffage is, To threaten much, and yet be merciful. WARBURTON. That should but rive an oak. Why doft not speak? More bound to his mother; yet here he lets me prate, Like one i' the stocks." Thou haft never in thy life When the, (poor hen!) fond of no fecond brood, Like him by chance :-Yet give us our despatch: Like one the flocks.] Keep me in a state of ignominy talking to no purpose. JOHNSON. 6 Does reafon our petition -] Does argue for us and our petition. JOHNSON. And then I'll speak a little. COR. O mother, mother!" [bolding Volumnia by the hands, filent. What have you done? Behold, the heavens do ope, The gods look down, and this unnatural fcene They laugh at. O my mother, mother! O! You have won a happy victory to Rome: But, for your fon,—believe it, O, believe it, Most dangerously you have with him prevail'd, If not most mortal to him. But, let it come :Aufidius, though I cannot make true wars, I'll frame convenient peace. Now, good Aufidius, Were you in my ftead, fay, would you have heard A mother lefs? or granted lefs, Aufidius? AUF. I was mov'd withal. COR. I dare be fworn, you were: And, fir, it is no little thing, to make Mine eyes to fweat compaffion. But, good fir, What peace you'll make, advise me: For my part, I'll not to Rome, I'll back with you; and pray you, Stand to me in this caufe.-O mother! wife! AUF. I am glad, thou hast set thy mercy and thy honour At difference in thee: out of that I'll work 70 mother, mother!] So, in the old tranflation of Plutarch: "Oh mother, what have you done to me? And holding her harde by the right hande, oh mother, fayed he, you have wonne a happy victorie for your countrie, but mortall and unhappy for your fonne : for I fee myself vanquished by you alone," STEEVENS. 8 heard is here used as a diffyllable. The modern editors read-fay, would you have heard. MALONE. As my ears are wholly unreconciled to the diffyllabificationse-arl, he-ard &c. I continue to read with the modern editors. Say, in other paffages of our author, is prefatory to a question. So, in Macbeth: Say, if thou hadft rather hear it from our mouths, "Or from our maiters'?" STEEVENS. Myself a former fortune." COR. [Afide. [The ladies make figns to Coriolanus. Ay, by and by; [To Volumnia, Virgilia, &c. But we will drink together; and you fhall bear A better witness back than words, which we, On like conditions, will have counter-feal'd. Come, enter with us. Ladies, you deserve To have a temple built you:3 all the fwords In Italy, and her confederate arms, Could not have made this peace. SCENE IV. Rome. A publick Place. Enter MENENIUS and SICINIUS. [Exeunt. MEN. See you yond' coign o' the Capitol; yond' corner-ftone? SIC. Why, what of that? MEN. If it be poffible for you to difplace it with your little finger, there is fome hope the ladies of Rome, especially his mother, may prevail with him. Myfelf a former fortune.] I will take advantage of this conceffion to restore myfelf to my former credit and power. JOHNSON. drink together;] Perhaps we fhould read-think. 2 FARMER. Our author, in King Henry IV. P. II. having introduced arinking as a mark of confederation: "Let's drink together friendly, and embrace -;" the text may be allowed to ftand; though at the expence of female delicacy, which, in the prefent inftance, has not been fufficiently confulted. STEEVENS. 3 To have a temple built you:] Plutarch informs us, that a temple dedicated to the Fortune of the Ladies, was built on this occafion by order of the fenate. STEEVENS, |