8

In mine own perfon; holp to reap the fame,
Which he did end all his; and took fome pride
To do myfelf this wrong: till, at the laft,
I feem'd his follower, not partner; and
He wag'd me with his countenance, as if
I had been mercenary.

1. CON.

So he did, my lord:

The army marvell'd at it. And, in the last, When he had carried Rome; and that we look'd For no less spoil, than glory,

AUF. There was it ;— For which my finews fhall be ftretch'd upon him. At a few drops of women's rheum, which are

• Which he did end all his ;] In Johnson's edition it was, “Which he did make all his," which feems the more natural expreffion, though the other be intelligible. M. MASON.

End is the reading of the old copy, and was changed into make by Mr. Rowe. STEEVENS.

9 He wag'd me with his countenance,] This is obfcure. The meaning, I think, is, he prefcribed to me with an air of authority, and gave me his countenance for my wages; thought me fufficiently rewarded with good looks. JOHNSON.

The verb, to wage, is ufed in this fenfe in The Wife Woman of Hogfden, by Heywood, 1638:

66

66 1593:

-I receive thee gladly to my house, "And wage thy ftay." Again, in Greene's Mamillia, 1 - by custom common to all that could wage her honefty with the appointed price." To wage a task was, anciently, to undertake a task for wages. So, in George Withers's Verfes prefixed to Drayton's Polyolbion: "Good fpeed befall thee who haft wag'd a task, "That better cenfures, and rewards doth afk."

Again, in Spenfer's Faery Queen, B. II. c. vii:

66

muft wage

the

"Thy works for wealth, and life for gold engage." Again, in Holinfhed's Reign of King John, p. 168: " fumme of 28 thousand markes to levie and wage thirtie thoufand men." STEEVENS.

2 For which my finews fhall be ftretch'd-] This is the point on which I will attack him with my utmost abilities. JOHNSON.

As cheap as lies, he fold the blood and labour
Of our great action; Therefore shall he die,
And I'll renew me in his fall. But, hark!

[Drums and trumpets found, with great shouts of the people.

I. CON. Your native town you enter'd like a poft, And had no welcomes home; but he returns, Splitting the air with noise.

2. CON.

And patient fools,

Whofe children he hath flain, their base throats tear, With giving him glory.

Therefore, at your vantage,

3. CON. Ere he exprefs himself, or move the people With what he would fay, let him feel your sword, Which we will fecond. When he lies along, After your way his tale pronounc'd shall bury His reafons with his body.

But, worthy lords, have you with heed perus'd
What I have written to you? 3

LORDS.

1. LORD.

We have.

And grieve to hear it.

What faults he made before the last, I think,

3 What I have written to you?] If the unneceffary words-to you, are omitted (for I believe them to be an interpolation) the metre will become fufficiently regular:

What I have written?

Lords.
1. Lord.

We have.

And grieve to hear it.

STEEVENS.

Might have found eafy fines: but there to end,
Where he was to begin; and give away
The benefit of our levies, anfwering us

With our own charge; making a treaty, where
There was a yielding; This admits no excufe.
AUF. He approaches, you fhall hear him.

Enter CORIOLANUS, with drums and colours; a crowd of Citizens with him.

COR. Hail, lords! I am return'd your foldier; No more infected with my country's love, Than when I parted hence, but still fubfifting Under your great command. You are to know, That profperoufly I have attempted, and With bloody paffage, led your wars, even to The gates of Rome. Our fpoils we have brought

home,

Do more than counterpoife, a full third part,

The charges of the action.

We have made peace,

With no lefs honour to the Antiates,

Than fhame to the Romans: And we here deliver, Subfcrib'd by the confuls and patricians,

Together with the feal o'the fenate, what

We have compounded on.

Read it not, noble lords;

But tell the traitor, in the highest degree

He hath abus'd your powers.

3

COR. Traitor!-How now ?

AUF.

COR.

Ay, traitor, Marcius.

Marcius!

AUF. Ay, Marcius, Caius Marcius; Doft thou

think

anfwering us

With our own charge;] That is, rewarding us with our own expences; making the coft of war its recompenfe. JOHNSON.

I'll grace thee with that robbery, thy ftol'n name
Coriolanus in Corioli?-

You lords and heads of the ftate, perfidiously
He has betray'd your business, and given up,
For certain drops of falt,+ your city Rome
(I fay, your city,) to his wife and mother:
Breaking his oath and refolution, like
A twift of rotten filk; never admitting
Counsel o' the war; but at his nurfe's tears
He whin'd and roar'd away your victory;
That pages blufh'd at him, and men of heart
Look'd wondering each at other.

COR.

Hear'ft thou, Mars? AUF. Name not the god, thou boy of tears,COR.

AUF. No more."

Ha!

COR. Measureless liar, thou haft made my heart Too great for what contains it. Boy! O flave!Pardon me, lords, 'tis the first time that ever

I was forc'd to fcold. Your judgements, my grave lords,

Muft give this cur the lie: and his own notion (Who wears my ftripes imprefs'd on him; that must

bear

My beating to his grave;) fhall join to thrust
The lie unto him.

I. LORD.

Peace, both, and hear me speak. COR. Cut me to pieces, Volces; men and lads, Stain all your edges on me.-Boy! Falfe hound!

4 For certain drops of falt,] For certain tears. So, in King

Lear:

Why this would make a man, a man of falt."

MALONE.

5 Auf. No more.] This fhould rather be given to the first lord. It was not the business of Aufidius to put a stop to the altercation. TYRWHITT.

If you have writ your annals true, 'tis there,
That, like an eagle in a dove-cote, I
Flutter'd your Volces in Corioli:
Alone I did it.-Boy!

AUF.

Why, noble lords,

Will you be put in mind of his blind fortune, Which was your fhame, by this unholy braggart, 'Fore your own eyes and ears?

CON. Let him die for't.

[Several Speak at once. CIT. [Speaking promifcuously.] Tear him to pieces, do it prefently. He kill'd my fon;-my daughter; He kill'd my coufin Marcus ;-He kill'd my father.

2. LORD. Peace, ho;-no outrage ;-peace. The man is noble, and his fame folds in

This orb o' the earth. His laft offence to us Shall have judicious hearing.-Stand, Aufidius, And trouble not the peace.

COR.

O, that I had him, With fix Aufidiufes, or more, his tribe,

To ufe my lawful sword!

AUF.

Infolent villain!

CON. Kill, kill, kill, kill, kill him.

[AUFIDIUS and the Confpirators draw, and kill CORIOLANUS, who falls, and AUFIDIUS ftands on him.

bis fame folds in

This orb o' the earth.] His fame overspreads the world.

So, before:

6

JOHNSON.

"The fires i' the loweft hell fold in the people." STEEVENS. judicious hearing.] Perhaps judicious, in the prefent inftance, fignifies judicial; fuch a hearing as is allowed to criminals. in courts of judicature, Thus imperions is ufed by our author for imperial. STEEVENS.