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; O, I warrant, how he mammocked it! Vol. One of his father's moods. Val. Indeed la, 'tis a noble child. Vir. A crack', madam. Val. Come, lay aside your stitchery; I must have you play the idle huswife with me this after noon. Vir. No, good madam; I will not out of doors. Vol. She shall, she shall. Vir. Indeed, no, by your patience: I will not over the threshold, tili my lord return from the wars. Val. Fye, you confine yourself most unreasonably; Come, you must go visit the good lady that lies in. Vir. I will wish her speedy strength, and visit her with my prayers; but I cannot go thither. 6 To mammock is to tear or cut in pieces. 7 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 "A notable dissembling lad, a crack.' Devil is an Ass. Four Prentices of London, 1615. Vol. Why, I pray you? Vir. 'Tis not to save labour, nor that I want love. Val. You would be another Penelope: yet they say, all the yarn she spun, in Ulysses' absence, did but fill Ithaca full of moths. Come; I would, your cambrick were sensible as your finger, that you might leave pricking it for pity. Come, you shall go with us. Vir. No, good madam, pardon me; indeed, I .will not forth. Val. In truth, la, go with me; and I'll tell you excellent news of your husband. Vir. O, good madam, there can be none yet. Val. Verily, I do not jest with you; there came news from him last night. Vir. Indeed, madam? Val. In earnest, it's true; I heard a senator speak it. Thus it is:-The Volces have an army forth; against whom Cominius the general is gone, with one part of our Roman power: your lord, and Titus Lartius, are set down before their city Corioli; they nothing doubt prevailing, and to make it brief wars. This is true, on mine honour; and so, I pray, go with us. Vir. Give me excuse, good madam; I will obey you in every thing hereafter. Vol. Let her alone, lady; as she is now, will but disease our better mirth. she Val. In troth, I think she would:-Fare you well then.-Come, good sweet lady.-Pr'ythee, Virgilia, turn thy solemness out o'door, and go along with us. Vir. No: at a word, madam; indeed, I must not. I wish you much mirth. Val. Well, then farewell. VOL. VIII. [Exeunt. SCENE IV. Before Corioli. Enter, with Drum and Colours, MARCIUS, TITUS LARTIUS, Officers and Soldiers. To them a Messenger. Mar. Yonder comes news:—. -A wager, they have "Tis done. A greed. Mar. Say, has our general met the enemy? Mess. They lie in view; but have not spoke as yet. Lart. So, the good horse is mine. Mar. I'll buy him of you. Lart. No, I'll nor sell, nor give him: lend you him, I will, For half a hundred years. Summon the town. Mess. Within this mile and half. Mar. Then shall we hear their larum, and they ours. Now, Mars, I pr'ythee make us quick in work; That we with smoking swords may march from hence, To help our fielded friends 1!-Come, blow thy blast. They sound a parley. Enter, on the walls, some Senators, and Others. Tullus Aufidius, is he within your walls? 1 Sen. No, nor a man that fears you less than he2, 1 i. e. our friends who are in the field of battle. 2 The poet means- -No, nor a man that fears you more than he; but he often entangles himself in the use of less and more. In the Winter's Tale we meet with an inaccuracy of the same kind. See vol. iv. p. 49 :— I ne'er heard yet, That any of these bolder vices wanted Less impudence to gainsay what they did, Than to perform it first.' And in Cymbeline: Be it but to fortify her judgment, which else an easy battery might lay flat, for taking a beggar without less quality.' Here also less should be more. That's lesser than a little. Hark, our drums [Alarums afar off. Are bringing forth our youth: We'll break our walls, Rather than they shall pound us up: our gates, Which yet seem shut, we have but pinn'd with rushes; They'll open of themselves. Hark you, far off; [Other Alarums. There is Aufidius; list, what work he makes Mar. They fear us not, but issue forth their city. Now put your shields before your hearts, and fight With hearts more proof than shields.-Advance, brave Titus : They do disdain us much beyond our thoughts, Which makes me sweat with wrath.-Come on, my fellows; He that retires, I'll take him for a Volce, And he shall feel mine edge. Alarum, and exeunt Romans and Volces, fighting. The Romans are beaten back to their trenches. Re-enter MARCIUS. Mar. All the contagion of the south light on you, You shames of Rome! you herd of3. plagues -Boils and Plaster you o'er; that you may be abhorr'd geese, you run 3 You herd of cowards!' Marcius would probably have said, but his rage prevents him. All hurt behind; backs red, and faces pale Another Alarum. The Volces and Romans re-enter, and the fight is renewed. The Volces retire into Corioli, and MARCIUS follows them to the gates. So, now the gates are ope:-Now prove good seconds: "Tis for the followers fortune widens them, Not for the fliers: mark me, and do the like. [He enters the gates, and is shut in. 1 Sol. Fool-hardiness; not I. Lart. What is become of Marcius? All. Slain, sir, doubtless. 1 Sol. Following the fliers at the very heels, With them he enters: who, upon the sudden, Clapp'd-to their gates; he is himself alone, To answer all the city. Lart. O noble fellow! Who, sensible, outdares his senseless sword, Sensible is here having sensation. So before:- I would your cambrick were as sensible as your finger.' Though Coriolanus has the feeling of pain like other men, he is more hardy in daring exploits than his senseless sword; for after it is bent, he yet stands firm in the field. There is a similar thought in |