Make your eyes flow with joy, hearts dance with
comfort,

Constrains them weep, and shake with fear and

sorrow;

Making the mother, wife, and child, to see
The son, the husband, and the father, tearing
His country's bowels out. And to poor we,
Thine enmity's most capital: thou barr'st us
Our prayers to the gods, which is a comfort
That all but we enjoy; for how can we,
Alas! how can we for our country pray,
Whereto we are bound; together with thy victory,
Whereto we are bound? Alack! or we must lose
The country, our dear nurse; or else thy person,
Our comfort in the country. We must find
An evident calamity, though we had
Our wish, which side should win: for either thou
Mast, as a foreign miscreant, be led
With manacles through our streets, or else
Triumphantly tread on thy country's ruin;
And bear the palm for having bravely shed
Thy wife and children's blood. For myself, son,
I purpose not to wait on fortune, till
These wars determine; if I cannot persuade thee
Rather to show a noble grace to both parts,
Than seek the end of one, thou shalt no sooner
March to assault thy country, than to tread
(Trust to't, thou shalt not,) on thy mother's womb,
That brought thee to this world.

Vir. Ay, and on mine,

That brought you forth this boy, to keep your
Living to time.
[name

Boy. He shall not tread on me;
I'll run away, till I am bigger, but then I'll fight.
Cor. Not of a woman's tenderness to be,
Requires nor child nor woman's face to see.
I have sat too long.

[Rising.

Vol. Nay, go not from us thus.
If it were so, that our request did tend

To save the Romans, thereby to destroy
The Volsces whom you serve, you might con-
demn us,

As poisonous of your honour: No; our suit
Is, that you reconcile them: while the Volsces
May say, This mercy we have show'd;
Romans,

This we receiv'd; and each in either side
Give the all-bail to thee, and cry, Be bless'd
For making up this peace! Thou know'st,
great son,

The end of war's uncertain; but this certain,
That, if thon conquer Rome, the benefit
Which thou shalt thereby reap, is such a name,
Whose repetition will be dogg'd with curses:
Whose chronicle thus writ,-The man was noble,
But with his last attempt he wip'd it out;
Destroyed his country: and his name remains
To the ensuing age, abhorr'd. Speak to me,

son:

To his surname Coriolanus 'longs more pride,
Than pity to our prayers. Down; an end:
This is the last ;-So we will home to Rome,
And die among our neighbours.-Nay, behold us:
This boy, that cannot tell what he would have,
But kneels, and holds up hands, for fellowship,
Does reason our petition with more strength
Than thou hast to deny't.-Come, let us go:
This fellow had a Volscian to his mother;
His wife is in Corioli, and his child
Like him by chance :-Yet give us our despatch:
I am hush'd until our city be afire,
And then I'll speak a little.

Thou hast affected the fine strains of honour,
To imitate the graces of the gods;
To tear with thunder the wide cheeks o'the air,
And yet to charge thy sulphur with a bolt
That should but rive an oak. Why dost not
speak?
Think'st thou it honourable for a noble man
Still to remember wrongs ?-Daughter, speak you;
He cares not for your weeping. Speak thou, boy:
Perhaps thy childishness will move him more
Than can our reasons.-There is no man in the
world
[prate
More bound to his mother; yet here he lets me
Like one i'the stocks. Thou hast never in thy life
Show'd thy dear mother any courtesy ;
When she (poor hen!) fond of no second brood,
Has cluck'd thee too the wars, and safely home,
Loaden with honour. Say, my request's unjust,
And spurn me back: But, if it be not so,
Thou art not honest; and the gods will plague
thee,

At difference in thee: out of that I'll work
Myself a former fortune.

[Aside. [The ladies make signs to CORIOLANUS. Cor. Ay, by and by:

the

[To VOLUMNIA, VIRGILIA, &c.
But we will drink together; and you shall bear
A better witness back than words, which we,
On like conditions, will have counter-seal'd."
Come, enter with us. Ladies, you deserve
To have a temple built you: all the swords
In Italy, and her confederate arms,
Could not have made this peace.

That thou restrain'st from me the duty, which
To a mother's part belongs. He turns away:
Down, ladies; let us shame him with our knees.

• Conclude,

The niceties.

Cor. O mother, mother!

[Holding VOLUMNIA by the Hands, silent. What have you done? Behold, the heavens do ope,

The gods look down, and this unnatural scene
They laugh at. O my mother, mother! O!
You have won a happy victory to Rome:
But, for your son,-believe it, oh! 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 Au-
fidius,

Were you in my stead, say, would you have heard
A mother less? or granted less, Aufidius ?
Auf. I was mov'd withal.

Cor. I dare be sworn you were ;
And, Sir, it is no little thing, to make
Mine eyes to sweat compassion. But, good Sir,
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 cause. O mother! wife ! Auj. I am glad thou hast set thy mercy and thy hononr

[Exeunt. SCENE IV.-Rome.-A public Place. Enter MENENIUS and SICINIUS. Men. See you yond' coign o'the Capitol : yond' corner stone?

Sic. Why, what of that?

Men. If it be possible for you to displace it with your little finger, there is some hope the ladies of Rome, especially his mother, may prevail with him. But I say, there is no hope in't; our throats are sentenced, and stay upon execution.

Sic. Is't possible that so short a time can alter the condition of a man?

Men. There is differency between a grub and a butterfly; yet your butterfly was a grub. This Marcius is grown from man to dragon: he has wings! he's more than a creeping thing. Sic. He loved his mother dearly.

Men. So did he me: and he no more remembers his mother now, than an eight year old horse. The tartness of his face sours ripe grapes. When he walks, he moves like an engine, and the ground shrinks before his treading. He is able to pierce a corslet with his eye; talks like a knell and his hum is a battery. He sits in his state, as a thing made § for Alexander. What he bids be done, is finished with his bidding. He wants nothing of a god but eternity, and a heaven to throne in.

Sic. Yes, mercy, if you report him truly.

2 Chair of states

• Angle.

Stay but for it.
To resemble.

Men. I paint him in the character. Mark what | Enter Three or Four CONSPIRATORS of AUDImercy his mother shall bring from him: There DIUS'S Faction. is no more mercy in him, than there is milk in a Most welcome! male tiger; that shall our poor city find: and all that is 'long of you.

1 Con. How is it with our general?
Auf. Even so,

As with a man by his own alms empoison'd,
And with his charity slain.

Sic. The gods be good unto us!

Men. No, in such a case the gods will not be good unto us. When we banished him, we respected not them: and, he returning to break our necks, they respect not us.

[Trumpets and Hautboys sounded, and Drums beaten, all together. Shouting also within. The trumpets, sackbuts, psalteries, and fifes, Tabors, and cymbals, and the shouting Romans, Make the sun dance. Hark you!

[Shouting again.

Men. This is good news:

I will go meet the ladies. This Volumnia
Is worth of consuls, senators, patricians,
A city full of tribunes such as you,

A sea and land full: You have pray'd well to-day;
This morning, for ten thousand of your throats
I'd not have given a doit. Hark, how they joy!
[Shouting and Music.
Sic. First, the gods bless you for their tidings:
Accept my thankfulness.
Mess. Sir, we have al

[next,

[A flourish with Drums and Trumpets. [Exeunt. SCENE V.-Antium.-A Public Place. Enter TULLUS AUFIDIUS, with Attendants.

Auf. Go tell the lords of the city, I am here :
Deliver them this paper: having read it,
Bid them repair to the market-place; where I,
Even in theirs and in the commons' ears,
Will vouch the truth of it. Him I accuse,
The city ports + by this hath enter'd, and
Intends to appear before the people, hoping
To purge himself with words: Despatch.
[Exeunt Attendants.

+ Gates.

• Recall.

2 Con. Most noble Sir,

If you do hold the same intent wherein
You wish'd us parties, we'll deliver you
Of your great danger.

Auf. Sir, I cannot tell :

we must proceed, as we do find the people.

3 Con. The people will remain uncertain, whilst 'Twixt you there's difference; but the fall of either Makes the survivor heir of all.

Auf. I know it;

And my pretext to strike at him admits

A good construction. I rais'd him, and I pawn'd
Mine honour for his truth: Who being so heigh-
ten'd,

He water'd his new plants with dews of flattery,
Seducing so my friends; and, to this end,
He bow'd his nature, never known before
But to be rough, unswayable, and free,

3 Con. Sir, his stoutness, When he did stand for consul, which he lost By lack of stooping,

Auf. That I would have spoke of:
Being banish'd for't, he came unto my hearth;
Presented to my knife his throat; I took him;
Made him joint-servant with me; gave him way
In all his own desires; nay, let him choose
Out of my files, his project to accomplish,
My best and freshest men; serv'd his designinen s
In mine own person; holp to reap the fame,
Which he did end all his; and took some pride
To do myself this wrong; till, at the last,
I seem'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 sinews shall be stretch'd upon him.
At a few drops of women's rheum, which are
As cheap as lies, he sold 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 sound, with great
shouts of the People.

1 Con. Your native town you enter'd like a post, And had no welcomes home; but he returns, Splitting the air with noise. 2 Con. And patient fools,

whose children he hath slain, their base throats

tear,

With giving him glory.

3 Con. Therefore, at your vantage,
Ere he express himself, or move the people
With what he would say, let him feel your sword,
Which we will second. When he lies along,
After your way his tale pronounc'd shall bury
His reasons with his body.

JULIUS

LITERARY AND HISTORICAL NOTICE.

ABOUT the middle of February, A.U.C. 709, a riotous festival sacred to Pan, and called Lupercalia, was held in honour of Cesar, when the regal crown was offered him by Antony. In the middle of the following March he was assassinated. November 27, 710, the Triumvirs, Antony, Lepidus, and Octavius, met at a small island formed by the river Rhenus, near Bononia, and there agreed upon the cruel proscription introduced in Act IV.---In 711, Brutus and Cassius were totally defeated at Philippi.---Shakspeare appears to have produced this play about the year 1807: one, upon the same subject, had been written by a young Scotch Nobleman, the Earl of Sterline; and in many passages of each, a strong similarity may be traced :---this was probably occasioned by both authors drawing their materials from the same source.---A Latin play on this subject, by Dr. Eedes, of Oxford, who is enumerated amongst the best tragic authors of that era, was published in 1582.---Dr. Johnson says of this tragedy :---"Many particular passages deserve regard, and the contention and reconcilement of Brutus and Cassius are universally celebrated, but I have never been strongly agitated in perusing it, and think it somewhat cold and unaffecting, compared with some other of Shakspeare's plays: his adherence to tae real story, and to Roman manners, seems to have impeded the natural vigour of his genius.”

DRAMATIS PERSONE.
ARTEMIDORUs, a Sophist of Cnidos.
A SOOTHSAYER.
CINNA, a Poet,-Another Poet.
LUCILIUS, TITINIUS, MESSALA, Young CATO,
and VOLUMNIUS, Friends to Brutus and
Cassius.

JULIUS CESAR.
OCTAVIUS CESAR,
MARCUS ANTONIUS,
M. EMIL. LEPIDUS,

CICERO, PUBLIUS, POPILIUS LENA, Senators.

MARCUS BRUTUS,

CASSIUS,

CASCA,

Triumvirs after the
Death of Julius
Cesar.

TREBONIUS,
LIGARIUS,

DECIUS BRUTUS,

METELLUS CIMBER,

CINNA,

FLAVIUS and MARULLUS, Tribunes.

Conspirators against
Julius Cesar.

CESAR.

ACT I.

SCENE 1.-Rome.-A Street.

Enter FLAVIUS, MARULLUS, and a Rabble of

CITIZENS.

Flav. Hence! home, you idle creatures, get
you home;

Is this a holiday? What! know you not,
Being mechanical, you ought not walk
Upon a labouring day, without the sign
Of your profession ?-Speak, what trade art thou?
1 Cit. Why, Sir, a carpenter.
Mar. Where is thy leather apron, and thy rule?
What dost thou with thy best apparel on ?—
You, Sir; what trade are you?

2 Cit. Truly, Sir, in respect of a fine workman?
I am but, as you would say, a cobler.
Mar. But what trade art thou? Answer me
directly.

Senators, Citizens, Guards, Attendants, &c. SCENE: the first three acts at Rome: afterwards at an Island near Mutina, at Sardis; and near Philippi.

2 Cit. A trade, Sir, that I hope I may use with a safe conscience; which is, indeed, Sir, a meuder of bad soals. Mar. What trade, thou knave! thou naughty knave, what trade?

2 Cit. Nay, I beseech you, Sir, be not out with me yet, if you be out, Sir, I can mend you. Mar. What meanest thou by that? Mend me, thou saucy fellow?

2 Cit. Why, Sir, cobble you.
Flav. Thou art a cobler, art thou?

VARRO, CLITUS, CLAUDIUS, STRATO, LUCIUS,
DARDANIUS, Servants to Brutus.
PINDARUS, Servant to Cassius.

CALPHURNIA, Wife to Cesar.
PORTIA, Wife to Brutus.

O you hard hearts, you cruel men of Rome,
Knew you not Pompey? Many a time and oft
Have you climb'd up to walls and battlements,
To towers and windows, yea, to chimney-tops,
Your infants in your armis, and there have sat
The live-long day, with patient expectation,
To see great Pom pass the streets of Rome :
And when you saw his chariot but appear,
Have you not made an universal shout,
That Tyber trembled underneath ber banks
To hear the replication of your sounds,
Made in her concave shores ?

And do you now put on your best attire ?
And do you now cull out a holiday?
And do you now strew flowers in his way,
That comes in triumph over Pompey's blood?
Be gone!

Run to your houses, fall upon your knees,
Pray to the gods to intermit the plague
That needs must light on this ingratitude.
Flav. Go, go, good countrymen, and, for this
Assemble all the poor men of your sort; [fault,
Draw them to Tyber banks, and weep your tears
Into the channel, till the lowest stream
Do kiss the most exalted shores of all.
[Exeunt CITIZENS.
See, whe'r their basest metal be not mov'd;
They vanish tongue-tied in their guiltiness.
Go you down that way towards the Capitol;
This way will I: Disrobe the images,
If you do find them deck'd with ceremonies. *
Mar. May we do so?

You know it is the feast of Lupercal.

Flav. It is no inatter; let no images

Be bang with Cesar's trophies. + I'll about,
And drive away the vulgar from the streets :
So do you too where you perceive them thick.
These growing feathers pluck'd from Cesar's wing,
Will make him fly an ordinary pitch:
Who else would soar above the view of men,
And keep us all in servile fearfulness.

[Exeunt.

SCENE 11.-The same.-A public Place.
Enter, in Procession, with Music, CESAR ; AN-
TONY, for the course; CALPHURNIA, PORTIA,
DECIUS, CICERO, BRUTUS, CASSIUS, and
CASCA, a great Crowd following, among them
a SOOTHSAYER.

Ces. Calphurnia,

Casca. Peace, hot Cesar speaks.

Ces. Calphurnia,

Cal. Here, my lord.

Ces. Stand you directly in Antonins' way,
When he doth run his course. -Antonius.
Ant. Cesar, my lord.

Ces. Forget not, in your speed, Antonius,
To touch Calphurnia: for our elders say,
The barren touched in this holy chase,
Shake off their steril curse.

Ant. I shall remember:

When Cesar says, Do this, it is perform'd.
Ces. Set on; and leave no ceremony out.
(Music.

[Music ceases. And, since you know you cannot see yourself
So well as by reflection, I, your glass,
Will modestly discover to yourself

That of yourself which you yet know not of.
And be not jealous of me, gentle Brutus :
Were I a common laughter, or did use
To stale with ordinary oaths my love
To every new protester; if you know
That I do fawn on men, and hug them hard,
And after scandal them; or, if you know
That I profess myself in banqueting

To all the rout, then hold me dangerous.
[Flourish and shout.
Bru. What means this shouting? I do fear, the
people
Choose Cesar for their king.

Cas. Ay, do you fear it?

Then must I think you would not have it so. Bru. I would not, Cassius; yet I love him well:

Sooth, Cesar!
Ces. Ha! who calls?

Casca. Bid every uoise be still-Peace yet
again.
Ces. Who is it in the press that calls on me?
[Music ceases.
I hear a tongue, shriller than all the music,
Cry, Cesar!-Speak; Cesar is turned to hear.
Nooth. Beware the ides of March.
Ces. What man is that?

Bru. A soothsayer bids you beware the ides of

March.

Ces. Set him before me, let me see his face.
Cas. Fellow, come from the throng: Look upon
Cesar.

But wherefore do you hold me here so long!
What is it that you would impart to me?
Set honour in one eye, and death i'the other,
If it be aught toward the general good,
And I will look on both indifferently:
The name of honour more than I fear death,
For, let the gods so speed me, as I love

As well as I do know your outward favour.
Cas. I know that virtue to be in you, Brutus,
Well, honour is the subject of my story.--
Think of this life; but, for my single self,
I cannot tell, what you and other men
I had as lief. not be, as live to be
In awe of such a thing as I myself.

Cas. I pray you, do.
I was born free as Cesar; so were you:
Bru. I am not gamesome: I do lack some part Endure the winter's cold, as well as he.
We both have fed as well; and we can both

Of that quick spirit that is in Antony.
Let me not hinder, Cassius, your desires;
I'll leave you.

Ces. What say'st thou to me now? Speak once
again.

Sooth. Beware the ides of March.
Ces. He is a dreamer: let us leave him ;-pass.
[Sennet. Exeunt all but BRU. and CAS.
Cas. Will you go see the order of the course?

Bru. Not I.

Cas. Brutus, I do observe you now of late:
I have not from your eyes that gentleness,
And show of love-as I was wont to have:
You bear too stubborn and too strange a hand
Over your friend that loves you.
Bru. Cassius,

Be not deceiv'd if I bave veil'd my look,
I turn the trouble of my countenance
Merely upon myself. Vexed I am,
Of late, with passions of some difference;
Conceptions only proper to myself,
Which give some soil, perhaps, to my beha-
viours:

Honorary ornaments; tokens of respect.
A ceremony
Flourish of

+ Adorned with laurel crowns.

observed at the feast of Lupercalia.
Instruments.

But let not therefore my good friends be griev'd:
(Amoug which number, Cassius, be you one)
Nor construe any further my neglect,
Than that poor Brutus, with himself at war,
Forgets the shows of love to other men.

Cus. Then, Brutus, I have much mistook your
passion, t

By means whereof, this breast of mine hath
buried

Thoughts of great value, worthy cogitations.
Tell me, good Brutus, can you see your face?
Bru. No, Cassius: for the eye sees not itself,
But by reflection, by some other things.
Cas. 'Tis just :

And it is very much lamented, Brutus,
That you have no such mirrors as will turn
Your hidden worthiness into your eye,
That you might see your shadow. I have heard,
Where many of the best respect in Rome,
(Except immortal Cesar) speaking of Brutus,
And groaning underneath this age's yoke,
Have wish'd that noble Brutus had his eyes.
Bru. Into what dangers would you lead me,
Cassius,

That you would have me seek into myself
For that which is not in me?

Cas. Therefore, good Brutus, he prepar'd s
hear:

For once, upon a raw and gusty day,
The troubled Tyber chafing with her shores,
Cesar said to me, Dar'st thou, Cassius, now
Leap in with me into this angry flood,

• Discordant opinions. + The nature of your feelings. To nauseate by repetition.