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INTRODUCTORY REMARKS.

'THE Tragedy of Coriolanus' was first printed in the folio collection of 1623. With the exception of a few obvious typographical errors, such as invariably occur even under the eye of an author when a book is printed from manuscript, the text is wonderfully accurate.

"The Lives of the Noble Grecians and Romans, compared together by Plutarch, done into English by Thomas North,' is a book on many accounts to be venerated. It is still the best translation of Plutarch we have,—full of fine robust English, a book worthy of Shakspere to read and sometimes to imitate. Here he found the story of Coriolanus told in the most graphic manner; and he followed it pretty literally. Niebuhr places this story amongst the fabulous legends of Rome. Plutarch, and especially Shakspere, have made it almost impossible to believe that such Romans did not really live, and think, and talk, and act, as we see them in these wonderful pictures of humanity.

The leading idea of Shakspere's 'Coriolanus' the pivot upon which all the action turns the key to the bitterness of factious hatred which runs through the whole drama -is the contest for power between the patricians and plebeians. This is a broad principle, assuming various modifications in various states of society, but very slightly varied in its foundations and its results. He that truly works out the exhibition of this principle must paint men, let the scene be the Rome of the first Tribunes, or the Venice of the last Doges. With the very

slightest changes of accessaries, the principle stands for the contests between aristoracy and democracy, in any country or in any age. The historical truth, and the philosophical principle, which Shakspere has embodied in 'Coriolanus,' are universal. But suppose he had possessed the means of treating the subject with what some would call historical accuracy; had learnt that Plutarch, in the story of Coriolanus, was probably dealing only with a legend; that, if the story is to be received as true, it belongs to a later period; that in this later period there were very nice shades of dif ference between the classes composing the population of Rome; that the balance of power was a much more complex thing than he found in the narrative of Plutarch: further suppose that, proud of this learning, he had made the universal principle of the plebeian and patrician hostility subsidiary to an exact display of it, according to the conjectures which modern industry and acuteness have brought to bear on the subject. It is evident, we think, that he would have been betrayed into a false principle of art; and would necessarily have drawn Roman shadows instead of vital and enduring men. As it is, he has drawn men so vividlyunder such permanent relations to each other—with such universal manifestations of character, that some persons of strong political feelings have been ready to complain, according to their several creeds, either that his plebeians are too brutal, or his patricians too haughty. The tribute to Shakspere's political impartiality is complete.

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TITUS LARTIUS, a general, against the Volces.
Appears, Act I. sc. 1; sc. 4; sc. 5; sc. 7; sc. 9.
Act II. sc. 1. Act III. sc. 1.

COMINIUS, a general, against the Volces. Appears, Act I. sc. 1; sc. 6; sc. 9. Act II. sc. 1; sc. 2. Act III. sc. 1; sc. 2; sc. 3. Act IV. sc. 1; sc. 6. Act V. sc. 1.

Act II. sc. 1; sc. 2; sc. 3.

MENENIUS AGRIPPA, friend to Coriolanus.
Appears, Act I.sc. 1.
Act III. sc. 1; sc. 2; sc. 3. Act IV. sc. 1; sc. 2; sc. 6.
Act V. sc. 1; sc. 2; sc. 4.

SICINIUS VELUTUS, a tribune of the people.
Appears, Act I. sc. 1. Act II. sc. 1; sc. 2; sc. 3.
Act IV. sc. 2; sc. 6.
Act V. sc. 1; sc. 4.

Act III. sc. 1; sc. 3.

JUNIUS BRUTUS, a tribune of the people.

Appears, Act I. sc. 1. Act II. sc. 1; sc. 2; sc. 3.
Act III. sc. 1; sc. 3. Act IV. sc. 2; sc. 6.
Act V. sc. 1.

Young Marcius, son to Coriolanus.
Appears, Act V. sc. 3.

A Roman Herald.

Appears, Act II. sc. 1.

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TULLUS AUFIDIUS, general of the Volces. Appears, Act I. sc. 2; sc. 8; sc. 10. Act IV. sc. 5; sc. 7. Act V. sc. 2; sc. 3; sc. 5.

Lieutenant to Aufidius.
Appears, Act IV. sc. 7.

Conspirators with Aufidius.

Appear, Act V. sc. 5.

A Citizen of Antium.
Appears, Act IV. sc. 4.
Two Volcian Guards.

Appear, Act V. sc. 2.

VOLUMNIA, mother to Coriolanus.

Appears, Act I. sc. 3. Act II. sc. 1. Act III. sc. 2. Act IV. sc. 1; sc. 2. Act V. sc. 3.

VIRGILIA, wife to Coriolanus.

Appears, Act I. se. 3. Act II. sc. 1. Act IV. sc. 1; sc. 2. Act V. sc. 3.

VALERIA, friend to Virgilia.

Appears, Act I. sc. 3. Act II. sc. 1. Act V. sc. 3.

Gentlewoman attending Virgilia.

Appears, Act I. sc. 3.

Roman and Volcian Senators, Patricians, Ediles, Lictors, Soldiers, Citizens, Messengers, Servants to Aufidius, and other Attendants.

SCENE,-PARTLY IN ROME; AND PARTLY IN THE TERRITORIES OF THE VOLCIANS AND ANTIATES.

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[Site of Rome. Tiburtine Chain in the distance.]

ACT I.

SCENE I.-Rome. A Street.

Enter a company of mutinous Citizens, with staves, clubs, and other weapons.

1 Ctr. Before we proceed any further, hear me speak.
CIT. Speak, speak.

[Several speaking at once.

1 CIT. You are all resolved rather to die than to famish?

CIT. Resolved, resolved.

1 CIT. First, you know, Caius Marcius is chief enemy to the people.

CIT. We know 't, we know 't.

I CIT. Let us kill him, and we 'll have corn at our own price. Is 't a verdict?
CIT. No more talking on 't: let it be done: away, away!

2 CIT. One word, good citizens.

1 CIT. We are accounted poor citizens; the patricians, good: What authority surfeits on would relieve us. If they would yield us but the superfluity, while it were wholesome, we might guess they relieved us humanely; but they think we are too dear: the leanness that afflicts us, the object of our

a Good-used in the sense in which Shylock, in the 'Merchant of Venice,' says, "Antonio is a good man."

misery, is as an inventory to particularise their abundance; our sufferance is a gain to them.-Let us revenge this with our pikes, ere we become rakes for the gods know, I speak this in hunger for bread, not in thirst for revenge.

2 CIT. Would you proceed especially against Caius Marcius?

CIT. Against him first; he's a very dog to the commonalty.

2 CIT. Consider you what services he has done for his country?

1 Crr. Very well; and could be content to give him good report for 't, but that he pays himself with being proud.

ALL. Nay, but speak not maliciously.

1 CIT. I say unto you, what he hath done famously he did it to that end; though soft-conscienced men can be content to say it was for his country, he did it to please his mother, and to be partly proud; which he is, even to the altitude of his virtue.

2 CIT. What he cannot help in his nature you account a vice in him: You must in no way say he is covetous.

1 CIT. If I must not, I need not be barren of accusations; he hath faults, with surplus, to tire in repetition. [Shouts within.] What shouts are these? The other side o' the city is risen: Why stay we prating here? to the Capitol !

ALL. Come, come.

1 CIT. Soft! who comes here?

Enter MENENIUS AGRIPPA.

2 CIT. Worthy Menenius Agrippa; one that hath always loved the people.

1 CIT. He's one honest enough: 'Would all the rest were so!

MEN. What work 's, my countrymen, in hand? Where go you

With bats and clubs? The matter? Speak, I pray you.

b

2 Crr. Our business is not unknown to the senate; they have had an inkling, this fortnight, what we intend to do, which now we 'll show 'em in deeds.

a Rake. Spenser, in his 'Faery Queen,' has

"His body lean and meagre as a rake."

The allusion, there can be little doubt, is to the tool so called. The simile is very old; we find in Chaucer

"As lean was his horse as is a rake."

This is the sense, we apprehend, in which the citizens are to " become rakes.”

All the subsequent dialogue with Menenius is given by the modern editors to the first citizen. Malone thus explains the change:-" This and all the subsequent plebeian speeches in this scene are given by the old copy to the second citizen. But the dialogue at the opening of the play shows that it must have been a mistake, and that they ought to be attributed to the first citizen. The second is rather friendly to Coriolanus." We adhere to the original copy, for the precise reason which Malone gives for departing from it. The first citizen is a hater of public men,-the second, of public measures; the first would kill Coriolanus,-the second would repeal the laws relating to corn and usury. He says not one word against Coriolanus. We are satisfied that it was not Shakspere's intention to make the low brawler against an individual argue so well with Menenius in the matter of the "kingly-crowned head," &c. This speaker is of a higher cast than he who says, "Let us kill him, and we 'll have corn at our own price."

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