Vir. The gods grant them true!
Vol. True? pow, wow.

Men. True? I'll be sworn they are true :- -Where is he wounded?-God save your good worships! [To the Tribunes, who come forward.] Marcius is coming home: he has more cause to be proud. Where is he wounded? Vol. I'the shoulder, and i'the left arm: There will be large cicatrices to show the people, when he shall stand for his place. He received in the repulse of Tarquin, seven hurts i'the body.

Men. One in the neck, and two in the thigh, there's nine that I know.

Vol. He had, before this last expedition, twenty-five wounds upon him.

Men. Now it's twenty-seven: every gash was an ene my's grave: [A shout, and flourish.] Hark! the trumpets! Vol. These are the ushers of Marcius: before him He carries noise, and behind him he leaves tears; Death, that dark spirit, in's nervy arm doth lie; Which being advanc'd declines; and then men die.' A Sennet. Trumpets sound. Enter COMINIUS, and TITUS LARTIUS ; between them, CORIOLANUS, crowned with an oaken garland; with Captains, Soldiers, and a Herald. Her. Know, Rome, that all alone Marcius did fight Within Corioli' gates: where he hath won, With fame, a name to Caius Marcius; these In honour follows, Coriolanus :—

Welcome to Rome, renowned Coriolanus !

[Flourish.

All. Welcome to Rome, renowned Coriolanus !
Cor. No more of this, it does offend my heart;

Pray now, no more.

Com. Look, sir, your mother,—

Cor. O!

You have, I know, petition'd all the gods
For my prosperity.

Vol. Nay, my good soldier, up;

My gentle Marcius, worthy Caius, and
By deed-achieving honour newly nam'd,
What is it? Coriolanus, must I call thee?
But O, thy wife-

[Kneels

[3] Volumnia in her boasting strain, says, that her son to kill his enemy has nothing to do but to lift his hand up and let it fall.

JOHNSON.

Cor. My gracious silence, hail!*

Wouldst thou have laugh'd, had I come coffin'd home,
That weep'st to see me triumph? Ah, my dear,
Such eyes the widows in Corioli wear,

And mothers that lack sons.

Men. Now the gods crown thee!

Cor. And live you yet?-O my sweet lady, pardon. [TO VALERIA Vol. I know not where to turn :-O welcome home; And welcome, general;—And you are welcome all.

Men. A hundred thousand welcomes: I could weep, And I could laugh; I am light, and heavy: Welcome : A curse begin at very root of his heart,

That is not glad to see thee !-You are three,
That Rome should dote on: yet, by the faith of men,
We have some old crab-trees here at home, that will not
Be grafted to your relish. Yet welcome, warriors :
We call a nettle, but a nettle ; and

The faults of fools, but folly.

Com. Ever right.

Cor. Menenius, ever, ever.

Her. Give way there, and go on.

Cor. Your hand, and your's: [To his Wife and Mother.

Ere in our own house I do shade my head,

The good patricians must be visited;

From whom I have receiv'd not only greetings,

But with them change of honours.

Vol. I have lived

To see inherited my very wishes,

And the buildings of my fancy: Only there

Is one thing wanting, which I doubt not, but
Our Rome will cast upon thee.

Cor. Know, good mother,

I had rather be their servant in my way,

Than sway with them in theirs.

Com. On, to the Capitol.

[Flourish. Cornets

[Exeunt in state, as before. The Tribunes remain Bru. All tongues speak of him, and the bleared sights

Are spectacled to see him: Your prattling nurse

[4] By my gracious silence, I believe, the poet meant, thou whose silent tears are more eloquent and grateful to me, than the clamorous applause of the rest! So, in The Martial Maid of Beaumont and Fletcher.

A lady's tears are silent orators,

Or should be so at least, to move beyond

The honey-tongued rhetorician.

STEEVENS.

Gracious seems to have had the same meaning formerly that graceful has at this day. MALONE.

Into a rapture lets her baby cry,

While she chats him: the kitchen malkin pins
Her richest lockram' 'bout her reechy neck,

Clamb'ring the walls to eye him: stalls, bulks, windows,
Are smother'd up, leads fill'd, and ridges hors'd
With variable complexions; all agreeing

In earnestness to see him: seld-shown flamens
Do press among the popular throngs, and puff
To win a vulgar station: our veil'd dames
Commit the war of white and damask, in
Their nicely-gawded cheeks, to the wanton spoil
Of Phoebus' burning kisses: such a pother,
As if that whatsoever god,' who leads him,
Where slily crept into his human powers,
And gave him graceful posture.

Sic. On the sudden,

I warrant him consul.

Bru. Then our office may,

During his power, go sleep.

Sic. He cannot temperately transport his honours From where he should begin, and end; but will Lose those that he hath won.

Bru. In that there's comfort.

Sic. Doubt not,

The commoners, for whom we stand, but they,

Upon their ancient malice, will forget,

With the least cause, these his new honours; which

That he'll give them, make as little question

As he is proud to do't.

Bru. I heard him swear,

Where he to stand for consul, never would he

Appear i'the market-place, nor on him put
The napless vesture of humility;

Nor, shewing (as the manner is) his wounds.
To the people, beg their stinking breaths.

[5] Rapture, a common term at that time used for a fit, simply. So to be rapp'd signified, to be in a fit.

WARBURTON.

[6] A maukin, or malkin, is a kind of mop made of clouts for the use of sweeping ovens: thence a dirty wench. HANMER.- -Maukin in some parts of England signifies a figure of clouts set up to fright birds in gardens: a scarecrow. P.-Malkin is properly the diminutive of Mal (Mary); as Wilkin, Tomkin, &c. Grey malkin (corruptly grimalkin) is a cat. The kitchen malkin is the same as the kitchen Madge or Bess: the scullion. RITSON.

[7] Lockram was a kind of cheap linen.

[8] Reechy is greasy, sweaty. RITSON.

STEEVENS.

[9] Seld-shown flamens-that is, priests who seldom exhibit themselves to public view. STEEVÉNS.

[1] That is, as if that god who leads him, whatsoever god he be. JOHNSON. [2] By napless Shakespeare means thread-bare. Plutarch's words are " with a poore gowne on their backes."

MALONE.

Sic. 'Tis right.

Bru. It was his word : O, he would miss it, rather Than carry it, but by the suit o'the gentry to him, And the desire of the nobles.

Sic. I wish no better,

Than have him hold that purpose, and to put it
In execution.

Bru. 'Tis most like, he will.

Sic. It shall be to him then, as our good wills; A sure destruction.

Bru. So it must fall out

To him, or our authorities. For an end,
We must suggest the people, in what hatred

He still hath held them; that, to his power, he would
Have made them mules, silenc'd their pleaders, and
Disproperty'd their freedoms: holding them,
In human action and capacity,

Of no more soul, nor fitness for the world,
Than camels in their war; who have their provand
Only for bearing burdens, and sore blows
For sinking under them.

Sic. This, as you say, suggested

At some time when his soaring insolence

Shall teach the people, (which time shall not want,
If he be put upon't; and that's as easy,
As to set dogs on sheep,) will be his fire
To kindle their dry stubble; and their blaze
Shall darken him for ever.

Enter a Messenger.

Bru. What's the matter?

Mes. You are sent for to the Capitol. 'Tis thought, That Marcius shall be consul. I have seen The dumb men throng to see him, and the blind To hear him speak: Matrons flung their gloves, Ladies and maids their scarfs and handkerchiefs, Upon him as he pass'd: the nobles bended,

As to Jove's statue; and the commons made

A shower, and thunder, with their caps, and shouts :
I never saw the like.

Bru. Let's to the Capitol ;

And carry with us ears and eyes for the time,

But hearts for the event.

Sic. Have with you.

[Exeunt.

SCENE II.

The same. The Capitol. Enter two officers, to lay cushions. 1 Of Come, come, they are almost here: How many stand for consulships?

2 Off. Three, they say: but 'tis thought of every one, Coriolanus will carry it.

1 Off. That's a brave fellow; but he's vengeance proud, and loves not the common people.

2 Off. 'Faith, there have been many great men that have flattered the people, who ne'er loved them; and there be many that they have loved, they know not wherefore so that, if they love they know not why, they hate upon no better ground: Therefore, for Coriolanus neither to care whether they love, or hate him, manifests the true knowledge he has in their disposition; and, out of his noble carelessness, lets them plainly see't.

1 Off. If he did not care whether he had their love, or no, he waved indifferently' 'twixt doing them neither good, nor harm; but he seeks their hate with greater devotion than they can render it him; and leaves nothing undone, that may fully discover him their opposite. Now, to seem to affect the malice and displeasure of the people, is as bad as that which he dislikes, to flatter them for their love.

2 Off. He hath deserved worthily of his country: And his ascent is not by such easy degrees as those, who, having been supple and courteous to the people, bonnetted,* without any further deed to heave them at all into their estimation and report: but he hath so planted his honours in their eyes, and his actions in their hearts, that for their tongues to be silent, and not confess so much, were a kind of ingrateful injury; to report otherwise, were a malice, that, giving itself the lie, would pluck reproof and rebuke from every ear that heard it.

1 Off. No more of him; he is a worthy man: Make way, they are coming.

A Sennet. Enter, with Lictors before them, COMINIUS the
Consul, MENENIUS, CORIOLANUS, many other Senators,
SICINIUS and BRUTUS. The Senators take their places;
the Tribunes take theirs also by themselves.
Men. Having determin'd of the Volces, and

To send for Titus Lartius, it remains,

He waved-that is, he would have waved indifferently.
Bonnetter, Fr. is to pull off one's cap. M. MASON.
VOL. V.

4

JOHNSON.