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Nay; temperately: Your promise. Cor. The fires i' the lowest hell fold in the people! Call me their traitor!-Thou injurious tribune! Within thine eyes sat twenty thousand deaths, In thy hands clutch'd as many millions, in Thy lying tongue both numbers, I would say, Thou liest, unto thee, with a voice as free As I do pray the gods.

Sic.

Mark you this, people?
Cit. To the rock; to the rock with him!
Sic. Peace!

We need not put new matter to his charge:
What you have seen him do, and heard him speak,
Beating your officers, cursing yourselves,
Opposing laws with strokes, and here defying
Those whose great power must try him; even this,
So criminal, and in such capital kind,
Deserves the extremest death.

Bru. But since he hath serv'd well for Rome,-
Cor. What do you prate of service?

Bru. I talk of that, that know it.

You

Cor.
Men. Is this the promise that you made your mother
Com. Know, I pray you,—
Cor.

I'll know no further:
Let them pronounce the steep Tarpeian death,
Vagabond exile, flaying, pent to linger
But with a grain a day, I would not buy
Their mercy at the price of one fair word;
Nor check my courage for what they can give,
To have 't with saying, Good morrow.

Sic.
For that he has
(As much as in him lies) from time to time
Envied against the people, seeking means
To pluck away their power; as now at last
Given hostile strokes, and that not in the presence
Of dreaded justice, but on the ministers
That do distribute it: In the name o' the people,
And in the power of us the tribunes, we,
Even from this instant, banish him our city;
In peril of precipitation

From off the rock Tarpeian, never more

To enter our Rome gates; I' the people's name,
I say it shall be so.

Cit. It shall be so: It shall be so; let him away: He's banish'd, and it shall be so.

Com. Hear me, my masters, and my commoɛ

friends;

Sic. He's sentenc'd; no more hearing.

Com.

Let me speak

I have been consul, and can show, from Rome,
Her enemies' marks upon me. I do love
My country's good, with e respect more tender,
More holy and profound, than mine own life,
My dear wife's estimate, her womb's increase,
And treasure of my loins; then if I would
Speak that-

Sic. We know your drift: Speak what?

Whc, frighted from my country, did wed
The fair Thaisa, at Pentapolis.

At sea in childbed died she, but brought forth
A maid-child called Marina; who, O goddess,
Wears yet thy silver livery. She, at Tharsus,
Was nurs'd with Cleon; whom at fourteen years
He sought to murther: but her better stars
Brought her to Mitylene; against whose shore
Riding, her fortunes brought the maid aboard us,
Where, by her own most clear remembrance, she
Made known herself my daughter.

Thai.

Voice and favour!

You are, you are— -O royal Pericles!— [She faints. Per. What means the woman? she dies! help, gentlemen!

Cer. Noble sir,

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Cer. Look to the lady --O, she 's but o'erjoy'd. Early in blust'ring morn this lady was Thrown upon this shore. I op'd the coffin, and Found there rich jewels; recover'd her, and plac'd her Here in Diana's temple.

Per.

Cer. Great sir, they Whither I invite you. Recovered.

May we see them?

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Per. Still confirmation:

Embrace him, dear Thaisa: this is he.
Now do I long to hear how you were found;
How possibly preserv'd; and whom to thank,
Besides the gods, for this great miracle.

Thai. Lord Cerimon, my lord; this man, throu whom

The gods have shown their power; that can from first
To last resolve you.
Per.
Reverend sir, the gods
Can have no mortal officer more like
A god than you. Will you deliver how
This dead queen re-lives?

Cer.
I will, my lord.
Beseech you, first go with me to my house,

Where shall be shown you all was found with her;
How she came placed here within the temple;
No needful thing omitted.

Per.

Pure Diana!

I bless thee for thy vision, and will offer
Night-oblations to thee. Thaisa,
This prince, the fair-betrothed of your daughter,
Shall marry her at Pentapolis. And now,
This ornament that makes me look so dismal,

shall be brought you to my house, Will I, my lov'd Marina, clip to form ;

Thai. O, let me look

Look, Thaisa is

upon him!

If he be none of mine, my sanctity
Will to my sense bend no licentious ear,
But curb it, spite of seeing. O, my lord,
Are you not Pericles? Like him you speak,

Like him you are: Did you not name a tempest,
A birth, and death!

Per. The voice of dead Thaisa!

Thai. That Thaisa am I, supposed drown'd And dead.

Per. Immortal Dian!
Thai.

Now I know you better.When we with tears parted Pentapolis, The king, my father, gave you such a ring. [Shones a ring.

Per. This, this; no more, you gods! your present kindness

Makes my past miseries sports: You shall do well,
That on the touching of her lips I may

Melt, and no more be seen. come, be buried
A second time within these arms.

Mar.

My heart

Leaps to be gone into my mother's bosom.

[Kneels to THAISA. Per. Look, who kneels here! Flesh of thy flesh, Thaisa;

Thy burthen at the sca, and call'd Marina,

For she was yielded there.

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Of monstrous lust the due and just reward:
In Pericles, his queen and daughter, seen
(Although assail'd with fortune fierce and keen)
Virtue preserv'd from fell destruction's blast,
Led on by heaven, and crown'd with joy at last.
In Helicanus may you well descry

A figure of truth, of faith, of loyalty:
In reverend Cerimon there well appears
The worth that learned charity aye wears.
For wicked Cleon and his wife, when fame
Had spread their cursed deed, and honour'd name
Of Pericles, to rage the city turn ;

That him and his they in his palace burn.
The gods for murther seemed so content
To punish them; although not done, but meant.
So, on your patience ever more attending,
New joy wait on you! Here our play bath ending.
[Exit Gown

[graphic][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed]

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. Nieouhr 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 aristocracy 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 difference between the classes composing the population of Rome; that the balance of power was a much more complex thing than he found in the nar rative 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 modem 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 vividly-under 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 toc haughty. The tribute to Shakspere's political im partiality is complete.

CORIOLANUS.

PERSONS REPRESENTED.

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Appears, Act I. sc. 1.

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

Act III. sc. 1; se. 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 III. sc. 1; sc. 3. Act IV. sc. 2; sc. 6. Act V. sc. 1; sc. 4. JUNIUS BRUTUS, a tribune of the people. Appears, Act I. sc. 1. Act II. sc. 1; sc. 2; sc. 3. 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.

Act III.

TULLUS AUFIDIUS, general of the Voices. 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. sc. 1; sc. 2. Act V. sc. 3.

VIRGILIA, wife to Coriolanus.

Act IV

Appears, Act I. sc. 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 t
Aufidius, and other Attendants.

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

SCENE I.-Rome. A Street.

ACT I.

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

1 Cit. 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.

1 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!

us.

2 Cit. One word, good citizens.

1 Cit. We are accounted poor citizens; the patricians, good: What authority surfeits on would relieve 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 misery, is as an inventory to particularize 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.

a Good-in the mercantile sense. So Shylock says, "Antonio is a good man." Rakes. 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."

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 Cit. 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 hatb always loved the people.

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

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