'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.

CAIUS MARCIUS CORIOLANUS, a noble Roman. Appears, Act I. sc. 1; sc. 4; sc. 5; sc. 6; sc. 8; gc. 9. Act II. st. 1; sc. 2; sc. 3. Act III. sc. 1; se. 2; sc. 3. Act IV. sc. 1; sc. 4; sc. 5. Act V. sc. 2; sc. 3; sc. 5.

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

Act III. st. 1.

Act II. 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.

MENENIUS AGRIPPA, friend to Coriolanus.

Appears, Act I. sc. 1. Act II. sc. 1; sc. 2; sc. 3. 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.

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

sc. 2; sc. 3. Act III. 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.

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. 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.

SCENE I.-Rome. A Street.

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.

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

b 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:

Men. What work 's, my countrymen, in hand? |

Where go you

With bats and clubs? The matter? Speak, I pray you. 2 Cit. Our business is not unknown to the senate; they have had inkling, this fortnight, what we intend to do, which now we 'll show 'em in deeds. They say suitors have strong breaths; they shall know we ave strong arms too.

Men. Why, masters, my good friends, mine honest neighbours,

Will you undo yourselves?

2 Cit. We cannot, sir, we are undone already.
Men. I tell you, friends, most charitable care
Have the patricians of you. For your wants,
Your suffering in this dearth, you may as well
Strike at the heaven with your staves, as lift them
Against the Roman state; whose course will on
The way it takes, cracking ten thousand curbs
Of more strong link asunder than can ever
Appear in your impediment: For the dearth,
The gods, not the patricians, make it; and

Your knees to them, not arms, must help. Alack,
You are transported by calamity

Thither where more attends you; and you slander
The helms o' the state, who care for you like fathers,
When you curse them as enemies.

2 Cit. Care for us!-True, indeed!-They ne'er cared for us yet. Suffer us to famish, and their storehouses crammed with grain; make edicts for usury, to support usurers; repeal daily any wholesome act established against the rich; and provide more piercing statutes daily, to chain up and restrain the poor. If the wars eat us not up, they will; and there 's all the love they bear us.

Men. Either you must

Confess yourselves wondrous malicious,
Or be accus'd of folly. I shall tell you
A pretty tale; it may be you have heard it;
But, since it serves my purpose, I will venture
To scale 't a little more.

2 Cit. Well, I'll hear it, sir: yet you must not think to fob off our disgrace with a tale: but, an 't please you, deliver.

Men. There was a time when all the body's members

Rebell'd against the belly; thus accus'd it:-
That only like a gulf it did remain

I' the midst o' the body, idle and unactive,
Still cupboarding the viand, never bearing
Like labour with the rest; where the other instruments
Did see and hear, devise, instruct, walk, feel,
And mutually participate; did minister

All the subsequent dialogue with Menenius is given by the modern editors to the first citizen. 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.

b To scale 't. It is necessary to see how Shakspere has used this verb in other passages. In the second act Sicinius tells the citizens,

"You have found,

Scaling his present bearing with his past,

That he's your fixed enemy."

Dr. Johnson explains this, "Weighing his past and present behaviour." In Measure for Measure,' when the Duke explains his project to Isabella, he says, by this is "the corrupt deputy scaled." Upon this passage Johnson says, "To scale the deputy may be to reach him, or it may be to strip him." Here he differs from his interpretation of the passage in Coriolanus.' But surely "the corrupt deputy" may be "scaled" in the same way that the bearing of Coriolanus is "scaled." If this interpretation be good for two of the passages, why not for a third, that of the text before us? Menenius will venture to weigh to try the value, of the "pretty tale" a little more; though they may have heard it, he will again scale it.

Unto the appetite and affection common
Of the whole body. The belly answered,—

2 Cit. Well, sir, what answer made the belly? Men. Sir, I shall tell you.-With a kind of smile, Which ne'er came from the lungs, but even thus, (For, look you, I may make the belly smile As well as speak,) it tauntingly replied To the discontented members, the mutinous parts That envied his receipt; even so most fitly As you malign our senators, for that They are not such as you.

2 Cit. Your belly's answer; What The kingly-crowned head, the vigilant eye, The counsellor heart, the arm our soldier, Our steed the leg, the tongue our trumpeter, With other muniments and petty helps In this our fabric, if that theyMen.

What then?'Fore me, this fellow speaks!-what then? what then? 2 Cit. Should by the cormorant belly be restrain'd, Who is the sink o' the body,

Men.

Well, what then? 2 Cit. The former agents, if they did complain, What could the belly answer? I will tell you;

Men.

If you'll bestow a small (of what you have little)
Patience a while, you'll hear the belly's answer.
2 Cit. You are long about it.
Men.

Note me this, good friend ;
Your most grave belly was deliberate,
Not rash like his accusers, and thus answer'd.
"True is it, my incorporate friends," quoth he,
"That I receive the general food at first,
Which you do live upon and fit it is;
Because I am the storehouse, and the shop
Of the whole body: But if you do remember,
I send it through the rivers of your bloed,
Even to the court, the heart, to the seat o' the brain,
And through the cranks and offices of man:
The strongest nerves, and small inferior veins,
From me receive that natural competency
Whereby they live: And though that all at once,
You, my good friends," (this says the belly,) mark m2,
2 Cit. Ay, sir; well, well.
Men.
"Though all at once can
See what I do deliver out to each;
Yet I can make my audit up, that all
From me do back receive the flour of all,
And leave me but the bran." What say you to 't!
2 Cit. It was an answer: How apply you this?
Men. The senators of Rome are this good belly,
And you the mutinous members: For examine
Their counsels and their cares; digest things rightly,
Touching the weal o' the common; you shall find,
No public benefit, which you receive,
But it proceeds, or comes, from them to you,
And no way from yourselves.-What do you think?
You, the great toe of this assembly?-

2 Cit. I the great toe? Why the great toe? Men. For that, being one o' the lowest, basest, poorest Of this most wise rebellion, thou goʻst foremost: Thou rascal, that art worst in blood to run,

a The usual punctuation of this passage is,-
"I send it through the rivers of your blood,

Even to the court, the heart,-to the seat o' the brain;
And, through the cranks and offices of man,
The strongest nerves," &c.

The obvious meaning of the passage without any of th forced punctuation (the original uses no point but the comma) appears to us to be,-I send the general food through the riven of your blood, to the court, the heart; I send it to the seat of the brain, and through the cranks and offices (obscure parts) of the whole body. By this means

"The strongest nerves, and small inferior veins, From me receive that natural competency Whereby they live."

2 Cit.

We have ever your good word. Mar. He that will give good words to thee will flatter Beneath abhorring.-What would you have, you curs, That like nor peace, nor war? the one affrights you, The other makes you proud. He that trusts to you, Where he should find you lions finds you hares; Where foxes, geese: You are no surer, no, Than is the coal of fire upon the ice,

Or hailstone in the sun. Your virtue is,

To make him worthy whose offence subdues him,

And curse that justice did it. Who deserves greatness
Deserves your hate: and your affections are

A sick man's appetite, who desires most that
Which would increase his evil. He that depends
Upon your favours swims with fins of lead,

And hews down oaks with rushes. Hang ye! Trust ye?
With every minute you do change a mind;
And call him noble that was now your hate,

The Volces are in arms.

Mar.
They have a leader,
Tullus Aufidius, that will put you to 't.
I sin in envying his nobility:

And were I anything but what I am,
I would wish me only he.
Com.
You have fought together.
Mar. Were half to half the world by the ears, and

he

That in these several places of the city
You cry against the noble senate, who,

Under the gods, keep you in awe, which else
Would feed on one another?-What 's their seeking?
Men. For corn at their own rates; whereof, they say,
The city is well stor❜d.

Mar.

Hang 'em! They say!

They'll sit by the fire, and presume to know
What 's done i' the Capitol: who 's like to rise,

Who thrives, and who declines: side factions, and give

out

Conjectural marriages; making parties strong, And feebling such as stand not in their liking

Com. It is your former promise.
Mar.

Sir, it is; And I am constant.-Titus Lartius, thou Shalt see me once more strike at Tullus' face: What, art thou stiff? stand'st out?

Tit.

No, Caius Marcius; I'll lean upon one crutch, and fight with t' other, Ere stay behind this business.

Lead you on:

enough!

Would the nobility lay aside their ruth,b
And let me use my sword, I'd make a quarry
With thousands of these quarter'd slaves, as high
As I could pick my lance.

Men. Nay, these are almost thoroughly persuaded;
For though abundantly they lack discretion,
Yet are they passing cowardly. But, I beseech you,
What says the other troop?

Mar.

They are dissolved: Hang 'em! They said they were an-hungry; sigh'd forth proverbs, That hunger broke stone walls, that dogs must eat,

That meat was made for mouths, that the gods sent not
Corn for the rich men only :-With these shreds
They vented their complainings; which being answer'd,
And a petition granted them, a strange one,
(To break the heart of generosity,

And make bold power look pale,) they threw their caps
As they would hang them on the horns o' the moon,
Shouting their emulation.