1.i.19 (292,1) but they think, we are too dear] They think that the
charge of maintaining us is more than we are worth.
I.i.23 (292,3) ere we become rakes] It is plain that, in our authour's
time, we had the proverb, _as lean as a rake_. Of this proverb the
original is obscure. _Rake_ now signifies a _dissolute man_, a man worn
out with disease and debauchery. But the signification is, I think, much
more modern than the proverb. _Raekel_, in Islandick, is said to mean a
_cur-dog_, and this was probably the first use among us of the word
_rake_; _as lean as a rake_ is, therefore, as lean as it dog too
worthless to be fed.
1.i.94 (294,4) I will venture/To scale't a little more] [Warburton had
taken Theobald to task for emending to "stale't", offering two
quotations to prove that "scale" meant "apply."] Neither of Dr.
Warburton's examples afford a sense congruous to the present occasion.
In the passage quoted, to _scale_ may be to _weigh_ and _compare_, but
where do we find that _scale_ is to _apply_? If we _scale_ the two
criticks, I think Theobald has the advantage.
I.i.97 (295,5) fob off our disgraces with a tale] _Disgraces_ are
_hardships, injuries_.
I.i.104 (295,6) where the other instruments] _Where_ for _whereas_.
I.i.112 (296,7) Which ne'er came from the lungs] with a smile not
indicating pleasure, but contempt.
I.i.120 (296,9) The counsellor heart] The heart was anciently esteemed
the seat of prudence. _Homo cordatum_ is a _prudent man_.
I.i.163 (297,1) Thou rascal, that art worst in blood, to ruin,/ Lead'st
first, to win some 'vantage] I think, we may better read, by an easy
change, _Thou rascal that art worst, in blood, to_ ruin [to run]
_Lead'st first, to win_, &c.
Thou that art the meanest by birth, art the foremost to lead thy fellows
_to ruin_, in hope of some advantage. The meaning, however, is perhaps
only this, Thou that art a hound, or running dog of the lowest breed,
lead'st the pack, when any thing is to be gotten. (see 1765, VI, 493, 1)
I.i.172 (298,4) What would you have, ye curs,/ That like not peace, nor
war? The one affrights you,/ The other makes you proud] [W: likes] That
_to like_ is _to please_, every one knows, but in that sense it is as
hard to say why peace should not _like_ the people, as, in the other
sense, why the people should not _like_ peace. The truth is, that
Coriolanus does not use the two sentences consequentially, but
reproaches them with unsteadiness, then with their other occasional
vices.
I.i.202 (300,6) I'd make a quarry/With thousands] Why a quarry? I
suppose, not because he would pile them square, but because he would
give them for carrion to the birds of prey.
I.i.215 (300,7) To break the heart of generosity] To give the final blow
to the _nobles_. _Generosity_ is _high birth_.
I.i.231 (301,8) 'tis true, that yon have lately told us./The Volscians
are in arms] Coriolanus had been but just told himself that _the
Volscians were in arms_. The meaning is, _The intelligence which you
gave us some little time ago of the designs of the Volscians is now
verified; they are in arms._
I.i.255 (302,8) Your valour puts well forth] That is, You have in this
mutiny shewn fair blossoms of valour.
I.i.260 (303,9) to gird. To _sneer_, to _gibe_. So Falstaff uses the
noun, when he says, _every man has a _gird _at me_.
I.i.281 (304,3) in what fashion,/More than his singularity he goes/ Upon
this present action] We will learn what he is to do, besides _going
himself_; what are his powers, and what is his appointment.
I.ii.28 (305,4) for the remove/Bring up your army] [W:'fore they] I do
not see the nonsense or impropriety of the old reading. Says the senator
to Aufidius, _Go to your troops, we will garrison Corioli_. If the
Romans besiege us, bring up your army _to remove them_. If any change
should be made, I would read,
--_for_ their _remove_.
I.iii.16 (307,5) brows bound with oak] The crown given by the Romans to
him that saved the life of a citizen, which was accounted more
honourable than any other.
I.iv.14 (311,9) nor a man that fears you less than he,/That's lesser
than a little] The sense requires it to be read,
_nor a man that fears you_ more _than he_,
Or more probably,
_nor a man_ but _fears you less than he,
That's lesser than a little_.
I.v.5 (314,4) prize their hours] In the first edition it is, _prize
their_ hours. I know not who corrected it [to _prize their honours_]. A
modern editor, who had made such an improvement, would have spent half a
page in ostentation of his sagacity.
I.vi.36 (317,6) Ransoming him, or pitying] i.e. _remitting his ransom_.
I.vi.61 (318,8) swords advanc'd] That is, swords lifted high.
I.vi.83 (319,9) Please you to march,/And four shall quickly draw out my
command,/Which men are best inclin'd] I cannot but suspect this passage
of corruption. Why should they _march_, that _four_ might select those
that were _best inclin'd_? How would their inclinations be known? Who
were the _four_ that should select them? Perhaps, we may read,
--_Please you to march,
And_ fear _shall quickly draw out_ of _my command,
Which men are_ least _inclin'd_.
It is easy to conceive that, by a little negligence, _fear_ might be
changed to _four_, and _least_ to _best_. Let us march, and that fear
which incites desertion will free my army from cowards. (see 1765, VI,
512, 1)
I.viii.11 (320,1) Wert thou the Hector,/That was the whip of your
bragg'd progeny] The Romans boasted themselves descended from the
Trojans, how then was Hector the _whip of their progeny_? It must mean
the whip with which the Trojans scourged the Greeks, which cannot be but
by a very unusual construction, or the authour must have forgotten the
original of the Romans; unless _whip_ has some meaning which includes
_advantage_ or _superiority_, as we say, _he has the_ whip-hand, for _he
has the_ advantage.
I.viii.14 (321,2) you have sham'd me/In your condemned seconds] For
_condemned_, we may read _contemned_. You have, to my shane, sent me
help _which I despise_.
I.ix.12 (321,4) Here is the steed, we the caparisons!] This is an odd
encomium. The meaning is, _this man performed the action, and we only
filled up the show_.
I.ii.14 (322,5) a charter to extol] A privilege to praise her own son.
I.ix.29 (322,6) Should they not] That is, _not be remembered_.
I.ix.72 (325,9) To the fairness of any power] [_Fairness_, for _utmost_.
WARE.] I know not how _fairness_ can mean _utmost_. When two engage on
_equal_ terms, we say it is _fair_; _fairness_ may therefore be
_equality; in proportion equal to my power_.
I.ix.76 (325,1) The best] The _chief_ men of Corioli.
I.x.5 (326,3) Being a Volsce, be that I am] It may be just observed,
that Shakespeare calls the _Volsci, Volsces_, which the modern editors
have changed to the modern termination [Volscian]. I mention it here,
because here the change has spoiled the measure. _Being a_ Volsce, _be
that I am. Condition_. [Steevans restored _Volsce_ in the text.]
I.x.17 (326,2) My valour's poison'd,/With only suffering stain by him,
for him/ Shall flie out of itself] To mischief him, my valour should
_deviate from_ its own native generosity.
I.x.25 (327,4) At home, upon my brother's guard] In my own house, with
my brother posted to protect him.
II.i.8 (328,5) Pray you, who does the wolf love?] When the tribune, in
reply to Menenius's remark, on the people's hate of Coriolanus, had
observed that even _beasts know their friends_, Menenius asks, _whom
does the wolf love_? implying that there are beasts which love nobody,
and that among those beasts are the people.
II.i.43 (329,6) towards the napes of your necks] With allusion to the
fable, which says, that every man has a bag hanging before him, in which
he puts his neighbour's faults, and another behind him, in which he
stows his own.
II.i.56 (330,7) one that converses more with the buttock of the night,
than with the forehead of the morning] Rather a late lier down than an
early riser.
II.i.84 (330,1) set up the bloody flag against all patience] That is,
declare war against patience. There is not wit enough in this satire to
recompense its grossness.
II.i.105 (331,2) herdsmen of beastly Plebeians] As kings are called
[Greek: poimenes laon].
II.i.115 (331,3) Take my cap, Jupiter, and I thank thee] [W: cup]
Shakespeare so often mentions throwing up caps in this play, that
Menenius may be well enough supposed to throw up his cap in thanks to
Jupiter.
II.i.146 (333,4) possest of this?] _Possest_, in our authour's language,
is fully informed.
II.i.178 (334,6) Which being advanc'd, declines] 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.
II.i.232 (337,3) Commit the war of white and damask, in/Their nicely
gawded cheeks] [W: wars] Has the commentator never heard of roses
_contending_ with lilies for the empire of a lady's cheek? The
_opposition_ of colours, though not the _commixture_, may be called a
war.
II.i.235 (338,1) As if that whatsoever God] That is, _as if that God who
leads him, whatsoever_ God he be.
II.i.241 (338,2) From where he should begin, and end] Perhaps it should
be read,
_From where he should begin_ t'an _end_.--
II.i.247 (338,3) As he is proud to do't] [I should rather think the
author wrote _prone_: because the common reading is scarce sense or
English. WARBURTON.] _Proud to do_, is the same as, _proud of doing_,
very plain sense, and very common English.
II.i.285 (340,4) carry with us ears and eyes] That is, let us observe
what passes, but keep our hearts fixed on our design of crushing
Coriolanus.
II.ii.19 (340,5) he wav'd indifferently] That is, _he would wave
indifferently_.
II.ii.29 (341,6) supple and courteous to the people; bonnetted] The
sense, I think, requires that we should read, _unbonnetted_. Who have
risen only by _pulling off their hats_ to the people. _Bonnetted_ may
relate to _people_, but not without harshness.
II.ii.57 (342,7) Your loving motion toward the common body] Your kind
interposition with the common people.
II.ii.64 (342,9) That's off, that's off] That is, that is nothing to the
purpose.
II.ii.82 (343,1) how can he flatter] The reasoning of Menenius is this:
How can he be expected to practice flattery to others, who abhors it so
much, that he cannot bear it even when offered to himself.
II.ii.92 (343,2) When Tarquin made a head for Rome] When Tarquin, who
had been expelled, _raised a power_ to recover Rome.
II.ii.113 (344,6) every motion/Was tim'd with dying cries] The cries of
the slaughter'd regularly followed his motions, as musick and a dancer
accompany each ether.
II.ii.115 (345,7) The mortal gate] The gate that was made the scene of
death.
II.ii.127 (345,8) He cannot but with measure fit the honours] That is,
no honour will be too great far him; he will show a mind equal to any
elevation.