OBSERVATIONS.

THIS play I conjecture to have been written in the year 1609.

It comprehends a period of about four years, commencing with the feceffion to the Mons Sacer in the year of Rome 262, and ending with the death of Coriolanus, A. U. Č. 266. MALONE.

The whole hiftory is exactly followed, and many of the principal fpeeches exactly copied from the Life of Coriolanus in Plutarch.

POPE.

PERSONS REPRESENTED.

CAIUS MARCIUS CORIOLANUS, a noble Roman.

TITUS LARTIUS, } Generals against the Volfcians.

COMINIUS,

MENENIUS AGRIPPA, friend to Coriolanus.

SICINIUS VELUTUS,

JUNIUS BRUTUS,

} Tribunes of the People.

Young MARCIUS, Son to Coriolanus.

A Roman Herald.

TULLUS AUFIDIUS, General of the Volfcians.

Lieutenant to Aufidius.

Confpirators with Aufidius.

A Citizen of Antium.

To Volfcian Guards.

VOLUMNIA, Mother to Coriolanus.

VIRGILIA, Wife to Coriolanus.

VALERIA, Friend to Virgilia.

Gentlewoman, attending Virgilia.

Roman and Volfcian Senators, Patricians, Ædiles, Li&tors, Soldiers, Citizens, Messengers, Servants to Aufidius, and other Attendants.

SCENE, partly in Rome; and partly in the Territories of the Volfcians and Antiates.

CORIOLANUS.

ACT I. SCENE I.

Rome. A Street.

Enter a Company of mutinous Citizens, with staves, clubs, and

BEFORE

other weapons.

I Citizen.

we proceed any further, hear me speak. Cit. Speak, fpeak.

[feveral freaking at once.

1 Cit. You are all refolv'd rather to die, than to fa

mish?

Cit. Refolv'd, refolv'd.

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. 2 Cit. One word, good citizens.

1 Cit. We are accounted poor citizens; the patricians, good: What authority furfeits on, would relieve us: If they would yield us but the fuperfluity, while it were wholesome, we might guess, they relieved us humanely; but they think, we are too dear: the leannefs that afflicts us, the object of our mifery, is as an inventory to particularize their abundance; our fufferance is a gain to them. Let us revenge this with our pikes, ere we be

come rakes: for the gods know, I speak this in hunger for bread, not in thirst for revenge.

2 Cit. Would you proceed efpecially against Caius Mar

cius ?

Cit. Against him firft; he's a very dog to the commonalty.

2 Cit. Confider you what fervices 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.

2 Cit. Nay, but speak not maliciously.

1 Cit. I fay unto you, what he hath done famously, he did it to that end: though soft-confcienc'd men can be content to fay, 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 fay, he is covetous.

1 Cit. If I must not, I need not be barren of accusations; he hath faults, with furplus, to tire in repetition. [Shouts within.] What fhouts are these? The other fide o'the city is rifen: Why stay we prating here? to the Capitol.

Cit. 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 fo!

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

go you

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

1 Cit. Our business is not unknown to the senate; they have had inkling, this fortnight, what we intend to do, which now we'll fhow 'em in deeds. They say, poor fuitors have ftrong breaths; they fhall know, we have ftrong arms too.

Men. Why, mafters, my good friends, mine honeft neighbours,

Will you

undo yourselves?

1 Cit. We cannot, fir, we are undone already.
Men. I tell you, friends, most charitable care
Have the patricians of you. For your wants,
Your fuffering in this dearth, you may as well
Strike at the heaven with your staves, as lift them
Against the Roman ftate; 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 tranfported by calamity

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

1 Cit. Care for us!-True, indeed!-They ne'er car'd for us yet. Suffer us to famish, and their store-houses cramm'd with grain; make edicts for usury, to support ufurers: 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 muft

Confefs yourselves wondrous malicious,

Or be accus'd of folly. I fhall tell you