Commit the war of white and damask, in Their nicely-gawded cheeks, to the wanton spoil Sic. I warrant him consul. Bru. On the sudden, 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 A vulgar station, I believe signifies only a common standingplace, such as is distinguished by no particular convenience. Commit the war of white and damask, in Steevens. Their nicely-gawded cheeks,] Dr. Warburton, for war, absurdly reads-ware. Malone. 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. Johnson. So, in Shakspeare's Tarquin and Lucrece: "The silent war of lilies and of roses, "Which Tarquin view'd in her fair faces field." Again, in The Taming of the Shrew: "Such war of white and red," &c. Again, in our author's Venus and Adonis: "To note the fighting conflict of her hue, "How white and red each other did destroy." Malone. Cleaveland introduces this, according to his quaint manner: her cheeks, 66 "Where roses mix: no civil war "Between her York and Lancaster." Farmer. 5 As if that whatsoever god, That is, as if that god who leads him, whatsoever god he be. Johnson. So, in our author's 26th Sonnet: "Till whatsoever star that guides my moving, "Points on me graciously with fair aspect." 6 From where he should begin, and end;] Perhaps it should be read: From where he should begin t' an end. Johnson. Our author means, though he has expressed himself most licentiously, he cannot carry his honours temperately from where he should begin to where he should end. The word transport includes the ending as well as the beginning. He cannot begin to carry his honours, and conclude his journey, from the spot where he should begin, and to the spot where he should end. I have no doubt that the text is right. 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; Bru. Nor, showing (as the manner is) his wounds 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,9 The reading of the old copy is supported by a passage in Cymbeline: where we find exactly the same phraseology: 66 the gap "That we shall make in time, from our hence going where the modern editors read-Till our return. Malone. 7 As he's proud to do't.] Proud to do, is the same as, proud of doing. Johnson. As means here, as that. Malone. 8 The napless vesture-] The players read-the Naples,—. Steevens. The correction was made by Mr. Rowe. By napless Shakspeare means thread-bare. So, in King Henry VI, P. II: “Geo. I tell the, Jack Cade the clothier means to dress the common.. wealth, and turn it, and set a new nap upon it. John. So he had need; for 'tis thread-bare." Plutarch's words are "with a poore gowne on their backes." See p. 70, n. 1. Malone. 9 It shall be to him then, as our good wills; A sure destruction.] This should be written will's for will is. Tyrwhitt. It shall be to him of the same nature as our dispositions towards him; deadly. Malone. Bru. So it must fall out To him, or our authorities. For an end, We must suggest the people,1 in what hatred He still hath held them; that, to his power,2 he would Of no more soul, nor fitness for the world, Neither Malone nor Tyrwhitt have justly explained this passage. The word wills is here a verb; and as our "good wills” means, as our advantage" requires. M. Mason. 1 66 suggest the people,] i. e. prompt them. So, in King Richard II: 66 Suggest his soon-believing adversaries." The verb-to suggest, has, in our author, many different shades of meaning. Steevens. 2— to his power,] i. e. as far as his power goes, to the ut most of it. Steevens. 3 Of no more soul, nor fitness for the world, Than camels in their war;] In what war? Camels are mere beasts of burthen, and are never used in war.-We should certainly read: As camels in their way. M. Mason. I am far from certain that this amendment is necessary. Brutus means to say that Coriolanus thought the people as useless expletives in the world, as camels would be in the war. I would read the instead of their. Their, however, may stand, and signify the war undertaken for the sake of the people. Mr. M. Mason, however is not correct in the assertion with which his note begins; for we are told by Aristotle, that shoes were put upon camels in the time of war. See Hist. Anim. II. 6. p. 165, edit. Scaligeri. Steevens. Their war may certainly mean, the wars in which the Roman people engaged with various nations; but I suspect Shakspeare wrote in the war. Malone. their provand-] So the old copy, and rightly, though all the modern editors read provender. The following instances may serve to establish the ancient reading. Thus, in Stowe's Chronicle, edit. 1615, p. 737: ". the provaunte was cut off, and every soldier had half a crowne a weeke." Again: "The horsmenne had foure shillings the weeke loane, to find them and their horse, which was better than the provaunt." Again, in Sir Walter Raleigh's Works, 1751, Vol. II, p. 229. Again, in Hakewil on the Providence of God, p. 118, or Lib. II, c. vii, sec. 1: " At the siege of Luxenburge, 1543, the weather was so cold that the provant wine, ordained for the army, being frozen, was divided with hatchets," &c. Again, in Pasquill's Nightcap, &c. 1623: Only for bearing burdens, and sore blows Sic. This, as you say, suggested At some time when his soaring insolence Shall teach the people," (which time shall not want, As to set dogs on sheep.) will be his fire To kindle their dry stubble; and their blaze Bru. Enter a Messenger. What's the matter? Mess. 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 "Sometimes seeks change of pasture and provant, The word appears to be derived from the French, provende, provender. Steevens. 5 Shall teach the people,] Thus the old copy. "When his soaring insolence shall teach the people," may mean---When he with the insolence of a proud patrician shall instruct the people in their duty to their rulers. Mr. Theobald reads, I think, without necessity, shall reach the people, and his emendation was adopted by all the subsequent editors. Malone. The word-teach, though left in the text, is hardly sense, unless it means-instruct the people in favour of our purposes. I strongly incline to the emendation of Mr. Theobald. Steevens. 6 will be his fire-] Will be a fire lighted by himself. Perhaps the author wrote-as fire. There is, however, no need of change. Malone. 7 To hear him speak: The matrons flung their gloves,] The words-The and their, which are wanting in the old copy, were properly supplied by Sir T. Hanmer to complete the verse. Steevens. Matrons flung glovesLadies-their scarfs-] Here our author has attributed some of the customs of his own age to a people who were wholly unacquainted with them. Few men of fashion of his time appeared at a tournament without a lady's favour upon his arm: and sometimes when a nobleman had tilted with uncommon grace and agility, some of the fair spectators used to fling a scarf or glove "upon him as he pass'd." Malone. A shower, and thunder, with their caps, and shouts: Bru. Let's to the Capitol; And carry with us ears and eyes for the time, Sic. Have with you. [Exeunt. SCENE II. The same. The Capitol. Enter Two Officers, to lay Cushions. 1 Off. 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 a 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 waved1 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. 8 · carry with us ears and eyes &c.] That is, let us observe what passes, but keep our hearts fixed on our design of crushing Coriolanus. Johnson. 9 Enter two Officers, &c.] The old copy reads: "Enter two of ficers to lay cushions, as it were, in the capitoll." Steevens. This as it were was inserted, because there being no scenes in the theatres in our author's time, no exhibition of the inside of the capitol could be given. Malone. 1 he waved-] That is, he would have waved indifferently. Johnson their opposite.] That is, their adversary. Malone. 2 |
