Notes to Shakespeare, Volume III: The Tragedies. Samuel Johnson

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СКАЧАТЬ 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.

      II.ii.131 (345,1)

      rewards

      His deeds with doing them; and is content

      To spend his time, to end it]

      I know not whether my conceit will be approved, but I cannot forbear to think that our author wrote thus.

      —he rewards

      His deeds with doing them, and is content

      To spend his time, to spend it.

      To do great acts, for the sake of doing them; to spend his life, for the sake of spending it.

      II.iii.4 (348,2) We have power in ourselves to do it, but it is a power that we have no power to do] [Warburton saw this as "a ridicule on the Augustine manner of defining free-will."] A ridicule may be intended, but the sense is clear enough. Power first signifies natural power or force, and then moral power or right. Davies has used the same word with great variety of meaning.

      Use all thy powers that heavenly power to praise,

      That gave thee power to do.—

      II.iii.18 (348,3) many-headed multitude] Hanmer reads, many-headed monster, but without necessity. To be many-headed includes monstrousness.

      II.iii.115 (352,7) I will not seal your knowledge] I will not strengthen or compleat your knowledge. The seal is that which gives authenticity to a writing.

      II.iii.122 (352,8)

      Why in this woolvish tongue should I stand here

      To beg of Bob and Dick, that do appear,

      Their needless vouches?]

      Why stand I here in this ragged apparel to beg of Bob and Dick, and such others as make their appearance here, their unnecessary votes. I rather think we should read [instead of voucher], Their needless vouches. But voucher may serve, as it may perhaps signify either the act or the agent.

      II.iii.122 (352) this woolvish gown] Signifies this rough hirsute gown.

      II.iii.182 (355,1) ignorant to see't?] [W: "ignorant" means "impotent"] That ignorant at any time has, otherwise than consequentially, the same meaning with impotent, I do not know. It has no such meaning in this place. Were you ignorant to see it, is, did you want knowledge to discern it.

      II.iii.208 (356,2) free contempt] That is, with contempt open and unrestrained.

      II.iii.227 (357,4) Enforce his pride] Object his pride, and enforce the objection.

      II.iii.258 (358,7) Scaling his present bearing with his past] That is, weighing his past and present behaviour.

      II.iii.267 (359,8) observe and answer/The vantage of his anger] Mark, catch, and improve the opportunity, which his hasty anger will afford us.

      III.i.23 (360,9) prank them in authority] Plume, deck, dignify themselves.

      III.i.58 (362,3) This paltring/Becomes not Rome] That is, this trick of dissimulation, this shuffling.

      Let these be no more believ'd

      That СКАЧАТЬ