Page:Coriolanus (1924) Yale.djvu/133

The Tragedy of Coriolanus, V. ii

My name hath touch'd your ears: it is Menenius.

1. Wat. Be it so; go back: the virtue of your name

Is not here passable.

Men. I tell thee, fellow,

Thy general is my lover: I have been

The book of his good acts, whence men have read

His fame unparallel'd, haply amplified;

For I have ever verified my friends—

Of whom he's chief—with all the size that verity

Would without lapsing suffer: nay, sometimes,

Like to a bowl upon a subtle ground,

I have tumbled past the throw, and in his praise

Have almost stamp'd the leasing. Therefore, fellow,

I must have leave to pass.

1. Wat. Faith, sir, if you had told as many

lies in his behalf as you have uttered words in

your own, you should not pass here; no, though

it were as virtuous to lie as to live chastely.

Therefore go back.

Men. Prithee, fellow, remember my name is

Menenius, always factionary on the party of your

general.

2. Wat. Howsoever you have been his liar

—as you say you have—I am one that,

telling true under him, must say you cannot pass.

Therefore go back.

Men. Has he dined, canst thou tell? for I

would not speak with him till after dinner.

1. Wat. You are a Roman, are you?

Men. I am as thy general is.

 13 passable: valid

15 book: record, that which reports

17 verified my friends: shown my friends to be my friends; cf. n.

18 size: exaggeration

19 lapsing: slipping into falsehood

20 subtle: temptingly level

21 throw: distance aimed at

22 stamp'd the leasing: confirmed actual falsehood

30 factionary party: an active adherent

34 telling him: speaking truth in his service

