Page:Coriolanus (1924) Yale.djvu/159

The Tragedy of Coriolanus conspectus, sight. The Folio spelling of 'bisson' is 'beesome.'

Come, come, you are well understood to be a perfecter giber for the table than a necessary bencher in the Capitol. It is well known that you are better fitted to be a jesting table-companion than a serviceable senator.

the repulse of Tarquin. Plutarch says (North): 'The first time he went to the wars, being but a stripling, was when Tarquin surnamed the proud (that had been king of Rome, and was driven out for his pride ) did come to Rome with all the aid of the Latins, and many other people of Italy who with a great and mighty army had undertaken to put him into his kingdom again.' The battle referred to, the last of four attempts to restore King Tarquin, occurred in 499 B.C. Shakespeare makes Cominius tell the story of Martius' exploits on this occasion. See II. ii. 92 ff.

there's nine that I know. Shakespeare often seems resentful of mathematical precision. One would expect a total of ten here. Some commentators improbably suggest that Menenius makes a fresh count to himself, ending with 'One i' the neck,' etc.

My gracious silence. Mr. Case (Arden ed.) suggests that Shakespeare may have derived this pretty nickname of Virgilia from North's translation of Plutarch's Life of Numa, where it is stated that the hero 'taught the Romans to reverence one of [the Muses] above all the rest, who was called Tacita, as ye would say Lady Silence.'

I know not where to turn. I retain, doubtfully, the arrangement of modern editors, The Folio gives line 199 to Cominius, not Coriolanus, which would better explain Volumnia's words. If 199 really belongs to Coriolanus, it is possible that 'I know