Page:Coriolanus (1924) Yale.djvu/165

The Tragedy of Coriolanus Othello I. ii. 41 and the opening of the following scene in that play; also 2 Henry IV 1. i.

And vows revenge as spacious as between The young'st and oldest thing. Vows to include every living thing in his revenge.

Your temples burned in their cement. Subjected to such conflagration that even the mortar will be consumed. As always in Shakespeare, 'cement' is accented on the first syllable.

they charg'd him even As those should do that had deserv'd his hate. By asking him to spare Rome his friends would be making common cause with his foes.

you have crafted fair. A pun on 'crafted' is involved: (a) advanced the crafts' interests, (b) shown your craft.

desperation Is all the policy, strength, and defence, That Rome can make against them. All that Rome can do against them in the way of either negotiation, offence, or defence is a desperate hope.

yet he hath left undone That which shall break his neck or hazard mine, Whene'er we come to our account. The allusion appears to be to Plutarch's statement that, after Coriolanus had led his army to within forty furlongs of Rome and made great demands on behalf of the Volsci, he omitted to press his advantage and allowed the Romans a respite of thirty days in which to make their answer. 'This,' says North, 'was the first matter wherewith the Volsces (that most envied Martius' glory and authority) did charge Martius with. Among those, Tullus was chief.'

As is the osprey to the fish, who takes it By sovereignty of nature. The osprey, or fishhawk, was supposed to have a natural power of fascinating fishes. Editors quote several