Page:Coriolanus (1924) Yale.djvu/166

154 statements of the belief; e.g., Peele's Battle of Alcazar II. iii.:

I will provide thee with a princely osprey,

That, as she flieth over fish in pools,

The fish shall turn their glittering bellies up.'

not moving From the casque to the cushion. His nature or disposition not adapting itself to suit the proprieties of conduct in time of war and time of peace respectively. The casque is the symbol of the warrior, the cushion of the senator. Compare III. i. 100 and stage direction at opening of II. ii.

but he has a merit To choke it in the utterance. His merit is so great that condemnation of his fault should be silenced ere fully uttered.

And power, unto itself most commendable, Hath not a tomb so evident as a chair To extol what it hath done. Power, though (when considered absolutely) most worthily attained, is never so near its grave as when the successful man, seated in the chair of authority, seeks to justify the means by which he has risen.

Rights by rights falter. One conception of justice hampers another. For 'falter' (Dyce's emendation) the Folio reads 'fouler.' Johnson proposed 'founder.'

rack'd. The word is spelled 'wrack'd' in the Folio; and there is probably a play on the sense of 'rack'd' as explained in the footnote and 'wrack'd,' brought all to wrack and ruin.

what he would do He sent in writing after me, what he would not, Bound with an oath to yield to his conditions. He sent a written statement of what he would and would not do, requiring an oath of unconditional acceptance of these conditions.

it is lots to blanks. It is more likely than