Page:Coriolanus (1924) Yale.djvu/48

36

something imperfect in favouring the first com-

plaint; hasty and tinder-like upon too: trivial

motion; one that converses more with the but-

tock of the night than with the forehead of the

morning. What I think I utter, and spend my

malice in my breath. Meeting two such weals-

men as you are,—I cannot call you Lycurguses,

—if the drink you give me touch my palate

adversely, I make a crooked face at it. I cannot

say your worships have delivered the matter

well when I find the ass in compound with the

major part of your syllables; and though I

must be content to bear with those that say you

are reverend grave men, yet they lie deadly that

tell you have good faces. If you see this in the

map of my microcosm, follows it that I am

known well enough too? What harm can your

bisson conspectuities glean out of this character,

if I be known well enough too?

Bru. Come, sir, come, we know you well

enough.

Men. You know neither me, yourselves, nor

anything. You are ambitious for poor knaves'

caps and legs: you wear out a good wholesome

forenoon in hearing a cause between an orange-

wife and a fosset-seller, and then rejourn the

controversy of three-pence to a second day of

 55 something complaint: somewhat hasty in judgment

57 motion: occasion, incitement

57–59 one morning; cf. n.

59, 60 spend breath: get rid of my ill will by putting it into words

60 wealsmen: politicians

61 Lycurguses: great lawgivers

63–66 I cannot syllables; cf. n.

70 map microcosm; cf. n.

72 bisson conspectuities: blinded sight; cf. n.

78 caps and legs: applause and reverence

79 orange-wife: hawker of oranges

80 fosset-seller: seller of faucets, taps for barrels

rejourn: postpone

