7 pest'ring obstructing
9 functions tasks, occupations
10 stood to't made a stand against it
15 But except
16 were even were
18 temporized compromised, been moderate
23 e'en evening (i.e. any time after noon)
32 comely decent, pleasing
39 affecting aiming for/desiring
39 assistance partners
41 this this time, now
47 several powers separate armies
53 horns i.e. like those of a snail
54 inshelled within his (snail's) shell, withdrawn 54 stood fought
56 what why
58 break with us i.e. break the terms of our treaty 62 age lifetime
62 reason with converse with, question
64 information source of information
71 turns transforms
73 His raising this is his rumormongering
76 seconded corroborated
82 as ... between wide enough to include
85 Raised stirred up, rumored
87 trick on't nature, aim of it
89 atone be reconciled
90 violent'st contrariety most extreme opposites
95 O'erborne overcome (everything in)
95 took captured
99 holp helped
99 ravish rape
100 leads lead roofs
100 pates heads
101 to your noses in front of you, in your faces 103 in their cement i.e. to their foundations 104 franchises rights, freedom
105 auger's bore small hole made with a carpenter's tool (auger) 112 brats children
116 apron-men tradesmen
117 voice of occupation working men's votes
118 garlic-eaters i.e. the lower classes
120 Hercules ... fruit the eleventh labor of Hercules was to pluck the golden apples of the Hesperides (the three sisters who guarded them) 124 other otherwise
125 smilingly willingly
125 who whoever
127 constant steadfast, loyal
128 something some admirable quality
129 undone ruined
134 for as for
135 charged would be entreating
137 showed would appear
138 brand flaming torch
141 hands i.e. work (sarcastic)
142 crafts skills/craftsmen/guiles
142 crafted worked skillfully/been cunning
145 S'incapable of help so incapable of being helped 149 clusters crowd, mobs
152 roar i.e. with fear
153 name greatest (after Coriolanus)
153 his points Coriolanus' instructions
163 coxcombs i.e. fool's heads (literally, headgear with a crest like a cock's comb) 166 coal smoldering piece of charcoal
177 cry pack (of dogs)/shouting, noise
177 shall's shall we go
180 side faction
188 Would ... lie i.e. I would give half my wealth to have this be untrue 4.7 Location: the Volscian camp, near Rome
5 darkened obscured, eclipsed
6 own own men, followers
8 using means taking action
8 lame ... design cripple our plans (for Rome) 12 changeling fickle thing
15 for your particular as far as you personally are concerned 16 Joined in commission decided to share power
17 Have ... yourself had orchestrated the campaign by yourself 20 account reckoning, judgment
21 urge bring forward
23 th'vulgar the common
23 bears manages
24 husbandry for management on behalf of
25 achieve succeed in his aims
29 carry overcome, capture
30 sits down begins a siege
34 repeal recall from exile
36 osprey fish-hawk, thought to be so kingly that
36 fish turned belly-up in surrender to it
39 even steadily, evenly
40 out ... fortune due to repeated success
41 happy fortunate
42 disposing management
43 nature his character
45 casque helmet
45 cushion i.e. senator's seat/comfort of peacetime 46 austerity and garb severe manner
48 spices traces, a flavor
49 free absolve
50 So therefore
50 he ... utt'rance his merit stifles itself even as it is being praised/his merit is sufficient to stifle any talk of whatever fault was responsible 52 time current age, contemporary opinion
53 power ... done while power may be inherently worthy of praise it never entombs itself more surely than when it is publicly proclaimed 54 chair public rostrum
55 T'extol to raise up with praise
57 Rights ... fail i.e. other, more dominant rights or strengths overcome the original ones; 57 foulder, which could mean either "fire out" or "crumble," is the most satisfactory emendation of Folio's senseless "fouler," though some editors prefer "falter"
5.1 Location: Rome
1 he i.e. Cominius
2 Which who
2 sometime formerly
3 In ... particular with heartfelt personal affection 3 He i.e. Coriolanus
5 knee crawl
6 coyed was reluctant
8 would ... to acted as if he did not
18 wracked ruined (puns on "racked," i.e. strained, worked) 19 coals charcoal (because Rome will be burned down) 19 memory memorial
20 minded reminded
22 bare worthless/threadbare
25 offered attempted
26 private personal
27 stay delay, make time
27 in from
28 noisome foul-smelling
30 nose th'offence smell the offensive matter (the musty chaff) 33 brave fine 37 so never-needed help matter in which help is needed more than ever before 38 distress hardship, affliction
40 instant quickly mobilized
49 grief-shot grief-stricken
52 after ... well in proportion to your good intentions 55 bite ... hum signs of anger
56 unhearts discourages
57 taken well tackled at the right moment
59 pout upon look moodily on
61 conveyances channels (i.e. veins)
62 suppler more yielding, receptive
64 dieted to sufficiently well-fed to hear
68 prove test
69 Speed prosper, fare
70 success outcome
73 gold i.e. splendor, a chair of state
74 injury sense of having been wronged
76 faintly indifferently, disinterestedly
77 What ... conditions i.e. he listed the concessions that he would and would not make, provided that the Romans swore to comply with his conditions/he stated exactly what he would and would not do to Rome, swearing that he would abide by his intentions/he stated his wishes, and swore to stick to them 5.2 Location: the Volscian camp
14 lots to blanks a certainty (literally, prize-winning tickets in a lottery compared to worthless ones) 16 virtue power/worth
17 passable valid
19 lover good friend
20 book record
21 happily favorably
22 verified supported, guaranteed the worth of
23 size magnitude
23 verity truth
24 without lapsing suffer permit without collapsing 25 bowl bowling ball
25 subtle deceptive
26 tumbled ... throw overshot the mark
27 stamped the leasing given the stamp of truth to falsehood 32 chastely honestly (lie ... chastely plays on the sense of "have sex as to be sexually chaste") 34 factionary active as a partisan
36 under while serving under
44 violent popular ignorance surge of ignorant public violence 45 shield i.e. Coriolanus
45 front confront, meet
45 easy ready
46 palms outstretched hands
47 palsied trembling
47 dotant dotard, i.e. imbecile/in senile decay 52 out
of beyond
53 sirrah sir (used to address an inferior)
54 use treat
54 estimation respect
58 utmost ... having all you're going to get/the furthest you're going to go 62 say ... for deliver the report for you
62 companion fellow, rogue
64 jack guardant knavish guardsman
64 office officiously keep
65 entertainment (favorable) reception
66 stand'st ... of are not already condemned to
67 spectatorship watching
70 synod council, assembly
73 hardly moved persuaded with great difficulty
75 conjure solemnly ask
76 petitionary entreating
77 The ... soldiers i.e. Mars
78 varlet knave
78 block idiot/impediment
83 servanted in service
83 owe own
84 properly personally, as my own
84 remission inclination to forgive
85 That ... much our friendship shall be poisoned by Rome's ungrateful forgetfulness rather than recalled through compassion 89 for because
94 constant temper steadfast state of mind
98 shent rebuked/blamed
101 for as for
102 slight worthless
103 die by himself kill himself
104 be ... long may you live a long life
2 Set down encamp
2 host army
3 plainly openly, straightforwardly
5 their ends Volscian aims
12 godded me treated me like a god
12 latest refuge last resort
14 showed appeared
19 Nor neither
23 mould i.e. form of his mother, Volumnia
24 this trunk my body
24 framed formed, created
25 affection emotion/love
27 obstinate unyielding, hard-hearted
28 dove's eyes i.e. (Virgilia's) beautiful eyes; the dove symbolized peace and fidelity in love 29 forsworn perjured, oath-breakers
31 Olympus the mountain home of the Greek gods
33 aspect look
36 gosling young goose, i.e. fool
36 to as to
36 stand resist
37 author creator, originator
41 delivers presents
43 dull stupid/inactive
44 am out have forgotten my lines
45 Best ... flesh i.e. Virgilia (refers to the idea that husband and wife are one flesh) 46 tyranny cruelty
49 jealous ... heaven i.e. Juno, Roman goddess of marriage 51 virgined it kept it chaste
51 prate talk idly
54 more impression a deeper indentation
58 unproperly unfittingly, against propriety
59 show ... parent show that all this time duty has been wrongly supposed to be owed by a child to its parent 62 corrected reprimanded
63 hungry sterile, barren
64 Fillip strike smartly
66 Murd'ring impossibility destroying the laws by which some things are impossible 67 slight easy
68 holp helped
70 Publicola one of Rome's first consuls
71 moon i.e. chaste one
72 curdied congealed
73 Dian Diana, Roman goddess of the moon and chastity 74 epitome miniature, summary
75 th'interpretation the expounding, unfolding
76 show like all resemble in full
78 inform infuse, invest
80 shame being shamed/shameful deeds
80 stick stand out
81 sea-mark sailor's guide, either a beacon or landmark 81 standing withstanding
81 flaw gust of wind
82 eye see, i.e. follow
89 The ... denials i.e. I have already sworn not to and therefore can never grant certain requests; therefore you must not consider me to be denying you personally 91 capitulate negotiate, come to terms
92 mechanics laborers
93 t'allay to lessen/temper/dilute
94 colder calmer, less impassioned
103 Should we were we to
103 raiment clothing
104 bewray betray, reveal
105 Think with thyself reflect
109 Constrains them compels them to
113 capital fatal
118 or either
121 evident certain, unavoidable
122 which whichever
123 foreign recreant deserter to a foreign power 126 palm palm leaf, symbol of victory
128 purpose intend
129 determine decide the matter
130 grace favor/mercy
130 parts sides
137 A he
139 Not ... see to avoid womanly tenderness one must not look at the faces of women or children 141 sat i.e. stayed
143 tend aim
147 while so that while
150 Give the all-hail i.e. welcome, praise 152 but this only this is
157 it i.e. his nobility
160 affected been drawn to/sought
161 gods specifically Jupiter/Jove, whose weapon was the thunderbolt 163 charge load
163 sulphur lightning
163 bolt thunderbolt
164 but ... oak i.e. do no harm to mankind 164 rive split
166 Still constantly
171 i'th'stocks the stocks were a public instrument of punishment in which the arms and/or legs were confined 173 fond of doting on/desirous of no second brood 173 fond ... brood i.e. with no other children 177 honest honorable/truthful
178 restrain'st withhold
181 'longs belongs
185 cannot ... have does not know what he asks
187 reason argue for
189 to for
191 dispatch dismissal
201 mortal fatally
202 true i.e. true to my word
203 convenient appropriate, suitable
206 withal by it
209 sweat i.e. weep
211 back go back
212 Stand to support
215 former fortune fortune like my former one
218 A better witness i.e. an official treaty 219 On ... counter-sealed having agreed to the same terms, will have countersigned 222 her confederate arms the weapons of her allies 5.4 Location: Rome
1 coign corner (of a building)
6 stay upon await
8 condition disposition
17 engine instrument of war
18 corslet armor protecting the torso
18 knell the tolling of a funeral bell
19 as ... Alexander like a statue of Alexander the Great 19 hum sound of displeasure or impatience
19 battery assault
19 state chair of state
20 with his bidding as soon as he asks
21 wants lacks
22 throne be enthroned
24 in the character to the life, accurately
27 long of on account of
34 hale haul, drag
36 death by inches i.e. a slow death
39 are dislodged i.e. have withdrawn
41 Tarquins last kings of Rome (before it became a republic) 46 blown swollen/roused by the wind
47 recomforted relieved/refreshed hautboys oboe-like instruments 48 sackbuts trumpet-like instruments
48 psalteries ancient or medieval stringed instruments 48 fifes flute-like instruments, often used for military music 49 Tabors small drums
76 I ... this i.e. my views represent those of 58 doit small Dutch coin, worth half an English farthing 64 at point about
5.6 Location: Corioli
3 repair go
5 Him he whom
6 ports gates
6 this this time, now
12 his his own
14 parties supporters
15 of from
19 difference disagreement, opposition
22 admits allows
23 construction interpretation
23 pawned ple
dged
24 truth allegiance
24 heightened raised to a position of importance 25 plants i.e. followers
28 free frank, honorable
29 stoutness stubbornness, firmness
32 That ... of I was about to mention that
35 joint-servant i.e. equal partner
35 gave him way let him have his way/gave him opportunity 37 files troops
38 designments enterprises
39 holp helped
40 end gather in as (harvesting term)
43 waged paid, rewarded
43 countenance patronage, approval
44 mercenary a hired soldier
46 in at
47 had carried was about to overcome
49 There was it i.e. that was the thing
50 sinews ... stretched strength will be exerted to the utmost against 51 rheum i.e. tears
55 post messenger (sent in advance of the main arrival); Aufidius' native town is Antium, where this scene is set in Plutarch, but for the dramatic effect of Coriolanus' downfall, Shakespeare locates it in Corioli 61 your vantage this opportune moment for you
64 along stretched out
65 After ... pronounced his story told in your words 66 reasons explanations, justifications
70 heed care
75 easy fines lenient penalties
77 levies expenses incurred in raising troops
77 answering rewarding
78 charge expenses
79 yielding surrender
85 prosperously ... attempted my endeavors have been prosperous 88 more ... part outweigh by a full third
89 charges costs
90 Antiates citizens of Antium
92 Subscribed signed
94 compounded agreed
104 perfidiously treacherously
106 drops of salt i.e. tears
109 twist twined thread
109 admitting Counsel o'th'war taking advice from fellow soldiers 112 heart courage
121 scold speak violently
122 give ... lie accuse this dog of lying
122 notion understanding
123 stripes lashes
128 edges swords' edges
131 Fluttered threw into agitation, caused to flutter in panic 134 blind fortune random good luck (fortune was traditionally depicted as a blind woman) 138 presently immediately
141 outrage violence
142 folds in enfolds
144 judicious hearing i.e. lawful trial
144 Stand stop
153 whereat at which
160 owe have in store for
161 Please it if it please
162 deliver prove, demonstrate
164 censure criticism/judgment
174 one i.e. the fourth bearer of the body 176 Trail i.e. turn the pikes upside down and carry them so that the metal heads trail along the ground; a customary practice at military funerals 179 memory memorial/posthumous reputation
dead march solemn piece of music accompanying a funeral; probably played with a muffled drum