ever ready to offer their tribute at the shrine of greatness-unless driven thence by unkindnessthe former pride and haughty demeanour of Caius Marcius were forgot, in gratitude for the achievements of the great Coriolanus; and they were ready to give him their voices, for the consulship. Had self command been a part of his education, Coriolanus might by a little sacrifice of his pride, and by urbanity of manner-have secured the love as well as admiration of his fellow citizens; but the garb of his humility was ill suited to the haughtiness of his deportment, and when he took his stand in the market place, and was, according to the custom,

questioned by the citizens, who passed, what brought him there-he proudly replied,"

"Mine own desert!

יי! !

"Your own desert!" replied the men in surprise. 66 Aye-not mine own desire-Believe me, sirs, 'twas never my desire, to trouble the poor with begging."***

He then told them he had wounds to show them, but when they advanced to look, he grasped his mantle close round him, saying they should be theirs in private." When they gave their votes,

instead of thanking them he waved them from him, imperiously, saying, he had their alms, and needed no further with them. In a similar manner he answered all; so that their voices were hardly given ere they repented having bestowed them; while Coriolanus who continued his canvass with sullen reluctance, became by degrees like a chafed lion, exclaiming,

Better it is to die, better to starve,

Than crave the hire, which first we do deserve.
Why in this woolfish gown should I stand here
To beg of Hob and Dick

-rather than fool it so

Let the high office and the honour go

To one that would do thus

He however obtained their suffrages; and having stood the limited time, was relieved from his painful situation; joyfully repairing to the senate house, hoping all was now complete and no further degradation requisite. But he was little aware of the enmity which was working against him. Sicinius Velutus, and Junius Brutus, the tribunes, who envied and hated the fame and prosperity of Coriolanus, used their utmost power to thwart his purposes-By artifice, by servility, flattery and meanness, at which his noble spirit would have revolted, they had gained such entire influence over the people, that their opinions and judgment were looked up to with confidence, and they were considered as firm and faithful friends of the plebeians. They found it therefore no very difficult matter to irritate the minds of the citizens-who, upon reflection, felt themselves mocked at, by the manner in which Coriolanus had asked their voices. Already mortified,

-Sicinius and Brutus easily incensed, and by dark insinuations, excited them to rebel, urging them to go in a body to the senate house and retract their

word. But in order to shield themselves from all suspicions, the artful tribunes told the citizens to assert, that it was in obedience to them their voices had been given, and now of their own desires they had retracted.

Just as Coriolanus was quitting the senate house, he was intercepted by the two tribunes, who informed him it was not safe to pass! The citizens were incensed, they said; and complained of his having mocked them; wherefore they now refused to acknowledge him as consul. All was instantly one scene of confusion. Coriolanus, who had, with difficulty, restrained his pride within any degree of control, now burst forth like flaming Etna. His generals, the good old Menenius, and many of his devoted friends, pleaded in vain. He was not to be appeased. He set the tribunes and the people at defiance; till the enraged multitude who had by degrees assembled, insisted on his being thrown down the Tarpeian rock. He then drew his sword, rushed amongst them, and cutting his way through, escaped to his own house, followed by Menenius, the generals, and several of the senators.

His fiery eye and enraged countenance alarmed his mother, who too soon learned the cause of his displeasure, and reproved him. He heard her reproof with impatience

Let them pull all about mine ears; present me
Death on the wheel, or at wild horses heels;
Or pile ten hills on the Tarpeian rock,
That the precipitation might down stretch
Below the beam of sight, yet will I still
Be thus to them.

Volumnia was displeased; she resented his pride and want of prudence, and excited his rage still further but fearful of inflaming him beyond control

she urged him more calmly. Menenius assailed t him too; and at length with very great difficulty

prevailed upon him to smooth his ruffled spirit, and return once more to the market place. It was still much against his will; yet such was his veneration, his idolatry for his mother, that he could not bear to see her offended or disturbed. He therefore to her made this sacrifice of his feelings; declaring at the same time, that were it only himself, they should crush him to dust, and scatter it against the wind, ere ne would bow to popular outcry.

During this space of time, the envious, and malignant tribunes were busily employed corrupting the minds of the people; and well versed in what they should do, prepared to chafe the foaming lion, till he should be stunned by his own roaring. They succeeded but too effectually. Coriolanus had exerted his utmost strength; he had subdued himself, and was prepared to speak and answer mildly: but this was not the mood in which the tribunes wished him to remain. Sicinius, the orator of the people, soon succeeded in ruffling the assumed serenity of Coriolanus. Presuming upon his authority, with cool deliberate insolence, he accused him of being

a traitor to the people; when the impatient hero burst out into the utmost violence, both against Sicinius and the people, declaring that if one fair word would purchase their favour he would not bestow that word. The citizens now broke out in loud clamour-"To the rock with him, To the rock with him!" The tribunes, not choosing to hazard this mode of punishment, passed upon him the sentence of banishment, which was unanimously agreed to-and such was the power (at this period) invested in, or rather usurped by the tribunes and the people, that the senators and patricians had but an abridged authority. Thus without trial or fair condemnation, the brave warrior, who had fought and bled in the cause and for the preservation of his ungrateful countrymen, was banished from his native land. He took a tender farewell of his wife, mother, children and friends, who followed him weeping through the gates of the city :-and when he tore himself from them, and hastened away, they gazed after him, till he was lost to their view when they returned sorrowing to their several homes.

Coriolanus, meantime, with folded arms walked swiftly forward, nor once cast a look behind, till he had reached a lofty hill at some distance from the city. He then began to reflect on all that had passed, and his proud heart swelled with disdain at the remembrance of his ungrateful country, to which he thus bade adieu

Imperial Rome, farewell-the cankerworm
Of foul ingratitude has tainted thee,
And thou art loathsome to my very thought.
Would any other land had claimed my birth
Than hateful Rome !—and have I lived to this,
Is 't thus ye do your warriors reward,

Who fight, and bleed, and bring you conquests home?
Conquest; to s vell your pride, and feed your baseness
Ingratitude!!. Thou poison to our blood