It is easy to conceive that, by a little negligence, fear might be changed to four, and least to best.  Let us march, and that fear which incites desertion will free my army from cowards. (see 1765, VI, 512, 1)

I.viii.11 (320,1) Wert thou the Hector,/That was the whip of your bragg’d progeny] The Romans boasted themselves descended from the Trojans, how then was Hector the whip of their progeny?  It must mean the whip with which the Trojans scourged the Greeks, which cannot be but by a very unusual construction, or the authour must have forgotten the original of the Romans; unless whip has some meaning which includes advantage or superiority, as we say, he has the whip-hand, for he has the advantage.

I.viii.14 (321,2) you have sham’d me/In your condemned seconds] For condemned, we may read contemned.  You have, to my shane, sent me help which I despise.

I.ix.12 (321,4) Here is the steed, we the caparisons!] This is an odd encomium.  The meaning is, this man performed the action, and we only filled up the show.

I.ii.14 (322,5) a charter to extol] A privilege to praise her own son.

I.ix.29 (322,6) Should they not] That is, not be remembered.

I.ix.72 (325,9) To the fairness of any power] [Fairness, for utmost.  WARE.] I know not how fairness can mean utmost.  When two engage on equal terms, we say it is fair; fairness may therefore be equality; in proportion equal to my power.

I.ix.76 (325,1) The best] The chief men of Corioli.

I.x.5 (326,3) Being a Volsce, be that I am] It may be just observed, that Shakespeare calls the Volsci, Volsces, which the modern editors have changed to the modern termination [Volscian].  I mention it here, because here the change has spoiled the measure. Being a Volsce, be that I am.  Condition. [Steevans restored Volsce in the text.]

I.x.17 (326,2) My valour’s poison’d,/With only suffering stain by him, for him/ Shall flie out of itself] To mischief him, my valour should deviate from its own native generosity.

I.x.25 (327,4) At home, upon my brother’s guard] In my own house, with my brother posted to protect him.

II.i.8 (328,5) Pray you, who does the wolf love?] When the tribune, in reply to Menenius’s remark, on the people’s hate of Coriolanus, had observed that even beasts know their friends, Menenius asks, whom does the wolf love? implying that there are beasts which love nobody, and that among those beasts are the people.

II.i.43 (329,6) towards the napes of your necks] With allusion to the fable, which says, that every man has a bag hanging before him, in which he puts his neighbour’s faults, and another behind him, in which he stows his own.

II.i.56 (330,7) one that converses more with the buttock of the night, than with the forehead of the morning] Rather a late lier down than an early riser.