98 THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 



tained no better opinion of them than did Coriolanus. When he 

 first met a mutinous company upon the street he coolly reasoned with 

 them and, in language that certainly could not be construed as compli- 

 mentary, told them that 



"Rome and her rats are at the point of battle" 

 and, in telling them, he left no doubt in their minds as to the identity 

 of the "rats." Shortly ^fter, when commenting upon their conduct, 

 he declared 



"For though abundantly they lack discretion, 



"Yet are they passing cowardly." 



This from the man "that hath always loved the people" and spoken 

 coolly and deliberately must be taken at its face value. What com- 

 ment then might we naturally expect from one of the temperament of 

 Coriolanus, who 



"has been bred in the wars 



"Since he could draw a sword and is ill school'd 



"In bolted language." 



Our first glimpse of Coriolanus is his meeting with this same 

 clamorous mob. Such a turbulent scene in itself was enough to 

 grouse the anger of a soldier. He had just come from another part 

 of the city, where he had witnessed the humiliating spectacle of the 

 senate yielding to the threats of just such a mob, whereby there were 

 granted to them five tribunes of their choice. It was not from any 

 personal animosity that he was so violently opposed to such a step; 

 but because he feared that it was the thin edge of the wedge that 

 would in time divide the power exercised by the nobility and create 

 that condition he had in mind when he said — 



"When two authorities are up, 



"Neither supreme, how soon confusion 



"May enter 'twixt the gap of both and take 



"The one by the other." 



He conscientiously took the same stand towards the granting of this 

 power to the plebeians that the statesmen of the United States and 

 Canada are taking to-day towards the rise of Bolshevism upon this 

 continent. He was sincere and honest in his belief and advanced the 

 same arguments that are being used in the prosecution of Bolshevists 

 in our courts to-day. 



"It will in time 



"Win upon power and throw forth greater themes 



"For insurrection's arguing." 



He was justly indignant when he saw the type of men appointed to 

 the newly created offices, men whom worthy Menenius styled "a 

 brace of un meriting, proud, violent, testy magistrates." 



