Alcibiades here promises that the criminal or public laws, for the redress of public wrongs within the municipality of Athens, shall be rigorously enforced. That the "stream of regular justice," shall not be interfered with, but that it shall be permitted to flow as formerly and without let or hindrance so far as he is concerned.

"1 Cit.

repeal daily and wholesome acts established against the rich; and provide more piercing statutes daily, to chain up and restrain the poor. If the wars eat us not up, they will; and there's all the love they bear us."

A statute is generally defined as a law enacted by the legislative power, or a written expression of the legislative will, in the form necessary to make it the law of the state or country where it is to obtain. The Poet many times speaks of "biting statutes" and "piercing statutes," showing that he had the lawyers' regard for such strict legislative provisions as made it hard upon the individual citizen, when enforced, with the Poet's sympathy for the individual in any hardship that he suffered, even though it resulted from the enforcement of the law. Speaking of the repeal of such statutes as were enacted for the benefit of the poor, the idea is that such acts were rendered nugatory by inconsistent provisions, by which an implied re

1 Coriolanus, Act I, Scene I.

'Bacon, Abr., Statutes; Coke, 2' Inst., 200; Bouvier's Law Dict.

peal of a previous statute may be effected. The legal observations in these lines are made in strict accord with the struggle then going on, between the plebeians and the patricians, for supremacy and show an accurate knowledge, not only of the legal requirements of legislative enactments, but also of the historical facts existing at this period of the world's history.

"Com. If 'gainst yourself you be incens'd, we'll put you (Like one that means his proper harm), in manacles."2

"Manacles" are hand-cuffs, or other fastenings for the hands or limbs, to shackle, confine or restrain the use of the limbs or natural powers, so that criminal or insane persons cannot escape or inflict bodily injury upon others.3

116 Pet. 342.

The Poet refers to "Biting Statutes" in 2' Henry VI. (Act IV, Scene VII.)

2 Coriolanus, Act I, Scene IX.

3 Webster's Dictionary.

Volumnia tells Coriolanus, in her appeal for clemency, and the safety of Rome: "Vol. . . for either thou Must, as a foreign recreant, be led, with manacles, through our streets, or else triumphantly, tread upon thy country's ruin." (Act V, Scene

III.)

Cleopatra thus consoles herself with her approaching death: "Cleo. . . . And it is great

To do that thing that ends all other deeds;
Which shackles accidents, and bolts up change;

Which sleeps, and never palates more the dung,

The beggar's nurse and Cæsar's." (Act V, Scene II.) Posthumus puts the ring on Imogen's finger, in Cymbeline, and tells her: "For my sake, wear this; it is a manacle of love; I'll place it upon this fairest prisoner." (Act V, Scene II.) The Messenger said, in Cymbeline: "Knock off his manacles; bring your prisoner to the king." (Act V, Scene IV.)

"Men. Why, then you should discover a brace of unmeriting, proud, violent, testy magistrates (alias fools,) as any in Rome."

Alias is a Latin term, meaning "otherwise," when used in the sense in which it is here employed. It literally means, another, as it is generally used and an alias writ is one used after another writ has already been issued in the same cause.

Sec. 391. Complaint.—

"Men. I am known to be a humorous patrician, and one that loves a cup of hot wine, with not a drop af allaying Tiber in't; said to be something imperfect, in favoring the first complaint."2

The speaker here describes himself as a humorous patrician, who takes his drinks "straight," or without dilution, and a weakness that makes him favor the "first complaint." A complaint is the allegation, made to a proper officer, that some other person has been guilty of a designated offense, with an offer to prove the fact, and a request that the offender may be punished. It is a technical term, descriptive of proceedings before magistrates.3

One so full of sympathy for his fellow-man, that after hearing his complaint, he would be so moved as to always favor the one first heard, would be so emotional and so loyal to his first impulses, as to be more or less "imperfect," in this particular, as the Poet here intimates.

"Bru. Come, come, you are well understood to be a perfecter giber for the table, than a necessary bencher In the Capitol."4

1 Coriolanus, Act II, Scene I.
Coriolanus, Act II, Scene I.

11 Pick. (Mass.) 436.
Coroilanus, Act II, Scene I.

Brutus thus charges that Menelaus was a better "after dinner speaker" than one to dispense justice in the Capitol. "Bench" is a tribunal for the administration of justice and a "Bencher" is one who occupies the bench and so dispenses justice.1 A "Bencher" at English law, was also one who was a senior, at the Inns of Court and was accordingly entrusted with the direction or government of the Inn, with the absolute power of punishing barristers guilty of misconduct, by admonishing or rebuking them; by forbidding them to dine in the hall, or by expelling them.2

"Bru. We must suggest the people, in what hatred
He still hath held them; that, to his power, he would
Have made them mules, silenc'd their pleaders, and
Disproportioned their freedoms."3

Brutus here threatens to incite the people by appealing to their prejudice against Coriolanus, caused by his adverse attitude and friendliness for the patricians and against the plebeians. He would tell them that he would

'Bacon, Abr., Courts; Viner, Abr., Courts.

2 Wharton's Law Lexicon, (2 Lond. Ed.); Bouvier's Law Dictionary.

The Romans used the word tribunalia, to indicate the seats of the higher judges, and sub-sella, to refer to those of the lower judges. I Reeve's Hist. Eng. Law, 4; Spellman, Gloss. Bancus.

The Court of Common Pleas, in England, was formerly called Bancus, the Bench, to distinguish it from Bancus Regis, the King's Bench. Viner, Abr., Courts (n. 2).

* Coriolanus, Act II, Scene I.

In Titus Andronicus, Saturninus is made to say: "Sat. Defend the justice of my cause with arms; And, countrymen, my loving followers,

Plead my successive title with your swords."

(Act I, Scene 1.)