William Shakespeare, Critical Commentary of The Tragedie of Coriolanus, Actus Quintus., [Scene VI.], line 185

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The Tragedie of Coriolanus

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Traile your steele Pikes J. W. Fortescue (Sh's England, vol. i, p. 116: The Army): A special occasion for trailing a pike was a military funeral, a duty which the train-bands enjoyed immensely. The classical instance of a military funeral at St Paul's is that of Sir Philip Sidney in 1586. Shakespeare must have witnessed more than one; and hence at the close of Coriolanus we find Aufidius saying over the corpse of the hero, ‘Trail your steel pikes.’ [In Lant's plates of Sir Philip Sidney's Funeral, which are reproduced accompanying this description, the pikes are shown reversed.—Ed.]

William Shakespeare. Horace Howard Furness, Jr., A. B.; Litt. D. The Tragedie of Coriolanus. Philadelphia and London. J. B. Lippincott Company.

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William Shakespeare, Critical Commentary of The Tragedie of Coriolanus
Horace Howard Furness, Jr., A. B.; Litt. D., Ed.

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William Shakespeare, Critical Commentary of The Tragedie of Coriolanus Horace Howard Furness, Jr., A. B.; Litt. D., Ed.

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William Shakespeare, Critical Commentary of The Tragedie of Coriolanus
Horace Howard Furness, Jr., A. B.; Litt. D., Ed.