“To clip the anvil of my sword,” is an expression in the _Coriolanus_ (act iv. sc. 5, lines 100–112, vol. vi. p. 380) very difficult to be explained, unless we regard it as a proverb, denoting the breaking of the weapon and the laying aside of enmity. Aufidius makes use of it in his welcome to the banished Coriolanus,— “O Marcius, Marcius! Each word thou hast spoke hath weeded from my heart A root of ancient envy. If Jupiter Should from yond cloud speak divine things, And say ‘’Tis true,’ I’d not believe them more Than thee, all noble Marcius. Let me twine Mine arms about that body, where against My grained ash an hundred times hath broke, And scarr’d the moon with splinters: here I clip The anvil of my sword, and do contest As hotly and as nobly with thy love As ever in ambitious strength I did Contend against thy valour.” To clip, or cut, _i.e._, strike the anvil with a sword, is exhibited by more than one of the Emblem writers, whose stanzas are indeed to the same effect as those of Massinger in his play, _The Duke of Florence_ (act ii. sc. 3),— “Allegiance Tempted too far is like the trial of A good sword on an anvil; as that often Flies in pieces without service to the owner; So trust enforced too far proves treachery, And is too late repented.” In his 31st Emblem, Perriere gives the device, and stanzas which follow,— [Illustration: _Perriere, 1539._] XXXI. En danger eſt de rompre ſon eſpée Qui ſur l’enclum[e/] en frappe rudement. Auſſi l’amour eſt bien toſt ſincoppée, Quand ſon amy on preſſe follement. Qui le fera, perdra ſubitement Ce qu’il deburoit bien cheremẽt garder De tel abus, ſe fault contregarder, Cõm[e/] en ce lieu auõs doctrin[e/] expreſſe. A tel effort, ne te fault hazarder De perdr[e/] amy, quãd ſouuẽt tu le preſſe. But the meaning is, the putting of friendship to too severe a trial: “As he is in danger of breaking his sword who strikes it upon an anvil, so is love very soon cut in pieces when foolishly a man presses upon his friend.” So Whitney (p. 192), to the motto, _Importunitas euitanda_,—“Want of consideration to be avoided,”— “Who that with force, his burnish’d blade doth trie On anuill harde, to prooue if it be sure: Doth Hazarde muche, it shoulde in peeces flie, Aduentring that, which else mighte well indure: For, there with strengthe he strikes vppon the stithe, That men maye knowe, his youthfull armes have pithe.