William Shakespeare - William Shakespeare - Complete Works

[MARCIUS enters the gates]

FIRST SOLDIER. Fool-hardiness; not I.

SECOND SOLDIER. Not I. [MARCIUS is shut in]

FIRST SOLDIER. See, they have shut him in.

ALL. To th' pot, I warrant him. [Alarum continues]

Re-enter TITUS LARTIUS

LARTIUS. What is become of Marcius?

ALL. Slain, sir, doubtless.

FIRST SOLDIER. Following the fliers at the very heels,

With them he enters; who, upon the sudden,

Clapp'd to their gates. He is himself alone,

To answer all the city.

LARTIUS. O noble fellow!

Who sensibly outdares his senseless sword,

And when it bows stand'st up. Thou art left, Marcius;

A carbuncle entire, as big as thou art,

Were not so rich a jewel. Thou wast a soldier

Even to Cato's wish, not fierce and terrible

Only in strokes; but with thy grim looks and

The thunder-like percussion of thy sounds

Thou mad'st thine enemies shake, as if the world

Were feverous and did tremble.

Re-enter MARCIUS, bleeding, assaulted by the enemy

FIRST SOLDIER. Look, sir.

LARTIUS. O, 'tis Marcius!

Let's fetch him off, or make remain alike.

[They fight, and all enter the city]

Enter certain Romans, with spoils

FIRST ROMAN. This will I carry to Rome.

SECOND ROMAN. And I this.

THIRD ROMAN. A murrain on 't! I took this for silver.

[Alarum continues still afar off]

Enter MARCIUS and TITUS LARTIUS With a trumpeter

MARCIUS. See here these movers that do prize their hours

At a crack'd drachma! Cushions, leaden spoons,

Irons of a doit, doublets that hangmen would

Bury with those that wore them, these base slaves,

Ere yet the fight be done, pack up. Down with them!

Exeunt pillagers

And hark, what noise the general makes! To him!

There is the man of my soul's hate, Aufidius,

Piercing our Romans; then, valiant Titus, take

Convenient numbers to make good the city;

Whilst I, with those that have the spirit, will haste

To help Cominius.

LARTIUS. Worthy sir, thou bleed'st;

Thy exercise hath been too violent

For a second course of fight.

MARCIUS. Sir, praise me not;

My work hath yet not warm'd me. Fare you well;

The blood I drop is rather physical

Than dangerous to me. To Aufidius thus

I will appear, and fight.

LARTIUS. Now the fair goddess, Fortune,

Fall deep in love with thee, and her great charms

Misguide thy opposers' swords! Bold gentleman,

Prosperity be thy page!

MARCIUS. Thy friend no less

Than those she placeth highest! So farewell.

LARTIUS. Thou worthiest Marcius! Exit MARCIUS

Go sound thy trumpet in the market-place;

Call thither all the officers o' th' town,

Where they shall know our mind. Away! Exeunt

Enter COMINIUS, as it were in retire, with soldiers

COMINIUS. Breathe you, my friends. Well fought; we are come off

Like Romans, neither foolish in our stands

Nor cowardly in retire. Believe me, sirs,

We shall be charg'd again. Whiles we have struck,

By interims and conveying gusts we have heard

The charges of our friends. The Roman gods,

Lead their successes as we wish our own,

That both our powers, with smiling fronts encount'ring,

May give you thankful sacrifice!

Enter A MESSENGER

Thy news?

MESSENGER. The citizens of Corioli have issued

And given to Lartius and to Marcius battle;

I saw our party to their trenches driven,

And then I came away.

COMINIUS. Though thou speak'st truth,

Methinks thou speak'st not well. How long is't since?

MESSENGER. Above an hour, my lord.

COMINIUS. 'Tis not a mile; briefly we heard their drums.

How couldst thou in a mile confound an hour,

And bring thy news so late?

MESSENGER. Spies of the Volsces

Held me in chase, that I was forc'd to wheel

Three or four miles about; else had I, sir,

Half an hour since brought my report.

Enter MARCIUS

COMINIUS. Who's yonder

That does appear as he were flay'd? O gods!

He has the stamp of Marcius, and I have

Before-time seen him thus.

MARCIUS. Come I too late?

COMINIUS. The shepherd knows not thunder from a tabor

More than I know the sound of Marcius' tongue

From every meaner man.

MARCIUS. Come I too late?

COMINIUS. Ay, if you come not in the blood of others,

But mantled in your own.

MARCIUS. O! let me clip ye

In arms as sound as when I woo'd, in heart

As merry as when our nuptial day was done,

And tapers burn'd to bedward.

COMINIUS. Flower of warriors,

How is't with Titus Lartius?

MARCIUS. As with a man busied about decrees:

Condemning some to death and some to exile;

Ransoming him or pitying, threat'ning th' other;

Holding Corioli in the name of Rome

Even like a fawning greyhound in the leash,

To let him slip at will.

COMINIUS. Where is that slave

Which told me they had beat you to your trenches?

Where is he? Call him hither.

MARCIUS. Let him alone;

He did inform the truth. But for our gentlemen,

The common file- a plague! tribunes for them!

The mouse ne'er shunn'd the cat as they did budge

From rascals worse than they.

COMINIUS. But how prevail'd you?

MARCIUS. Will the time serve to tell? I do not think.

Where is the enemy? Are you lords o' th' field?

If not, why cease you till you are so?

COMINIUS. Marcius,

We have at disadvantage fought, and did

Retire to win our purpose.

MARCIUS. How lies their battle? Know you on which side

They have plac'd their men of trust?

COMINIUS. As I guess, Marcius,

Their bands i' th' vaward are the Antiates,

Of their best trust; o'er them Aufidius,

Their very heart of hope.

MARCIUS. I do beseech you,

By all the battles wherein we have fought,

By th' blood we have shed together, by th' vows

We have made to endure friends, that you directly

Set me against Aufidius and his Antiates;

And that you not delay the present, but,

Filling the air with swords advanc'd and darts,

We prove this very hour.

COMINIUS. Though I could wish

You were conducted to a gentle bath

And balms applied to you, yet dare I never

Deny your asking: take your choice of those

That best can aid your action.

MARCIUS. Those are they

That most are willing. If any such be here-

As it were sin to doubt- that love this painting

Wherein you see me smear'd; if any fear

Lesser his person than an ill report;

If any think brave death outweighs bad life

And that his country's dearer than himself;

Let him alone, or so many so minded,

Wave thus to express his disposition,

And follow Marcius. [They all shout and wave their

swords, take him up in their arms and cast up their caps]

O, me alone! Make you a sword of me?

If these shows be not outward, which of you

But is four Volsces? None of you but is

Able to bear against the great Aufidius

A shield as hard as his. A certain number,

Though thanks to all, must I select from all; the rest

Shall bear the business in some other fight,

As cause will be obey'd. Please you to march;

And four shall quickly draw out my command,

Which men are best inclin'd.

COMINIUS. March on, my fellows;

Make good this ostentation, and you shall

Divide in all with us. Exeunt

TITUS LARTIUS, having set a guard upon Corioli, going with drum and trumpet toward COMINIUS and CAIUS MARCIUS, enters with a LIEUTENANT, other soldiers, and a scout