How is't with Titus Lartius ? Mar. As with a man busied about decrees: Condenining some to death, and some to exile; Ransoming him, or pitying,3 threatening the other; Holding Corioli in the name of Rome, Even like a fawning greyhound in the leash, Com. Where is that slave, Which told me they had beat you to your trenches? Where is he? Call him hither. Mar. 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. Com. But how prevail'd you? Mar. Will the time serve to tell? I do not think. Com. Marcius, we have at disadvantage fought, Mar. How lies their battle? Know you on which side They have plac'd their men of trust? Com. As I guess, Marcius, Their bands i'the vaward are the Antiates, Of their best trust: o'er them Aufidius, Their very heart of hope. Mar. I do beseech you, By all the battles wherein we have fought, By the blood we have shed together, by the 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, Com. Though I could wish You were conducted to a gentle bath, And balms applied to you, yet dare I never Mar. Those are they That most are willing:-If any such be here [3] That is, remitting his ransom. JOHNS. [4] Delay, for let slip. WARE. [5] That is, swords lifted high. JOHNS Wherein you see me smear'd ; if any fear If any think, brave death outweighs bad life, Wave thus, [Waving his hand] to express his disposition, [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 Volces? 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 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. Com. March on, my fellows : Make good this ostentation, and you shall SCENE VII. [Exeunt. The Gates of Corioli. TITUS LARTIUS, having set a Guard upon Corioli, going with a Drum and Trumpet toward COMINIUS and CAIUS MARCIUS, enters with a Lieutenant, a party of Soldiers, and a Scout. Lart. So, let the ports be guarded: Keep your duties, As I have set them down. If I do send, despatch Those centuries to our aid ;7 the rest will serve For a short holding: If we lose the field, We cannot keep the town. Lieut. Fear not our care, sir. Lart. Hence, and shut your gates upon us. -Our guider, come; to the Roman camp conduct us. [Exeunt. [6] Perhaps we may read : Please you to march; And fear shall quickly draw out my command, Which men are least inclin'd. Let us march, and that fear which incites desertion will free my army from cowards. JOHNS. [7] That is, companies consisting each of a hundred men. Our author sometimes uses this word to express simply a hundred. STEEV. SCENE VIII. A Field of Battle between the Roman and the Volcian Camps. Alarum. Enter MARCIUS and AUFIDIUS. Mar. I'll fight with none but thee; for I do hate thee Worse than a promise-breaker. Auf. We hate alike; Not Africk owns a serpent, I abhor More than thy fame and envy Fix thy foot. Mar. Let the first budger die the other's slave, And the gods doom him after ! Auf. If I fly, Marcius, Halloo me like a hare. Mar. Within these three hours, Tullus, Alone I fought in your Corioli walls, And made what work I pleas'd: 'Tis not my blood, Auf. Wert thou the Hector, That was the whip of your bragg'd progeny, 8 [They fight, and certain Volces come Officious, and not valiant-you have sham'd me [Exeunt, driven in by MARCIUS. SCENE IX. The Roman Camp. Alarum. A retreat is sounded. Flourish. Enter at one side, COMINIUS, and Romans; at the other side, MARCIUS, withhis arm in a scarf, and other Romans. Com. If I should tell thee o'er this thy day's work, Thou'lt not believe thy deeds: but I'll report it, Where senators shall mingle tears with smiles; Where great patricians shall attend, and shrug, I'the end, admire; where ladies shall be frighted, And, gladly quak'd, hear more; where the dull tribunes, That, with the fusty plebeians, hate thine honours, Shall say, against their hearts,—We thank the gods, Our Rome hath such a soldier !— Yet cam'st thou to a morsel of this feast, [8] An anonymous correspondent justly observes, that these words mean, "the whip that your bragg'd progeny was possess'd of." MAL. [9] For condemned, we may read contemned. You have, to my shame, sent me help that I despise. JOHNS. [1] That is, thrown into a grateful trepidation. STEEV. Having fully din'd before. Enter TITUS LARTIUS, wih his Power, from the pursuit. Lart. O general, Here is the steed, we the caparison :2 Had'st thou beheld Mar. Pray now, no more. My mother, I have done as you have done; that's what I can : Com. You shall not be The grave of your deserving; Rome must know What you have done), before our army hear me. Mar. I have some wounds upon me, and they smart To hear themselves remember'd. Com. Should they not, Well might they fester 'gainst ingratitude, And tent themselves with death. Of all the horses Your only choice. Mar. 1 thank you, general; But cannot make my heart consent to take [A long flourish. They all cry, MARCIUS! MARCIUS! cast up their caps and lances: COMINIUS and LARTIUS stand bare.] Mar. May these same instruments, which you profane, Never sound more! When drums and trumpets shall [2] This is an odd encomium. The meaning is, This man performed the action, and we only filled up the show. JOHNS. [3] A privilege to praise her own son. JOHNS. [4] That is, not be remembered. JOHNS. I' the field prove flatterers, let courts and cities be An overture for the wars !5-No more, I say ; As if I loved, my little should be dieted Com. Too modest are you; More cruel to your good report, than grateful With all the applause and clamour of the host, Bear the addition nobly ever! [Flourish. Trumpets sound, and drums. All. Caius Marcius Coriolanus ! Cor. I will go wash ; And when my face is fair, you shall perceive To the fairness of my power.6 Com. So, to our tent : Where, ere we do repose us, we will write The best, with whom we may articulate, [5] It should be remembered, that the personal him, is not unfrequently used by our author, and other writers of his age, instead of it, the neuter; and that overture, in its musical sense, is not so ancient as the age of Shak speare. STEEV.-When steel grows soft as silk, let silk be suddenly converted to the use of war. Overture, was used by the writers of Shakspeare's time in the sense of prelude or preparation. MAL. [6] A phrase from heraldry, signifying, that he would endeavour to sup port his good opinion of him.Fairness for utmost. [7] The chief men of Corioli. JOHNS. [8] That is, enter into articles. STEEV. WARB. |