Val. O' my word, the father's son: I'll swear, 'tis a very pretty boy. O' my troth, I looked upon him o' Wednesday half an hour together has such a confirmed countenance. I saw him run after a gilded butterfly; and when he caught it, he let it go again; and after it again; and over and over he comes, and up again; catched it again; or whether his fall enraged him, or how 'twas, he did so set his teeth and tear it; O, I warrant it, how he mammocked it!

Vol. One on 's father's moods.
Val. Indeed, la, 'tis a noble child.
Vir. A crack, madam.

Vir. Indeed, madam ?

Val. In earnest, it's true; I heard a senator speak it. Thus it is the Volsces have an army forth; against whom Cominius the general is gone, with one part of our Roman power your lord and Titus Lartins are set down before their city Corioli; they nothing doubt prevailing and to make it brief wars. This is true, on mine honor; and so, I pray, go with us.

Vir. Give me excuse, good madam ; I will obey you in every thing hereafter.

Vol. Let her alone, lady as she is now, she will but disease our better mirth.

Val. In troth, I think she would. Fare you well, then. Come, good sweet lady. Pritliee, Virgilia, turn thy solemness out of door, and go along with us.

121 Vir. No, at a word, madam; indeed, I must not. I wish you much mirth. Val. Well, then, farewell.

[Exeunt.

71

Lart.

'Tis done. Agreed. Mar. Say, has our general met the enemy? Mess. They lie in view; but have not spoke

as yet.

Lart. So, the good horse is mine.

Mar.

I'll buy him of you. Lart. No, I'll nor sell nor give him: lend

you him I will

For half a hundred years. Summon the town.
Mar. How far off lie these armies ?
Mess.
Within this mile and half.
Mar. Then shall we hear their 'larum, and
they ours.

Now, Mars, I prithee, make us quick in work, That we with smoking swords may march from hence, 11

To help our fielded friends! Come, blow thy blast.

They sound a parley. Enter two Senators with others on the walls.

Tullus Aufidius, is he within your walls?
First Sen. No, nor a man that fears you
less than he,
That's lesser than a little.
Hark! our drums

[Drums afar off]

Are bringing forth our youth. We'll break our walls,

Rather than they shall pound us up: our gates, Which yet seem shut, we have but pinn'd with rushes;

They'll open of themselves. [Alarum afar off.]
Hark you, far off!

There is Aufidius; list, what work he makes
Amongst your cloven army.
21
Mar.
O, they are at it!

They do disdain us much beyond our thoughts, Which makes me sweat with wrath. Come on, my fellows

He that retires I'll take him for a Volsce,
And he shall feel mine edge.

Alarum. The Romans are beat back to their trenches. Re-enter MARCIUS, cursing. Mar. All the contagion of the south light on you, 30 You shames of Rome! you herd of--Boils and plagues

Plaster you o'er, that you may be abhorr'd
Further than seen and one infect another

Against the wind a mile! You souls of geese,
That bear the shapes of men, how have you

If you'll stand fast, we'll beat them to their wives,

As they us to our trenches followed.

Another alarum. The Volsces fly, and MARCIUS follows them to the gates.

So, now the gates are ope: now prove good seconds:

'Tis for the followers fortune widens them, Not for the fliers: mark me, and do the like. [Enters the gates. First Sol. Fool-hardiness; not I. Sec. Sol. First Sol. All.

Nor I. [Marcius is shut in. See, they have shut him in. To the pot, I warrant him. [Alarum continues.

Re-enter TITUS LARTIUS.

Lart. What is become of Marcius ?

Let's fetch him off, or make remain alike. [They fight, and all enter the city.

SCENE V. Corioli. A street.

Enter certain Romans, with spoils.

First Rom. This will I carry to Rome.
Sec. Rom. And I this.

Third Rom. A murrain on't! I took this for silver. [Alarum continues still afar off. Enter MARCIUS and TITUS LARTIUS with a trumpet.

Mar. See here these movers that do prize their hours

At a crack'd drachm! 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 !

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

10

charms

Misguide thy opposers' swords! Bold gentleman,

Prosperity be thy page

! Mar. Thy friend no less Than those she placeth highest! So, farewell. Lart. Thou worthiest Marcius!

[Exit Marcius. Go, sound thy trumpet in the market-place; Call thither all the officers o' the town, Where they shall know our mind away! [Exeunt.

SCENE VI. Near the camp of Cominius. Enter COMINIUS, as it were in retire, with soldiers.

Com. 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 charged again. Whiles we have
struck,

By interims and conveying gusts we have heard
The charges of our friends. Ye Roman gods!
Lead their successes as we wish our own,
That both our powers, with smiling fronts en-
countering,

May give you thankful sacrifice.

Enter a Messenger.

Thy news? 9 Mess. 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.

Com. Though thou speak'st truth, Methinks thou speak'st not well. How long is't since ?

Mess. Above an hour, my lord.

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

How couldst thou in a mile confound an hour, And bring thy news so late?

Mess. Spies of the Volsces Held me in chase, that I was forced to wheel Three or four miles about, else had I, sir, 20 Half an hour since brought my report. Com.

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.

Mar.

[Within] Come I too late? Com. The shepherd knows not thunder from a tabor

More than I know the sound of Marcius tongue From every meaner man.

Set me against Aufidins and his Antiates; And that you not delay the present, but, Filling the air with swords advanced and darts,

We prove this very hour.

Com.

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.

Mar. Those are they That most are willing. If any such be hereAs 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; 70 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 gainst the great Aufidius
A shield as hard as his. A certain number, 80
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 inclined.

[Exeunt.

Make good this ostentation, and you shall
Divide in all with us.

SCENE VII. The gates of Corioli. 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. Lart. So, let the ports be guarded keep your duties,

As I have set them down. If I do send, dispatch

Those centuries to our aid the rest will serve
For a short holding: if we lose the field,
We cannot keep the town.

Lieu.

Fear not our care, sir. Lart. Hence, and shut your gates upon's. Our guider, come; to the Roman camp conduct us. [Exeunt.

SCENE VIII. A field of battle. Alarum as in battle. Enter, from opposite sides, MARCIUS and AUFIDIUS.

Mar. I'l fight with none but thee; for I do hate thee

Worse than a promise-breaker.
Auf.

We hate alike :

Not Afric owns a serpent I abhor
More than thy fame and envy. Fix thy foot.
Mar. Let the first budger die the other's

Wherein thou seest me mask'd; for thy revenge
Wrench up thy power to the highest
Auf.
Wert thou the Hector 11
That was the whip of your bragg'd progeny,
Thou shouldst not scape me here.

[They fight, and certain Volsces come to the
aid of Aufidius. Marcius fights till they
be driven in breathless.

Officious, and not valiant, you have shamed me In your condemned seconds. [Exeunt.

SCENE IX. The Roman camp. Flourish. Alarum. A retreat is sounded, Flourish. Enter, from one side, COMINIUS with the Romans; from the other side, MARCIUS, with his arm in a scarf.

Com. If I should tell thee o'er this thy day's work,

Thou'ldst 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 quaked, hear more; where the dull tribunes,

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, 30
And tent themselves with death. Of all the

horses,

Whereof we have ta'en good and good store, of all

The treasure in this field achieved and city,
We render you the tenth, to be ta'en forth,
Before the common distribution, at
Your only choice.

Mar.

I thank you, general; But cannot make my heart consent to take A bribe to pay my sword I do refuse it; And stand upon my common part with those That have beheld the doing.

40

[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

I' the field prove flatterers, let courts and cities be

Made all of false-faced soothing!
When steel grows soft as the parasite's silk,
Let him be made a coverture for the wars!
No more, I say! For that I have not wash'd
My nose that bled, or foil'd some debile
wretch,-

[Flourish.

Trumpets sound, and drums.
All. Caius Marcius Coriolanus
Cor. I will go wash;

And when my face is fair, you shall perceive
Whether I blush or no: howbeit, I thank you.
I mean to stride your steed, and at all times
To undercrest your good addition
To the fairness of my power.
Com.
So, to our tent;
Where, ere we do repose us, we will write
To Rome of our success. You, Titus Lartius,
Must to Corioli back: send us to Rome
The best, with whom we may articulate,
For their own good and ours.

I shall, my lord.

Lart.
Cor. The gods begin to mock me. I, that

now

I would I were a Roman; for I cannot,
Being a Volsce, be that I am. Condition!
What good condition can a treaty find

I' the part that is at mercy? Five times, Marcius,

I have fought with thee: so often hast thou beat me,

And wouldst do so, I think, should we en

counter

10

As often as we eat. By the elements,
If e'er again I meet him beard to beard,
He's mine, or I am his: mine emulation
Hath not that honor in't it had; for where
I thought to crush him in an equal force,
True sword to sword, I'll potch at him some

way

Or wrath or craft may get him.
First Sol.

He's the devil. Auf Bolder, though not so subtle. My valor's poison'd

20

With only suffering stain by him; for him
Shall fly out of itself: nor sleep nor sanctuary,
Being naked, sick, nor fane nor Capitol,
The prayers of priests nor times of sacrifice,
Embarquements all of fury, shall lift up
Their rotten privilege and custom 'gainst
My hate to Marcius: where I find him, were it
At home, upon my brother's guard, even there,
Against the hospitable canon, would I

Wash my fierce hand in's heart. Go you to the city;

Learn how 'tis held; and what they are that

must

'Tis south the city mills-bring me word

thither

How the world goes, that to the pace of it I may spur on my journey.

First Sol.

I shall, sir.

[Exeunt.

ACT II.

SCENE I. Rome. A public place.

Enter MENENIUS with the two Tribunes of the people, SICINIUS and BRUTUS,

Men. The augurer tells me we shall have news to-night

Bru. Good or bad?

Men. Not according to the prayer of the people, for they love not Marcius.

Sic. Nature teaches beasts to know their friends.

Men. Pray you, who does the wolf love? Sic. The lamb.

Men. Ay, to devour him; as the hungry plebeians would the noble Marcius.

11