The Tragedy Of Coriolanus

1 Enter Martius, Titus Lartius, with drum and colours, with Captains and
2 Soldiers, as before the city of Corioles. To them a Messenger.
3 MARTIUS.
4 Yonder comes news. A wager they have met.
5 LARTIUS.
6 My horse to yours, no.
7 MARTIUS.
8 ’Tis done.
9 LARTIUS.
10 Agreed.
11 MARTIUS.
12 [_To Messenger_.] Say, has our general met the enemy?
13 MESSENGER.
14 They lie in view but have not spoke as yet.
15 LARTIUS.
16 So the good horse is mine.
17 MARTIUS.
18 I’ll buy him of you.
19 LARTIUS.
20 No, I’ll nor sell nor give him. Lend you him I will
21 For half a hundred years.—Summon the town.
22 MARTIUS.
23 How far off lie these armies?
24 MESSENGER.
25 Within this mile and half.
26 MARTIUS.
27 Then shall we hear their ’larum, and they ours.
28 Now, Mars, I prithee, make us quick in work,
29 That we with smoking swords may march from hence
30 To help our fielded friends!—Come, blow thy blast.
31 [_They sound a parley._]
32 Enter two Senators with others on the walls of Corioles.
33 Tullus Aufidius, is he within your walls?
34 FIRST SENATOR.
35 No, nor a man that fears you less than he:
36 That’s lesser than a little.
37 [_Drum afar off_.]
38 Hark, our drums
39 Are bringing forth our youth. We’ll break our walls
40 Rather than they shall pound us up. Our gates,
41 Which yet seem shut, we have but pinned with rushes.
42 They’ll open of themselves.
43 [_Alarum far off_.]
44 Hark you, far off!
45 There is Aufidius. List what work he makes
46 Amongst your cloven army.
47 MARTIUS.
48 O, they are at it!
49 LARTIUS.
50 Their noise be our instruction.—Ladders, ho!
51 Enter the Army of the Volsces as through the city gates.
52 MARTIUS.
53 They fear us not but issue forth their city.—
54 Now put your shields before your hearts, and fight
55 With hearts more proof than shields.—Advance, brave Titus.
56 They do disdain us much beyond our thoughts,
57 Which makes me sweat with wrath.—Come on, my fellows!
58 He that retires, I’ll take him for a Volsce,
59 And he shall feel mine edge.
60 [_Alarums. The Romans are beat back to their trenches. They exit, with
61 the Volsces following_.]
62 Enter Martius cursing, with Roman soldiers.
63 MARTIUS.
64 All the contagion of the south light on you,
65 You shames of Rome! You herd of—Boils and plagues
66 Plaster you o’er, that you may be abhorred
67 Farther than seen, and one infect another
68 Against the wind a mile! You souls of geese,
69 That bear the shapes of men, how have you run
70 From slaves that apes would beat! Pluto and hell!
71 All hurt behind. Backs red, and faces pale
72 With flight and agued fear! Mend, and charge home,
73 Or, by the fires of heaven, I’ll leave the foe
74 And make my wars on you. Look to’t. Come on!
75 If you’ll stand fast we’ll beat them to their wives,
76 As they us to our trenches. Follow’s!
77 [_Another alarum. The Volsces re-enter and are driven back to the gates
78 of Corioles, which open to admit them._]
79 So, now the gates are ope. Now prove good seconds!
80 ’Tis for the followers fortune widens them,
81 Not for the fliers. Mark me, and do the like.
82 [_Martius follows the fleeing Volsces through the gates, and is shut
83 in._]
84 FIRST SOLDIER.
85 Foolhardiness, not I.
86 SECOND SOLDIER.
87 Nor I.
88 FIRST SOLDIER.
89 See, they have shut him in.
90 [_Alarum continues._]
91 ALL.
92 To th’ pot, I warrant him.
93 Enter Titus Lartius.
94 LARTIUS.
95 What is become of Martius?
96 ALL.
97 Slain, sir, doubtless.
98 FIRST SOLDIER.
99 Following the fliers at the very heels,
100 With them he enters, who upon the sudden
101 Clapped to their gates. He is himself alone,
102 To answer all the city.
103 LARTIUS.
104 O noble fellow,
105 Who sensibly outdares his senseless sword,
106 And when it bows, stand’st up! Thou art left, Martius.
107 A carbuncle entire, as big as thou art,
108 Were not so rich a jewel. Thou wast a soldier
109 Even to Cato’s wish, not fierce and terrible
110 Only in strokes, but with thy grim looks and
111 The thunderlike percussion of thy sounds
112 Thou mad’st thine enemies shake, as if the world
113 Were feverous and did tremble.
114 Enter Martius, bleeding, assaulted by the enemy.
115 FIRST SOLDIER.
116 Look, sir.
117 LARTIUS.
118 O, ’tis Martius!
119 Let’s fetch him off or make remain alike.
120 [_They fight, and all enter the city._]