Further than seen, and one infect another With flight and agued fear! Mend, and charge home, Another Alarum. The Volces and Romans re-enter, and the fight is renewed. The Volces retire into Corioli, 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. [He enters the gates, and is shut in, 1 Sol. Fool-hardiness; not I. 2 Sol. Nor I. 3 Sol. See, they Have shut him in. All. To the pot, I warrant him. [Alarum continues, Enter TITUS LARTIUS. Lart. What is become of Marcius? All. Slain, sir, doubtless. 1 Sol. Following the fliers at the very heels, Lart. O noble fellow! Who, sensible, outdares his senseless sword, And, when it bows, stands 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 Re-enter MARCIUS bleeding, assaulted by the enemy. 1 Sol. Look, sir. [1] Plutarch, in The Life of Coriolanus, relates this as his opinion of Cato the Elder, that a great soldier should carry terror in his looks and tone of voice; and the poet, hereby following the historian, is fallen into a great chronological impro priety. THEOBALD. 3 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 Bury with those that wore them, these base slaves, Whilst I, with those that have the spirit, will haste Lart. Worthy sir, thou bleed'st; Thy exercise hath been too violent for A second course of fight. Mar. Sir, praise me not: My work hath yet not warm'd me: Fare you well. Than dangerous to me : To Aufidius thus I will appear, and fight. Lart. Now the fair goddess, Fortune, Fall deep in love with thee; and her great charms Prosperity be thy page! Mar. Thy friend no less Than those she placeth highest! So, farewell. Lart. Thou worthiest Marcius! -Go, sound thy trumpet in the market-place; Where they shall know our mind: Away, [Exit MAR. [Exeunt. [2] Make remain--is an old manner of speaking, which means no more than remain. HANMER. SCENE VI. Near the Camp of COMINIUS. Enter COMINIUS and Forces, retreating. [come off Com. Breathe you, my friends; well fought. We are We shall be charg'd again. Whiles we have struck, That both our pow'rs, with smiling fronts encountering, May give you thankful sacrifice !-Thy news? I saw our party to their trenches driven, Com. Though thou speak'st truth, Methinks, thou speak'st not well. Mes. Above an hour, my lord. How long is't since ? Com. 'Tis not a mile : Briefly, we heard their drums: How could'st thou in a mile confound an hour, And bring thy news so late? Mes. Spies of the Volces 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. Com. Who's yonder, That does appear as he were flay'd? O gods! Mar. 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's. Mar. Come I too late? Com. Ay, if you come not in the blood of others, But mantled in your own. Mar. Oh! let me clip you In arms as sound, as when I woo'd; in heart As merry, as when our nuptial day was done, Com. Flower of warriors, How is't with Titus Lartius ? Mar. As with a man busied about decrees: Ransoming him, or pitying, threatening the other; Even like a fawning greyhound in the leash, Com. Where is that slave, Which told me they had beat you to your trenches? Mar. Let him alone; He did inform the truth: But for our gentlemen, Com. But how prevail'd you? Mar. Will the time serve to tell? I do not thinkWhere is the enemy? Are you lords o' the field? If not, why cease you till you are so ? Com. Marcius, we have at disadvantage fought, And did retire, to win our purpose. 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 Deny your asking; take your choice of those Mar. Those are they That most are willing :-If any such be here (As it were sin to doubt) that love this painting That is, remitting his ransom. JOHNSON. Delay, for let slip. WARB. [5] That is, swords lifted high. JOHNSON. Wherein you see me smear'd; if any fear If any think, brave death outweighs bad life, Let him, alone, or so many, so minded, Wave thus, [Waving his hand] to express his disposition, And follow Marcius. [They all shout, and wave their swords; take him up O me, alone! Make you a sword of me? 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 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. [Exeunt. Let us march, and that fear which incites desertion will free my army from cowards. JOHNSON. That is, companies consisting each of a hundred men. Our author sometimes this word to express simply--a hundred. STEEVENS. |