Com. Ay, if you come not in the blood of others, But mantled in your own.

Mar.

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

O! let me clip you;

Flower of warriors,

As merry, as on our nuptial day.

Com.

How is't with Titus Lartius?

Mar. As with a man busied about decrees: Condemning some to death, and some to exile; Ransoming him, or pitying, threat'ning the other; Holding Corioli in the name of Rome,

Even like a fawning greyhound in the leash,
To let him slip at will.

Com.
Which told me they had beat you to your trenches?
Where is he? Call him hither.

Where is that slave,

Let him alone,

Mar. 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 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?

As I guess, Marcius,

Com.
Their bands in the vaward are the Antiates,
Of their best trust: o'er them Aufidius,
Their very heart of hope.

+ Front.

Soldiers of Antium.

5

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,
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 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, [Waving his hand.] 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 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.

6 Present time.

TITUS LARTIUS, having set a guard upon Corioli, going with a drum and trumpet towards COMINIUS and CAIUS MARCIUS, enters with a Lieutenant, a party of Soldiers, and a Scout.

Lart. So, let the ports7 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.

Lieu.

Fear not our care, sir.

Lart. Hence, and shut your gates upon us. Our guider, come; to the Roman camp conduct us. [Exeunt.

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.

7 Gates.

8 Companies of a hundred men.

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.

Halloo me like a hare.

Mar.

If I fly, Marcius,

Within these three hours, Tullus,

Alone I fought in your Corioli walls,

And made what work 1 pleas'd; 'Tis not my blood
Wherein thou seest me mask'd: for thy revenge,
Wrench up thy power to the highest.

Auf.
Wert thou the Hector,
That was the whip of your bragg'd progeny,
Thou should'st not scape me here.—

[They fight, and certain Volces come to the
aid of AUFIDIUS.

Officious, and not valiant — you have sham'd me
In your condemned seconds.9

[Exeunt fighting, 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, with his 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,

9 In affording such ill-timed help.

1

And, gladly quak'd2, 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,
Having fully dined before.

Enter TITUS LARTIUS, with his Power, from the

Lart.

pursuit.

O general,

Here is the steed, we the caparison :
Hadst thou beheld

Mar. Pray now, no more: my mother,
Who has a charter to extol her blood,
When she does praise me, grieves me.

done,

I have

As you have done; that's what I can; induc'd
As you have been; that's for my country:
He, that has but effected his good will,
Hath overta'en mine act.

Com.

You shall not be

The grave of your deserving; Rome must know
The value of her own: 'twere a concealment
Worse than a theft, no less than a traducement,
To hide your doings; and to silence that,
Which to the spire and top of praises vouch'd,
Would seem but modest: Therefore, I beseech you,
(In sign of what you are, not to reward

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

2 Thrown into grateful trepidation.