1 Sol. Following the fliers at the very heels, | Like Romans, neither foolish in our stands, With them he enters: who, upon the sudden, Nor cowardly in retire: believe me, Sirs, lapp'd-to their gates; he is himself alone, We shall be charg'd again. Whiles we have To answer all the city. 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, There is the man of my soul's hate, Aufidius, Piercing our Romans: Then, valiant Titus, take Convenient numbers to make good the city; Whilst I, with those that have the spirit, will To help Cominius. Lart. Worthy Sir, thou bleed'st; Thy exercise hath been too violent for A second course of fight. Mar. Sir, praise me not: [haste [well. My work hath yet not warm'd me: Fare you Lart. Now the fair goddess, Fortune, Fall deep in love with thee; and her great charms [man, Misguide thy opposer's swords! Bold gentleProsperity 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 of the town, Where they shall know our mind. Away. [Exeunt. SCENE VI.-Near the Camp of COMINIUS. struck, [heard By interims, and conveying gusts, we have The charges of our friends:-The Roman gods, Lead their successes as we wish our own; That both our powers, with smiling fronts encountering, Enter a MESSENGER. May give you thankful sacrifice!-Thy news. 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 could'st thou in a mile confound* an hour, And bring thy news so late? Mess. Spies of the Volces Held me in chase, that I was forc'd to wheel Com. Ay, if you come not in the blood of But mantled in your own. [others, Mar. O! let me clip you In arms as sound, as when I woo'd; in heart As merry, as when our nuptial day was done And tapers burn'd to bedward. Com. Flower of warriors, 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, Com. Where is that slave, [trenches? Which told me they had beat you to your Where is he? Call him hither. Mar. Let him alone, [men, He did inform the truth: But for our gentleThe common file, (A plague!-Tribunes for them!) [budge The mouse ne'er shunn'd the cat, as they did From rascals worse than they. Com. But how prevail'd you? Mar. Will the time serve to tell? I do not We have at disadvantage fought, and did Mar. How lies their battle? Know von OB which side They have plac'd their Mar. I do beseech you, VOWS By all the battles wherein we have fought, Com. Though I could wish You were conducted to a gentle bath, 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 If any think, brave death outweighs bad life, And follow Marcius. [They all shout, and wave their swords; take Com. March on, my fellows: [Exeunt. 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, [venge, Wherein thon seest me mask'd; for thy reWrench 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 uid of AUFIDIUS. Officious, and not valiant-you have sham'd In your condemned seconds.t [me [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; I'the end, admire; where ladies shall be Where great patricians shall attend, and shrug, frighted, And, gladly quak'd,‡ hear more; where the That, with the fusty plebeians, hate thine hodull Tribunes, [gods, nours, Shall say, against their hearts-We thank the Yet cam'st thou to a morsel of this feast, Enter TITUS LARTIUS, with his power, from the pursuit. 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 (In sign of what you are, not to reward [you, What you have done,) before our army hear me. Mar. I have some wounds upon me, and they smart To hear themselves remember'd. Mar. I'll fight with none but thee; for I do | Well might they fester 'gainst ingratitude, hate thee And tent themselves with death. Of all the horses, (Whereof we have ta'en good, and good store,) of all Before the common distribution, at Mar. I thank you, general; But cannot make my heart consent to take Cor. By Jupiter, forgot: [ACT 11. I am weary; yea, my memory is tir❜d.— Com. Go we to our tent: The blood upon your visage dries: 'tis time [A long flourish. They all cry, Marcius! Mar- Mar. May these same instruments, which Here's many else have done,-you shout me As if I loved my little should be dieted Com. Too modest are you; More cruel to your good report, than grateful you manacles, (Like one that means his propert harm,) in Then reason safely with you.-Therefore, be it [known, As to us, to all the world, that Caius Marcius Wears this war's garland: in token of the which My noble steed, known to the camp, I give him, With all his trim belonging; and, from this time, For what he did before Corioli, call him, With all the applause and clamour of the host, CAIUS MARCIUS CORIOLANUS.- [Flourish. Trumpets sound, and Drums. All. Caius Marcius Coriolanus! And when my face is fair, you shall perceive you: I mean to stride your steed; and, at all Com. So, to our tent: [Exeunt. Flourish. Cornets. Enter TULLUS AUFIDIUS, 1 Sol. "Twill be delivered back on good con- Auf. Condition? beat me; I would, I were a Roman; for I cannot, 1 Sol. He's the devil. Auf. Bolder, though not so subtle: My val With only suffering stain by him; for him I 1 Sol. Will not you go? that [must Auf. I am attended at the cypress grove: pray you [ther times,"Tis south the city mills,) bring me word thi- Where, ere we do repose us, we will write Lart. I shall, my lord. Cor. The gods begin to mock me. I that now 1 Sol. I shall, Sir. ACT II. [Exeunt. 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? Men. Ay, to devour him; as the hungry plebeians would the noble Marcius. Bru. He's a lamb indeed, that baes like a bear. Men. He's a bear indeed, that lives like a lamb. You two are old men; tell me one thing that I shall ask you. Add more by doing his best Both Trib. Well, Sir. CORIOLANUS. Men. In what enormity is Marcius poor, that you two have not in abundance? Bru. He's poor in no one fault, but stored with all. Sic. Especially, in pride. Bru. And topping all others in boasting. Men. This is strange now: Do you two know how you are censured here in the city, I mean of us o'the right hand file? Do you? Both Trib. Why, how are we censured? Men. Because you talk of pride now,-Will you not be angry? Both Trib. Well, well, Sir, well. Men. Why 'tis no great matter; for a very Jittle thief of occasion will rob you of a great deal of patience: give your disposition the reins, and be angry at your pleasures; at the least, if you take it as a pleasure to you, in being so. You blame Marcius for being proud? Bru. We do it not alone, Sir. Men. I know, you can do very little alone; for your helps are many; or else your actions would grow wondrous single: your abilities are too infant-like, for doing much alone. You talk of pride: O, that you could turn your eyes towards the napes of your necks, and make but an interior survey of your good selves! O, that you could! Bru. What then, Sir? Men. Why, then you should discover a brace of unmeriting, proud, violent, testy magistrates, (alias, fools,) as any in Rome. Sic. Menenius, you are known well enough too. 565 to be a perfecter giber for the table, than a neBru. Come, come, you are well understood cessary bencher in the Capitol. Men. Our very priests must become mockers, if they shall encounter such ridiculous subjects as you are. When you speak best unto the beards; and your beards deserve not so honpurpose, it is not worth the wagging of your ourable a grave, as to stuff a botcher's cushion, or to be entombed in an ass' pack-saddle. who, in a cheap estimation, is worth all your Yet you must be saying, Marcius is proud; predecessors, since Deucalion; though, peradditary hangmen. Good e'en to your worships; venture, some of the best of them were heremore of your conversation would infect my brain, being the herdsmen of the beastly plebeians: 1 will be bold to take my leave of you. [BRU. and SIC. retire to the back of the Scene. Enter VOLUMNIA, VIRGILIA, and VALERIA, &c. How now, my as fair as noble ladies, (and the moon, were she earthly, no nobler,) whither do you follow your eyes so fast? approaches; for the love of Juno, let's go. Vol. Ay, worthy Menenius; and with most prosperous approbation. thee:-Hoo! Marcius coming home? Two Ladies. Nay, 'tis true. Vol. Look, here's a letter from him; the state there's one at home for you. hath another, his wife another; and, I think, Men. I will make my very house reel to-night: Vir. Yes, certain, there's a letter for you; saw it. I of seven years' health; in which time I will Men. I am known to be a humorous patrician, and one that loves a cup of hot wine with not a drop of allaying Tybert in't; said to be-A letter for me? something imperfect, in favouring the first complaint: hasty, and tinder-like, upon too trivial motion: one that converses more with the buttock of the night, than with the forehead of the morning. What I think, I utter; and spend my malice in my breath: Meeting two such wealst-men as you are, (I cannot call you Lycurguses) if the drink you gave me, touch my palate adversely, I make a crooked face at it. I cannot say, your worships have delivered the matter well, when I find the ass in compound with the major part of your syllables: and though I must be content to bear with those that say you are reverend grave men; yet they lie deadly, that tell, you have good faces. If you see this in the map of my my crocosm, follows it, that I am known well enough too? What harm can your bisson || conspectuities glean out of this character, if I be known well enough too? Bru. Come, Sir, come, we know enough. you well Men. You know neither me, yourselves, nor any thing. You are ambitious for poor knaves' caps and legs; you wear out a good wholesome forenoon, in hearing a cause between an orange-wife and a fosset-seller; and then reourn the controversy of three-pence to a second day of audience.-When you are hearing a matter between party and party, if you chance to be pinched with the cholic, you make faces like mummers; set up the bloody flag against all patience; and, in roaring for a chamberpot, dismiss the controversy bleeding, the more entangled by your hearing all the peace you make in their cause, is, calling both the parties knaves: You are a pair of strange ones. + Water of the Tiber. Blind, • Br Whole man. ↑ States. Obeisance. for't. Brings a victory in his pocket?-The wounds third time home with the oaken garland. Men. Has he disciplined Aufidius soundly? Vol. Titus Lartius writes,--they fought together, but Aufidius got off. Men. And 'twas time for him too, I'll warrant have been so fidiused for all the chests in Cohim that: an he had staid by him, I would not rioli, and the gold that's in them. Is the senate possessed of this? the senate has letters from the general, wherein of him. Men. Wondrous? ay, I warrant you, and not without his true purchasing. Vir. The gods grant them true! Men. True? I'll be sworn they are true : Fully informed. Where is he wounded?-God save your good worships! [To the Tribunes, who come forward.] Marcius is coming home: he has more cause to be proud.-Where is he wounded? Vol. I'the shoulder, and i'the left arm: There will be large cicatrices to show the people, when he shall stand for his place. He received in the repulse of Tarquin, seven hurts i'the body. Men. One in the neck, and two in the thigh,there's nine that I know. Vol. He had, before this last expedition, twenty-five wounds upon him. Men. Now it's twenty-seven: every gash was an enemy's grave: [A Shout, and Flourish.] Hark! the trumpets. Vol. These are the ushers of Marcius: before him [tears; He carries noise, and behind him he leaves Death, that dark spirit, in's nervy arm doth lie; Which being advanc'd, declines; and then men die. A Sennet. Trumpets sound. Enter COMINIUS and TITUS LARTIUS; between them, CORIOLANUS, crowned with an oaken Garland; with Captains, Soldiers, and a Herald. Her. Know, Rome, that all alone Marcius did fight Within Corioli' gates: where he hath won, With fame, a name to Caius Marcius; these In honour follows, Coriolanus: Welcome to Rome, renowned Coriolanus! [Flourish. All. Welcome to Rome, renowned Corioianus ! Cor. No more of this, it does offend my heart; Pray now, no more. Com. Look, Sir, your mother, Cor. O! Cor. Your hand, and yours: [To his Wife and Mother To see inherited my very wishes, Cor. Know, good mother, I had rather be their servant in my way, [Flourish. Coronets. Exeunt in stute, us before. The Tribunes remain. Bru. All tongues speak of him, and the bleared sights Are spectacled to see him: Your pratling nurse Do press among the popular throngs, and puff Of Phoebus' burning kisses: such a pother, Sic. On the sudden, I warrant him consul." [Kneels. Bru. Then our office may, During his power, go sleep. You have, I know, petition'd all the gods Vol. Nay, my good soldier, up; My gentle Marcius, worthy Caius, and Cor. My gracioust silence, kail! Would'st thou have laugh'd, had I come coffin'd home, That weep'st to see me triumph? Ah, my dear, Men. Now the gods crown thee! And welcome, general;-And you are welcome all. Men. A hundred thousand welcomes: I could weep, [Welcome: And I could laugh; I am light, and heavy: A curse begin at very root of his heart, That is not glad to see, thee!-You are three, That Rome should dote on: yet, by the faith of men, We have some old crab-trees here at home, that will not Sic. He cannot temperately transport his honours [will From where he should begin, and end; but Lose those that he hath won. Bru. In that there's comfort. Sic. Doubt not, the commoners, for whom we stand, But they, upon their ancient malice, will Forget, with the least cause, these his new honours; [tion Which that he'll give them, make as little quesAs he is proud to do't. Bru. I heard him swear, Were he to stand for consul, never would he Appear i'the market-place, nor on him put The napless vesture of humility; Nor, showing (as the manner is) his wounds To the people, beg their stinking breaths. Sic. Tis right. Bru. It was his word: O, he would miss it. rather Than carry it, but by the suit o'the gentry to And the desire of the nobles. [him, Sic. I wish no better, Than have him hold that purpose, and to put it In execution. Bru. 'Tis most like, he will. Sic. It shall be to him then, as our good wills A sure destruction. Bru. So it must fall out To him, or our authorities. For an end, * Fit. + Maid. 1 Best linen, sweat and smoke. Seldom. **Common standing-place. #1 Thread-bare. 4 Soiled with ¶ Priests. + Adorned. |