Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB
[graphic][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small]
[blocks in formation]

a To the pot, I warrant him.] Mr. Collier's annotator reads,— "To the port, I warrant him," and Mr. Collier defends the substitution in this wise,-"In the folio, 1623, the letter r had dropped out in 'port,' and it was always ridiculously misprinted pot, 'To the pot, I warrant him.' To what pot? To go to pot,' is certainly an old vulgarism, but here it is not to pot,' but to the pot,' as if some particular pot were intended." This is strange oblivion. "To the pot," as Mr. Collier, better than anyone else, ought to know, was one of the most familiar expressions in our early dramatists. Take only the following examples, from plays which that gentleman must be familiar with:"Thou mightest sweare, if I could, I would bring them to the pot.""New Custome," Act II. Sc. 3. "For goes this wretch, this traitor, to the pot "

b

G. PEELE'S "Edward I." DYCE's ed. p. 115, Vol. I. they go to the pot for 't."

[ocr errors]

WEBSTER'S "White Devil," &c. DYCE's ed. p. 117, Vol. I.
Who, sensible, outdares his senseless sword,
And, when it bows, stands up !]

The old text has,

"Who sensibly

[blocks in formation]

In the old text, "Even to Calues wish;" the correction, Theobald's, is established by the relative passage in North's Plutarch: -"But Martius being there [before Corioli] at that time, ronning out of the campe with a fewe men with him, he slue the first enemies he met withall, and made the rest of them staye upon a sodaine, crying out to the Romaines that had turned their backes, and calling them againe to fight with a lowde voice. For he was even such another, as Cato would have a souldier and a captaine to be not only terrible and fierce to laye about him, but to make the enemie afeard with the sounde of his voyce, and grimnes of his countenaunce."

d that do prize their hours-] Pope changed the word "hours" to honours, but, as Steevens pointed out, Shakespeare followed his authority, Plutarch." The cittie being taken in this sorte, the most parte of the souldiers beganne incontinently to spoyle, to carie away, and to looke up the bootie they had wonne. But Martius was marvelous angry with them, and cried out on them, that it was no time now to looke after spoyle, and to ronne stragling here and there to enriche themselves."

stand'st up."

[graphic][ocr errors]
[blocks in formation]

SCENE VI.-Near the Camp of Cominius.

Enter COMINIUS and Forces, retreating. COм. 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 charg'd 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 encountering,

May give you thankful sacrifice!—

[blocks in formation]
[blocks in formation]

drums: How couldst thou in a mile confound an hour,

Where is the enemy? Are you lords o' the field?

If not, why cease you till you are so?

COм. Marcius, we have at disadvantage fought, And did retire to win our purpose.

MAR. How lies their battle? Know you on which side

COM. 'Tis not a mile; briefly we heard their They have plac'd their men of trust?
Сом.
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.

And bring thy news so late?
MESS.
Spies of the Volsces
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.
COM.
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. [without.]

Who's yonder,

Come I too late?

COм. The shepherd knows not thunder from a tabor,

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

[blocks in formation]

MAR.

I do beseech you,

By all the battles wherein we have fought,
By the blood we have shed together, by the

[blocks in formation]

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 sword.] 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 against the great Aufidius
A shield as hard as his. A certain number,
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 inclin'd.

Сом. March on, my fellows Make good this ostentation, and you shall Divide in all with us.

[Exeunt

think.

[blocks in formation]

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, 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, 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 us.—
Our guider, come; to the Roman camp conduct
[Exeunt.

us.

[blocks in formation]

MAR.

If I fly, Marcius,

[blood

Within these three hours, Tullus, Alone I fought in your Corioli walls, And made what work I pleas'd: 't is not my 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 shouldst not scape me here.—

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

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

[Exeunt fighting, driven out by MARCIUS.

[blocks in formation]

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,
And, gladly quak'd, hear more; where the dull
tribunes,

That, with the fusty plébeians, 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 din'd before.

[blocks in formation]

The grave of your deserving; Rome must know
The value of her own: 't were 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

[blocks in formation]

The treasure in this field achiev'd 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.

better read,-"More than thy fame I hate and envy." So in Plutarch-"Martius knew very well that Tullus did more malice and envy him than he did all the Romains besides."

« AnteriorContinuar »