That bear the shapes of men, now have you run A carbuncle entire, as big as thou art,
From slaves that apes would beat! Pluto and Were not so rich a jewel. Thou wast a soldier
hell !

Even to Cato's wish, not fierce and terrible
All hurt behind; backs red, and faces pale Only in strokes ; but, with thy grim looks and
With flight and agu'd fear! Mend, and charge The thunder-like percussion of thy sounds,
home,

Thou mad'st thine enemies shake, as if the world
Or, by the fires of heaven, I'll leave the foe, Were feverous and did tremble.
And make my wars on you ! look to't: come on;
If you'll stand fast, we'll beat them to their
wives,

Re-enter MARCIUS, bleeding, assaulted by the

enemy. As they us to our trenches followed.*

1 Sol.

Look, sir. Another Alarum. The Volsces and Romans re

LaRt. 0, 'tis Marcius ! enter, and the fight is renewed. The Volsces

Let's fetch him off, or make remain alike. retire into Corioli, and Marcius follows

[They fight, and all enter the city. them to the gates. So, now the gates are ope :—now prove good

seconds : 'Tis for the followers Fortune widens them,

SCENE V.— Within Corioli. A Street, Not for the fliers :(4) mark me, and do the like.

[Enters the gates. Enter certain Romans, with spoils. 1 Sol. Fool-hardiness; not I. 2 SOL.

Nor I.

1 Rom. This will I carry to Rome. [The gates are closed.

2 Rom. And I this. 3 Sol. See, they have shut him in.

3 Rom. A murrain on't! I took this for silver. [Alarum continues.

[Alarum continues afar off. ALL.

To the pot," I warrant him.
Enter TITUS LARTIUS.

Enter MARCIUS and Titus LARTIUS, with a

trumpet. LART. What is become of Marcius ? ALL.

Slain, sir, doubtless. MAR. See here these movers, that do prize 1 Sol. Following the fliers at the very heels,

their hours d
With them he enters : who, upon the sudden, At a crack'd dram! Cushions, leaden spoons,
Clapp'd-to their gates: he is himself alone, Irons of a doit, doublets that hangmen would
To answer all the city.

Bury with those that wore them, these base slaves,
LART.
O noble fellow!

Ere yet the fight be done, pack up:—down with
Who, sensible, outdares his senseless sword,

them ! And, when it bows, stands up! Thou art left, And hark, what noise the general makes !—To Marcius :

him !

(*) First folio, followes.
* To the pot, I warrant him.) Mr. Collier's annotator reads,-
"To the port, I warrant him," and Mr. Collier defends the sub-
stitution 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,' butto
the pot,' as if some particular pot were intended." This is strange
oblivion. "To the pot," as Mr. Collier, better than anyone else,
onght 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.
" Por goes this wretch, this traitor, to the pot"
G. PEELE'S " Edward I." Dyce's ed. p. 115, Vol. I.

they go to the pot for 't."
WEBSTER'S " White Devil,” &c. Dyce's ed. p. 117, Vol. I.
b

Who, sensible, outdares his senseless sword,

And, when it bows, stands up !) The old text has," Who sensibly

stand'st up." 136

Thon roast a soldier

Even to Cato's wish :)
In the old text, “Even to Calues wish;" the correction, Theo-
bald'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 low de voice. For he was
even such another, as Calo would have a souldier and a captaine
to be: not only terrible and fierce to laye about him, but to make
the enemie afеard 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 ronde
stragling here and there to enriche themselves."

There is the man of my soul's hate, Aufidius,

SCENE VI.—Near the Camr of Cominius. Piercing our Romans : then, valiant Titus, take Convenient numbers to make good the city ; Whilst I, with those that have the spirit, will

Enter COMINIUS and Forces, retreating. haste

Com. Breathe you, my friends: well fought; To help Cominius.

we are come off LART.

Worthy sir, thou bleed'st; Thy exercise hath been too violent for

Like Romans, neither foolish in our stands,
A second course of fight.

Nor cowardly in retire: believe me, sirs,
Mar.
Sir, praise me not ;

We shall be charg'd again. Whiles we have

struck, My work hath yet not warm’d me: fare you well: The blood I drop is rather physical

By interims and conveying gusts we have heard Than dangerous to me: to Aufidius thus

The charges of our friends.—Ye“ Roman gods,

Lead their successes as we wish our own,
I will appear, and fight.
LART. Now the fair goddess, Fortune,

That both our powers, with smiling fronts Fall deep in love with thee; and her great charms

encountering,
Misguide thy opposers' swords ! Bold gentleman, May give you thankful sacrifice !-
Prosperity be thy page!
MAR.
Thy friend no less,

Enter a Messenger.
Than those she placeth highest ! So, farewell.
LART. Thou worthiest Marcius !-

Thy news ?
Mess. The citizens of Corioli have issu’d,

[Exit MARCIUS. Go, sound thy trumpet in the market-place; Call thither all the officers o' the town,

-Ye Roman gods,-) “The word 'you' in the last line,"

Mr. Dyce remarks," shows that the Roman gods' of the old Where they shall know our mind: away! [Exeunt. text, is wrong."

VOWS

And given to Lartius and to Marcius battle: Where is the enemy? Are you lords o' the I saw our party to their trenches driven,

field? And then I came away.

If not, why cease you till you are so ? Com.

Though thou speak’st truth, Com. Marcius, we have at disadvantage fought, Methinks thou speak’st not well. How long is 't

And did retire to win our purpose. since ?

MAR. How lies their battle? Know you on Mess. Above an hour, my lord.

which side Com. 'T is not a mile; briefly we heard their They have plac'd their men of trust ? drums :

Com.

As I guess, Marcius,
How couldst thou in a mile confound an hour, Their bands i' the vaward are the Antiates *
And bring thy news so late ?

Of their best trust; o'er them Aufidius,
Mess.
Spies of the Volsces Their

very

heart of hope. Held me in chase, that I was forc'd to wheel

Mar.

I do beseech you, Three or four miles about ; else had I, sir, By all the battles wherein we have fought, IIalf an hour since brought my report.

By the blood we have shed together, by the Com.

Who's yonder, That does appear as he were flay'd ? O gods ! We have made to endure friends, that you He has the stamp of Marcius; and I have

directly Before-time seen him thus.

Set me against Aufidius and his Antiates : Mar. [without.]

Come I too late? And that you not delay the present; but, Com. The shepherd knows not thunder from a Filling the air with swords advanc'd and darts, tabor,

We
prove this

very

hour. More than I know the sound of Marcius' tongue Com.

Though I could wish From every meaner man.

You were conducted to a gentle bath,
And balms applied to you, yet dare I never

Deny your asking; take your choice of those
Enter Marcius.

That best can aid

your

action. Mar,

Those are they Mar.

Come I too late ? That most are willing.–If any such be here, Com. Ay, if you come not in the blood of (As it were sin to doubt) that love this painting others,

Wherein you see me smear’d; fear
But mantled in your own.

Lesser his person than an ill report ;
Mar.
O! let me clip ye If

any

think brave death outweighs bad life, In arms as sound as when I wood; in heart And that his country's dearer than himself ; As merry as when our nuptial day was done, Let him alone, or so many so minded, And tapers burn’d to bedward !

Wave thus, [Waving his sword.] to express his Com. Flower of warriors,

disposition, How is 't with Titus Lartius ?

And follow Marcius. Mar. As with a man busied about decrees :

[They all shout, and wave their swords ; Condemning some to death, and some to exile ;

take him up in their arms, and cast up Ransoming him or pitying, threat'ning the other; Holding Corioli in the name of Rome,

O me, alone! make you a sword of me! Even like a fawning greyhound in the leash, If these shows be not outward, which of you To let him slip at will.

But is four Volsces ? none of you but is
Com.
Where is that slave

Able to bear against the great Aufidius Which told me they had beat you to your A shield as hard as his. A certain number, trenches ?

Though thanks to all, must I select from all; Where is he? Call him hither.

The rest shall bear the business in some other Mar.

Let him alone;

fight, He did inform the truth: but for our gentlemen, As cause will be obey'd. Please you to march ; The common file, (a plague !-Tribunes for And four shall quickly draw out my co

command, them !)

Which men are best inclin'd. The mouse ne'er shunn’d the cat, as they did Com.

March on, my fellows budge

Make good this ostentation, and

you

shall From rascals worse than they.

Divide in all with us.

Exeunt COM.

But how prevail'd you ? MAR. Will the time serve to tell? I do not think.

if any

their caps.

a

us.

SCENE VII.-The Gates of Corioli. Thou’lt not believe thy deeds : but I'll report it, Titus LARTIUS, having set a guard upon Corioli,

Where senators shall mingle tears with smiles ;

Where great patricians shall attend, and shrug, going with drum and trumpet toward

I'the end, admire ; where ladies shall be frighted, COMINIUS and Caius MARCIUS, enters with a Lieutenant, a party of Soldiers, and a

And, gladly quak’d, hear more; where the dull

tribunes, Scout.

That, with the fusty plebeians, hate thine honours, Lart. So, let the ports be guarded : keep your Shall say, against their hearts,- We thank the duties,

gods,
As I have set them down. If I do send, dispatch Our Rome hath such a soldier !-
Those centuries to our aid; the rest will serve Yet cam'st thou to a morsel of this feast,
For a short holding: if we lose the field,

Having fully din'd before.
We cannot keep the town.
LIEU.

Fear not our care, sir.
Lart. Hence, and shut your gates upon us.-

Enter Titus LARTIUS, with his power, from the Our guider, come; to the Roman camp conduct

pursuit.
Eceunt.
LART.

O general,

Here is the steed, we the caparison:
SCENE VIII.--A Field of Battle between the IIadst thou beheld-
Roman and the Volscian Camps.

MAR.

Pray now, no more: my mother,

Who has a charter to extol her blood, Alarum. Enter from opposite sides MARCIUS

When she does praise me, grieves me.

I have and AUFIDIUS.

done Mar. I 'll fight with none but thee; for I do

As you have done,—that's what I can ; induc'd hate thee

As
you

have been,—that's for my country: Worse than a promise-breaker.

He that has but effected his good will, AUF.

We hate alike;

Hath overta'en mine act. Not Afric owns a serpent I abhor

Com.

You shall not be More than thy fame and envy. Fix thy foot.

The grave of your deserving ; Rome must know Mar. Let the first budger die the other's slave,

The value of her own : 't were a concealment And the gods doom him after!

Worse than a theft, no less than a traducement, AUF.

If I fly, Marcius,

To hide your doings; and to silence that, Holla me like a hare.

Which, to the spire and top of praises vouch'd, Mar. Within these three hours, Tullus,

Would seem but modest: therefore, I beseech Alone I fought in your Corioli walls, [blood

you, And made what work I pleas'd: 't is not my (In sign of what you are, not to reward Wherein thou seest me mask'd ; for thy revenge What

you have done,) before our army hear me. Wrench up thy power to the highest.

Mar. I have some wounds upon me, and they AUF. Wert thou the Hector,

smart That was the whip of your bragg'd progeny, To hear themselves remember'd. Thou shouldst not scape me here.

Com.

Should they not, [They fight, and certain Volsces come to the

Well might they fester 'gainst ingratitude, aid of AUFIDIUS.

And tent themselves with death. Of all the Officious, and not valiant,—you have sham’d me

horses, In your condemned seconds.

(Whereof we have ta'en good, and good store) [Exeunt fighting, driven out by MARCIUS.

of all

The treasure in this field achiev'd and city,
SCENE IX.-The Roman Camp.

We render you the tenth; to be ta’en forth,

Before the common distribution, Alarum. A Retreat is sounded. Flourish.

At your only choice. Enter at one side, COMINIUS and Romans ;

Mar.

I thank you, general; at the other side, Marcius, with his arm in

But cannot make my heart consent to take a scarf, and other Romans.

A bribe to pay my sword: I do refuse it ; Com. If I should tell thee o'er this thy day's And stand upon my common part with those

That have beheld the doing.