Enter Marcius.

Com. Who's yonder,

That does appear as he were flea'd? O Gods!
He has the flamp of Marcius, and I have

Before time feen him thus.

Mar. Come I too late?

Com. The shepherd knows not thunder from a tabor, (8) More than I know the found of Marcius' tongue

From every meaner man.

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 ye (9)

In arms as found, as when I woo'd; in heart
As merry, as when our nuptial day was done,
And tapers burnt to bedward.

Com. Flower of warriors,

How is't with Titus Lartius ?

Mar. As with a man bufied about decrees ;
Condemning fome to death, and fome to exile,
Ranfoming him, or pitying, threatning th' other;
Holding Corioli in the name of Rome,

Even like a fawning grey-hound in the leafh,
To let him flip at will.

(8) The fhepherd knows not thunder from a tabor,

More than I know the found of Marcius' tongue

From ev'ry meaner man.]

This has the air of an imitation, whether Shakespeare really borrow'd it, or no, from the original: I mean, what Ulyffes fays in the Greek poet of being able to diftinguish Minerva's voice, tho' he did not fee her.

Ως ευμαθές Σου, κἂν ἀποπλος ᾖ;, ὅμως

Φώνημ' ἀκέω, καὶ ξυναρπάζω φρενὶ
Χαλκοτόμο κώδωνος ὡς Τυρσηνικῆς.

(9) Ob! let me clip ye

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

Sophoc, in Ajace.

Dr. Thirlby advised the different regulation in the pointing of this paffage; which I have embraced, as I think it much improves the fenfe and fpirit, and conveys too the poet's thought, that Marcius was as found in limb, as when he went a wooing; and as merry in heart, as when going to bed to his bride.

R 4

Mar.

Com. Where is that flave,

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

Mar. Let him alone,

He did inform the truth: but, for our gentlemen, The common file, (a plague! tribunes for them!) The moufe ne'er fhunn'd the cat, as they did budge From rafcals worse than they.

Com. But how prevail'd you?

Mar. Will the time ferve to tell? I do not thinkWhere is the enemy? are you Lords o' th' field? If not, why cease you 'till you are fo?

Com. Marcius, we have at difadvantage fought, And did retire to win our purpose.

Mar. How lies their battle? know you on what fide They have plac'd their men of trust ?

Com. As I guefs, Marcius,

Their bands i' th' vaward are the Antiates
Of their beft truft: o'er them Aufidius,
Their very heart of hope.

Mar. I do befeech you,

By all the battles wherein we have fought,
By th' blood w' ave fhed together, by the vows
Wave made to endure friends, that you directly

Set me against Aufidius, and his Antiates ;
And that you not delay the prefent, but
Filling the air with fwords 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 afking; take your choice of those,
That beft can aid your action.

Mar. Thofe are they,

That most are willing; if any fuch be here,
(As it were fin to doubt) that love this painting,
Wherein you fee me fmear'd; if any fear
Lefs for his person than an ill report:

If any think, brave death out-weighs bad life,
And that his country's dearer than himself,

Let

Let him, alone, (or many, if fo minded)

Wave thus, t'exprefs his difpofition,

And follow Marcius.

[They all fhout, and wave their fwords, take him up in
their arms, and caft up their caps.

Oh! me alone, make you a fword of me:
If these fhews be not outward, which of you
But is four Volfcians? none of you, but is
Able to bear against the great Aufidius

A fhield as hard as his. A certain number,
(Tho' thanks to all) muft I felect from all:
The reft fhall bear the bufinefs in fome other fight,
As caufe will be obey'd; pleafe you to march,
And four fhall quickly draw out my command,
Which men are beft inclin’d.

Com. March on, my fellows:
Make good this oftentation, and
Divide in all with us.

you fhall

SCENE changes to Corioli.

[Exeunt

Titus Lartius having fet a guard upon Corioli, going with drum and trumpet toward Cominius and Caius Marcius; Enter with a Lieutenant, other Soldiers, and a fcout.

Lart.

O, let the ports be guarded; keep your duties, As I have fet them down. If I do fend, difpatch Those centries to our aid; the reft will ferve For a fhort holding; if we lose the field, We cannot keep the town.

Lieu. Fear not our care, Sir.

Lart. Hence, and fhut your gates upon's:

Our guider, come! to th' Roman camp conduct us.

[Exeunt

SCENE changes to the Roman Camp.

Alarum, as in battle. Enter Marcius and Aufidius, at Several doors.

Mar.'LL fight with none but thee, for I do hate thee Worfe than a promise-breaker.

Auf. We hate alike:

Not Africk owns a ferpent I abhor

More than thy fame, and envy; fix thy foot.
Mar. Let the first budger die the other's flave,
And the gods doom him after !

Auf. If I fly, Marcius,

Hollow 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, Wherein thou fee'ft me mask'd; for thy revenge, Wrench up thy power to th' highest.

Auf. Wert thou the Hector,

That was the whip of your bragg'd progeny,
Thou should'st not 'fcape me here.

[Here they fight, and certain Volfcians come to the aid of Aufidius. Marcius fights, 'till they be driven in breathless.

Officious, and not valiant!-you have fham'd me
In your condemned feconds.

Flourish. Alarum. A retreat is founded. Enter at one door, Cominius with the Romans; at another door, Marcius, with his arm in a scarf.

Com. If I fhould tell thee o'er this thy day's work, 'Thou'lt not believe thy deeds: but I'll report it, Where fenators fhall mingle tears with fmiles; Where great patricians fhall attend and fhrug; I' th' end, admire; where Ladies fhall be frighted, And gladly quak'd, hear more; where the dull tribunes, That with the fufty plebeians, hate thine honours, Shall fay against their hearts,-We thank the gods, Our Rome hath fuch a foldier!

Yet

Yet cam'ft thou to a morfel of this feast,

Having fully din'd before.

Enter Titus Lartius with his Power, from the pursuit.

Lart. O General,

Here is the fteed, we the caparison :

Hadft thou beheld

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

I have done 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 fhall not be

The grave of your deferving: Rome must know

The value of her own: 'twere a concealment
Worfe than a theft, no lefs than a traducement,
To hide your doings; and to filence that,
Which, to the fpire and top of praises vouch'd,
Would feem but modeft: therefore, I befeech you,
In fign of what you are, not to reward

What you have done, before our army hear me.
Mar. I have fome wounds upon me, and they fmart,
To hear themfelves remembred.

Com. Should they not,

Well might they felter 'gainst ingratitude,

And tent themselves with death: Of all the horfes,
Whereof we have ta'en good, and good ftore, of all
The treasure in the field atchiev'd, and city,
We render you the tenth, to be ta'en forth,,
Before the common diftribution, at

Your only choice.

Mar. I thank you,

General:

But cannot make my heart confent to take
A bribe, to pay my fword: I do refuse it,
And ftand upon my common part with those
That have beheld the doing.

[A long flourish. They all cry, Marcius! Marcius! caft up their caps and launces: Cominius and Lartius Stand bare.

Mars