Further than seen, and one infect another
Against the wind a mile! You souls of geese,
That bear the shapes of men, how have you run
From slaves that apes would beat? Pluto and hell!
All hurt behind; backs red, and faces pale

With flight and agued fear! Mend, and charge home,
Or, by the fires of heaven, I'll leave the foe,
And make my wars on you: look to't: Come on ;
If you'll stand fast, we'll beat them to their wives,
As they us to our trenches followed.

Another Alarum. The Volces and Romans re-enter, and the fight is renewed. The Volces retire into Corioli, and MARCIUS follows them to the gates.

So, now the gates are ope :-Now prove good seconds: 'Tis for the followers fortune widens them,

Not for the fliers: mark me, and do the like.

[He enters the gates, and is shut in,

1 Sol. Fool-hardiness; not I.

2 Sol. Nor I.

3 Sol. See, they

Have shut him in.

All. To the pot, I warrant him.

[Alarum continues,

Enter TITUS LARTIUS.

Lart. What is become of Marcius?

All. Slain, sir, doubtless.

1 Sol. Following the fliers at the very heels,
With them he enters: who, upon the sudden,
Clapp'd-to their gates; he is himself alone,
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,

Were not so rich a jewel. Thou wast a soldier

Even to Cato's wish,' not fierce and terrible
Only in strokes; but, with thy grim looks, and
The thunder-like percussion of thy sounds,
Thou mad'st thine enemies shake, as if the world
Were feverous, and did tremble.

Re-enter MARCIUS bleeding, assaulted by the enemy. 1 Sol. Look, sir.

[1] Plutarch, in The Life of Coriolanus, relates this as his opinion of Cato the Elder, that a great soldier should carry terror in his looks and tone of voice; and the poet, hereby following the historian, is fallen into a great chronological impro priety. THEOBALD.

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

[Alarum continues still afar off.

Enter MARCIUS, and TITUS LARTIUS, with a trumpet.

Mar. See here these movers, that do prize their hours
At a crack'd drachm! Cushions, leaden spoons,
Irons of a doit, doublets that hangmen would

Bury with those that wore them, these base slaves,
Ere yet the fight be done, pack up :-Down with them.-
And hark, what noise the general makes!-To him;-
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 haste
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:

My work hath yet not warm'd me: Fare you well.
The blood I drop is rather physical

Than dangerous to me :

To Aufidius thus I will appear, and fight.

Lart. Now the fair goddess, Fortune,

Fall deep in love with thee; and her great charms
Misguide thy opposers' swords! Bold gentleman,

Prosperity be thy page!

Mar. Thy friend no less

Than those she placeth highest! So, farewell.

Lart. Thou worthiest Marcius!

-Go, sound thy trumpet in the market-place;
Call thither all the officers of the town,

Where they shall know our mind: Away,

[Exit MAR.

[Exeunt.

[2] Make remain--is an old manner of speaking, which means no more than remain. HANMER.

SCENE VI.

Near the Camp of COMINIUS. Enter COMINIUS and Forces,

retreating.

[come off

Com. Breathe you, my friends; well fought. We are
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 :-The Roman gods,
Lead their successes as we wish our own;

That both our pow'rs, with smiling fronts encountering,
Enter a Messenger.

May give you thankful sacrifice !-Thy news?
Mes. The citizens of Corioli have issued,
And given to Lartius and to Marcius battle:

I saw our party to their trenches driven,
And then I came away.

Com. Though thou speak'st truth,

Methinks, thou speak'st not well.

Mes. Above an hour, my lord.

How long is't since ?

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?

Mes. Spies of the Volces

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.

Enter MARCIUS.

Com. Who's yonder,

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. Come I too late?

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

From every meaner man's.

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 you

In arms as sound, 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 busied about decrees:
Condemning some to death, and some to exile;

Ransoming him, or pitying, threatening the other;
Holding Corioli in the name of Rome,

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

Com. Where is that slave,

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 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?

Com. 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.

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

That is, remitting his ransom. JOHNSON.

Delay, for let slip. WARB. [5] That is, swords lifted high.

JOHNSON.

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.

Com. March on, my fellows :

Make good this ostentation, and you shall
Divide in all with us,

SCENE VII.

[Exeunt.

The Gates of Corioli. TITUS LARTIUS, having set a Guard upon Corioli, going with a 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, despatch Those centuries to our aid the rest will serve For a short holding: If we lose the field,

We cannot keep the town.

Lieut. Fear not our care, sir.

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

[Exeunt.

Let us march, and that fear which incites desertion will free my army from cowards.

JOHNSON.

That is, companies consisting each of a hundred men. Our author sometimes this word to express simply--a hundred. STEEVENS.