Vir. No, at a word, madam; indeed, I must not. I wish you much mirth. Val. Well, then, farewell. [Exeunt. SCENE IV. Before Corioli. Enter, with drum and colours, MARCIUS, TITUS LARTIUS, Captains and Soldiers. To them a Messenger. Mar. Yonder comes news. A wager they have Mar. Say, has our general met the enemy? Mess. They lie in view; but have not spoke as yet. Lart. So, the good horse is mine. Mar. I'll buy him of you. Lart. No, I'll nor sell nor give him: lend you Mar. Then shall we hear their 'larum, and they ours. Now, Mars, I prithee, make us quick in work, That we with smoking swords may march from hence, To help our fielded friends! Come, blow thy blast. They sound a parley. Enter two Senators with others on the walls. Tullus Aufidius, is he within your walls? ΤΟ 122. at a word, in short. 9. 'larum, call 'to arms.' First Sen. No, nor a man that fears you less Rather than they shall pound us up: our gates, Which yet seem shut, we have but pinn'd with rushes; They'll open of themselves. [Alarum afar off.] Hark you, far off! There is Aufidius; list, what work he makes Amongst your cloven army. Mar. O, they are at it! Ladders Lart. Their noise be our instruction. ho! 20 Enter the army of the Volsces. Mar. They fear us not, but issue forth their city. Now put your shields before your hearts, and fight With hearts more proof than shields. Advance, brave Titus : They do disdain us much beyond our thoughts, my fellows: Come on, He that retires, I'll take him for a Volsce, Alarum. The Romans are beat back to their trenches. Re-enter MARCIUS, cursing. Mar. All the contagion of the south light on you, 14. less, i.e. more; through association with the cognate assertion: There is no man that fears you less than he.' 17. pound us up, enclose us. 30 30. the south; the south wind was regarded as peculiarly unwholesome. You shames of Rome! you herd of Boils and plagues Plaster you o'er, that you may be abhorr'd Further than seen, and one infect another Against the wind a mile! You souls of geese, Or, by the fires of heaven, I'll leave the foe And make my wars on you: look to 't: come on; 40 Another alarum. The Volsces fly, and MAR- So, now the gates are ope: now prove good 'Tis for the followers fortune widens them, Not for the fliers: mark me, and do the like. First Sol. Fool-hardiness; not I. Sec. Sol. [Enters the gates. Nor I. [Marcius is shut in. To the pot, I warrant him. Re-enter TITUS LARTIUS. First Sol. See, they have shut him in. All. Lart. What is become of Marcius? All. 31. you herd of-Boils and plagues. Johnson's emendation. F1 has : Slain, sir, doubtless. You Shames of Rome: you Heard of Byles and Plagues Plaister you o'er. 47. pot, melting-pot. First 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 sensibly outdares his senseless sword, And, when it bows, stands up. Thou art left, Marcius: Were not so rich a jewel. Thou wast a soldier Re-enter MARCIUS, bleeding, assaulted by the enemy. 50 60 First Sol. Lart. Look, sir.. O, 'tis Marcius! Let's fetch him off, or make remain alike. [They fight, and all enter the city. SCENE V. Corioli. A street. Enter certain Romans, with spoils. First Rom. This will I carry to Rome. Sec. Rom. And I this. Third Rom. A murrain on 't! I took this for [Alarum continues still afar off. silver. At a crack'd drachma ! Cushions, leaden spoons, And hark, what noise the general makes! To him! 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. Mar. Thy friend no less Than those she placeth highest! So, farewell. [Exit Marcius. Go sound thy trumpet in the market-place; 6. drachma, the chief Greek coin; a trace of Shakespeare's authority, Plutarch, who commonly reckons in terms of Greek money. [Exeunt. ΤΟ 20 7. of a doit, worth a farthing. The doit was a small Dutch coin. 19. physical, medicinal |