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Even to Cato's wifh, not fierce and terrible
Only in ftroaks, but with thy grim looks, and
The thunder-like percuffion of thy founds,

Thou mad'ft thine enemies fhake, as if the world
Were feverous, and did tremble.

Enter Marcius bleeding, affaulted by the Enemy.

1 Sol. Look, Sir.

Lart. O, 'tis Marcius.

Let's fetch him off, or make remain alike.

[They fight, and all enter the city.

Enter certain Romans with Spoils.

1 Rom. This will I carry to Rome. 2 Rom. And I this.

3

Rom. A murrain on't, I took this for filver.

[Alarum continues fill afar off.

Enter Marcius and Titus Lartius, with a Trumpet.

Mar. See here these movers, that do prize their honours At a crack'd drachm: cushions, leaden spoons, Irons of a doit, doublets that hangmen would Bury with thofe that wore them, these base flaves, 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 foul's hate, Aufidius, Piercing our Romans; then, valiant Titus, take Convenient numbers to make good the city;

Whilft I, with those that have the fpirit, will hafte To help Cominius.

Lart. Worthy Sir, thou bleed'ft;

Thy exercise hath been too violent

For a fecond courfe of fight.

Mar. Sir, praise me not:

My work hath yet not warm'd me. Fare

The blood, I drop, is rather phyfical

Than dangerous to me.

T' Aufidius thus I will appear, and fight.
Lart. Now the fair goddefs fortune

you

well:

Fall deep in love with thee, and her great charms

R 3

Mifguide

Mifguide thy oppofers fwords! bold gentleman!
Profperity be thy page!

Mar. Thy friend no lefs,

Than thofe the placeth higheft! fo, farewel.
Lart. Thou worthieft Marcius,

Go found thy trumpet in the market-place,
Call thither all the officers o'th' town,
Where they fhall know our mind. Away.

[Exeunt.

SCENE, changes to the Roman Camp.

Enter Cominius retreating, with Soldiers.

Com.BR

Reathe you, my friends; well fought; we are come off

Like Romans, neither foolish in our ftands,

Nor cowardly in retire: Believe me, Sirs,

We fhall be charg'd again. Whiles we have ftruck,
By interims and conveying gufts, we have heard
The charges of our friends. The Roman gods
Lead their fucceffes, as we wish our own;

That both our powers, with fmiling fronts encountring,
May give you thankful facrifice! Thy news?
Enter a Meffenger.

Mef. The citizens of Corioli have iffued,
And given to Lartius and to Marcius battle.
I faw our party to their trenches driven,
And then I came away.

Com. Tho' thou speak'ft truth,

Methinks, thou fpeak'ft not well. How long is't fince? Mef. Above an hour, my lord.

Com. 'Tis not a mile: briefly, we heard their drums. How could't thou in a mile confound an hour,

And bring the news fo late?

Mef. Spies of the Volfcians

Held me in chafe, that I was forc'd to wheel

Three or four miles about; elfe had I, Sir,
Half an hour fince brought my report.

Enter

Enter Marcius.

Com. Who's yonder,

That does appear as he were flea'd? O Gods!
He has the ftamp 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 leash,
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 Ulyes fays in the Greek poet of being able to distinguish Minerva's voice, tho' he did not fee her.

Ως ευμαθές Σον, κἂν ἀποπλες ᾖς, ὅμως

Φώνημ' ἀκέω, καὶ ξυναρπάζω φρενί
Χαλκοδόμε 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 mouse 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 ceafe you 'till you are so?

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 guess, 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 beseech 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 againft 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 thofe,
That beft can aid your action.

Mar. Those are they,

That moft are willing; if any fuch be here,
(As it were fin to doubt) that love this painting,
Wherein you fee me smear'd; if any fear
Lefs for his perfon 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 shews 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 rest shall bear the business 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 you fhall
Divide in all with us.

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, dispatch Those centries to our aid; the reft will ferve For a fhort holding; if we lofe 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

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