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Coriolanus (Folio 1, 1623)

Author: William Shakespeare
Not Peer Reviewed
Enter Martius, Titus Lartius, with Drumme and Co-
lours, with Captaines and Souldiers, as
480before the City Corialus: to them
a Messenger.
Martius. Yonder comes Newes:
A Wager they haue met.
Lar. My horse to yours, no.
485Mar. Tis done.
Lart. Agreed.
Mar. Say, ha's our Generall met the Enemy?
Mess. They lye in view, but haue not spoke as yet.
Lart. So, the good Horse is mine.
490Mart. Ile buy him of you.
Lart. No, Ile nor sel, nor giue him: Lend you him I will
For halfe a hundred yeares: Summon the Towne.
Mar. How farre off lie these Armies?
Mess. Within this mile and halfe.
495Mar. Then shall we heare their Larum, & they Ours.
Now Mars, I prythee make vs quicke in worke,
That we with smoaking swords may march from hence
To helpe our fielded Friends. Come, blow thy blast.
They Sound a Parley:
Enter two Senators with others on
500the Walles of Corialus.
Tullus Auffidious, is he within your Walles?
1. Senat. No, nor a man that feares you lesse then he,
That's lesser then a little:
Drum a farre off.
Hearke, our Drummes
505Are bringing forth our youth: Wee'l breake our Walles
Rather then they shall pound vs vp our Gates,
Which yet seeme shut, we haue but pin'd with Rushes,
They'le open of themselues. Harke you, farre off
Alarum farre off.
510There is Auffidious. List what worke he makes
Among'st your clouen Army.
Mart. Oh they are at it.
Lart. Their noise be our instruction. Ladders hoa.
Enter the Army of the Volces.
515Mar. They feare vs not, but issue forth their Citie.
Now put your Shields before your hearts, and fight
With hearts more proofe then Shields.
Aduance braue Titus,
They do disdaine vs much beyond our Thoughts,
520which makes me sweat with wrath. Come on my fellows
He that retires, Ile take him for a Volce,
And he shall feele mine edge.
Alarum, the Romans are beat back to their Trenches
Enter Martius Cursing.
525Mar. All the contagion of the South, light on you,
You Shames of Rome: you Heard of Byles and Plagues
Plaister you o're, that you may be abhorr'd
Farther then seene, and one infect another
Against the Winde a mile: you soules of Geese,
530That beare the shapes of men, how haue you run
From Slaues, that Apes would beate; Pluto and Hell,
All hurt behinde, backes red, and faces pale
With flight and agued feare, mend and charge home,
Or by the fires of heauen, Ile leaue the Foe,
535And make my Warres on you: Looke too't: Come on,
If you'l stand fast, wee'l beate them to their Wiues,
As they vs to our Trenches followes.
Another Alarum, and Martius followes them to
gates, and is shut in.
540So, now the gates are ope: now proue good Seconds,
'Tis for the followers Fortune, widens them,
Not for the flyers: Marke me, and do the like.
Enter the Gati.
1. Sol. Foole-hardinesse, not I.
5452. Sol. Nor I.
1. Sol. See they haue shut him in.
Alarum continues
All. To th' pot I warrant him.
Enter Titus Lartius
Tit. What is become of Martius?
All. Slaine (Sir) doubtlesse.
5501. Sol. Following the Flyers at the very heeles,
With them he enters: who vpon the sodaine
Clapt to their Gates, he is himselfe alone,
To answer all the City.
Lar. Oh Noble Fellow!
555Who sensibly out-dares his sencelesse Sword,
And when it bowes, stand'st vp: Thou art left Martius,
A Carbuncle intire: as big as thou art
Weare not so rich a Iewell. Thou was't a Souldier
Euen to Calues wish, not fierce and terrible
560Onely in strokes, but with thy grim lookes, and
The Thunder-like percussion of thy sounds
Thou mad'st thine enemies shake, as if the World
Were Feauorous, and did tremble.
Enter Martius bleeding, assaulted by the Enemy.
5651. Sol. Looke Sir.
Lar. O 'tis Martius.
Let's fetch him off, or make remaine alike.
They fight, and all enter the City.