Internet Shakespeare Editions

Author: William Shakespeare
Not Peer Reviewed

Coriolanus (Folio 1, 1623)

Alarum, as in Battaile.
Enter Martius and Auffidius at seueral doores.
Mar. Ile fight with none but thee, for I do hate thee
725Worse then a Promise-breaker.
Auffid. We hate alike:
Not Affricke ownes a Serpent I abhorre
More then thy Fame and Enuy: Fix thy foot.
Mar. Let the first Budger dye the others Slaue,
730And the Gods doome him after.
Auf. If I flye Martius, hollow me like a Hare.
Mar. Within these three houres Tullus
Alone I fought in your Corioles walles,
And made what worke I pleas'd: 'Tis not my blood,
735Wherein thou seest me maskt, for thy Reuenge
Wrench vp thy power to th' highest.
Auf. Wer't thou the Hector,
That was the whip of your bragg'd Progeny,
Thou should'st not scape me heere.
740Heere they fight, and certaine Volces come in the ayde
of Auffi. Martius fights til they be driuen in breathles.
Officious and not valiant, you haue sham'd me
In your condemned Seconds.
Flourish.
The Tragedie of Coriolanus. 7