Com.

That most are willing.
As it were sin to doubt

If any such be here— that love this painting Wherein you see me smear'd; if fear

Lesser his

person

than an ill

any

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, to express his disposition,
And follow Marcius.

70

[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 Volsces? none of you but is
Able to bear against the great Aufidius

A shield as hard as his. A certain number,

80

Though thanks to all, must I select from all: 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 inclined.

March on, my

fellows:

[Exeunt.

Make good this ostentation, and you shall

Divide in all with us.

Scene VII.

The gates of Corioli.

Titus Lartius, having set a guard upon Corioli, going with drum and trumpet toward Cominius and Caius Marcius, enters with a Lieutenant, other Soldiers, and a Scout. Lart. So, let the ports be guarded: keep your duties, As I have set them down. If I do send, dispatch Those centuries to our aid; the rest will serve For a short holding: if we lose the field,

Lieu.

We cannot keep the town.

Fear not our care, sir.

Lart. Hence, and shut your gates upon's.

Our guider, come; to the Roman camp conduct us.

[Exeunt.

Scene VIII.

A field of battle between the Roman and the
Volscian camps.

Alarum as in battle. Enter, from opposite sides, Marcius and Aufidius.

Mar. I'll fight with none but thee; for I do hate

266

thee

33

Auf.

Worse than a promise-breaker.

We hate alike :

Not Afric owns a serpent I abhor

More than thy fame and envy. Fix thy foot. Mar. Let the first budger die the other's slave,

Auf.

Mar.

Auf.

And the gods doom him after!

If I fly, Marcius,

Within these three hours, Tullus,

Holloa me like a hare.

Alone I fought in your Corioli walls,

And made what work I pleased: 'tis not my
blood

Wherein thou seest me mask'd; for thy revenge 10
Wrench up thy power to the highest.

Wert thou the Hector
That was the whip of your bragg'd progeny,
Thou shouldst not 'scape me here.

[They fight, and certain Volsces come in the aid of
Aufidius. Marcius fights till they be driven
in breathless.

Officious, and not valiant, you have shamed me

In your condemned seconds.

[Exeunt.

Scene IX.

The Roman camp.

Flourish. Alarum. A retreat is sounded. Enter, from one side, Cominius with the Romans; from the other side, Marcius, with his arm in a scarf.

'om. If I should tell thee o'er this thy day's work, Thou 'It not believe thy deeds: but I'll report it, Where senators shall mingle tears with smiles; Where great patricians shall attend, and shrug, I' the end admire; where ladies shall be frighted, And, gladly quaked, hear more; where the dull tribunes,

That, with the fusty plebeians, hate thine honours,
Shall say against their hearts We thank the gods
Our Rome hath such a soldier.'

Yet camest thou to a morsel of this feast,
Having fully dined before.

Enter Titus Lartius, with his power, from the pursuit.

rt.

O general,

Here is the steed, we the caparison:

Hadst thou beheld

r.

Pray now, no more: my mother,

35

Com.

Who has a charter to extol her blood,

induced

When she does praise me grieves me. I have done
have done; that's what I can
have been; that's for my country:

As you

you

As
He that has but effected his good will

Hath overta'en mine act.

You shall not be

The grave of your deserving; Rome must know 20
The value of her own: 'twere a concealment
Worse than a theft, no less than a traducement,
To hide your doings; and to silence that,
Which, to the spire and top of praises vouch'd,
Would seem but modest: therefore, I beseech you—
In sign of what you are, not to reward

What you have done before our army hear me.
Mar. I have some wounds upon me, and they smart
To hear themselves remember'd.

Com.

Should they not,

30

Well might they fester 'gainst ingratitude,
And tent themselves with death. Of all the horses,
Whereof we have ta'en good, and good store, of all

The treasure in this field achieved and city,
We render you the tenth; to be ta’en forth,
Before the common distribution, at

Your only choice.