Val. Indeed, 'tis a noble child. Vir. A crack 9, madam.

Val. Come, lay aside your stitchery; I must have you play the idle huswife with me this afternoon. Vir. No, good madam: I will not out of doors. Val. Not out of doors!

Vol. She shall, she shall.

Vir. Indeed, no, by your patience: I will not over the threshold, till my lord return from the wars. Val. Fye, you confine yourself most unreasonably; Come, you must go visit the good lady that lies in. Vir. I will wish her speedy strength, and visit her with my prayers; but I cannot go thither. Vol. Why, I pray you.

Vir. 'Tis not to save labour, nor that I want love. Val. You would be another Penelope : yet, they say, all the yarn she spun, in Ulysses' absence, did but fill Ithaca full of moths. Come; I would, your cambrick were sensible as your finger, that you might leave pricking it for pity. Come, you shall go with us.

Vir. No, good madam, pardon me; indeed, I will not forth.

Val. In truth, go with me; and I'll tell you excellent news of your husband.

Vir. O, good madam, there can be none yet. Val. Verily, I do not jest with you; there came news from him last night.

Vir. Indeed, madam?

Val. In earnest, it's true; I heard a senator speak it. Thus it is: The Volces have an army forth; against whom Cominius the general is gone, with one part of our Roman power: your lord, and Titus Lartius, are set down before their city, Corioli; they nothing doubt prevailing, and to make it brief wars. This is true, on mine honour: and so, I pray, go with us.

Vir. Give me excuse, good madam; I will obey you in every thing hereafter.

Vol. Let her alone, lady; as she is now, she will but disease our better mirth.

Val. In troth, I think, she would: - Fare you well, then. Come, good sweet lady. Pr'ythee, Virgilia, turn thy solemness out o'door, and go along with us.

Vir. No: at a word, madam; indeed, I must
I wish you much mirth.
Val. Well, then, farewell.

not.

[Exeunt.

Mar. Then shall we hear their 'larum, and they

ours.

Now, Mars, I pr'ythee 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, on the Walls, some Senators, and others.

Tullus Aufidius, is he within your walls?

1 Sen. No, nor a man that fears you less than he, That's lesser than a little. Hark, our drums [Alarums afar off.

| Are bringing forth our youth: We'll break our walls,

Rather than they shall pound us up: our gates, Which yet seem shut, we have but pinn'd with

He that retires, I'll take him for a Volce,
And he shall feel mine edge.

Alarum, and exeunt Romans and Volces, fighting.

The Romans are beaten back to their Trenches. Re-enter MARCIUS.

Mar. All the contagion of the south light on you, You shames of Rome! that you may be abhorr'd Further than seen, you coward souls of geese, That bear the shapes of men, how have you run From slaves that apes would beat? Pluto and hell! All hurt behind; backs red, and faces pale With flight and agu'd fear! Mend, and charge home, Or, by the fires of heaven, I'll leave the foe, And make my wars on you: look to't: Come on, If you'll stand fast, we'll beat them to their wives, As they us to our trenches followed.

Another Alarum. The Volces and Romans re-enter, and the Fight is renewed. The Volces retire into Corioli, and MARCIUS follows them to the Gates. So, now the gates are ope: Now prove good

seconds:

'Tis for the followers fortune widens them, Not for the fliers: mark me, and do the like. [He enters the Gates, and is shut in. 1 Sol. Fool-hardiness; not I. 2 Sol.

Nor I. See, they [Alarum continues.

3 Sol. Have shut him in. All.

To the pot, I warrant him.

Enter TITUS LARTIUS.

Lart. What is become of Marcius?

All.

Slain, sir, doubtless. 1 Sol. Following the fliers at the very heels,

I do beseech you,

By all the battles wherein we have fought,
By the blood we have shed together, by the vows
We have made to endure friends, that you directly
Set me against Aufidius, and his Antiates :
And that you not delay the present; but,
Filling the air with swords 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 asking; take your choice of those
The best can aid your action.

Mar.
Those are they
That most are willing: If any such be here,
(As it were sin to doubt,) that love this painting
Wherein you see me smear'd: if any fear
Lesser his person than an ill 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, [Waving his Hand.] to express his disposition,

And follow Marcius.

[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 Volces? None of you but is Able to bear against the great Aufidius

A shield as hard as his. A certain number,
Though thanks to all, must I select: 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 inclin'd.
Com.
March on, my fellows:
Make good this ostentation, and you shall
Divide in all with us.

[Exeunt.

Not Africk owns a serpent, I abhor
More than thy fame and envy: Fix thy foot.
Mar. Let the first budger die the other's slave,
And the gods doom hin after!

Auf.

Halloo me like a hare.

Mar.

If I fly, Marcius,

Within these three hours, Tullus,

Alone I fought in your Corioli walls,

And made what work I pleas'd; 'Tis not my blood Wherein thou seest me mask'd: for thy revenge, Wrench up thy power to the highest.

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

[They fight, and certain Volces come to the aid of AUFIDIUS.

Officious, and not valiant - you have sham'd me In your condemned seconds.

[Exeunt fighting, driven in by MARCIUS.

SCENE IX.

Alarum.

A Retreat is sounded. Flourish. Enter, at one side, COMINIUS, and Romans; at the other side, MARCIUS, with his Arm in a Scarf, and other Romans.

Com. If I should tell thee o'er this thy day's work, Thou'lt 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 quak'd, hear more; where the dull tribunes,

Enter TITUS LARTIUS, with his Power, from the
Lart.
O general,
Here is the steed, we the caparison :
Hadst thou beheld

Mar.

Pray now, no more: my mother, Who has a charter to extol her blood, When she does praise me, grieves me. I have done, As you have done; that's what I can; induc'd As you have been; that's for my country: He, that has but effected his good will,

Hath overta'en mine act.

Com. You shall not be The grave of your deserving; Rome must know 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,

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 1 In affording such ill-timed help. 2 Thrown into grateful trepidation,

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

Your only choice.

Mar.

I thank you, general;

But cannot make my heart consent to take
A bribe to pay my sword: I do refuse it;
And stand upon my common part with those
That have beheld the doing.

[A long Flourish. They all cry, Marcius! Marcius! cast up their Caps and Lances: COMINIUS and LARTIUS stand bare.

Mar. May these same instruments, which you profane,

Never sound more! When drums and trumpet shall
I' the field prove flatterers, let courts and cities be
Made all of false-fac'd soothing: When steel grows
Soft as the parasite's silk, let him be made
An overture for the wars! No more, I say;
For that I have not wash'd my nose that bled,
Or foil'd some debile' wretch,—which, without note,
Here's many else have done,—you shout me forth
In acclamations hyperbolical;

As if I loved my little should be dieted
In praises sauc'd with lies.

Соль.
Too modest are you;
More cruel to your good report than grateful
To us that give you truly by your patience,
If 'gainst yourself you be incens'd, we'll put you
(Like one that means his proper✦ harm,) in manacles,
Then reason safely with you. Therefore, be it
known,

As to us, to all the world, that Caius Marcius
Wears this war's garland: in token of the which
My noble steed, known to the camp, I give him,
With all his trim belonging; and, from this time,
For what he did before Corioli, call him,
With all the applause and clamour of the host,
CAIUS MARCIUS CORIOLANUS.

Bear the addition nobly ever!

[Flourish. Trumpets sound, and Drums. All. Caius Marcius Coriolanus! Cor. I will go wash;

And when my face is fair, your shall perceive
Whether I blush, or no: Howbeit, I thank you.
I mean to stride your steed; and, at all times,
To undercrest your good addition,
To the fairness of my power.

Com. So, to our tent: Where, ere we do repose us, we will write To Rome of our success. You, Titus Lartius, Must to Corioli back: send us to Rome The best, with whom we may articulate, 7 For their own good, and ours.

Lart.

I shall, my lord. Cor. The gods begin to mock me. I that now Refus'd most princely gifts, am bound to beg Of my lord general. Com. Take it 'tis yours.. Cor. I sometime lay, here in Corioli,

Auf. Condition ! —

I would, I were a Roman; for I cannot,
Being a Volce, be that I am. Condition!
What good condition can a treaty find
I'the part that is at mercy? Five times, Marcius,
I have fought with thee; so often hast thou beat me;
And wouldst do so, I think, should we encounter
As often as we eat. — - By the elements,

If e'er again I meet him beard to beard,
He is mine, or I am his: Mine emulation
Hath not that honour in't, it had; for where 8
I thought to crush him in an equal force,
(True sword to sword,) I'll potch 9 at him some way;
Or wrath, or craft, may get him.

1 Sol.
He's the devil.
Auf. Bolder, though not so subtle: My valour's

poison'd,

With only suffering stain by him; for him
Shall fly out of itself: nor sleep, nor sanctuary,
Being naked, sick nor fane, nor Capitol,
The prayers of priests, nor times of sacrifice,
Embarquements all of fury, shall lift up
Their rotten privilege and custom 'gainst
My hate to Marcius: where I find him, were it
At home, upon my brother's guard, even there
Against the hospitable canon, would I
Wash my fierce hand in his heart.

city;

Go you to the

Learn, how 'tis held; and what they are, that must Be hostages for Rome.

1.Sol.

Will not you go?

Auf. I am attended at the cypress grove : I pray you,

('Tis south the city mills,) bring me word thither How the world goes; that to the pace of it

I may spur on my journey.

-What is't?

1 Sol.

I shall, sir. [Exeunt.