That both our powers, with smiling fronts encoun

tering, .

Enter a Messenger.

May give you thankful sacrifice!-Thy news?
Mess. The citizens of Corioli have issued,
And given to Lartius and to Marcius battle:
I saw our party to their trenches driven,
And then I came away.

Though thou speak'st truth,
How long is't

Com.
Methinks, thou speak'st not well.

since?

Mess. Above an hour, my lord.

Com. 'Tis not a mile; briefly we heard their drums: How could'st thou in a mile confound an hour,7

And bring thy news so late?

Mess.
Spies of the Volces
Held me in chase, that I was forc'd to wheel

Three or four miles about; else had I, sir,
Half an hour since brought my report.

Com.

Enter MARCIUS.

Who's yonder,

That does appear as he were flay'd? O gods!
He has the stamp of Marcius; and I have
Before-time seen him thus.

Mar.

Come I too late?

Com. The shepherd knows not thunder from a tabor, More than I know the sound of Marcius' tongue From every meaner man's.

Mar.

Come I too late?

Com. Ay, if you come not in the blood of others, But mantled in your own.

7 confound an hour,] Confound is here used not in its common acceptation, but in the sense of-to expend. Conterere tempus.

Mar.

O! let me clip you

In arms as sound, as when I woo'd; in heart
As merry, as when our nuptial day was done,
And tapers burn'd to bedward.

Com.

How is't with Titus Lartius?

Flower of warriors,

Mar. As with a man busied about decrees: Condemning some to death, and some to exile; Ransoming him, or pitying, threat'ning the other; Holding Corioli in the name of Rome,

8

Even like a fawning greyhound in the leash,

To let him slip at will.

Com.

Where is that slave,

Which told me they had beat you to your trenches? Where is he? Call him hither.

Let him alone,

Mar. He did inform the truth: But for our gentlemen, The common file, (A plague!—Tribunes for them!) The mouse ne'er shunn'd the cat, as they did budge From rascals worse than they.

Com.

But how prevail'd you?

Mar. Will the time serve to tell? I do not

think

Where is the enemy? Are you lords o' the field?
If not, why cease you till you are so?

Com.

Marcius,

We have at disadvantage fought, and did
Retire, to win our purpose.

Mar. How lies their battle? Know you on which

side

They have plac'd their men of trust?

Com.

As I guess, Marcius,

Their hands in the vaward are the Antiates,
Of their best trust: o'er them Aufidius,
Their very heart of hope.

• Ransoming him, or pitying,] i. e. remitting his ransom.

Mar.

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
That 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 sight,
As cause will be obey'd. Please you to march;
And four shall quickly draw out my command,
Which men are best inclin'd.

• And that you not delay the present;] Delay, for let slip.

TITUS LARTIUS, having set a Guard upon Corioli, going with a Drum and Trumpet toward COMINIUS and CAIUS MARCIUS, enters with a Lieutenant, a Party of Soldiers, and a Scout.

Lart. So, let the ports be guarded: keep your duties,

As I have set them down. If I do send, despatch Those centuries' to our aid; the rest will serve For a short holding: If we lose the field,

We cannot keep the town.

Lieu.

Fear not our care, sir.

Lart. Hence, and shut your gates upon us.Our guider, come; to the Roman camp conduct us. [Exeunt.

SCENE VIII.

A Field of Battle between the Roman and the Volscian

Camps.

Alarum. Enter MARCIUS and AUFIDIUS.

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

Worse than a promise-breaker.

Auf.

We hate alike;

Those centuries] i, e. companies consisting each of a hundred men.

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 him after!

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.
That was the whip of your bragg'd progeny,'
Thou should'st not scape me here.-

Wert thou the Hector,

2

[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.

2 That was the whip of your bragg'd progeny,] Whip might anciently be used, as crack is now, to denote any thing peculiarly boasted of; as-the crack house in the county-the crack boy of a school, &c. Modern phraseology, perhaps, has only passed from the whip, to the crack of it. STEEVENS.

3 · you have sham'd me

In your condemned seconds.] i. e. You have, to my shame, sent me help, which I must condemn as intrusive, instead of applauding it as necessary.