Enter Marcius and Titus Lartius, with a Trumpet.

Mar. See here these Movers, that do prize their
honours

At a crack'd drachm: cushions, leaden fpoons,
Irons of a doit, doublets that hangmen would
Bury with those that wore them, these base slaves,
Ere yet the fight be done, pack up; down with them;
And hark, what noise the General makes!—to him ;-
There is the man of my foul's hate, Aufidius,
Piercing our Romans: then, valiant Titus, take
Convenient numbers to make good the City;
Whilft I, with those that have the fpirit, will hafte
To help Cominius.

Lart. Worthy Sir, thou bleed'ft;
Thy exercife hath been too violent
For a fecond courfe of fight.

Mar. Sir, praise me not:

My work hath yet not warm'd me.
The blood, I drop, is rather phyfical

Than dangerous to me.

Fare you

T' Aufidius thus I will appear, and fight.

Lart. Now the fair Goddess Fortune

well:

Fall deep in love with thee, and her great charms
Mifguide thy oppofers' fwords! bold gentleman!
Profperity be thy page!

Mar. Thy friend no lefs,

Than thofe fhe placeth higheft! fo, farewel.

Lart. Thou worthieft Marcius.

Go, found thy trumpet in the market-place,
Call thither all the officers o'th' town,

Where they shall know our mind. Away. [Exeunt.

Changes to the Roman Camp.

Enter Cominius retreating, with Soldiers.

Com. BREATHE you, my friends; well fought;

are come off

Like Romans, neither foolish in our Stands,
Nor cowardly in retire: Believe me, Sirs,
We fhall be charg'd again. Whiles we have ftruck,
By interims and conveying gufts, we have heard
The Charges of our friends.

*Ye Roman Gods,

Lead their fucceffes, as we wish our own;

[ring,

That both our Powers, with fmiling fronts encount
May give you thankful facrifice! Thy news?
Enter a Meffenger.

Mef. The citizens of Corioli have issued,
And given to Lartius and to Marcius battle.
I faw our Party to the trenches driven,
And then I came away.

Com. Tho' thou fpeak'ft truth,

Methinks, thou speak'ft not well. How long is't fince?

Mef. Above an hour, my lord.

Com. 'Tis not a mile : briefly, we heard their drums, How coud'st thou in a mile confound an hour, And bring the news fo late?

Mef. Spies of the Volfcians

Held me in chafe, that I was forc'd to wheel
Three or four miles about; else had I, Sir,
Half an hour fince brought my report.

Enter Marcius.

Com. Who's yonder,

That does appear as he were flea'd? O Gods!
He has the ftamp of Marcius, and I have
Before time feen him thus.

Mar. Come I too late?

Com. The fhepherd knows not thunder from a tabor,

This is an Addrefs and Invocation to them, therefore we fhould

Lead,

-YE Roman Gods.

More

More than I know the found of Marcius' tongue

From every meaner man.

Mar. Come I too late?

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

Mar. Oh let me clip ye

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

Com. Flower of Warriors,
How is't with Titus Lartius?

Mar. As with a man bufied about Decrees; Condemning fome to death, and fome to exile, Ranfoming him, or pitying, threatning th' other; Holding Corioli in the name of Rome,

Even like a fawning grey hound in the leash,
To let him flip at will.

Com. Where is that flave,

Which told me, they had beat
Where is he? call him hither.

Mar. Let him alone,

you to your

trenches?

He did inform the truth: but for our Gentlemen, The common file, (a plague! Tribunes for them!) The mouse ne'er fhun'd the cat, as they did budge From rafcals worse than they.

Com. But how prevail'd you?

Mar. Will the time ferve to tell? I do not thinkWhere is the enemy? are you lords o' th' field? If not, why cease you 'till

you are fo?

Com. Marcius, we have at difadvantage fought, And did retire, to win our purpose.

Mar. How lies their battle? know you on what fide

They have plac'd their men of trust ?

Com. As I guefs, Marcius,

Their bands i'th vaward are the Antiates
Of their best truft: o'er them Aufidius,
Their very heart of hope.

Mar.

Mar. I do befeech you,

By all the battles wherein we have fought,
By th' blood we've shed together, by the Vows
We've 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
hour.
prove this very

Com. Though I could wifh,

You were conducted to a gentle bath,

And balms applied to you, yet dare I never
Deny your afking; take your choice of those,
That beft can aid your action.

Mar. Those are they,

That moft are willing; If any fuch be here,
(As it were fin to doubt) that love this Painting,
Wherein you fee me smear'd; if any fear
Lefs for his perfon than an ill report:

If any think, brave death out-weighs bad life,
And that his Country's dearer than himself,
Let him, alone, (or many, if fo minded)
Wave thus, t' exprefs his difpofition,
And follow Marcius.

They all fhout, and wave their fwords, take him up
in their arms, and caft up their caps.
Oh! me alone, make you a fword of me:
If these fhews be not outward, which of you
But is four Volfcians? none of you, but is
Able to bear against the great Aufidius

A fhield as hard as his. A certain number
(Tho' thanks to all) muft I felect from all :
The reft fhall bear the bufinefs in fome other fight,
As cause will be obey'd; please you to march,
And four fhall quickly draw out my Command,
Which men are beft inclin'd.

Com. March on, my fellows:

Make good this oftentation, and you fhall
Divide in all with us.

VOL. VIII.

B

[Exeunt.

SCENE

SCENE X.

Changes to CORIOLI.

Titus Lartius having fet a guard upon Corioli, going with drum and trumpet toward Cominius and Caius Marcius; Enter with a lieutenant, other foldiers, and a Scout.

Lart. So, keepyodo fend,

O, let the Ports be guarded; keep your duties,
As I have fet them down. If I

dispatch

Those Centries to our aid; the reft will ferve
For a fhort holding; if we lofe the field,

We cannot keep the town.

Lieu. Fear not our care, Sir.

Lart. Hence, and shut your gates upon's: Our guider, come! to the Roman camp conduct us.

SCENE XI.

Changes to the Roman Camp.

[Exeunt.

Alarm, as in battle. Enter Marcius and Aufidius, at feveral doors.

Mar. T'LL fight with none but thee, for I do hate thee

I'LL

Worfe than a promise-breaker.

Auf. We hate alike:

Not Afric owns a ferpent I abhor

More than thy Fame, and envy; fix thy foot.
Mar. Let the firft budger die the other's flave,
And the Gods doom him after!

Auf. If I fly, Marcius,

Halloo me like a Hare.

Mar. Within three hours, Tullus, Alone I fought in your Corioli walls,

And