Even like a fawning greyhound in the leash,

To let him slip at will.

COMINIUS Where is that slave

Which told me they had beat you to your trenches?

Where is he? Call him hither.

MARTIUS

Let him alone.

He did inform the truth. But for our gentlemen,

The common file—a plague—tribunes for them?—

The mouse ne’er shunned the cat as they did budge

From rascals worse than they.

COMINIUS

But how prevailed you?

MARTIUS

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

Where is the enemy? Are you lords o’th’ field?

If not, why cease you till you are so?

COMINIUS

Martius, we have at disadvantage fought,

And did retire to win our purpose.

MARTIUS

How lies their battle? Know you on which side

They have placed their men of trust?

COMINIUS

As I guess, Martius,

Their bands i‘th’ vanguard are the Antiates,

Of their best trust; o’er them Aufidius,

Their very heart of hope.

MARTIUS

I do beseech you

By all the battles wherein we have fought,

By th’ blood we have shed together, by th’ 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 advanced and darts,

We prove this very hour.

COMINIUS

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.

MARTIUS

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 smeared; 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,

He waves his sword

Wave thus to express his disposition,

And follow Martius.

They all shout and wave their swords, ⌈then some⌉ take him up in their arms and they 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—

Though thanks to all—must I select from all.

The rest shall bear the business in some other fight

As cause will be obeyed. Please you to march,

And I shall quickly draw out my command,

Which men are best inclined.

COMINIUS

March on, my fellows.

Make good this ostentation, and you shall

Divide in all with us. Exeunt marching

1.8 Enter Lartius ⌈Through the gates of Corioles⌉, with a drummer and a trumpeter, a Lieutenant, other soldiers, and a scout

LARTIUS (to the Lieutenant)

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

We cannot keep the town.

LIEUTENANT Fear not our care, sir.

LARTIUS Hence, and shut your gates upon’s.

⌈Exit Lieutenant⌉

(To the scout) Our guider, come; to th’ Roman camp

conduct us.

Exeunt towards Cominius and Caius Martius

1.9 Alarum, as in battle. Enter Martius, bloody, and Aufidius, at several doors

MARTIUS

I’ll fight with none but thee, for I do hate thee

Worse than a promise-breaker.

AUFIDIUS We hate alike.

Not Afric owns a serpent I abhor

More than thy fame and envy. Fix thy foot.

MARTIUS

Let the first budger die the other’s slave,

And the gods doom him after.

AUFIDIUS

If I fly, Martius,

Holla me like a hare.

MARTIUS Within these three hours, Tullus,

Alone I fought in your Corioles’ walls,

And made what work I pleased. ’Tis not my blood

Wherein thou seest me masked. For thy revenge,

Wrench up thy power to th’ highest.

AUFIDIUS

Wert thou the Hector

That was the whip of your bragged progeny,

Thou shouldst not scape me here.

Here they fight, and certain Volsces come in the aid of Aufidius. Martius fights till the Volsces be driven in breathless, ⌈Martius following⌉

Officious and not valiant, you have shamed me

In your condemned seconds.

Exit

1.10 Alarum. A retreat is sounded. ⌈Flourish.⌉Enter at one door Cominius with the Romans, at another door Martius with his arm in a scarf

COMINIUS (to Martius)

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‘th’ 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 cam’st thou to a morsel of this feast,

Having fully dined before.

Enter Lartius, with his power, from the pursuit

LARTIUS O general,

Here is the steed, we the caparison.

Hadst thou beheld—

MARTIUS

Pray now, no more. My mother,

Who has a charter to extol her blood,