READ STUDY GUIDE: Act I, scenes ii-x |
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Act I, Scene iv:
Before Corioli.
Before Corioli.
| [Enter, with drum and colours, MARCIUS, TITUS LARTIUS, Officers, and soldiers.] |
| MARCIUS: |
| Yonder comes news:—a wager they have met. |
| LARTIUS: |
| My horse to yours, no. |
| MARCIUS: |
| 'Tis done. |
| LARTIUS: |
| Agreed. |
| [Enter a Messenger.] |
| MARCIUS: |
| Say, has our general met the enemy? |
| MESSENGER: |
| They lie in view; but have not spoke as yet. |
| LARTIUS: |
| So, the good horse is mine. |
| MARCIUS: |
| I'll buy him of you. |
| LARTIUS: |
| No, I'll nor sell nor give him: lend you him I will |
| For half a hundred years.—Summon the town. |
| MARCIUS: |
| How far off lie these armies? |
| MESSENGER: |
| Within this mile and half. |
| MARCIUS: |
| 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 andothers.] |
| Tullus Aufidius, is he within your walls? |
| FIRST SENATOR: |
| No, nor a man that fears you less than he, |
| That's lesser than a little. |
| [Drum afar off] |
| Hark, our drums |
| 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 rushes; |
| They'll open of themselves. |
| [Alarum far off.] |
| Hark you far off! |
| There is Aufidius; list what work he makes |
| Amongst your cloven army. |
| MARCIUS: |
| O, they are at it! |
| LARTIUS: |
| Their noise be our instruction.—Ladders, ho! |
| [The Volsces enter and pass over.] |
| MARCIUS: |
| They fear us not, but issue forth their city. |
| Now put your shields before your hearts, and fight |
| With hearts more proof than shields.—Advance, brave Titus: |
| They do disdain us much beyond our thoughts, |
| Which makes me sweat with wrath.—Come on, my fellows: |
| He that retires, I'll take him for a Volsce, |
| And he shall feel mine edge. |
| [Alarums, and exeunt Romeans and Volsces fighting. Romans arebeaten back to their trenches. Re-enter MARCIUS.] |
| MARCIUS: |
| All the contagion of the south light on you, |
| You shames of Rome!—you herd of—Boils and plagues |
| Plaster you o'er, that you may be abhorr'd |
| Farther than seen, and one infect another |
| Against the wind a mile! You 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 agued 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. |
| [Another alarum. The Volsces and Romans re-enter, and the fightis renewed. The Volsces retire into Corioli, and MARCIUS followsthem 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] |
| FIRST SOLDIER: |
| Fool-hardiness: not I. |
| SECOND SOLDIER: |
| Nor I. |
| [MARCIUS is shut in.] |
| FIRST SOLDIER: |
| See, they have shut him in. |
| ALL: |
| To th' pot, I warrant him. |
| [Alarum continues] |
| [Re-enter TITUS LARTIUS.] |
| LARTIUS: |
| What is become of Marcius? |
| ALL: |
| Slain, sir, doubtless. |
| FIRST SOLDIER: |
| Following the fliers at the very heels, |
| With them he enters; who, upon the sudden, |
| Clapp'd-to their gates: he is himself alone, |
| To answer all the city. |
| LARTIUS: |
| O noble fellow! |
| Who sensible, outdares his senseless sword, |
| And when it bows stands up! Thou art left, Marcius: |
| A carbuncle entire, as big as thou art, |
| Were not so rich a jewel. Thou wast a soldier |
| Even to Cato's wish, not fierce and terrible |
| Only in strokes; but with thy grim looks and |
| The thunder-like percussion of thy sounds |
| Thou mad'st thine enemies shake, as if the world |
| Were feverous and did tremble. |
| [Re-enter MARCIUS, bleeding, assaulted by the enemy.] |
| FIRST SOLDIER: |
| Look, sir. |
| LARTIUS: |
| O, 'tis Marcius! |
| Let's fetch him off, or make remain alike. |
| [They fight, and all enter the city.] |
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