Shakespeare's First Folio Part 459

Com. Though I could wish, You were conducted to a gentle Bath, And Balmes applyed to you, yet dare I neuer Deny your asking, take your choice of those That best can ayde your action

Mar. Those are they That most are willing; if any such be heere, (As it were sinne to doubt) that loue this painting Wherein you see me smear'd, if any feare Lessen his person, then an ill report: If any thinke, braue death out-weighes bad life, And that his Countries deerer then himselfe, Let him alone: Or so many so minded, Waue thus to expresse his disposition, And follow Martius.

They all shout and waue their swords, take him vp in their Armes, and cast vp their Caps.

Oh me alone, make you a sword of me: If these shewes be not outward, which of you But is foure Volces? None of you, but is Able to beare against the great Auffidious A Shield, as hard as his. A certaine number (Though thankes to all) must I select from all: The rest shall beare the businesse in some other fight (As cause will be obey'd:) please you to March, And foure shall quickly draw out my Command, Which men are best inclin'd

Com. March on my Fellowes: Make good this ostentation, and you shall Diuide in all, with vs.

Exeunt.

t.i.tus Lartius, hauing set a guard vpon Carioles, going with Drum and Trumpet toward Cominius, and Caius Martius, Enters with a Lieutenant, other Souldiours, and a Scout.

Lar. So, let the Ports be guarded; keepe your Duties As I haue set them downe. If I do send, dispatch Those Centuries to our ayd, the rest will serue For a short holding, if we loose the Field, We cannot keepe the Towne

Lieu. Feare not our care Sir

Lart. Hence; and shut your gates vpon's: Our Guider come, to th' Roman Campe conduct vs.

Exit

Alarum, as in Battaile.

Enter Martius and Auffidius at seueral doores.

Mar. Ile fight with none but thee, for I do hate thee Worse then a Promise-breaker

Auffid. We hate alike: Not Affricke ownes a Serpent I abhorre More then thy Fame and Enuy: Fix thy foot

Mar. Let the first Budger dye the others Slaue, And the G.o.ds doome him after

Auf. If I flye Martius, hollow me like a Hare

Mar. Within these three houres Tullus Alone I fought in your Corioles walles, And made what worke I pleas'd: 'Tis not my blood, Wherein thou seest me maskt, for thy Reuenge Wrench vp thy power to th' highest

Auf. Wer't thou the Hector, That was the whip of your bragg'd Progeny, Thou should'st not scape me heere.

Heere they fight, and certaine Volces come in the ayde of Auffi.

Martius fights til they be driuen in breathles.

Officious and not valiant, you haue sham'd me In your condemned Seconds.

Flourish. Alarum. A Retreat is sounded. Enter at one Doore Cominius, with the Romanes: At another Doore Martius, with his Arme in a Scarfe.

Com. If I should tell thee o're this thy dayes Worke, Thou't not beleeue thy deeds: but Ile report it, Where Senators shall mingle teares with smiles, Where great Patricians shall attend, and shrug, I'th' end admire: where Ladies shall be frighted, And gladly quak'd, heare more: where the dull Tribunes, That with the fustie Plebeans, hate thine Honors, Shall say against their hearts, We thanke the G.o.ds Our Rome hath such a Souldier.

Yet cam'st thou to a Morsell of this Feast, Hauing fully din'd before.

Enter t.i.tus with his Power, from the Pursuit.

t.i.tus Lartius. Oh Generall: Here is the Steed, wee the Caparison: Hadst thou beheld- Martius. Pray now, no more: My Mother, who ha's a Charter to extoll her Bloud, When she do's prayse me, grieues me: I haue done as you haue done, that's what I can, Induc'd as you haue beene, that's for my Countrey: He that ha's but effected his good will, Hath ouerta'ne mine Act

Com. You shall not be the Graue of your deseruing, Rome must know the value of her owne: 'Twere a Concealement worse then a Theft, No lesse then a Traducement, To hide your doings, and to silence that, Which to the spire, and top of prayses vouch'd, Would seeme but modest: therefore I beseech you, In signe of what you are, not to reward What you haue done, before our Armie heare me

Martius. I haue some Wounds vpon me, and they smart To heare themselues remembred

Com. Should they not: Well might they fester 'gainst Ingrat.i.tude, And tent themselues with death: of all the Horses, Whereof we haue ta'ne good, and good store of all, The Treasure in this field atchieued, and Citie, We render you the Tenth, to be ta'ne forth, Before the common distribution, At your onely choyse

Martius. I thanke you Generall: But cannot make my heart consent to take A Bribe, to pay my Sword: I doe refuse it, And stand vpon my common part with those, That haue beheld the doing.

A long flourish. They all cry, Martius, Martius, cast vp their Caps and Launces: Cominius and Lartius stand bare.

Mar. May these same Instruments, which you prophane, Neuer sound more: when Drums and Trumpets shall I'th' field proue flatterers, let Courts and Cities be Made all of false-fac'd soothing: When Steele growes soft, as the Parasites Silke, Let him be made an Ouerture for th' Warres: No more I say, for that I haue not wash'd My Nose that bled, or foyl'd some debile Wretch, Which without note, here's many else haue done, You shoot me forth in acclamations hyperbolicall, As if I lou'd my little should be dieted In prayses, sawc'st with Lyes

Com. Too modest are you: More cruell to your good report, then gratefull To vs, that giue you truly: by your patience, If 'gainst your selfe you be incens'd, wee'le put you (Like one that meanes his proper harme) in Manacles, Then reason safely with you: Therefore be it knowne, As to vs, to all the World, That Caius Martius Weares this Warres Garland: in token of the which, My n.o.ble Steed, knowne to the Campe, I giue him, With all his trim belonging; and from this time, For what he did before Corioles, call him, With all th' applause and Clamor of the Hoast, Marcus Caius Coriola.n.u.s. Beare th' addition n.o.bly euer?

Flourish. Trumpets sound, and Drums.

Omnes. Marcus Caius Coriola.n.u.s

Martius. I will goe wash: And when my Face is faire, you shall perceiue Whether I blush or no: howbeit, I thanke you, I meane to stride your Steed, and at all times To vnder-crest your good Addition, To th' fairenesse of my power

Com. So, to our Tent: Where ere we doe repose vs, we will write To Rome of our successe: you t.i.tus Lartius Must to Corioles backe, send vs to Rome The best, with whom we may articulate, For their owne good, and ours

Lartius. I shall, my Lord

Martius. The G.o.ds begin to mocke me: I that now refus'd most Princely gifts, Am bound to begge of my Lord Generall

Com. Tak't, 'tis yours: what is't?

Martius. I sometime lay here in Corioles, At a poore mans house: he vs'd me kindly, He cry'd to me: I saw him Prisoner: But then Auffidius was within my view, And Wrath o're-whelm'd my pittie: I request you To giue my poore Host freedome

Com. Oh well begg'd: Were he the Butcher of my Sonne, he should Be free, as is the Winde: deliuer him, t.i.tus

Lartius. Martius, his Name

Martius. By Iupiter forgot: I am wearie, yea, my memorie is tyr'd: Haue we no Wine here?

Com. Goe we to our Tent: The bloud vpon your Visage dryes, 'tis time It should be lookt too: come.

Exeunt.

A flourish. Cornets. Enter Tullus Auffidius bloudie, with two or three Souldiors.

Auffi. The Towne is ta'ne

Sould. 'Twill be deliuer'd backe on good Condition

Auffid. Condition?

I would I were a Roman, for I cannot, Being a Volce, be that I am. Condition?

What good Condition can a Treatie finde I'th' part that is at mercy? fiue times, Martius, I haue fought with thee; so often hast thou beat me: And would'st doe so, I thinke, should we encounter As often as we eate. By th' Elements, If ere againe I meet him beard to beard, He's mine, or I am his: Mine Emulation Hath not that Honor in't it had: For where I thought to crush him in an equall Force, True Sword to Sword: Ile potche at him some way, Or Wrath, or Craft may get him

Sol. He's the diuell