ACT I SCENE IV Before Corioli. [Enter, with drum and colours, MARCIUS, TITUS LARTIUS, Captains and Soldiers. To them a Messenger] MARCIUS Yonder comes news. A wager they have met. LARTIUS My horse to yours, no. MARCIUS 'Tis done. LARTIUS Agreed. 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 prithee, 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 two Senators with others on the walls] Tutus Aufidius, is he within your walls? First Senator No, nor a man that fears you less than he, That's lesser than a little. [Drums 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 afar 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! [Enter the army of the Volsces] 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. [Alarum. The Romans are beat back to their trenches. Re-enter MARCIUS cursing] 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 Further 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 followed. [Another alarum. The Volsces fly, and MARCIUS follows them 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. [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 the 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 sensibly 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 madst 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] CORIOLANUS ACT I