I will appear, and fight.

Lart.

Now the fair goddess, Fortune, Fall deep in love with thee; and her great charms Misguide thy opposers' swords! Bold gentleman, Prosperity be thy page!

Mar.

Thy friend; no less

Than those she placeth highest! So, farewell.

Lart. Thou worthiest Marcius !—

[Exit MARCIUS. Go, sound thy trumpet in the market-place; Call thither all the officers o' the town, Where they shall know our mind: away!

[Exeunt.

SCENE VI.-Near the Camp of Cominius.

Enter COMINIUS and Forces, as in retreat.

Com. Breathe you, my friends: well fought; we

are come off

Like Romans, neither foolish in our stands

Nor cowardly in retire: believe me, sirs,

We shall be charged again. Whiles we have

struck,

By interims and conveying gusts we have heard

The charges of our friends.-Ye Roman gods,

Lead their successes as we wish our own,

That both our powers, with smiling fronts en

countering,

May give you thankful sacrifice !—

Enter a Messenger.

Thy news?

Mess. The citizens of Corioli have issued,

And given to Lartius and to Marcius battle:
I saw our party to their trenches driven,

And then I came away.

Com. 'T is not a mile; briefly we heard their

drums:

How couldst thou in a mile confound an hour,

And bring thy news so late?

Mess.

Spies of the Volsces

Held me in chase, that I was forced to wheel
Three or four miles about; else had I, sir,
Half an hour since brought my report.

Enter MARCIUS.

Who's yonder.

He has the stamp of Marcius; and I have
Before-time seen him thus.

Mar.

Come I too late?

Com. The shepherd knows not thunder from a

tabor,

More than I know the sound 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.

O, let me clip you

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

Com.

How is 't with Titus Lartius?

Flower of warriors,

Mar. As with a man busied about decrees: Condemning some to death, and some to exile; Ransoming him, or pitying, threatening the other; Holding Corioli in the name of Rome,

Even like a fawning greyhound in the leash,
To let him slip at will.

Com.

Where is that slave

Which told me they had beat you to your trenches? Where is he? call him hither.

Mar.

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.

Com.

But how prevailed you ?

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

think.

Where is the enemy? are you lords o' the field? If not, why cease you till

Com.

you are so?

Marcius,

We have at disadvantage fought, and did

Retire to win our purpose.

Mar. How lies their battle? know you on

which side

They have placed their men of trust?

Com.

As I guess, Marcius

Their bands i' the vaward are the Antiates,

Of their best trust; o'er them Aufidius,

Their very heart of hope.

Mar.

I do beseech you,

By all the battles wherein we have fought,
By the blood we have shed together, by the 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, this very hour.

We prove
Com.

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
Mar.

your action.

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,
Wave thus, to express his disposition,
And follow Marcius.

[They all shout, and wave their swords;
in their arms, and cast up

take him 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,