Abbildungen der Seite
PDF
EPUB

Vir. Indeed, no, by your patience: I will not over the threshold, 'till my lord return from the wars.

Val. Fie, you confine yourself most unreasonably: Come, you must go visit the good lady that lies inVir. I will wish her speedy strength, and visit her with my prayers; but I cannot go thither. 433

Vol. Why, I pray you ?

Vir. 'Tis not to save labour, nor that I want love. Val. You would be another Penelope : yet, they say, all the yarn, she spun in Ulysses' absence, did but fill Ithaca full of moths. Come; I would, your cambrick were sensible as your finger, that you might leave pricking it for pity. Come, you shall go with 441

us.

Vir. No, good madam, pardon me; Indeed, I will not forth.

Val. In truth la, go with me; and I'll tell you excellent news of your husband.

Vir. O, good madam, there can be none yet.

Val. Vérily, I do not jest with you; there came news from him last night.

Vir. Indeed, madam!

449

Val. In earnest, it's true; I heard a senator speak it. Thus it is:-The Volsces have an army forth; against whom Cominius the general is gone, with one part of our Roman power: your lord, and Titus Lartius, are set down before their city Corioli; they nothing doubt prevailing, and to make it brief wars. This is true, on mine honour; and so, I pray, go with us.

Vir. Give me excuse, good madam; I will obey you in every thing hereafter.

Vol. Let her alone, lady; as she is now, she will but disease our better mirth. 461

Val. In troth, I think, she would:-Fare you well then.-Come, good sweet lady.-Pr'ythee, Virgilia, turn thy solemnness out o' door, and go along with

us.

Vir. No: at a word, madam; indeed, I must not. I wish you much mirth.

Val. Well, then farewel.

[Exeunt.

SCENE IV.

Before Corioli. Enter MARCIUS, TITUS LARTIUS, with Drum and Colours, Captains and Soldiers. To them a Messenger.

Mar. Yonder comes news:-A wager, they have

met.

Lart. My horse to your's, no.

Mar. 'Tis done.

Lart. Agreed.

Mar. Say, has our general met the enemy?

470

Mes. They lie in view; but have not spoke as yet. Lart. So, the good horse is mine.

Mar. I'll buy him of you.

Lart. No, I'll not sell, nor give him: lend you

him, I will,

For

For half a hundred years.-Summon the town.

Mar. How far off lie these armies ?

Mes. Within this mile and half.

480

Mar. 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 Senators, with others, on
the Walls.

Tullus Aufidius, is he within your walls?

1 Sen. No, nor a man that fears you less than he, That's lesser than a little. Hark, our drums

[Drum afar off. 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. Hark you, far off;

490

[Alarum far off. There is Aufidius: list, what work he makes

Amongst your cloven army..

Mar. O, they are at it!

Lart. Their noise be our instruction.—Ladders,

ho!

Enter the Volsces.

[ocr errors]

Mar. They fear us not, but issue forth their city. Now put your shields before your hearts, and fight

[merged small][ocr errors]

1

With hearts more proof than shields.

brave Titus :

Advance,

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.

500

[Alarum; the Romans beat back to their Trenches.

Re-enter MARCIUS.

Mar. All the contagion of the south light on you, You shames of Rome, you! Herds 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

home,

charge

511

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, and MARCIUS follows them to the
Gates.

So, now the gates are ope:-Now prove good se

conds:

'Tis for the followers fortune widens them, Not for the fliers: Mark me, and do the like.

[blocks in formation]

Enter TITUS LARTIUS.

Lart. What is become of Marcius?
All. Slain, sir, doubtless.

1 Sol. Following the fliers at the very heels,
With them he enters: who, upon the sudden,
Clapt to their gates; he is himself alone,
To answer all the city.

Lart. O noble fellow !

Who, sensible, out-dares his senseless sword,

530

And, when it bows, stands up! Thou art left, Mar

cius:

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.

3

Re-enter

« ZurückWeiter »