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Coriolanus

Act 1, Scene 4

Before Corioli.	Outside the gates of Corioles.
Enter, with drum and colours, MARTIUS, TITUS LARTIUS, Captains and Soldiers. To them a Messenger	MARTIUS, TITUS LARTIUS, captains and soldiers enter, with a drummer and trumpeter. A Messenger comes toward them.
MARTIUS Yonder comes news. A wager they have met.	MARTIUS Here comes news. I bet there’s been a battle.
LARTIUS My horse to yours, no.	LARTIUS I bet you my horse for yours that there hasn’t been a battle.
MARTIUS ’Tis done.	MARTIUS It’s a bet.
LARTIUS Agreed.	LARTIUS Agreed.
MARTIUS Say, has our general met the enemy?	MARTIUS Tell us, has our general been in battle with the enemy?
MESSENGER They lie in view; but have not spoke as yet.	MESSENGER They can see each other, but they haven’t fought yet.
LARTIUS So, the good horse is mine.	LARTIUS So, your good horse is mine.
MARTIUS I’ll buy him of you.	MARTIUS I’ll buy him back from you.
LARTIUS No, I’ll nor sell nor give him: lend you him I will For half a hundred years. Summon the town.	LARTIUS No, I’ll won’t sell or give him away. I’ll lend him to you for fifty years. Alert the town.
MARTIUS How far off lie these armies?	MARTIUS How far away are the armies?
MESSENGER Within this mile and half.	MESSENGER Within a mile and a half.
MARTIUS 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.	MARTIUS Then we’ll hear their call to arms, and they’ll hear ours. Now, Mars, god of war, I pray to you, make our attack quick, so that with victorious swords we may march from here to help our friends on the battlefield! (to the trumpeter) Come, blow your blast.
They sound a parley. Enter two Senators with others on the walls	The trumpet sounds. Two Volscian Senators enter, with others, on the walls of Corioles.
(to the Senators) Tutus Aufidius, is he within your walls?	(to the Senators) Is Tullus Aufidius inside these walls?
FIRST SENATOR No, nor a man that fears you less than he, That’s lesser than a little.	FIRST SENATOR No. And there isn’t a man here who fears you any less than he does, which is virtually not at all.
Drums afar off	Drums are heard from far away.
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.	(to the Volsces) Listen! Our drums are summoning our young soldiers. We’d rather break down our own walls than let them fence us in. Our gates, which look locked, are actually just gently shut. They’ll open on their own.
Alarum afar off	A trumpet is heard from far away.
Hark you, far off! There is Aufidius; list, what work he makes Amongst your cloven army.	(to the Romans) Listen! In the distance, that’s Aufidius. Listen to how he’s beating your divided army.
MARTIUS O, they are at it!	MARTIUS Oh, they’re fighting each other!
LARTIUS Their noise be our instruction. Ladders, ho!	LARTIUS Their noise tells us what to do. Raise the ladders!
Enter the army of the Volsces	The Volscian army enters.
MARTIUS 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.	MARTIUS They’re not afraid of us—instead they march out of their own city. Cover your hearts with your shields now and fight with hearts that are stronger than these shields. Go forward, brave Titus. They hate us more than we think, which makes me sweat with anger. Come on, my fellow soldiers. Whoever hangs back, I’ll think you’re a Volsce, and you’ll feel the edge of my sword.
Alarum. The Romans are beat back to their trenches. Re-enter MARTIUS cursing	Trumpets sound. The Romans all exit, as they are beaten back to their trenches. MARTIUS re-enters, cursing.
MARTIUS 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.	MARTIUS I curse you with the plague of the south, you shameful Romans! You bunch of—may blisters and infection cover over you so that people will smell you before they see you, and may your disease spread on the wind for a mile, even when the wind blows against you! You look like men, but you have the souls of geese. Why did you run from slaves that even apes could beat? Pluto, god of the dead and the underworld! You ran away and didn’t fight back; your backs are red with blood and your faces pale with fear! Pull yourselves together and charge again, or, by the fires of heaven, I’ll stop fighting the Volsces and attack you instead. Listen, if you can hold steady, we’ll beat them and take their wives. They’re in our trenches. Follow me!
Another alarum. The Volsces fly, and MARTIUS follows them to the gates	Another trumpet sounds. The Volsces re-enter to attack, and MARTIUS 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.	So, the gates are open now. Support me well. Fortune opens the gates for those who follow me, not for those who run from battle. Listen to me, and do as I say.
Enters the gates	The Roman soldiers enter the gates.
FIRST SOLDIER Fool-hardiness; not I.	FIRST SOLDIER That’s crazy. I’m not going.
SECOND SOLDIER Nor I.	SECOND SOLDIER Neither am I.
MARTIUS is shut in	MARTIUS is locked inside the gates.
FIRST SOLDIER See, they have shut him in.	FIRST SOLDIER Look, they’ve locked him in.
ALL To the pot, I warrant him.	ALL I’m sure he’ll end up in their cooking pot.
Alarum continues	The trumpet continues.
Re-enter TITUS LARTIUS	TITUS LARTIUS re-enters.
LARTIUS What is become of Martius?	LARTIUS What happened to Martius?
ALL Slain, sir, doubtless.	ALL He has undoubtedly been killed, sir.
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.	FIRST SOLDIER He followed right behind the fleeing Volsces and entered the city with them. They closed the gates behind him, and he’s in there all alone to fight the whole city.
LARTIUS O noble fellow! Who sensibly outdares his senseless sword, And, when it bows, stands up. Thou art left, Martius: 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.	LARTIUS Oh, noble fellow! He’s braver than his sword, which cannot feel pain, and he stands firm while even his sword bends. You are gone for, Martius. A flawless red gem, as large as you, wouldn’t be as valuable a jewel as you are. You were the soldier {Cato │ A military adviser in ancient Rome.} would have wished for, not just fierce and terrible on occasion, but with your serious looks and your thunderous voice, you terrified your enemies as if the whole world were shaking with a fever.
Re-enter MARTIUS, bleeding, assaulted by the enemy	MARTIUS re-enters, bleeding, having been assaulted by the Volsces.
FIRST SOLDIER Look, sir.	FIRST SOLDIER Look, sir.
LARTIUS O,’tis Martius! Let’s fetch him off, or make remain alike.	LARTIUS Oh, it’s Martius! Let’s rescue him or we’ll be assaulted by the Volsces, too.
They fight, and all enter the city	They fight, and all enter the city.