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Near the camp of Cominius. |
Near Cominius’ camp. |
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Enter COMINIUS, as it were in retire, with soldiers |
COMINIUS enters with soldiers, appearing to retreat from battle. |
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COMINIUS
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 encountering, May give you thankful sacrifice. |
COMINIUS
Catch your breath, my friends. You fought well. We’ve cleared the enemy like Romans, neither foolish in our attacks nor cowardly in our retreat. Believe me, sirs, we’ll fight again. While we’ve been attacking, news has intermittently come to us, carried on the winds, about the battles fought by our friends. Oh, Roman gods! Grant them the success that we wish for as well, and may both our armies, with smiling faces, then gratefully offer you a sacrifice. |
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Enter a Messenger |
A Messenger enters. |
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Thy news? |
What news do you have? |
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MESSENGER
The citizens of Corioli have issued, And given to Lartius and to Martius battle: I saw our party to their trenches driven, And then I came away. |
MESSENGER
The citizens of Corioles have left the city and are fighting with Lartius and Martius. Our group was driven to their trenches, and then I got away. |
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COMINIUS
Though thou speak’st truth, Methinks thou speak’st not well. How long is’t since? |
COMINIUS
You’re telling the truth, but you’re leaving something out. How long ago did this happen? |
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MESSENGER
Above an hour, my lord. |
MESSENGER
More than an hour ago, my lord. |
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COMINIUS
’Tis not a mile; briefly we heard their drums: How couldst thou in a mile confound an hour, And bring thy news so late? |
COMINIUS
They’re not even a mile away. A little while ago we heard their drums. How could you waste an hour traveling only one mile and bring your news so late? |
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MESSENGER
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. |
MESSENGER
Volscian spies chased me and I was forced to go three or four miles out of my way. Otherwise I would have brought my report half an hour earlier. |
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COMINIUS
Who’s yonder, That does appear as he were flay’d? O gods He has the stamp of Martius; and I have Before-time seen him thus. |
COMINIUS
Who’s over there, looking like he’s been skinned alive? Oh, gods, it looks like Martius, and I’ve seen him look like this before. |
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MARTIUS
(Within) Come I too late? |
MARTIUS
(from offstage) Am I too late? |
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COMINIUS
The shepherd knows not thunder from a tabour More than I know the sound of Martius’ tongue From every meaner man. |
COMINIUS
I know the difference between the sound of Martius’ tongue and every lesser man even more than the shepherd knows the difference between the sound of thunder and a drum. |
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Enter MARTIUS |
MARTIUS enters, covered in blood. |
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MARTIUS
Come I too late? |
MARTIUS
Am I too late? |
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COMINIUS
Ay, if you come not in the blood of others, But mantled in your own. |
COMINIUS
Yes, but only if you’re drenched in your own blood, not the blood of others. |
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MARTIUS
O, let me clip ye In arms as sound as when I woo’d, in heart As merry as when our nuptial day was done, And tapers burn’d to bedward! |
MARTIUS
Oh, let me hug you with arms as strong as when I wooed my wife, with a heart as happy as the day we married and the candles burned down, telling us it was time for bed! |
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COMINIUS
Flower of warriors, How is it with Titus Lartius? |
COMINIUS
Prized warrior, how is Titus Lartius? |
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MARTIUS
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. |
MARTIUS
He’s busy with decrees: condemning some to death and some to exile, releasing men for ransom or pity, and threatening others. He’s holding Corioles in the name of Rome, as if the city were a greyhound on a leash, eager to please and ready to run. |
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COMINIUS
Where is that slave Which told me they had beat you to your trenches? Where is he? call him hither. |
COMINIUS
Where is that slave who told me they had beaten you back to your trenches? Where is he? Call him here. |
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MARTIUS
Let him alone; He did inform the truth: but for our gentlemen, The common file—a plague! tribunes for them!-- The mouse ne’er shunn’d the cat as they did budge From rascals worse than they. |
MARTIUS
Leave him alone. He told the truth. But as for our men, the common soldiers, I curse them with a plague! May they be tried in court! Like stray dogs, they ran away from the Volsces, who are lower-bred than they are. They ran like a mouse runs from a cat. |
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COMINIUS
But how prevail’d you? |
COMINIUS
How did you triumph then? |
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MARTIUS
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 you are so? |
MARTIUS
Do I have enough time to tell you? I don’t think so. Where is the enemy? Have you captured this field? If not, why did you stop before you did? |
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COMINIUS
Martius, We have at disadvantage fought and did Retire to win our purpose. |
COMINIUS
Martius, we’ve been fighting without enough soldiers or supplies, so we retreated temporarily to regroup, and then we’ll win. |
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MARTIUS
How lies their battle? know you on which side They have placed their men of trust? |
MARTIUS
What’s their battle formation? Do you know what side their best men are on? |
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COMINIUS
As I guess, Martius, Their bands i’ the vaward are the Antiates, Of their best trust; o’er them Aufidius, Their very heart of hope. |
COMINIUS
My guess, Martius, is that the Antiates, who they trust highly, are in the front. Leading them is Aufidius, the very heart of their hope. |
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MARTIUS
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, We prove this very hour. |
MARTIUS
By all the battles we’ve fought, by the blood we have shed together and by the vows we made to remain friends, I beg that you put me directly against Aufidius and his Antiates. And that you not hesitate but rather fill the air with raised swords and darts. Now is the time for us to prove ourselves. |
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COMINIUS
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 your action. |
COMINIUS
I wish you were going now to a gentle bath and to have balms applied to you, but I never dare to deny what you ask. Take your choice of the men who can best help you. |
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MARTIUS
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 smear’d; 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 Martius. |
MARTIUS
The men I choose are the ones most eager to fight. If there is any man here—and it would be a sin to doubt it—who loves seeing me smeared in blood, that fears more for his honor than for his personal safety, that thinks a brave death outweighs a bad life, and that his country is more important than himself, let him alone, or others if they feel the same, wave their arms now to tell me who they are. And then follow me. |
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They all shout and wave their swords, take him up in their arms, and cast up their caps |
They all shout and wave their swords, lift him up in their arms, and throw their caps in the air. |
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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, Though thanks to all, must I select from all: the rest Shall bear the business in some other fight, As cause will be obey’d. Please you to march; And four shall quickly draw out my command, Which men are best inclined. |
Choose me! Make me one of your swordsmen! If these aren’t just superficial words, are there four among you who aren’t traitors? All of you would be able to fight the great Aufidius—your shields are as hard as his. I will only select four men, but thank you, all of you. The rest of you will fight our enemy in some other battle when the time comes. Please march, and I’ll quickly choose which men are best suited to this fight. |
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COMINIUS
March on, my fellows: Make good this ostentation, and you shall Divide in all with us. |
COMINIUS
March forward, men. Perform well, and we’ll all share the honor. |
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Exeunt |
All exit. |