The Complete Tragedies of William Shakespeare - All 12 Books in One Edition. William Shakespeare

in arms.

       MARCIUS.

       They have a leader,

       Tullus Aufidius, that will put you to’t.

       I sin in envying his nobility;

       And were I anything but what I am,

       I would wish me only he.

       COMINIUS.

       You have fought together.

       MARCIUS.

       Were half to half the world by the ears, and he

       Upon my party, I’d revolt, to make

       Only my wars with him: he is a lion

       That I am proud to hunt.

       FIRST SENATOR.

       Then, worthy Marcius,

       Attend upon Cominius to these wars.

       COMINIUS.

       It is your former promise.

       MARCIUS.

       Sir, it is;

       And I am constant.—Titus Lartius, thou

       Shalt see me once more strike at Tullus’ face.

       What, art thou stiff? stand’st out?

       TITUS LARTIUS.

       No, Caius Marcius;

       I’ll lean upon one crutch and fight with the other

       Ere stay behind this business.

       MENENIUS.

       O, true bred!

       FIRST SENATOR.

       Your company to the Capitol; where, I know,

       Our greatest friends attend us.

       TITUS LARTIUS.

       Lead you on.

       Follow, Cominius; we must follow you;

       Right worthy your priority.

       COMINIUS.

       Noble Marcius!

       FIRST SENATOR.

       Hence to your homes; be gone!

       [To the Citizens.]

       MARCIUS.

       Nay, let them follow:

       The Volsces have much corn; take these rats thither

       To gnaw their garners.—Worshipful mutineers,

       Your valour puts well forth: pray follow.

       [Exeunt Senators, COM., MAR, TIT., and MENEN. Citizens steal away.]

       SICINIUS.

       Was ever man so proud as is this Marcius?

       BRUTUS.

       He has no equal.

       SICINIUS.

       When we were chosen tribunes for the people,—

       BRUTUS.

       Mark’d you his lip and eyes?

       SICINIUS.

       Nay, but his taunts!

       BRUTUS.

       Being mov’d, he will not spare to gird the gods.

       SICINIUS.

       Bemock the modest moon.

       BRUTUS.

       The present wars devour him: he is grown

       Too proud to be so valiant.

       SICINIUS.

       Such a nature,

       Tickled with good success, disdains the shadow

       Which he treads on at noon: but I do wonder

       His insolence can brook to be commanded

       Under Cominius.

       BRUTUS.

       Fame, at the which he aims,—

       In whom already he is well grac’d,—cannot

       Better be held, nor more attain’d, than by

       A place below the first: for what miscarries

       Shall be the general’s fault, though he perform

       To th’ utmost of a man; and giddy censure

       Will then cry out of Marcius ‘O, if he

       Had borne the business!’

       SICINIUS.

       Besides, if things go well,

       Opinion, that so sticks on Marcius, shall

       Of his demerits rob Cominius.

       BRUTUS.

       Come:

       Half all Cominius’ honours are to Marcius,

       Though Marcius earn’d them not; and all his faults

       To Marcius shall be honours, though, indeed,

       In aught he merit not.

       SICINIUS.

       Let’s hence and hear

       How the dispatch is made; and in what fashion,

       More than in singularity, he goes

       Upon this present action.

       BRUTUS.

       Let’s along.

       [Exeunt.]

       SCENE II. Corioli. The Senate House.

       [Enter TULLUS AUFIDIUS and certain SENATORS.]

       FIRST SENATOR.

       So, your opinion is, Aufidius,

       That they of Rome are enter’d in our counsels

       And know how we proceed.

       AUFIDIUS.

       Is it not yours?

       What ever have been thought on in this state,

       That could be brought to bodily act ere Rome

       Had circumvention! ‘Tis not four days gone

       Since I heard thence; these are the words: I think

       I have the letter here;yes, here it is:

       [Reads.]

       ‘They have pressed a power, but it is not known

       Whether for east or west: the dearth is great;

       The people mutinous: and it is rumour’d,

       Cominius, Marcius your old enemy,—

       Who is of Rome worse hated than of you,—

       And Titus Lartius, a most valiant Roman,

       These three lead on this preparation

       Whither ‘tis bent: most likely ‘tis for you:

       Consider of it.’

       FIRST SENATOR.

       Our army’s in the field:

       We never yet made doubt but Rome was ready

       To answer us.

       AUFIDIUS.

       Nor did you think it folly

       To keep your great pretences veil’d till when

       They needs must show themselves; which in the hatching,

       It seem’d, appear’d to Rome. By the discovery

       We shall be shorten’d in our aim; which was,

       To take in many towns ere, almost, Rome

       Should know we were afoot.

       SECOND SENATOR.

       Noble Aufidius,

       Take your commission; hie you to your bands;

       Let us alone to guard Corioli:

       If they set down before’s, for the remove