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James Boswell [1821], The plays and poems of William Shakspeare, with the corrections and illustrations of various commentators: comprehending A Life of the Poet, and an enlarged history of the stage, by the late Edmond Malone. With a new glossarial index (J. Deighton and Sons, Cambridge) [word count] [S10201].
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SCENE IX. The Roman Camp. Alarum. A Retreat is sounded. Flourish. Enter at one side, Cominius, and Romans; at the other side, Marcius, with his Arm in a Scarf, and other Romans.

Com.
If I should tell thee9 note o'er this thy day's work,

-- 48 --


Thou'lt not believe thy deeds: but I'll report it,
Where senators shall mingle tears with smiles;
Where great patricians shall attend, and shrug,
I' the end, admire; where ladies shall be frighted,
And, gladly quak'd1 note



, hear more; where the dull Tribunes,
That, with the fusty plebeians, hate thine honours,
Shall say, against their hearts,—We thank the gods,
Our Rome hath such a soldier!—
Yet cam'st thou to a morsel of this feast,
Having fully dined before. Enter Titus Lartius, with his Power, from the pursuit.

Lart.
O general,
Here is the steed, we the caparison2 note:
Hadst thou beheld—

Mar.
Pray now, no more: my mother,
Who has a charter to extol3 note her blood,

-- 49 --


When she does praise me, grieves me. I have done,
As you have done; that's what I can; induc'd
As you have been; that's for my country4 note:
He, that has but effected his good will,
Hath overta'en mine act5 note



.

Com.
You shall not be
The grave of your deserving; Rome must know
The value of her own: 'twere a concealment
Worse than a theft, no less than a traducement,
To hide your doings; and to silence that,
Which, to the spire and top of praises vouch'd,
Would seem but modest: Therefore, I beseech you,
(In sign of what you are, not to reward
What you have done6 note

,) before our army hear me.

Mar.
I have some wounds upon me, and they smart
To hear themselves remember'd.

Com.
Should they not7 note,
Well might they fester 'gainst ingratitude,
And tent themselves with death. Of all the horses,
(Whereof we have ta'en good, and good store,) of all
The treasure, in this field achiev'd, and city,

-- 50 --


We render you the tenth; to be ta'en forth,
Before the common distribution, at
Your only choice.

Mar.
I thank you, general;
But cannot make my heart consent to take
A bribe to pay my sword: I do refuse it;
And stand upon my common part with those
That have beheld the doing.
[A long Flourish. They all cry, Marcius! Marcius! cast up their Caps and Lances: Cominius and Lartius stand bare.

Mar.
May these same instruments, which you profane,
Never sound more! When drums and trumpets shall8 note



















-- 51 --


I' the field prove flatterers, let courts and cities be
Made all of false-fac'd soothing! When steel grows
Soft as the parasite's silk, let him be made
An overture for the wars! No more, I say;
For that I have not wash'd my nose that bled,
Or foil'd some debile wretch,—which, without note,

-- 52 --


Here's many else have done,—you shout* note me forth
In acclamations hyperbolical;
As if I loved my little should be dieted
In praises sauc'd with lies.

Com.
Too modest are you;
More cruel to your good report, than grateful
To us that give you truly: by your patience,
If 'gainst yourself you be incens'd, we'll put you
(Like one that means his proper harm,) in manacles,
Then reason safely with you.—Therefore, be it known,
As to us, to all the world, that Caius Marcius
Wears this war's garland: in token of the which
My noble steed, known to the camp, I give him,
With all his trim belonging; and, from this time,
For what he did before Corioli, call him9 note,
With all the applause and clamour of the host,
Caius Marcius Coriolanus1 note.—
Bear the addition nobly ever!
[Flourish. Trumpets sound, and Drums.

All.
Caius Marcius Coriolanus!

Cor.
I will go wash;
And when my face is fair, you shall perceive
Whether I blush, or no: Howbeit, I thank you:—
I mean to stride your steed; and, at all times,

-- 53 --


To undercrest your good addition,
To the fairness of my power2 note

.

Com.
So, to our tent:
Where, ere we do repose us, we will write
To Rome of our success.—You, Titus Lartius,
Must to Corioli back: send us to Rome
The best3 note, with whom we may articulate4 note


,
For their own good, and ours.

Lart.
I shall, my lord.

Cor.
The gods begin to mock me. I that now
Refus'd most princely gifts, am bound to beg
Of my lord general.

Com.
Take it: 'tis yours.—What is't?

Cor.
I sometime lay, here in Corioli,
At a poor man's house5 note; he us'd me kindly:

-- 54 --


He cried to me; I saw him prisoner;
But then Aufidius was within my view,
And wrath o'erwhelm'd my pity: I request you
To give my poor host freedom.

Com.
O, well begg'd!
Were he the butcher of my son, he should
Be free, as is the wind6 note

. Deliver him, Titus.

Lart.
Marcius, his name?

Cor.
By Jupiter, forgot:—
I am weary; yea, my memory is tir'd.—
Have we no wine here?

Com.
Go we to our tent:
The blood upon your visage dries: 'tis time
It should be look'd to: come.
[Exeunt.
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James Boswell [1821], The plays and poems of William Shakspeare, with the corrections and illustrations of various commentators: comprehending A Life of the Poet, and an enlarged history of the stage, by the late Edmond Malone. With a new glossarial index (J. Deighton and Sons, Cambridge) [word count] [S10201].
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