SCENE VII.
Changes to the Walls of Corioli.
Enter Marcius, Titus Lartius, with Captains and Soldiers. To them a Messenger.
Cor.
Yonder comes news. A wager, they have met.
Lart.
My horse to yours, no.
Cor.
'Tis done.
Lart.
Agreed.
Cor.
Say, has our General met the enemy?
Mes.
They lye in view; but have not spoke as yet.
Lart.
So, the good horse is mine.
Cor.
I'll buy him of you.
-- 505 --
Lart.
No, I'll nor sell, nor give him. Lend him you, I will,
For half an hundred years.—Summon the town.
Cor.
How far off lye these armies?
Mes.
Within a mile and half.
Cor.
Then shall we hear their larum, and they ours.
Now, Mars, I pr'ythee, make us quick in work;
That we with smoaking swords may march from hence,
To help our fielded friends!—Come, blow thy blast.
They sound a Parley. Enter two senators with others on the Walls.
Tullus Aufidius, is he within your Walls?
1 Sen.
No, 1 note
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
[Alarum, far off.
There is Aufidius. List, what work he makes
Among your cloven army.
Cor.
Oh, they are at it!—
Lart.
Their noise be our instruction. Ladders, ho!
Enter the Volscians.
Cor.
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;
-- 506 --
Which makes me sweat with wrath. Come on my fellows;
He that retires, I'll take him for a Volscian,
And he shall feel mine edge.
[Alarum; the Romans beat back to their Trenches.
Samuel Johnson [1765], The plays of William Shakespeare, in eight volumes, with the corrections and illustrations of Various Commentators; To which are added notes by Sam. Johnson (Printed for J. and R. Tonson [and] C. Corbet [etc.], London) [word count] [S11001].
