Com.
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 ^note,
By interims and conveying gusts we have heard
The charges of our friends. Ye ^note Roman gods,
Lead their successes as we wish our own,
That both our powers, with smiling fronts encountering,
May give you thankful sacrifice! Enter ^note a Messenger.
Thy news?

Mess.
The citizens of Corioli have issued,
And given to Lartius and to Marcius battle:
I saw our party to their trenches ^note driven,
And then I came away.

Com.
Though thou speak'st ^note truth ^note,
Methinks thou speak'st not well. How long is't since?

Mess.
Above an hour, my lord.

Com.
'Tis not a mile; briefly ^note we heard their drums:
How couldst thou in a mile confound an hour,
And bring thy ^note news so late?

Mess.
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. Enter Marcius. ^note

Com.
Who's yonder,
That does appear as he were flay'd? O gods!
He has the stamp of Marcius; and I have
Before-time ^note seen him thus.

Mar. ^note
Come I too late?

Com.
The shepherd knows not thunder from a tabor
More than I know the sound of Marcius' ^note tongue
From every meaner man ^note.

Mar.
Come I too late?

Com.
Ay, if you come not in the blood of others,
But mantled in your own.

Mar.
O, let me clip ye ^note
In arms ^note as sound as when I woo'd; in heart
As ^note merry as when our nuptial day was done,
And tapers burn'd to bedward!

Com.
Flower of warriors,
How is't ^note with Titus Lartius? ^note

Mar.
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 ^note at will.

Com.
Where is that slave
Which told me they had beat you to your trenches?
Where is he? call him hither.

Mar.
Let him alone;
He did inform the truth: but for our gentlemen, ^note
The common file—a plague ^note! tribunes for them!—
The mouse ne'er shunn'd the cat as they did budge
From rascals worse than they.

Com.
But how prevail'd you?

Mar.
Will the time serve to tell? I do not think. ^note
Where is the enemy? are you lords o' the ^note field?
If not, why cease you till you are so?

Com.
Marcius,
We have at disadvantage fought and did
Retire to win our purpose ^note. ^note

Mar.
How lies their battle? know you on which ^note side
They have ^note placed their men of trust?

Com.
As I guess, Marcius,
Their bands i' the vaward are the Antiates ^note,
Of their best trust; o'er them Aufidius,
Their very heart of hope.

Mar.
I do beseech you,
By all the battles wherein we have fought,
By the blood we have shed together, by the vows
We have ^note made to endure friends, that you directly
Set me against Aufidius and his Antiates ^note;
And that you not delay the present, but,
Filling the air with swords advanced and darts,
We prove this very hour. ^note

Com.
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.

Mar.
Those are they
That most are ^note 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 ^note his person than ^note 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 ^note minded,
Wave thus, to express his disposition,
And follow Marcius. [They all shout, and wave their swords; take him up in their arms, and cast up their caps.
O, me alone! ^note make you a sword of me? ^note
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 ^note as hard as his. A certain number,
Though thanks to all, must I select from all ^note: the rest ^note
Shall bear the business in some other fight,
As cause will be obey'd. Please you to march;
And four ^note shall ^note quickly ^note draw out my command,

Which men are best ^note inclined.

Com.
March on, my fellows:
Make good this ostentation, and you shall
Divide in all with us. [Exeunt. ^note

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