Act I, Scene 4

Before Corioli.

[Enter, with drum and colours, CORIOLANUS, TITUS LARTIUS, Captains and Soldiers. To them a Messenger]

• Coriolanus. Yonder comes news. A wager they have met.

• Titus Lartius. My horse to yours, no. 480

• Coriolanus. 'Tis done.

• Titus Lartius. Agreed.

• Coriolanus. Say, has our general met the enemy?

• Messenger. They lie in view; but have not spoke as yet.

• Titus Lartius. So, the good horse is mine. 485

• Coriolanus. I'll buy him of you.

• Titus Lartius. No, I'll nor sell nor give him: lend you him I will
  For half a hundred years. Summon the town.

• Coriolanus. How far off lie these armies?

• Messenger. Within this mile and half. 490

• Coriolanus. Then shall we hear their 'larum, and they ours.
  Now, Mars, I prithee, make us quick in work,
  That we with smoking swords may march from hence,
  To help our fielded friends! Come, blow thy blast.
  [They sound a parley. Enter two Senators with others] 495
  on the walls]
  Tutus Aufidius, is he within your walls?

• First Senator. No, nor a man that fears you less than he,
  That's lesser than a little.
  [Drums afar off] 500
  Hark! our drums
  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. 505
  [Alarum afar off]
  Hark you. far off!
  There is Aufidius; list, what work he makes
  Amongst your cloven army.

• Coriolanus. O, they are at it! 510

• Titus Lartius. Their noise be our instruction. Ladders, ho!

[Enter the army of the Volsces]

• Coriolanus. 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, 515
  brave Titus:
  They do disdain us much beyond our thoughts,
  Which makes me sweat with wrath. Come on, my fellows:
  He that retires I'll take him for a Volsce,
  And he shall feel mine edge. 520
  [Alarum. The Romans are beat back to their]
  trenches. Re-enter CORIOLANUS cursing]

• Coriolanus. All the contagion of the south light on you,
  You shames of Rome! you herd of—Boils and plagues
  Plaster you o'er, that you may be abhorr'd 525
  Further than seen and one infect another
  Against the wind a mile! You souls of geese,
  That bear the shapes of men, how have you run
  From slaves that apes would beat! Pluto and hell!
  All hurt behind; backs red, and faces pale 530
  With flight and agued fear! Mend and charge home,
  Or, by the fires of heaven, I'll leave the foe
  And make my wars on you: look to't: come on;
  If you'll stand fast, we'll beat them to their wives,
  As they us to our trenches followed. 535
  [Another alarum. The Volsces fly, and CORIOLANUS]
  follows them to the gates]
  So, now the gates are ope: now prove good seconds:
  'Tis for the followers fortune widens them,
  Not for the fliers: mark me, and do the like. 540

[Enters the gates]

• First Soldier. Fool-hardiness; not I.

• Second Soldier. Nor I.

[CORIOLANUS is shut in]

• First Soldier. See, they have shut him in. 545

• All. To the pot, I warrant him.

[Alarum continues]

[Re-enter TITUS LARTIUS]

• Titus Lartius. What is become of CORIOLANUS?

• All. Slain, sir, doubtless. 550

• First Soldier. Following the fliers at the very heels,
  With them he enters; who, upon the sudden,
  Clapp'd to their gates: he is himself alone,
  To answer all the city.

• Titus Lartius. O noble fellow! 555
  Who sensibly outdares his senseless sword,
  And, when it bows, stands up. Thou art left, CORIOLANUS:
  A carbuncle entire, as big as thou art,
  Were not so rich a jewel. Thou wast a soldier
  Even to Cato's wish, not fierce and terrible 560
  Only in strokes; but, with thy grim looks and
  The thunder-like percussion of thy sounds,
  Thou madst thine enemies shake, as if the world
  Were feverous and did tremble.

[Re-enter CORIOLANUS, bleeding, assaulted by the enemy]

• First Soldier. Look, sir.

• Titus Lartius. O,'tis CORIOLANUS!
  Let's fetch him off, or make remain alike.

[They fight, and all enter the city]