The Arden Shakespeare Complete Works

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by William Shakespeare

In aught he merit not.

  SICINIUS Let’s hence, and hear

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  How the dispatch is made; and in what fashion,

  More than his singularity, he goes

  Upon this present action.

  BRUTUS Let’s along. Exeunt.

  1.2 Enter TULLUS AUFIDIUS with Senators of Corioles.

  1 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

  5

  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:

  ‘They have press’d a power, but it is not known

  Whether for east or west. The dearth is great,

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  The people mutinous; and it is rumour’d,

  Cominius, Martius 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

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  Whither ’tis bent: most likely ’tis for you.

  Consider of it.’

  1 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

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  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.

  2 SENATOR Noble Aufidius,

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  Take your commission, hie you to your bands;

  Let us alone to guard Corioles.

  If they set down before’s, for the remove

  Bring up your army; but I think you’ll find

  Th’have not prepar’d for us.

  AUFIDIUS Oh, doubt not that,

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  I speak from certainties. Nay more,

  Some parcels of their power are forth already

  And only hitherward. I leave your honours.

  If we and Caius Martius chance to meet,

  ’Tis sworn between us, we shall ever strike

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  Till one can do no more.

  ALL The gods assist you!

  AUFIDIUS And keep your honours safe!

  1 SENATOR Farewell.

  SECOND SENATOR Farewell.

  ALL Farewell. Exeunt.

  1.3 Enter VOLUMNIA and VIRGILIA, mother and wife to MARTIUS. They set them down on two low stools and sew.

  VOLUMNIA I pray you, daughter, sing, or express

  yourself in a more comfortable sort. If my son were my

  husband I should freelier rejoice in that absence

  wherein he won honour, than in the embracements of

  his bed, where he would show most love. When yet he

  5

  was but tender-bodied, and the only son of my womb;

  when youth with comeliness plucked all gaze his

  way; when for a day of kings’ entreaties, a mother

  should not sell him an hour from her beholding; I,

  considering how honour would become such a

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  person – that it was no better than picture-like to hang

  by th’wall, if renown made it not stir – was pleased

  to let him seek danger where he was like to find

  fame. To a cruel war I sent him, from whence he

  returned, his brows bound with oak. I tell thee,

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  daughter, I sprang not more in joy at first hearing he

  was a man-child, than now in first seeing he had

  proved himself a man.

  VIRGILIA But had he died in the business, madam, how

  then?

  20

  VOLUMNIA Then his good report should have been my

  son, I therein would have found issue. Hear me

  profess sincerely: had I a dozen sons, each in my love

  alike, and none less dear than thine and my good

  Martius, I had rather had eleven die nobly for their

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  country, than one voluptuously surfeit out of action.

  Enter a Gentlewoman.

  GENTLEWOMAN

  Madam, the Lady Valeria is come to visit you.

  VIRGILIA Beseech you give me leave to retire myself.

  VOLUMNIA Indeed you shall not.

  Methinks I hear hither your husband’s drum;

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  See him pluck Aufidius down by th’hair,

  As children from a bear, the Volsces shunning him.

  Methinks I see him stamp thus, and call thus:

  ‘Come on you cowards, you were got in fear

  Though you were born in Rome.’ His bloody brow

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  With his mail’d hand then wiping, forth he goes

  Like to a harvest man that’s task’d to mow

  Or all, or lose his hire.

  VIRGILIA His bloody brow? O Jupiter, no blood!

  VOLUMNIA Away you fool! it more becomes a man

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  Than gilt his trophy. The breasts of Hecuba

  When she did suckle Hector, look’d not lovelier

  Than Hector’s forehead when it spit forth blood

  At Grecian sword contemning. Tell Valeria

  We are fit to bid her welcome. Exit Gentlewoman.

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  VIRGILIA Heavens bless my lord from fell Aufidius!

  VOLUMNIA He’ll beat Aufidius’ head below his knee,

  And tread upon his neck.

  Enter VALERIA with an usher, and a gentlewoman.

  VALERIA My ladies both, good day to you.

  VOLUMNIA Sweet madam.

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  VIRGILIA I am glad to see your ladyship.

  VALERIA How do you both? You are manifest

  housekeepers. What are you sewing here? A fine spot,

  in good faith. How does your little son?

  VIRGILIA I thank your ladyship; well, good madam.

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  VOLUMNIA He had rather see the swords and hear a

  drum, than look upon his schoolmaster.

  VALERIA O’my word, the father’s son! I’ll swear ’tis a

  very pretty boy. O’my troth, I looked upon him o’

  Wednesday half an hour together: ’has such a

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  confirmed countenance. I saw him run after a gilded

  butterfly, and when he caught it, he let it go again, and

  after it again, and over and over he comes, and up

  again, catched it again; or whether his fall enraged

  him, or how ’twas, he did so set his teeth and tear it.

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  Oh, I warrant how he mammocked it!

  VOLUMNIA One on’s father’s moods.

  VALERIA Indeed, la, ’tis a noble child.

  VIRGILIA A crack, madam.

  VALERIA Come, lay aside your stitchery, I must have you

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  play the idle huswife with me this afternoon.

  VIRGILIA No, good madam, I will not out of doors.

  VALERIA Not out of doors?

  VOLUMNIA She shall, she shall.

  VIRGILIA Indeed no, by your patience; I’ll not over the

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  threshold till my lord return from the wars.

  VALERIA Fie, you confine yourself most unreasonably.

  Come, you must go visit the good lady that lies in.

  VIRGILIA I will wish her speedy strength, and visit her

  with my prayers; but I ca
nnot go thither.

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  VOLUMNIA Why, I pray you?

  VIRGILIA ’Tis not to save labour, nor that I want love.

  VALERIA You would be another Penelope; yet they say,

  all the yarn she spun in Ulysses’ absence did but fill

  Ithaca full of moths. Come, I would your cambric

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  were sensible as your finger, that you might leave

  pricking it for pity. Come, you shall go with us.

  VIRGILIA No, good madam, pardon me; indeed I will

  not forth.

  VALERIA In truth, la, go with me, and I’ll tell you

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  excellent news of your husband.

  VIRGILIA Oh, good madam, there can be none yet.

  VALERIA Verily I do not jest with you. There came news

  from him last night.

  VIRGILIA Indeed, madam?

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  VALERIA In earnest, it’s true; I heard a senator speak it.

  Thus it is: the Volsces have an army forth, against

  whom Cominius the general is gone, with one part

  of our Roman power. Your lord and Titus Lartius

  are set down before their city Corioles; they nothing

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  doubt prevailing, and to make it brief wars. This is

  true on mine honour, and so, I pray, go with us.

  VIRGILIA Give me excuse, good madam, I will obey you

  in everything hereafter.

  VOLUMNIA Let her alone, lady; as she is now, she will

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  but disease our better mirth.

  VALERIA In troth, I think she would. Fare you well then.

  Come, good sweet lady. Prithee, Virgilia, turn thy

  solemness out o’door, and go along with us.

  VIRGILIA No, at a word, madam; indeed I must not. I

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  wish you much mirth.

  VALERIA Well then, farewell. Exeunt.

  1.4 Enter MARTIUS, TITUS LARTIUS, with drum and colours, with captains and soldiers, as before the city Corioles. To them a Messenger.

  MARTIUS Yonder comes news. A wager they have met.

  LARTIUS My horse to yours, no.

  MARTIUS ’Tis done.

  LARTIUS Agreed.

  MARTIUS Say, has our general met the enemy?

  MESSENGER

  They lie in view, but have not spoke as yet.

  LARTIUS So, the good horse is mine.

  MARTIUS I’ll buy him of you.

  5

  LARTIUS

  No, I’ll nor sell nor give him: lend you him I will

  For half a hundred years. Summon the town.

  MARTIUS How far off lie these armies?

  MESSENGER Within this mile and half.

  MARTIUS

  Then shall we hear their ’larum, and they ours.

  Now Mars, I prithee make us quick in work,

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  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, on the walls of Corioles.

  Tullus Aufidius, is he within your walls?

  1 SENATOR

  No, nor a man that fears you less than he;

  That’s lesser than a little. [Drum afar off.]

  Hark, our drums

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  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

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  Amongst your cloven army.

  MARTIUS Oh, they are at it!

  LARTIUS Their noise be our instruction. Ladders ho!

  Enter the army of the Volsces.

  MARTIUS 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.

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  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.

  [Alarum. The Romans are beat back to their trenches.]

  Enter MARTIUS, cursing.

  MARTIUS All the contagion of the south light on you,

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  You shames of Rome! You herd of – boils and plagues

  Plaster you o’er, that you may be abhorr’d

  Farther 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

 

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