CORIOLANUS

Act 1 Scene 5

Enter [Roman Soldiers, in retreat, followed by] Martius, cursing
l1l	Martius	 All the contagion of the south light on you,
l2l		You shames of Rome! You herd of—boils and plagues
l3l		Plaster you o’er, that you may be abhorred
l4l		Farther than seen, and one infect another
l5l		Against the wind a mile! You souls of geese
l6l		That bear the shapes of men, how have you run
l7l		From slaves that apes would beat! Pluto and hell:
l8l		All hurt behind! Backs red, and faces pale
l9l		With flight and agued fear! Mend and charge home,
l10l		Or by the fires of heaven I’ll leave the foe
l11l		And make my wars on you. Look to ’t. Come on.
l12l		If you’ll stand fast, we’ll beat them to their wives,
l13l		As they us to our trenches. Follow.
		(The Romans come forward towards the walls. Another alarum, and enter the army of the Volsces. Martius beats them back through the gates)
l14l		So, now the gates are ope. Now prove good seconds.
l15l		’Tis for the followers fortune widens them,
l16l		Not for the fliers. Mark me, and do the like.
		(He enters the gates)
l17l	First Soldier	 Foolhardiness! Not I.
	Second Soldier	Nor I.
		(Alarum continues. The gates close, and Martius is shut in)
l18l	First Soldier	 See, they have shut him in. 
	[Third Soldier]	To th’ pot, I warrant him.
		(Enter Lartius)
l19l	Lartius	 What is become of Martius?
	[Fourth Soldier]	Slain, sir, doubtless.
l20l	First Soldier	Following the fliers at the very heels,
l21l		With them he enters, who upon the sudden
l22l		Clapped-to their gates. He is himself alone
l23l		To answer all the city.
	Lartius	O noble fellow,
l24l		Who sensibly outdares his senseless sword
l25l		And, when it bows, stand’st up! Thou art lost, Martius.
l26l		A carbuncle entire, as big as thou art,
l27l		Were not so rich a jewel. Thou wast a soldier
l28l		Even to Cato’s wish, not fierce and terrible
l29l		Only in strokes, but with thy grim looks and
l30l		The thunder-like percussion of thy sounds
l31l		Thou mad’st thine enemies shake as if the world
l32l		Were feverous and did tremble.
		(Enter Martius, bleeding, assaulted by the enemy)
		
	First Soldier	 Look, sir.
	Lartius	O, ’tis Martius!
l33l		Let’s fetch him off, or make remain alike.
		(They fight, and all exeunt into the city)