The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated) (785 page)

Farther than seen, and one infect another

from a mile away! You have the souls of geese,

Against the wind a mile! You souls of geese

even though you look like men! How can you retreat

That bear the shapes of men, how have you run

from slaves that a monkey could beat! Hell and hell!

From slaves that apes would beat! Pluto and hell!

Forget about your wounds—your bloody backs and the fact that

All hurt behind; backs red, and faces pale

you’re scared to death! Buck up and fight hard,

With flight and agued fear! Mend, and charge home,

or, I swear to God, I’ll stop fighting the enemy

Or, by the fires of heaven, I'll leave the foe

and kill you myself. Get to it, come on!

And make my wars on you: look to't: come on;  

If you’ll stand up and fight we’ll force them back to their homes,

If you'll stand fast we'll beat them to their wives,

like they’re forcing us into our trenches.

As they us to our trenches.

[Another alarum. The Volsces and Romans re-enter, and the fight

is renewed. The Volsces retire into Corioli, and MARCIUS follows

them to the gates.]

Now the gates are open! Now, prove yourselves as soldiers.

So, now the gates are ope:--now prove good seconds:

Those gates were opened for brave soldiers,

'Tis for the followers fortune widens them,

not for people who run away. Watch me, and do what I do.

Not for the fliers: mark me, and do the like.

[He enters the gates]

FIRST SOLDIER.

That sounds stupid. I’m not doing it.

Fool-hardiness: not I.

SECOND SOLDIER.

Me neither.

Nor I.

[MARCIUS is shut in.]

FIRST SOLDIER.

Look, they have him surrounded.

See, they have shut him in.

ALL.

He’s doomed.

To th' pot, I warrant him.

[Alarum continues]

[Re-enter TITUS LARTIUS.]

LARTIUS.

What happened to Marcius?

What is become of Marcius?  

ALL.

I’m sure he’s dead.

Slain, sir, doubtless.

FIRST SOLDIER.

He was right behind the enemies on the front lines as they retreated back

Following the fliers at the very heels,

into the city, and he entered it with them. Then they suddenly

With them he enters; who, upon the sudden,

shut the gates behind him. He is alone in there,

Clapp'd-to their gates: he is himself alone,

fighting off the entire city.

To answer all the city.

LARTIUS.

What a brave fellow!

O noble fellow!

Even though he’s smarter than his sword, he is braver than it,

Who sensible, outdares his senseless sword,

and when the sword gets scared he gets fired up! You’re gone, Marcius:

And when it bows stands up! Thou art left, Marcius:

A whole jewel, as big as you were,

A carbuncle entire, as big as thou art,

wouldn’t be worth as much as you were. You were as good a soldier

Were not so rich a jewel. Thou wast a soldier

as Cato could have wished, not just fierce and terrible

Even to Cato's wish, not fierce and terrible

some of the time. With your mean looks and

Only in strokes; but with thy grim looks and

and the loud thunder-like noises you made,

The thunder-like percussion of thy sounds

you made your enemies shake with fear, as if the whole world

Thou mad'st thine enemies shake, as if the world

has a fever and was trembling.

Were feverous and did tremble.

[Re-enter MARCIUS, bleeding, assaulted by the enemy.]

FIRST SOLDIER.

Look, sir.

Look, sir.

LARTIUS.

Oh, it’s Marcius!

O, 'tis Marcius!  

Let’s go rescue him, or else die with him where he stands.

Let's fetch him off, or make remain alike.

[They fight, and all enter the city.]

[Enter certain Romans, with spoils.]

FIRST ROMAN.

I’m going to take this to Rome.

This will I carry to Rome.

SECOND ROMAN.

And I’m going to take this.

And I this.

THIRD ROMAN.

Damn it! I thought this was silver.

A murrain on't! I took this for silver.

[Alarum continues still afar off.]

[Enter MARCIUS and TITUS LARTIUS with a trumpet.]

MARCIUS.

Look at these lazy men that think that their time is worth

See here these movers that do prize their hours

something! Pillows, spoons,

At a crack'd drachma! Cushions, leaden spoons,

bits of metal worth a penny, shirts that

Irons of a doit, doublets that hangmen would

nobody would want—these low-down slaves

Bury with those that wore them, these base slaves,

are stealing them before the fighting is even done. Damn them!

Ere yet the fight be done, pack up:--down with them!--

And listen, that general is making a lot of noise! Go to him!

And hark, what noise the general makes!--To him!—

That is the man I hate most, Aufidius,

There is the man of my soul's hate, Aufidius,

killing our Roman soldiers. Brave Titus, take

Piercing our Romans; then, valiant Titus, take

enough soldiers to secure the city

Convenient numbers to make good the city;

while I, with a few good men, will hurry  

Whilst I, with those that have the spirit, will haste

to help Cominius [to fight Aufidius].

To help Cominius.

LARTIUS.

But sir, you’re bleeding.

Worthy sir, thou bleed'st;

Your last skirmish was too violent

Thy exercise hath been too violent

for you to go back into the fight.

For a second course of fight.

MARCIUS.

Don’t praise me,

Sir, praise me not;

I still haven’t broken a sweat. Good bye.

My work hath yet not warm'd me: fare you well;

Losing blood like this is good for my health,

The blood I drop is rather physical

not dangerous to me. I’m going to let Aufidius

Than dangerous to me: to Aufidius thus

see me like this, and fight him.

I will appear, and fight.

LARTIUS.

Good luck!

Now the fair goddess, Fortune,

And bad luck for your enemies!

Fall deep in love with thee; and her great charms

My good man,

Misguide thy opposers' swords! Bold gentleman,

good luck!

Prosperity be thy page!

MARCIUS.

Good luck

Thy friend no less

to you too! Good bye.

Than those she placeth highest!--So farewell.

LARTIUS.

You’re the best Marcius!

Thou worthiest Marcius!--

[Exit MARCIUS.]

Go, make a big announcement in the main square,

Go, sound thy trumpet in the market-place;

call all the town leaders there

Call thither all the officers o' the town,

and let them know what we want.

Where they shall know our mind: away!

[Exeunt.]

[Enter COMINIUS and Foreces, retreating.]

COMINIUS.

Rest, my friends. You’ve fought well, we leave the battlefield

Breathe you, my friends: well fought; we are come off

like Romans: neither foolishly brave,

Like Romans, neither foolish in our stands

nor cowardly in retreat. Believe me,

Nor cowardly in retire: believe me, sirs,

we’re going to be attacked again. While we attacked

We shall be charg'd again. Whiles we have struck,

we heard the sound of

By interims and conveying gusts we have heard

our friends charging with us. Gods,

The charges of our friends. The Roman gods,

let them be as successful as we hope to be,

Lead their successes as we wish our own,

so that when our front lines meet

That both our powers, with smiling fronts encountering,

we will make a sacrifice to you!

May give you thankful sacrifice!--

[Enter A MESSENGER.]

What’s your news?

Thy news?

MESSENGER.

The citizens of Coioles have gone out

The citizens of Corioli have issued,

and fought with Lartius and Marcius.

And given to Lartius and to Marcius battle:

I saw them drive our boys back into their trenches.

I saw our party to their trenches driven,

That’s all I saw before I left.

And then I came away.

COMINIUS.

You may be speaking the truth,

Though thou speak'st truth,

but I don’t think you’re speaking it well. When was this?

Methinks thou speak'st not well. How long is't since?

MESSENGER.

More than an hour ago, sir.

Above an hour, my lord.