The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated) (786 page)

COMINIUS.

It wasn’t even a mile away—we just heard their war drums.

'Tis not a mile; briefly we heard their drums:

How could you waste an hour running a mile,

How couldst thou in a mile confound an hour,

and bring your news so late?

And bring thy news so late?

MESSENGER.

Volscian spies

Spies of the Volsces

were chasing me around, so I had to go

Held me in chase, that I was forc'd to wheel

three or four miles out of the way. Otherwise I would have

Three or four miles about; else had I, sir,

brought you my report half an hour ago.

Half an hour since brought my report.

COMINIUS.

Who’d that guy over there

Who's yonder,

that looks like he’s had his skin peeled of? Oh my God!

That does appear as he were flay'd? O gods!

His face looks like Marcius,’ and I’ve seen him

He has the stamp of Marcius; and I have

like this before.

Before-time seen him thus.

MARCIUS.

[Offstage.] Am I too late?

[Within.] Come I too late?

COMINIUS.

Thunder and toy drums sound as different from each other

The shepherd knows not thunder from a tabor

as Marcius’ voice is from a

More than I know the sound of Marcius' tongue  

lesser man’s voice.

From every meaner man.

[Enter MARCIUS.]

MARCIUS.

Am I too late?

Come I too late?

COMINIUS.

Yes, you are too late if you’re covered in your own blood

Ay, if you come not in the blood of others,

instead of the enemy’s.

But mantled in your own.

MARCIUS.

Let me give a hug

O! let me clip ye

like the ones I have girls I used to date.

In arms as sound as when I woo'd; in heart

I’m as happy as I was on my wedding night,

As merry as when our nuptial day was done,

when it was getting on towards bed-time.

And tapers burn'd to bedward.

COMINIUS.

You’re the best soldier ever!

Flower of warriors,

How is Titus Lartius?

How is't with Titus Lartius?

MARCIUS.

He’s like a man who’s busy passing judgement:

As with a man busied about decrees:

Condemning some people to death and some to exile,

Condemning some to death and some to exile;

letting some people go, and threatening others.

Ransoming him or pitying, threat'ning the other;

Holding Corioli in the name of Rome,

Even like a fawning greyhound in the leash,

To let him slip at will.

COMINIUS.

Where’s that idiot

Where is that slave

who told me they were beating you back to your trenches?

Which told me they had beat you to your trenches?

Where is he? Get him over here!

Where's he? call him hither.

MARCIUS.

Leave him alone.

Let him alone;  

He told you the truth: as for our “gentlemen,”

He did inform the truth: but for our gentlemen,

the common, poor men—curse them! I can’t believe we’re giving them tribunes!—

The common file,--a plague!--tribunes for them!--

no mouse was ever as scared of cats as those fools

The mouse ne'er shunned the cat as they did budge

were of the Volscians.

From rascals worse than they.

COMINIUS.

So how did you win?

But how prevail'd you?

MARCIUS.

Is there time to tell you about it? I don’t think so.

Will the time serve to tell? I do not think.

Where is the enemy? Do you control the battlefield?

Where is the enemy? are you lords o' the field?

If not, why stop fighting until you do?

If not, why cease you till you are so?

COMINIUS.

Marcius,

Marcius,

we’ve been fighting against the odds, and then

We have at disadvantage fought, and did

we made a strategic retreat, in order to save our strength and win the day.

Retire, to win our purpose.

MARCIUS.

How is the battle going? Do you know where

How lies their battle? know you on which side

they’re deploying their best men?

They have placed their men of trust?

COMINIUS.

I’m guessing, Marcius,

As I guess, Marcius,

that on the front line they’ll be putting the Antiates,

Their bands in the vaward are the Antiates,

their best unit. Their commander is Aufidius,

Of their best trust; o'er them Aufidius,

their best hope.

Their very heart of hope.

MARCIUS.

I’m begging you,

I do beseech you,

in the name of all the battles we’ve fought together,

By all the battles wherein we have fought,

and the blood we lost together, and the vows

By the blood we have shed together, by the vows

of friendship we’ve made to each other, that you send

We have made to endure friends, that you directly

me right away to fight Aufidius and his Antiates,

Set me against Aufidius and his Antiates;

and that you not delay the fight, but

And that you not delay the present, but,

raising your swords and arrows,

Filling the air with swords advanc'd and darts,

get the battle started right now!

We prove this very hour.

COMINIUS.

Though I wish

Though I could wish

you would go take a nice bath,

You were conducted to a gentle bath,

and take some medicine, I just can’t

And balms applied to you, yet dare I never

say no to you. Take your choice of men

Deny your asking: take your choice of those

who you think would be best in action.

That best can aid your action.

MARCIUS.

The best men are the ones

Those are they

who are most willing to fight. If there are any men here—

That most are willing. If any such be here,--

and it’s wrong to doubt it—who love

As it were sin to doubt,--that love this painting

blood, who are less afraid for their lives

Wherein you see me smear'd; if any fear

than for their reputations,

Lesser his person than an ill report;

who prefer to die bravely than live badly,

If any think brave death outweighs bad life,

who love their country more than themselves—

And that his country's dearer than himself;

if there are many of you like that,

Let him alone, or so many so minded,

wave like this [waving his hand], to express your opinion,

Wave thus [waving his hand], to express his disposition,

and follow me!

And follow Marcius.

[They all shout and wave their swords; take him up in their arms

and cast up their caps.]

Why do praise me above others?

O, me alone! Make you a sword of me?

If these displays are genuine, which of you

If these shows be not outward, which of you

isn’t worth four Volscians? All of you

But is four Volsces? none of you but is

could give the great Aufidius

Able to bear against the great Aufidius

at least as good as you got. Some of you

A shield as hard as his. A certain number,

must be selected for a special mission. The rest of you

Though thanks to all, must I select from all: the rest

will fight somewhere else,

Shall bear the business in some other fight,

as conditions require. Please march,

As cause will be obey'd. Please you to march;

and four of you will choose the men I will command in a special detail,

And four shall quickly draw out my command,

whichever of you are inclined to come.

Which men are best inclin'd.

COMINIUS.

Keep marching, men.

March on, my fellows;

Win this battle and you will

Make good this ostentation, and you shall

share the booty with us.

Divide in all with us.

[Exeunt.]

[TITUS LARTIUS, having set a guard upon Corioli, going with drum

and trumpet toward COMINIUS and CAIUS MARCIUS, enters with a

LIEUTENANT, a party of Soldiers, and a Scout.]

LARTIUS.

So, guard the gates, and do all the other things

So, let the ports be guarded: keep your duties

I told you to do. If I ask for them, send

As I have set them down. If I do send, dispatch

those units to help us. The rest of the army will only

Those centuries to our aid; the rest will serve

be able to occupy the town for a short while. If we lose the battle

For a short holding: if we lose the field

we cannot keep the town.

We cannot keep the town.

LIEUTENANT.

Don’t worry about us, sir.

Fear not our care, sir.

LARTIUS.

Come here and close the gates behind us.

Hence, and shut your gates upon's.—

Guide, take us to the Roman camp.

Our guider, come; to the Roman camp conduct us.

[Exeunt.]