Читать книгу Coriolanus - Уильям Шекспир, William Szekspir, the Simon Studio - Страница 7

  COMINIUS. Breathe you, my friends. Well fought; we are come off

    Like Romans, neither foolish in our stands

    Nor cowardly in retire. Believe me, sirs,

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

    By interims and conveying gusts we have heard

    The charges of our friends. The Roman gods,

    Lead their successes as we wish our own,

    That both our powers, with smiling fronts encount'ring,

    May give you thankful sacrifice!

    Thy news?

  MESSENGER. The citizens of Corioli have issued

    And given to Lartius and to Marcius battle;

    I saw our party to their trenches driven,

    And then I came away.

  COMINIUS. Though thou speak'st truth,

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

  MESSENGER. Above an hour, my lord.

  COMINIUS. 'Tis not a mile; briefly we heard their drums.

    How couldst thou in a mile confound an hour,

    And bring thy news so late?

  MESSENGER. Spies of the Volsces

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

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

    Half an hour since brought my report.

  COMINIUS. Who's yonder

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

    He has the stamp of Marcius, and I have

    Before-time seen him thus.

  MARCIUS. Come I too late?

  COMINIUS. The shepherd knows not thunder from a tabor

    More than I know the sound of Marcius' tongue

    From every meaner man.

  MARCIUS. Come I too late?

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

    But mantled in your own.

  MARCIUS. O! let me clip ye

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

    As merry as when our nuptial day was done,

    And tapers burn'd to bedward.

  COMINIUS. Flower of warriors,

    How is't with Titus Lartius?

  MARCIUS. As with a man busied about decrees:

    Condemning some to death and some to exile;

    Ransoming him or pitying, threat'ning th' other;

    Holding Corioli in the name of Rome

    Even like a fawning greyhound in the leash,

    To let him slip at will.

  COMINIUS. Where is that slave

    Which told me they had beat you to your trenches?

    Where is he? Call him hither.

  MARCIUS. Let him alone;

    He did inform the truth. But for our gentlemen,

    The common file- a plague! tribunes for them!

    The mouse ne'er shunn'd the cat as they did budge

    From rascals worse than they.

  COMINIUS. But how prevail'd you?

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

    Where is the enemy? Are you lords o' th' field?

    If not, why cease you till you are so?

  COMINIUS. Marcius,

    We have at disadvantage fought, and did

    Retire to win our purpose.

  MARCIUS. How lies their battle? Know you on which side

    They have plac'd their men of trust?

  COMINIUS. As I guess, Marcius,

    Their bands i' th' vaward are the Antiates,

    Of their best trust; o'er them Aufidius,

    Their very heart of hope.

  MARCIUS. I do beseech you,

    By all the battles wherein we have fought,

    By th' blood we have shed together, by th' vows

    We have made to endure friends, that you directly

    Set me against Aufidius and his Antiates;

    And that you not delay the present, but,

    Filling the air with swords advanc'd and darts,

    We prove this very hour.

  COMINIUS. Though I could wish

    You were conducted to a gentle bath

    And balms applied to you, yet dare I never

    Deny your asking: take your choice of those

    That best can aid your action.

  MARCIUS. Those are they

    That most are willing. If any such be here-

    As it were sin to doubt- that love this painting

    Wherein you see me smear'd; if any fear

    Lesser his person than an ill report;

    If any think brave death outweighs bad life

    And that his country's dearer than himself;

    Let him alone, or so many so minded,

    Wave thus to express his disposition,

    And follow Marcius. [They all shout and wave their

       swords, take him up in their arms and cast up their caps]

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

    If these shows be not outward, which of you

    But is four Volsces? None of you but is

    Able to bear against the great Aufidius

    A shield as hard as his. A certain number,

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

    Shall bear the business in some other fight,

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

    And four shall quickly draw out my command,

    Which men are best inclin'd.

  COMINIUS. March on, my fellows;

    Make good this ostentation, and you shall

    Divide in all with us. Exeunt