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 charged 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!
Breathe, friends. Well fought! We've come out of this like Romans — neither foolish in how we stood nor cowardly in how we retreated. Believe me, we'll be attacked again. While we were fighting, we heard the sound of our other forces in the distance. The gods, I hope, are leading their victories as we'd like for our own — so when our armies meet face to face, we can give thanks to the gods.
Rest up, men. We fought well! We pulled back like real soldiers — not stupid, not scared. They're coming for us again. We could hear our other troops battling while we were at it. I hope the gods are taking care of them like we want them to take care of us — so when we all come together, we can thank them.
we fought well like romans not cowardly they come again other troops fighting gods on our side
The citizens of Corioles have issued,
And given to Lartius and to Martius battle.
I saw our party to their trenches driven,
And then I came away.
The people of Corioles have come out and are fighting Lartius and Martius. I saw our troops driven back into their trenches and then I left.
The Corioles defenders are out fighting Lartius and Martius now. Our men got pushed back to the trenches, so I rode out.
corioles attacking lartius and martius our troops pushed back to trenches
Though thou speakest truth,
Methinks thou speak’st not well. How long is’t since?
What you're saying may be true, but something about how you're saying it doesn't sound right. How long ago was this?
You're saying the truth, but something's off about your report. When was that?
youre right but something off when was it
Above an hour, my lord.
More than an hour ago, sir.
Over an hour back, sir.
hour ago more than
’Tis not a mile; briefly we heard their drums.
How couldst thou in a mile confound an hour
And bring thy news so late?
It's not a mile away. We heard their drums here not long ago. How could you confuse an hour into a distance of one mile and bring your news so late?
That doesn't add up. It's not even a mile away — we heard their drums. How did it take you over an hour to get here?
not a mile heard drums recently how took so long
Spies of the Volsces
Held me in chase, that I was forced to wheel
Three or four miles about; else had I, sir,
Half an hour since brought my report.
Volscian scouts chased me, so I had to ride three or four miles out of my way. Otherwise I would have brought the report half an hour ago.
Enemy scouts were after me, so I had to go way around — three or four miles out of the way. Otherwise you'd have heard this earlier.
scouts chased me had to go around three four miles otherwise earlier
Who’s yonder,
That does appear as he were flayed? O gods,
He has the stamp of Martius, and I have
Before-time seen him thus.
Who is that man coming toward us? He looks as though his skin has been flayed off! My gods — the look and bearing are unmistakably Martius. I've seen him look like this before.
Who's that coming? Looks like he's been skinned alive. That's got to be Martius — I'd recognize him anywhere, even like that.
who is that looks flayed thats martius seen him like this
Come I too late?
Did I arrive too late?
Am I too late for the fight?
am i late
The shepherd knows not thunder from a tabor
More than I know the sound of Martius’ tongue
From every meaner man.
A shepherd knows thunder from a drum less well than I know the sound of your voice from any other man's.
I'd know your voice in a crowd of a hundred men. Nobody sounds like you do.
know your voice anywhere most well
Come I too late?
Let me embrace you — with arms as strong and true as when I was courting you, with a heart as happy as the day we were married, when the candles burned as we went to bed!
Come here. Let me hold you like I used to when we were young, happy as the day we got married.
let me hold you strong as courting happy as wedding day candles burning
Ay, if you come not in the blood of others,
But mantled in your own.
Yes, if you come wearing the blood of others, not masked in your own.
You're on time if that's not your own blood all over you.
youre on time if not your blood mantled in own
O, let me clip you
In arms as sound as when I wooed, in heart
As merry as when our nuptial day was done
And tapers burned to bedward!
Flower of warriors! How is it with Titus Lartius?
How are you doing, Martius? And what about Titus?
best warrior whats with lartius
Flower of warriors, how is’t with Titus Lartius?
He's like a man busy making decisions — condemning some men to death, some to exile, either freeing them or pitying them, threatening others. He's holding Corioles in Rome's name like a hunting dog on a leash, ready to let it loose whenever he wants.
He's running things — deciding who lives, who dies, who goes into exile. He's holding Corioles like it's on a dog leash, ready to let it go if Rome says so.
like making decrees death exile pity threaten corioles on leash for rome
As with a man busied about decrees,
Condemning some to death and some to exile;
Ransoming him or pitying, threat’ning the other;
Holding Corioles in the name of Rome
Even like a fawning greyhound in the leash,
To let him slip at will.
Where is the soldier who told me the Volsces had beaten you back to your trenches? Where is he? Call him here.
Who's the guy who said you got pushed back? Find him. I want to talk to him.
find the man who said you lost to trenches call him
Where is that slave
Which told me they had beat you to your trenches?
Where’s he? Call him hither.
Leave him alone. He reported truthfully. But the rest of your soldiers — the common rank and file — a plague on them! Tribunes should represent them! — a mouse never avoided a cat as fast as those men ran from enemies worse than themselves.
Forget about him. He was just telling the truth. But your troops? The regular soldiers? God help them. They ran from the enemy faster than a mouse runs from a cat.
leave him told truth common soldiers tribunes for them ran like mice from rascals
Let him alone.
He did inform the truth. But for our gentlemen,
The common file—a plague! Tribunes for them!—
The mouse ne’er shunned the cat as they did budge
From rascals worse than they.
But how did you win?
So how did you manage to win?
how did you win
But how prevailed you?
Do we have time for that story? I don't think so. Where is the enemy? Are you in control of the field? If not, why aren't we fighting until you are?
That's a long story. Where's the enemy right now? Do we control the field? If not, why are we standing here?
no time for stories where enemy field ours if not why stop
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?
Martius, we fought at a disadvantage and withdrew to achieve our purpose — to regroup and prepare a better attack.
We were losing the field, so we pulled back to set up for a better shot.
disadvantage retired for our purpose better position
Martius, we have at disadvantage fought,
And did retire to win our purpose.
How are they arranged? Do you know which side Aufidius has placed his best soldiers?
What's their formation? Where'd Aufidius put his best troops?
battle line aufidius men of trust where
How lies their battle? Know you on which side
They have placed their men of trust?
If I'm reading this right, the front ranks are the Antiates — Aufidius's best and most reliable troops. Aufidius commands them. He's the heart of their hope, the center of their strategy.
From what I can tell, the Antiates — Aufidius's elite — are up front. Aufidius is leading them. That's where the strength is.
antiates front best troops aufidius over them heart of hope
As I guess, Martius,
Their bands i’ th’ vaward are the Antiates,
Of their best trust; o’er them Aufidius,
Their very heart of hope.
I beg you by all the battles we have fought together, by the blood we have shed side by side, by the vows we made to remain lifelong friends, that you place me directly against Aufidius and his elite guard, and that you don't delay but attack right now — filling the air with swords and spears — and let us prove our worth this very hour.
I'm asking you — by everything we've fought through together, all the blood spilled, all the promises we made — put me against Aufidius and his best troops. Don't wait. Let's go now. Today. This hour.
all battles all blood all vows put me against aufidius no delay today now
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 advanced and darts,
We prove this very hour.
Though I wish you could rest — bathe and have your wounds treated — I can never deny you what you ask. Pick the best soldiers you need for this fight.
I'd love to get you cleaned up and rested, but I can't say no to you. Take whoever you need.
wish bath rest balms on wounds but cant deny choose best men
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.
Those are the ones I want — those most willing. If there's anyone here who loves the sight of me covered in this blood, if there's anyone who values his reputation over his life, if anyone believes that an honorable death is worth more than a dishonorable life, and that his country means more than himself — let him show this by raising his hand and follow Martius.
I want the volunteers — the ones who want to be here. If you love seeing me like this — all blood and guts — if you care more about your reputation than your safety, if you think it's better to die with honor than live in shame, if your country matters more than you do — raise your hand and come with me.
most willing love blood ill report brave death better country dearer follow martius raise hand
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 smeared; 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 Martius.
Martius waves his sword.
Martius raises his sword.
martius waves sword
March on, my fellows.
Make good this ostentation, and you shall
Divide in all with us.
Forward, soldiers. Live up to this bold display, and you shall all receive equal shares in the spoils and honour of victory.
March on, men. Back up what you just said, and you'll all split the winnings equally.
march on make good the show you all divide all with us
The Reckoning
This is the scene where Shakespeare shows us what Martius is like in victory and in friendship — and both are unexpectedly warm. His greeting to Cominius has the heat of genuine affection. His speech to the volunteers is the closest he gets to democratic rhetoric. The catch is that he's still covered in someone else's blood, he's just taken a city alone, and his request to fight more is clearly insane. The soldiers who lift him up on their shoulders are as entranced as anyone he's ever met.
If this happened today…
The lead surgeon comes out of a twelve-hour emergency operation — still in surgical scrubs, still bloody, visibly exhausted — and immediately starts arguing with the hospital director about getting into the next OR suite before anyone else. The director says: 'You need to rest.' The surgeon says: 'The real case is next door.' The rest of the team starts quietly volunteering to join. That's 1-6.