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
Thy news?
What's your news?
What's the news?
what's up?
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?
Have I arrived too late?
Am I late?
did i miss it
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!
Oh, let me embrace you with as firm an embrace as when I courted you, with a heart as happy as on our wedding day when the candles burned to light us to bed!
Oh, let me hold you with the same strength I had when I was courting you, as happily as I felt on our wedding night when the candles were lit!
let me hug u like i did when we got married
Flower of warriors, how is’t with Titus Lartius?
Greatest of warriors, how is Titus Lartius?
Greatest warrior here—how's Titus Lartius doing?
best warrior. how's lartius?
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.
Like a man busy making decrees, condemning some to death and some to exile, paying ransoms for one or showing mercy, threatening another, holding Corioles in Rome's name like a fawning greyhound on a leash that he can release at will.
Like a man busy making decisions, condemning some to death and some to exile, paying to ransom some or showing mercy, threatening others, holding Corioles in Rome's name like a loyal dog on a leash that can be let loose whenever he wants.
lartius is like a judge. holding corioles like its his toy
Where is that slave
Which told me they had beat you to your trenches?
Where’s he? Call him hither.
Where is that man who told me they forced you back to your trenches? Where is he? Call him here.
Who's the guy who told me they pushed you back to your trenches? Where is he? Get him over here.
find the guy who said u retreated
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.
Leave him alone. He told the truth. But as for our soldiers, the common soldiers—curse them! Tribunes for them! The mouse never fled the cat as quickly as they retreated from enemies even worse than themselves.
Leave him alone. He was telling the truth. But our regular soldiers? Damn them! Tribunes for them! They ran from the enemy even faster than a mouse runs from a cat.
he's right. but the soldiers ran away so fast
But how prevailed you?
How did you manage to succeed?
But how'd you pull it off?
how'd you win?
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?
Do we have time to tell stories? I don't think so. Where is the enemy? Are you in control of the battlefield? If not, why have you stopped fighting until you are?
Do we have time to chat? No. Where's the enemy? Are you controlling the field? If not, why did you stop fighting?
no time 2 talk. where's the enemy?
Martius, we have at disadvantage fought,
And did retire to win our purpose.
Martius, we fought at a disadvantage and retreated to achieve our goal.
Martius, we fought against the odds and pulled back to secure our position.
we fought at disadvantage. we pulled back
How lies their battle? Know you on which side
They have placed their men of trust?
How is their army positioned? Do you know which side they've placed their best soldiers on?
How are their forces arranged? Do you know which flank they've put their best troops on?
how r they set up? which side got their best?
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.
As I understand it, their front forces are the Antiates, their most trusted soldiers. Aufidius commands them—he is their greatest hope.
From what I can see, their front lines are made up of the Antiates—their best troops. Aufidius is leading them, and he's basically their whole army.
their front is antiates best troops. aufidius leads. he's their hope
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.
I beg you, by all the battles we've fought, by the blood we've shed together, by the vows we've made to remain friends, please set me directly against Aufidius and his Antiates, and don't delay now, but fill the air with raised swords and darts, and let us prove ourselves this very hour.
I'm begging you, by all the battles we've fought together, by the blood we've spilled, by the promises we made to be loyal friends—please put me face-to-face with Aufidius and his troops, and don't wait. Let's attack now with everything we've got and settle this right now.
plz. by all we've fought 4. put me vs aufidius. now. today
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.
Even though I wish I could send you to rest with medicine and healing oils, I wouldn't dare refuse what you're asking for. Choose whoever you want from those best suited to help you fight.
I really wish I could send you home to relax with medicine and healing oils, but I'd never refuse you. Go ahead and pick whoever you want from the best soldiers.
i wish u could rest but no pick whoever u want
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.
These are the people who most want to fight. If any such soldiers are here— and it would be wrong to doubt it—who love this sight of me covered in blood; if anyone fears Losing his own honor less than having a bad reputation; If anyone believes glorious death beats a shameful life, And that his country means more to him than himself; Let him stay silent or raise his hand to show what he believes and follow me.
These are the guys who are most willing. If anyone here— and I trust you all—loves seeing me like this, covered in battle; if anyone would rather die than live with shame; if anyone thinks his country is more important than his own life; let him show it and come with me.
these r the ones who wanna fight if u love ur country more than urself follow me
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 obeyed. Please you to march,
And I shall quickly draw out my command,
Which men are best inclined.
What, just me alone? Are you using me as your whole fighting force? If this is real and not just talk, which of you isn't worth four Volscians? All of you can stand face-to-face with the great Aufidius, with shields as strong as his. I must pick a certain number from all of you—I'm grateful to everyone, but I can only choose some. The rest will get their turn fighting in other battles when needed. If you'll march forward, I'll quickly gather my men: the ones who show the strongest willingness.
Me? Alone? You're making me into your whole army? Seriously, if this is real—if you're not just talking—which of you isn't worth four Volscians? Every one of you could go head-to-head with Aufidius and hold your ground. But I need to pick just some of you—thanks to all of you, though I can only take so many. Everyone else will get their chance to fight in other battles. So march with me, and I'll quickly pick the guys who want to come most: the ones who are really ready for this.
just me? making me into a weapon? all of u could fight aufidius but i can only pick some rest get their turn later march w/ me & i'll grab the eager ones
March on, my fellows.
Make good this ostentation, and you shall
Divide in all with us.
March on, my comrades. Live up to this show of strength, and you will share in all rewards with us.
Come on, let's move. Match this show of courage, and you'll get an equal share of everything with us.
lets go. prove ur brave. share the victory w 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.