Coriolanus by William Shakespeare

Act 1 - Scene 8

A field of battle.

Coriolanus : I'll fight with none but thee; for I do hate thee [p]Worse than a
promise-breaker.

Tullus Aufidius : We hate alike: [p]Not Afric owns a serpent I abhor [p]More than thy
fame and envy. Fix thy foot.

Coriolanus : Let the first budger die the other's slave, [p]And the gods doom him
after!

Tullus Aufidius : If I fly, CORIOLANUS, [p]Holloa me like a hare.

Coriolanus : Within these three hours, Tullus, [p]Alone I fought in your Corioli
walls, [p]And made what work I pleased: 'tis not my blood [p]Wherein
thou seest me mask'd; for thy revenge [p]Wrench up thy power to the
highest.

Tullus Aufidius : Wert thou the Hector [p]That was the whip of your bragg'd
progeny, [p]Thou shouldst not scape me here. [p][They fight, and
certain Volsces come to the aid of] [p]AUFIDIUS. CORIOLANUS fights
till they be driven in [p]breathless] [p]Officious, and not valiant,
you have shamed me [p]In your condemned seconds.

Previous: Act 1 - Scene 7

Next: Act 1 - Scene 9

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