Act I. Scene
VIII.
Scene VIII.—A Field of Battle between the
Roman and the Volscian Camps.
Alarum. Enter from opposite sides MARCIUS
and AUFIDIUS.
Mar. I'll fight with none but thee; for I do
hate thee
Worse than a promise-breaker.
Auf. We hate alike:
Not Afric owns a serpent I abhor
More than thy fame and envy. Fix thy foot
Mar. Let the first budger die the other's
slave,
And the gods doom him after!
Auf. If I fly, Marcius,
Halloo me like a hare.
Mar. Within these three hours, Tullus,
Alone I fought in your Corioli walls,
And made what work I pleas'd; 'tis not my
blood
Wherein thou seest me mask'd; for thy revenge
Wrench up thy power to the highest.
Auf. Wert thou the Hector
That was the whip of your bragg'd progeny,
Thou shouldst not 'scape me here.—
[They fight, and certain Volsces come to the
aid of AUFIDIUS.
Officious, and not valiant, you have sham'd me
In your condemned seconds.
[Exeunt fighting, all driven in by MARCIUS.
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