Act I, Scene 5

Summary

This scene opens with the noise of a distant battle in the background, probably between Aufidius and Cominius, while the Roman soldiers in Corioli carry away the spoils of victory. Marcius enters with Lartius and scorns the soldiers for ransacking the town, especially since there is still fighting to be done. He directs Titus Lartius to keep part of the army to maintain control over Corioli, while he leads the others away to support Cominius. Titus Lartius counsels him to refrain from fighting another round of battle, for his wounds are still bleeding; Marcius will not think of staying back, for he is determined to fight Aufidius. Lartius praises his valor and wishes him luck.

This scene is marked by MarciusÂ’ unwillingness to reap any material gain from war. He wants nothing more from victory than to be what he is: a warrior. As a result, he is contemptuous of the greed of the soldiers who eagerly gather the spoils of Corioli. He is also shocked that they think more on ransacking a city than fighting a war. Because of the noise in the background, it is obvious that a battle rages on. Gathering the soldiers, Marcius hastens to the aid of Cominius, heedless of his injuries and determined to fight Aufidius. It is obvious that Marcius is a not just a dedicated soldier, but an obsessive one.

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