Amid the battle between Rome and the Volscians, Coriolanus fights with great skill and bravery, defeating many Volscian soldiers. As the Romans mount their final attack against the Volscians, hoping to confront the Volscian leader Aufidius, Coriolanus begs Cominius, council-in-chief of the army, to allow him to participate in the attack despite his injuries. He employs pathos and ethos in his argument, emphasizing his own extensive experience in combat and highlighting his own authority in battle:
MARTIUS
I do beseech you,
By all the battles wherein we have fought,
By th’b lood 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 do not delay the present, but,
Filling the air with swords advanced and darts,
We prove this very hour.
COMINIUS
Though I could wish
You were conducted to a gentle bath
And balms applied to you, yet dare I never
Deny your asking.
Seeing that Coriolanus is deeply injured and covered in blood, Cominius urges him to abstain from the rest of the battle and to treat his injuries. Coriolanus, however, is eager to participate in the rest of the battle, hoping to finally defeat Aufidius, his rival and foe. Coriolanus employs pathos in his argument, reminding Cominius of “all the battles” they have fought together and the “vows” that they have made in the past, highlighting their close relationship and many years of teamwork. Further, he employs ethos, highlighting his extensive experience in war against the Volscians in order to strengthen his argument for his participation in the battle. Ultimately, though Cominius suggests that he wants Coriolanus to seek medical attention, he accepts the soldier’s request.
