There was a great famine in Rome. The summer had been very dry and the
corn crop had failed. There was no bread in the city. The people were
starving.
One day, to the great joy of all, some ships arrived from another
country. These ships were loaded with corn. Here was food enough for
all.
The rulers of the city met to decide what should be done with the corn.
"Divide it among the poor people who need it so badly," said some.
"Let it be a free gift to them from the city."
But one of the rulers was not willing to do this. His name was
Coriolanus, [Footnote: Co ri o la'nus.] and he was very rich.
"These people are poor because they have been too lazy to work," he
said. "They do not deserve any gifts from the city. Let those who wish
any corn bring money and buy it."
When the people heard about this speech of the rich man, Coriolanus,
they were very angry.
"He is no true Roman," said some.
"He is selfish and unjust," said others.
"He is an enemy to the poor. Kill him! kill him!" cried the mob. They
did not kill him, but they drove him out of the city and bade him never
return.
Coriolanus made his way to the city of Antium, [Footnote: Antium
(_pro._ an'shi um).] which was not far from Rome. The people of Antium
were enemies of the Romans and had often been at war with them. So they
welcomed Coriolanus very kindly and made him the general of their army.
Coriolanus began at once to make ready for war against Rome. He
persuaded other towns near Antium to send their soldiers to help him.
Soon, at the head of a very great army, he marched toward the city
which had once been his home. The rude soldiers of Antium overran all
the country around Rome. They burned the villages and farmhouses. They
filled the land with terror.
Coriolanus pitched his camp quite near to the city. His army was the
greatest that the Romans had ever seen. They knew that they were
helpless before so strong an enemy.
"Surrender your city to me," said Coriolanus. "Agree to obey the laws
that I shall make for you. Do this, or I will burn Rome and destroy
all its people."
The Romans answered, "We must have time to think of this matter. Give
us a few days to learn what sort of laws you will make for us, and
then we will say whether we can submit to them or not."
"I will give you thirty days to consider the matter," said Coriolanus.
Then he told them what laws he would require them to obey. These laws
were so severe that all said, "It will be better to die at once."
At the end of the thirty days, four of the city's rulers went out to
beg him to show mercy to the people of Rome. These rulers were old
men, with wise faces and long white beards. They went out bareheaded
and very humble.
Coriolanus would not listen to them. He drove them back with threats,
and told them that they should expect no mercy from him; but he agreed
to give them three more days to consider the matter.
The next day, all the priests and learned men went out to beg for
mercy. These were dressed in their long flowing robes, and all knelt
humbly before him. But he drove them back with scornful words.
On the last day, the great army which Coriolanus had led from Antium
was drawn up in battle array. It was ready to march upon the city and
destroy it.
All Rome was in terror. There seemed to be no way to escape the anger
of this furious man.
Then the rulers, in their despair, said, "Let us go up to the house
where Coriolanus used to live when he was one of us. His mother and
his wife are still there. They are noble women, and they love Rome.
Let us ask them to go out and beg our enemy to have mercy upon us. His
heart will be hard indeed if he can refuse his mother and his wife."
The two noble women were willing to do all that they could to save
their city. So, leading his little children by the hand, they went out
to meet Coriolanus. Behind them followed a long procession of the
women of Rome. Coriolanus was in his tent. When he saw his mother and
his wife and his children, he was filled with joy. But when they made
known their errand, his face darkened, and he shook his head.
For a long time his mother pleaded with him. For a long time his wife
begged him to be merciful. His little children clung to his knees and
spoke loving words to him.
At last, he could hold out no longer. "O mother," he said, "you have
saved your country, but have lost your son!" Then he commanded his
army to march back to the city of Antium.
[Illustration]
Rome was saved; but Coriolanus could never return to his home, his
mother, his wife and children. He was lost to them.