_Martius Coriolanus goinge aboute to represse the common people of
Rome with dearth of Corne was banished. For reuengement whereof he
perswaded Accius Tullius king of the Volscians, to make warres upon
the Romaynes, and he himselfe in their ayde, came in his owne person.
The Citie brought to greate miserye, the fathers deuised meanes to
deliuer the same, and sent vnto the Volscian campe, the mother, the
wife and children of Coriolanus. Vpon whose complaintes Coriolanus
withdrewe the Volscians, and the citie was reduced to quietnes._
In the yeare that Titus Geganius and Publius Minutius were Consuls, when
all thinges were quiet abrode, and dissention at home appeased, an other
great mischiefe inuaded the citie. First a dearth of victuals, for that
the land was vntilled, by the peoples departure, then a famine, such as
chaunceth to the besieged: which had brought a great destruction of
people, had not the Consuls forseene the same, by prouision in forren
places. They sent purueiors into Scicilia: but the malice of the cities
adioyning, stayed the prouision that was made a farre of. The Corne
prouided at Cumas was stayed for the goodes of Tarquinius by Aristodemus
the tyrant, that was his heire. The next yere followinge, a greate masse
of Corne was transported oute of Scicile, in the time of the Consuls,
M. Minutius and A. Sempronius. Then the Senate consulted, vppon the
distribution of the same vnto the people. Diuers thought that the time
was then come, to bridle and suppresse the people, that thereby they
mighte the rather recouer those priuileges, which were extorted from the
fathers. Amonges whom Martius Coriolanus a yonge gentleman was the
chiefest, who being an enemie to the Tribune authoritie, said these
woords. “If the people will haue victuals and corne at that price,
whereat it was assised and rated in time past, then it is meete and
necessarie, that they render to the fathers, their auncient aucthoritie
and priuilege: for to what purpose be the plebeian Magistrates ordained?
For what consideration shall I suffer my selfe to be subiugate vnder the
authoritie of Sicinius, as though I were conuersaunte amonges theeues?
Shal I abide these iniuries any longer to continue, then is necessarie?
I that could not suffer Tarquinius the king, shal I be pacient with
Sicinius? Let Sicinius depart if he will, let him draw the people after
him: the way yet is open to the sacred hill, and to the other
mountaines. Let them rob vs of our corne which they toke away from our
owne land, as they did three yeares paste, let them enioy the victuals
which in their furie they did gather. I dare be bold to saye thus much,
that being warned and tamed, by this present penurie, they had rather
plow and til the land, then they would suffer the same to be vncultured,
by withdrawing themselues to armure. It is not so easy to be spoken, as
I thincke it may with facilitie be brought to passe, that vpon
conditions the prices of victuals should be abated, the fathers might
remoue the aucthoritie of the Tribunes and disanul all those lawes,
which against their wills were ratefied and confirmed.” This sentence
seemed cruel to the fathers, and almost had set the people together by
the eares, whoe woulde haue torne him in peeces, had not the Tribunes
appointed a day for his appearance. Whervpon their furie for that time
was appeased, Coriolanus seinge the peoples rage to encrease, and
consideringe that they should be his Iudge, when the day of his
apparance was come, he absented himselfe, and therfore was condempned.
Then he fled to the Volscians, of whom he was gently interteigned: and
lodged in the house of Accius Tullius, the chiefe of that citie, and a
deadly enemie to the Romaynes. Vpon daily conference and consultation
had betwene them, they consulted by what sleight or pollicie, they might
comence a quarrell against the Romaines. And because they doubted, that
the Volscians would not easely be perswaded thereunto, beinge so oft
vanquished and ill intreated, they excogitated some other newe occasion.
In the meane time T. Latinius one of the plebeian sorte, perceyuing that
the Romaynes went about to institute great pastimes, conceiued a dreame,
wherein hee sawe Iuppiter to speake vnto him, and said that he liked not
the towardnes of those games, and in case the same were not celebrated,
with great royaltie and magnificens, they would ingender perill to the
citie, which dreame he declared to the Consuls. Then the Senate gaue
order, that the same shoulde be addressed with great pompe and triumphe:
whereunto through th’instigacion of Accius, a greate nomber of the
Volscians resorted. But before the plaies begunne, Tullius according to
the compact agreed vpon, betwene him and Coriolanus, secretely repaired
to the Consuls, and taking them a syde, declared that he had to say vnto
them a matter touching the publique wealth of their citie, in these
words. “I am forced against my will to signifie vnto you a matter, that
toucheth the condition of mine owne subiects and countrie men. I come
not to accuse them, as thoughe they had already admitted any thinge, but
I come to giue you a premonition, lest they should perpetrate some
occasion, contrary to the order of your Citie. The disposition of my
countrie men, is more inconstant then I would wish: which we haue felt,
to our great losse and decaie. The cause of oure security at this
present, is rather suffered by your pacience, then by our desert. Here
be at this instant a great multitude of Volscians: Here be games
prepared, and the citie throughlye bent to behold them. I do remember
what was done vpon like occasion in this citie by the Romain youth: I
tremble to thincke, what may be rashly attempted, wherfore I thought
good both for your owne sakes and for auoyding of mutual displeasure, to
foretel you of these things. And for mine owne part I purpose
immediatlye to returne home, because I wil auoide the daunger and peril,
that maye chaunce by my presence.” When he had spoken those words, he
departed. The Consuls immediatly recompted the request of Accius to the
Senate: who more esteming the personage, from whence the same did
procede, then the matter that was spoken, determined to prouide a
remedie for the same, and immediatlye caused the Volscians to auoide the
citie, sending officers about, to commaund them to depart that night:
vpon which sodain edict, at the first they began to marueile. And
afterwards they conceiued great griefe and offence, for that their
vnneighbourlye entertaignment, and as they were passing out of the citie
in a long traine, Tullius being vpon the top of the hill called
Ferrentine, to waite for the people, as they passed by, called vnto him
the chiefe and principal parsonages, to prouoke them to take that
aduauntage, and then assembled the multitude in the valleie, hard by the
high way, to whom he pronounced these words. “Forgetting all iniuries
and displeasures past, done by the Romaine people against the Volscians,
how can you abide the shame you suffer this daye, wherein to oure great
reproch, they begin to ostentate and shew forth their plaies. Do not you
beleeue, that euen to day, they triumph ouer you? Is not your departure
(thincke ye) ridiculous to all the Romaines, to strangers, and other
cities adioyning? Be not your wiues and children (trow ye) now passing
homewards, laughed to scorne? What thincke ye your selues to be, which
were warned to depart, at the sound of the trumpet? What (suppose ye)
wil all they thinke, which do meete this multitude retiring homewards,
to their great reproch and shame? Truly excepte there be some secrete
occasion, whereby we should be suspected to violate the plaies or commit
some other crime, and so forced to relinquish the company and fellowship
of the honest, I know not what should be the cause of this repulse? Were
we lyuing, when we made such festination to depart? If it may be called
a departure, and not a running away, or shamefull retire. I perceiue ye
did not accompt this to be a citie of our enemies, wher I thinck if ye
had taried but one day longer, ye had all beene slaine. They haue
denounced warres vppon you, which if you be men of courage, shall
redounde to the vtter destruction of them, which first gaue the
defiaunce.” The Volscians perceyuing themselues greatly derided, for
considerations before remembred, determined by common accord, to inferre
warres vppon the Romaines, vnder the conduction of Actius Tullius, and
Coriolanus. After they had recouered diuers of the Romaine cities, they
proceded further, and in sondrie places spoiled and destroyed the same,
encamping themselues fiue miles from Rome, besides the trenches called
Fossas Cluilias. In the meane time contention rose betwene the people
and the fathers, howbeit the feare of forren partes, linked their mindes
together, in the bands of concord. The Consuls and fathers reposed their
whole confidence in battel, which the common people in no wise could
abide. Wherfore they were constrained to assemble the Senate, in which
consult was determined, that Ambassadours should be sent to Coriolanus
to demaund peace: who retourned them againe with a froward answere, to
this effect: that first they should restore to the Volscians their
countrie, which they had conquered, and that done, he willed them to
seke for peace. Yet they sent againe Ambassadours, but in no wise they
were suffered to come into their campe. Then the priestes cladde in
their ornamentes, and other diuine furniture, were sent humblye to make
peticion for peace: And yet they coulde not perswade theim. Then the
Romaine Dames repayred to Veturia the mother of Coriolanus, and to his
wyfe Volumnia. But whether the same was done by common consent, or by
the aduise of the feminine kind, it is vncertaine. It was appointed that
Veturia, being an auncient gentlewoman, and mother of Coriolanus and
Volumnia his wife, with her two yonge children, should repaire to the
campe, to the intent that they by their pitiful lamentacion, might
defende the citie, which otherwise by force, was not able to be kept. At
their arriuall, Veturia was knowen by one of her sonnes familier frends,
standing betwene her doughter in law, and her two neuies, who caried
word immediatlye to Coriolanus, how his mother, his wife and children,
were come into the Campe to speake with him. Coriolanus hearing him say
so, descended from his seate, like one not wel in his wits, and went
forth to embrace his mother. The old gentlewoman from supplications,
fell into a great rage, speakinge these woordes. “Abide a while before I
do receiue thy embracementes, let me knowe whether I am comen to mine
enemie, or to my sonne, or whether I am a prisoner in thy Campe, or thy
mother. Alacke how long haue I prolonged these auncient yeares, and
hoare heares most vnhappie, that nowe first I do behold thee an exile,
and then view thee mine enemie. Canst thou finde in thy harte, to
depopulate and destroy this thy country, wherin thou wast begotten and
brought vp? Could not thy rage and furie be appeased, when thou diddest
first put foote into the limites of this thy country? Did not natural
zeale pearce thy cruel hart, when thou diddest first cast thine eyes
upon this citie? Is not the house of thy mother, and her domesticall
Goddes, conteyned within the walles of yonder Citie? Do not thy
sorrowful mother, thy deare wife and children, inhabite within the
compasse of yonder citie? (O I, cursed creature!) if I had neuer had
childe, Rome had not been now assailed. If I had neuer brought forth a
sonne, I should haue laied mine old bones and ended my life in a free
countrie. But I coulde neuer haue susteined, or suffred more miserie,
then is nowe fallen vnto mee, nor neuer more dishonour, then to beholde
thee in pitifull plight, a traytour to thy natife soile. And as I am the
moste wretched wight of all mothers, so I trust I shal not long continue
in that state. If thou procede in this enterprise, either sodaine death,
or perpetuall shame bee thy rewarde.” When his mother had ended these
woordes, the whole traine of gentlewomen, brake into pitifull teares:
bitterly bewayling the state of their Countrie, whiche at lengthe did
mitigate the stomacke of Coriolanus. And when he had imbraced his wife
and children, hee dismissed them. Then hee withdrewe the Volscian campe
from the citie, and out of the Romaine Prouince. Vpon the displeasure of
whiche facte, he died. It is sayd that when he was an old man, hee vsed
many times to speake and vtter this sentence. “That verie miserable it
is, for an olde man to liue in banishement.” The Romains disdaigned not
to attribute to women, their due prayse: for in memorie of this
deliuerie of their Countrie, they erected a Temple, Fortunæ Muliebri, to
Womens Fortune.