The History of Rome, Books 01 to 08
his country, and even then breathing all the resentment of an enemy. The
Volsci received him kindly on his arrival, and treated him still more
kindly every day in proportion as his resentful feelings towards his
countrymen became more striking, and one time frequent complaints,
another time threats were heard. He lodged with Attius Tullus. He was
then the chief man of the Volscian people, and always a determined
enemy of the Romans. Thus, when old animosity stimulated the one, recent
resentment the other, they concert schemes for (bringing about) a war
with Rome. They did not at once believe that their people could be
persuaded to take up arms, so often unsuccessfully tried. That by the
many frequent wars, and lastly, by the loss of their youth in the
pestilence, their spirits were now broken; that they must have recourse
to art, in a case where animosity had become blunted from length of
time, that their feelings might become exasperated by some fresh cause
of resentment.
[Footnote 90: i. e. the senate found themselves reduced to the necessity
of delivering one up to the vengeance of the people, in order to save
themselves from the further consequences of plebeian rage.]
36. It happened that preparations were being made at Rome for a
repetition of the [91]great games; the cause of repeating them was this:
on the morning of the games, the show not yet being commenced, a master
of a family, after flogging his slave loaded with a neck-yoke, had
driven him through the middle of the circus; after this the games were
commenced, as if that circumstance bore no relation to religion. Not
long after it. Atinius, a plebeian, had a dream. Jupiter seemed to him
to say; "that the person who danced previous to the games had displeased
him; unless these games were renewed on a splendid scale, that the city
would be in danger; that he should go and announce these things to the
consuls." Though his mind was not altogether free from superstitious
feelings, his respectful awe of the dignity of the magistrates overcame
his religious fear, lest he might pass into the mouths of people as a
laughing-stock. This delay cost him dear; for he lost his son within a
few days; and lest the cause of this sudden calamity should be doubtful,
that same phantom, presenting itself to him sorrowful in mind, seemed to
ask him, whether he had received a sufficient requital for his contempt
of the deity; that a still heavier one awaited him, unless he went
immediately and delivered the message to the consuls. The matter was now
still more pressing. Hesitating, however, and delaying he was at length
overtaken by a severe stroke of disease, a sudden paralysis. Then indeed
the anger of the gods aroused him. Wearied out therefore by his past
sufferings and by those threatening him, having convened a meeting of
his friends, after he had detailed to them all he had seen and heard,
and Jupiter's having so often presented himself to him in his sleep,
the threats and anger of heaven realized[92] in his own calamities, by
the unhesitating assent of all who were present he is conveyed in a
litter into the forum to the consuls; from thence being conveyed into
the senate-house, after he had stated those same particulars to the
senators, to the great surprise of all, behold another miracle: he who
had been conveyed into the senate-house deprived of the use of all his
limbs, is recorded to have returned home on his own feet after he
discharged his duty.
[Footnote 91: The same as the Circenses.]
[Footnote 92: _Realized_--_repræsentatas_--quasi præsentes factas,
oculis subjectas--presented as it were to the sight.--_Rasch_.]
37. The senate decreed that the games should be celebrated on as grand a
scale as possible. To these games a great number of Volscians came by
the advice of Attius Tullus. Before the games were commenced, Tullus, as
had been concerted at home with Marcius, comes to the consuls. He tells
them that there were matters on which he wished to treat with them in
private concerning the commonwealth. All witnesses being removed, he
says, "With reluctance I say that of my countrymen which is rather
disparaging.[93] I do not however come to allege against them any thing
as having been committed by them, but to guard against their committing
any thing. The minds of our people are far more fickle than I could
wish. We have felt that by many disasters; seeing that we are still
preserved, not through our own deserts, but through your forbearance.
There is now here a great multitude of Volscians. The games are going
on; the city will be intent on the exhibition. I remember what has been
committed in this city on a similar occasion by the youth of the
Sabines. My mind shudders lest any thing should be committed
inconsiderately and rashly. I considered, that these matters should be
mentioned before-hand to you, consuls. With regard to myself, it is my
determination to depart hence home immediately, lest, if present, I may
be affected by the contagion of any word or deed." Having said this, he
departed. When the consuls laid before the senate the matter, doubtful
with respect to proof, though from credible authority, the authority
more than the thing itself, as usually happens, urged them to adopt even
needless precautions; and a decree of the senate being passed, that the
Volscians should quit the city, criers are sent in different directions
to order them all to depart before night. A great panic struck them at
first as they ran about to their lodgings to carry away their effects.
Afterwards, when setting out, indignation arose in their breasts: "that
they, as if polluted with crime and contaminated, were driven away from
the games, on festival days, from the converse in a manner of men and
gods."
[Footnote 93: _Sequius sit_--otherwise than as it should be.]
38. As they went along in an almost continuous body, Tullus having
preceded them to the fountain of Ferentina, accosting the chiefs among
them according as each arrived, by asking questions and expressing
indignation, he led both themselves, who greedily listened to language
congenial[94] to their angry feelings, and through them the rest of the
multitude, into a plain adjoining to the road. There having commenced an
address after the manner of a public harangue, he says, "Though you were
to forget the former ill treatment of the Roman people and the
calamities of the nation of the Volsci, and all other such matters, with
what feelings do you bear this outrage offered you to-day, whereon they
have commenced their games by insulting us? Have you not felt that a
triumph has been had over you this day? that you, when departing, were a
spectacle to all, citizens, foreigners, so many neighbouring states?
that your wives, your children were exhibited before the eyes of men?
What do you suppose to have been the sentiments of those who heard the
voice of the crier? what of those who saw you departing? what of those
who met this ignominious cavalcade? what, except that we are identified
with some enormous guilt by which we should profane the games, and
render an expiation necessary; that for this reason we are driven away
from the residences of these pious people, from their converse and
meeting? what, does it not strike you that we still live because we
hastened our departure? if this is a departure and not a flight. And do
you not consider this to be the city of enemies, where if you had
delayed a single day, you must have all died? War has been declared
against you; to the heavy injury of those who declared it, if you are
men." Thus, being both already charged with resentment, and incited (by
this harangue) they went severally to their homes, and by instigating
each his own state, they succeeded in making the entire Volscian nation
revolt.
[Footnote 94: _Audientes secunda iræ verba_--attentively listening to
words which fanned (or chimed in with) their anger.--_St_.]
39. The generals selected for that war by the unanimous choice of all
the states were Attius Tullus and Caius Marcius; in the latter of whom
their chief hope was reposed. And this hope he by no means disappointed:
so that it clearly appeared that the Roman commonwealth was more
powerful by reason of its generals than its army. Having marched to
Circeii, he expelled from thence the Roman colonists, and delivered that
city in a state of freedom to the Volscians. From thence passing across
the country through by-roads into the Latin way, he deprived the Romans
of their recently acquired towns, Satricum, Longula, Polusca, Corioli.
He next retook Lavinium: he then took in succession Corbio, Vitellia,
Trebia, Lavici, and Pedum: Lastly he marches from Pedum to the city,[95]
and having pitched his camp at the Cluilian trenches five miles from the
city, he from thence ravages the Roman territory, guards being sent
among the devastators to preserve the lands of the patricians intact;
whether as being incensed chiefly against the plebeians, or in order
that dissension might arise between the senators and the people. And
this certainly would have arisen, so powerfully did the tribunes, by
inveighing against the leading men of the state, incite the plebeians,
already sufficiently violent of themselves; but their apprehensions of
the foe, the strongest bond of concord, united their minds, distrustful
and rancorous though they were. The only matter not agreed on was this,
that the senate and consuls rested their hopes on nothing else than on
arms; the plebeians preferred any thing to war. Sp. Nautius and Sex.
Furius were now consuls. Whilst they were reviewing the legions, posting
guards along the walls and other places where they had determined that
there should be posts and watches, a vast multitude of persons
demanding peace terrified them first by their seditious clamour; then
compelled them to convene the senate, to consider the question of
sending ambassadors to C. Marcius. The senate entertained the question,
when it became evident that the spirits of the plebeians were giving
way, and ambassadors being sent to Marcius concerning peace, brought
back a harsh answer: "If their lands were restored to the Volscians,
that they might then consider the question of peace; if they were
disposed to enjoy the plunder of war at their ease, that he, mindful
both of the injurious treatment of his countrymen, as well as of the
kindness of strangers, would do his utmost to make it appear that his
spirit was irritated by exile, not crushed." When the same persons are
sent back a second time, they are not admitted into the camp. It is
recorded that the priests also, arrayed in their insignia, went as
suppliants to the enemy's camp; and that they did not influence his mind
more than the ambassadors.
[Footnote 95: Scil. Rome. Dionysius narrates the expedition of
Coriolanus in a different order from that given by Livy, and says that
he approached the city twice. Niebuhr, ii. p. 94, n. 535, thinks that
the words "passing across the country into the Latin way" (in Latinam
viam transversis itineribus transgressus) have been transposed from
their proper place, and that they should come in after "he then took,"
&c. (tunc deinceps).]
40. Then the matrons assemble in a body around Veturia, the mother of
Coriolanus, and his wife, Volumnia: whether that was the result of
public counsel, or of the women's fear, I cannot ascertain. They
certainly carried their point that Veturia, a lady advanced in years,
and Volumnia, leading her two sons by Marcius, should go into the camp
of the enemy, and that women should defend by entreaties and tears a
city which men were unable to defend by arms. When they reached the
camp, and it was announced to Coriolanus, that a great body of women
were approaching, he, who had been moved neither by the majesty of the