Gnaeus Marcius Coriolanus

It is related that the priests afterwards in their sacred vestments went as suppliants to the camp of the enemy, but had no more influence on him than the ambassadors.

The matrons then assembled in a body about Veturia, the mother of Coriolanus, and Volumnia his wife.

Whether this was a scheme of government or the result of the women's own fears, I cannot discover.

It is certain that they carried their point, and Veturia, who was far advanced in years, and Volumnia, leading two little sons whom she had by Marcius, went to the camp of the enemy, so that women, by tears and prayers, preserved the city which the men were not able to preserve by arms.

When they arrived at the camp and Coriolanus was informed that a great procession of women was approaching, he, who had not been moved either by the majesty of the state represented in its ambassadors, or by the awful address made by the ministers of religion both to his sight and his understanding, at first resolved to show himself still more inflexible against female tears.

But soon after, one of his acquaintance, knowing Veturia, who was distinguished above the rest by an extraordinary degree of sadness, as she stood between her daughter-in-law and grandchildren, said to him, Unless my eyes deceive me, your mother with your wife and children are coming.

Coriolanus, in a transport of amazement and almost distracted, sprang from his seat to embrace his mother as she advanced, who instead of entreaties addressed him with angry reproofs.

Let me know, said she, before I receive your embrace, whether I am come to an enemy or to a son, whether I am in your camp a prisoner or a mother.

Whereas at Athens, Anytus the son of Anthimion is said to have been the first man to give money to jurors, when he was on trial for the treacherous failure to relieve Pylos during the close of the Peloponnesian War, a time when the pure race of the golden age still possessed the Roman Forum.

End of Caius Marcius Coriolanus, Part 1 Part 6 of Volume 4 of Plutarch's Parallel Lives This is a LibriVox recording.

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For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Recording by John Burlinson Volume 4 of Plutarch's Parallel Lives of the Noble Greeks and Romans Translated by Bernadotte Perrin Caius Marcius Coriolanus, Part 2 So when Marcius disclosed his many scars from many contests, wherein he had been a foremost soldier for seventeen years together, the people were put out of countenance by his valor, and agreed with one another to elect him.

But when the day for casting their votes came, and Marcius made a pompous entry into the forum, escorted by the Senate, and all the patricians about him were clearly more bent on success than ever before, the multitude fell away again from their goodwill towards him, and drifted into feelings of resentment and envy.

These feelings were reinforced by their fear that if an aristocrat, who had such weight with the patricians, should become supreme in the government, he might altogether deprive the people of their liberties.

For, in the first place, they quarreled with the Aequians, who were their allies and friends, over the supreme command, and carried their quarrel to the length of bloodshed and slaughter.

In the second place, they were defeated in battle by the Romans, wherein Tullus was slain, and the very flower of their forces was cut to pieces, so that they were glad to accept most disgraceful terms, becoming subjects of Rome, and pledging themselves to obey her commands.

Many were of opinion that now was the time to humble the commons, and to recover those rights which, by the secession and violence had been extorted from the patricians.

Marcius Coriolanus particularly, an avowed enemy of the power of the tribunes, said, If they wish to have provisions at the usual price, let them restore to the patricians their former rights.

Why am I obliged, after being sent under the yoke, after being ransomed, as it were, from robbers, to behold plebeian magistrates, to behold Sicinius invested with power and authority? Shall I submit to such indignities longer than necessity compels me? Shall I, who could not endure Tarquinius on the throne, endure Sicinius? Let him now succeed.

Let him call away the commons.

The same persons being sent a second time were refused admittance into the camp.

It is related that the priests afterwards, in their sacred vestments, went as suppliants to the camp of the enemy, but had no more influence on him than the ambassadors.

The matrons then assembled in a body about Veturia, the mother of Coriolanus, and Volumnia, his wife.

Whether this was a scheme of government or the result of the women's own fears, I cannot discover.

He afterwards took Pelusca, another town belonging to the same people, then with all his force attacked Corioli.

There was in the camp, among others of the young nobility, Caius Marcius, a youth of quick judgment and lively courage, who was afterwards surnamed Coriolanus.

The Roman army, while engaged in the siege of Corioli, applying their whole attention to the garrison, which they kept shut up in the town, without any fear of an attack from without, were assaulted on a sudden by the Volscian legions, who had marched thither from Antium, and at the same time the enemy sallied out from the town.

Marcius happened to be then on guard, and being supported by a chosen body of men, he not only repelled the attack of the sallying party, but rushed furiously in at the open gate, and putting all to the sword in that part of the city, laid hold of the first fire which he found, and threw it on the houses adjoining the wall.

In the succeeding consulate of Marcus Minucius and Aulus Sempronius, a great quantity of corn was brought from Sicily, and it was debated in the senate at what price it should be given to the commons.

Many were of opinion that now was the time to humble the commons, and to recover those rights which, by the secession and violence had been extorted from the patricians.

Marcius Coriolanus particularly, an avowed enemy of the power of the tribunes, said, If they wish to have provisions at the usual price, let them restore to the patricians their former rights.

Why am I obliged, after being sent under the yoke, after being ransomed as it were from robbers, to behold plebeian magistrates, to behold Sicinius invested with power and authority? Shall I submit to such indignities longer than necessity compels me? Shall I, who could not endure Tarquinius on the throne, endure Sicinius? Let him now succeed.

Many were of opinion that now was the time to humble the commons, and to recover those rights which, by the secession and violence had been extorted from the patricians.

Marcius Coriolanus particularly, an avowed enemy of the power of the tribunes, said, If they wish to have provisions at the usual price, let them restore to the patricians their former rights.

Why am I obliged, after being sent under the yoke, after being ransomed, as it were, from robbers, to behold plebeian magistrates, to behold Sicinius invested with power and authority? Shall I submit to such indignities longer than necessity compels me? Shall I, who could not endure Tarquinius on the throne, endure Sicinius? Let him now succeed.

Let him call away the commons.

The same persons, being sent a second time, were refused admittance into the camp.

It is related, that the priests, afterwards, in their sacred vestments, went as suppliants to the camp of the enemy, but had no more influence on him than the ambassadors.

The matrons then assembled in a body about Veturia, the mother of Coriolanus, and Volumnia his wife.

Whether this was a scheme of government, or the result of the women's own fears, I cannot discover.

Many were of opinion that now was the time to humble the commons, and to recover those rights which, by the secession and violence had been extorted from the patricians.

Marcius Coriolanus particularly, an avowed enemy of the power of the tribunes, said, If they wish to have provisions at the usual price, let them restore to the patricians their former rights.

Why am I obliged, after being sent under the yoke, after being ransomed as it were from robbers, to behold plebeian magistrates, to behold Sicinius invested with power and authority? Shall I submit to such indignities longer than necessity compels me? Shall I, who could not endure Tarquinius on the throne, endure Sicinius? Let him now succeed.

Let him call away the commons.

The same persons, being sent a second time, were refused admittance into the camp.

It is related, that the priests, afterwards, in their sacred vestments, went as suppliants to the camp of the enemy, but had no more influence on him than the ambassadors.

The matrons then assembled in a body about Veturia, the mother of Coriolanus, and Volumnia his wife.

Whether this was a scheme of government, or the result of the women's own fears, I cannot discover.