coriolanus-第12章

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judged　it　prudent　not　to　make　any　further　delays；　nor　to　test　the
general　feeling；　but　the　boldest　of　their　faction；　crying　out　that
they　ought　not　to　listen　to　a　traitor；　nor　allow　him　still　to　retain
office　and　play　the　tyrant　among　them；　fell　upon　Marcius　in　a　body；
and　slew　him　there；　none　of　those　that　were　present　offering　to　defend
him。　But　it　quickly　appeared　that　the　action　was　in　nowise　approved　by
the　majority　of　the　Volscians；　who　hurried　out　of　their　several　cities
to　show　respect　to　his　corpse；　to　which　they　gave　honourable
interment；　adorning　his　sepulchre　with　arms　and　trophies；　as　the
monument　of　a　noble　hero　and　a　famous　general。　When　the　Romans　heard
tidings　of　his　death；　they　gave　no　other　signification　either　of
honour　or　of　anger　towards　him；　but　simply　granted　the　request　of
the　women；　that　they　might　put　themselves　into　mourning　and　bewail　him
for　ten　months；　as　the　usage　was　upon　the　loss　of　a　father　or　a　son　or
a　brother；　that　being　the　period　fixed　for　the　longest　lamentation
by　the　laws　of　Numa　Pompilius；　as　is　more　amply　told　in　the　account　of
him。
　　Marcius　was　no　sooner　deceased；　but　the　Volscians　felt　the　need　of
his　assistance。　They　quarrelled　first　with　the　Aequians；　their
confederates　and　their　friends；　about　the　appointment　of　the　general
of　their　joint　forces；　and　carried　their　dispute　to　the　length　of
bloodshed　and　slaughter；　and　were　then　defeated　by　the　Romans　in　a
pitched　battle；　where　not　only　Tullus　lost　his　life；　but　the　principal
flower　of　their　whole　army　was　cut　in　pieces；　so　that　they　were　forced
to　submit　and　accept　of　peace　upon　very　dishonourable　terms；
becoming　subjects　of　Rome；　and　pledging　themselves　to　submission。




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