coriolanus-第2章

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fortune。　But　Marcius；　believing　himself　bound　to　pay　his　mother
Volumnia　all　that　gratitude　and　duty　which　would　have　belonged　to
his　father；　had　he　also　been　alive；　could　never　satiate　himself　in　his
tenderness　and　respect　to　her。　He　took　a　wife；　also；　at　her　request
and　wish；　and　continued；　even　after　he　had　children；　to　live　still
with　his　mother；　without　parting　families。
　　The　repute　of　his　integrity　and　courage　had；　by　this　time；　gained
him　a　considerable　influence　and　authority　in　Rome；　when　the　senate；
favouring　the　wealthier　citizens；　began　to　be　at　variance　with　the
common　people；　who　made　sad　complaints　of　the　rigorous　and　inhuman
usage　they　received　from　the　money…lenders。　For　as　many　as　were　behind
with　them；　and　had　any　sort　of　property；　they　stripped　of　all　they
had；　by　the　way　of　pledges　and　sales；　and　such　as　through　former
exactions　were　reduced　already　to　extreme　indigence；　and　had　nothing
more　to　be　deprived　of；　these　they　led　away　in　person　and　put　their
bodies　under　constraint；　notwithstanding　the　scars　and　wounds　that
they　could　show　in　attestation　of　their　public　services　in　numerous
campaigns；　the　last　of　which　had　been　against　the　Sabines；　which
they　undertook　upon　a　promise　made　by　their　rich　creditors　that　they
would　treat　them　with　more　gentleness　for　the　future；　Marcus　Valerius；
the　consul；　having；　by　order　from　the　senate；　engaged　also　for　the
performance　of　it。　But　when；　after　they　had　fought　courageously　and
beaten　the　enemy；　there　was；　nevertheless；　no　moderation　or
forbearance　used；　and　the　senate　also　professed　to　remember　nothing　of
that　agreement；　and　sat　without　testifying　the　least　concern　to　see
them　dragged　away　like　slaves　and　their　goods　seized　upon　as　formerly；
there　began　now　to　be　open　disorders　and　dangerous　meetings　in　the
city；　and　the　enemy；　also；　aware　of　the　popular　confusion；　invaded　and
laid　waste　the　country。　And　when　the　consuls　now　gave　notice；　that　all
who　were　of　an　age　to　bear　arms　should　make　their　personal　appearance；
but　found　no　one　regard　the　summons；　the　members　of　the　government；
then　coming　to　consult　what　course　should　be　taken；　were　themselves
again　divided　in　opinion；　some　thought　it　most　advisable　to　comply　a
little　in　favour　of　the　poor；　by　relaxing　their　overstrained　rights；
and　mitigating　the　extreme　rigour　of　the　law；　while　others　withstood
this　proposal；　Marcius　in　particular；　with　more　vehemence　than　the
rest；　alleging　that　the　business　of　money　on　either　side　was　not　the
main　thing　in　question；　urged　that　this　disorderly　proceeding　was
but　the　first　insolent　step　towards　open　revolt　against　the　laws；
which　it　would　become　the　wisdom　of　the　government　to　check　at　the
earliest　moment。
　　There　had　been　frequent　assemblies　of　the　whole　senate；　within　a
small　compass　of　time；　about　this　difficulty；　but　without　any
certain　issue；　the　poor　commonalty；　therefore；　perceiving　there　was
likely　to　be　no　redress　of　their　grievances；　on　a　sudden　collected
in　a　body；　and；　encouraging　each　other　in　their　resolution；　forsook
the　city；　with　one　accord；　and　seizing　the　hill　which　is　now　called
the　Holy　Mount；　sat　down　by　the　river　Anio；　without　committing　any
sort　of　violence　or　seditious　outrage；　but　merely　exclaiming；　as
they　went　along；　that　they　had　this　long　time　past　been；　in　fact；
expelled　and　excluded　from　the　city　by　the　cruelty　of　the　rich；　that
Italy　would　everywhere　afford　them　the　benefit　of　air　and　water　and
a　place　of　burial；　which　was　all　they　could　expect　in　the　city；　unless
it　were；　perhaps；　the　privilege　of　being　wounded　and　killed　in　time　of
war　for　the　defence　of　their　creditors。　The　senate；　apprehending　the
consequences；　sent　the　most　moderate　and　popular　men　of　their　own
order　to　treat　with　them。
　　Menenius　Agrippa；　their　chief　spokesman；　after　much　entreaty　to
the　people；　and　much　plain…speaking　on　behalf　of　the　senate；
concluded；　at　length；　with　the　celebrated　fable。　〃It　once　happened；〃
he　said；　〃that　all　the　other　members　of　a　man　mutinied　against　the
stomach；　which　they　accused　as　the　only　idle；　uncontributing　part
the　whole　body；　while　the　rest　were　put　to　hardships　and　the　expense
of　much　labour　to　supply　and　minister　to　its　appetites。　The　stomach；
however；　merely　ridiculed　the　silliness　of　the　members；　who　appeared
not　to　be　aware　that　the　stomach　certainly　does　receive　the　general
nourishment；　but　only　to　return　it　again；　and　redistribute　it
amongst　the　rest。　Such　is　the　case；〃　he　said；　〃ye　citizens；　between
you　and　the　senate。　The　counsels　and　plans　that　are　there　duly
digested；　convey　and　secure　to　all　of　you　your　proper　benefit　and
support。〃
　　A　reconciliation　ensued；　the　senate　acceding　to　the　request　of　the
people　for　the　annual　election　of　five　protectors　for　those　in　need　of
succour；　the　same　that　are　now　called　the　tribunes　of　the　people；
and　the　first　two　they　pitched　upon　were　Junius　Brutus　and　Sicinnius
Vellutus；　their　leaders　in　the　secession。
　　The　city　being　thus　united；　the　commons　stood　presently　to　their
arms；　and　followed　their　commanders　to　the　war　with　great　alacrity。　As
for　Marcius；　though　he　was　not　a　little　vexed　himself　to　see　the
populace　prevail　so　far；　and　gain　ground　of　the　senators；　and　might
observe　many　other　patricians　have　the　same　dislike　of　the　late
concessions；　he　yet　besought　them　not　to　yield　at　least　to　the
common　people　in　the　zeal　and　forwardness　they　now　showed　for　their
country's　service；　but　to　prove　that　they　were　superior　to　them；　not
so　much　in　power　and　riches；　as　in　merit　and　worth。
　　The　Romans　were　now　at　war　with　the　Volscian　nation；　whose　principal
city　was　Corioli；　when；　therefore；　Cominius　the　consul　had　invested
this　important　place；　the　rest　of　the　Volscians；　fearing　it　would　be
taken；　mustered　up　whatever　force　they　could　from　all　parts；　to
relieve　it；　designing　to　give　the　Romans　battle　before　the　city；　and
so　attack　them　on　both　sides。　Cominius；　to　avoid　this　inconvenience；
divided　his　army；　marching　himself　with　one　body　to　encounter　the
Volscians　on　their　approach　from　without　and　leaving　Titus　Lartius；
one　of　the　bravest　Romans　of　his　time；　to　command　the　other　and
continue　the　siege。　Those　within　Corioli；　despising　now　the
smallness　of　their　number；　made　a　sally　upon　them；　and　prevailed　at
first；　and　pursued　the　Romans　into　their　trenches。　Here　it　was　that
Marcius；　flying　out　with　a　slender　company；　and　cutting　those　in
pieces　that　first　engaged　him；　obliged　the　other　assailants　to　slacken
their　speed；　and　then；　with　loud　cries；　called　upon　the　Romans　to
renew　the　battle。　For　he　had；　what　Cato　thought　a　great　point　in　a
soldier；　not　only　strength　of　hand　and　stroke；　but　also　a　voice　and
look　that　of　themselves　were　a　terror　to　an　enemy。　Divers　of　his　own
party　now　rallying　and　making　up　to　him；　the　enemies　soon　retreated；
but　Marcius；　not　content　to　see　them　draw　off　and　retire；　pressed　hard
upon　the　rear；　and　drove　them；　as　they　fled　away　in　haste；　to　the　very
gates　of　their　city；　where；　perceiving　the　Romans　to　fall　back　from
their　pursuit；　beaten　off　by　the　multitude　of　darts　poured　in　upon
them　from　the　walls；　and　that　none　of　his　followers　had　the
hardiness　to　think　of　falling　in　pell…mell　among　the　fugitives　and
so　entering　a　city　full　of　enemies　in　arms；　he；　nevertheless；　stood
and　urged　them　to　the　attempt；　crying　out；　that　fortune　had　now　set
open　Corioli；　not　so　much　to　shelter　the　vanquished；　as　to　receive　the
conquerors。　Seconded　by　a　few　that　were　willing　to　venture　with　him；
he　bore　along　through　the　crowd；　made　good　his　passage；　and　thrust
himself　into　the　gate　through　the　midst　of　them；　nobody　at　first
daring　to　resist　him。　But　when　the　citizens　on　looking　about　saw
that　a　very　small　number　had　entered；　they　now　took　courage；　and
came　up　and　attacked　them。　A　combat　ensued　of　the　most　extraordinary
description；　in　which　Marcius；　by　strength　of　hand；　and　swiftness　of
foot；　and　daring　of　soul；　overpowering　every　one　that　he　assailed；
succeeded　in　driving　the　enemy　to　seek　refuge；　for　the　most　part；　in
the　interior　of　the　town；　while　those　remaining　submitted；　and　threw
down　their　arms；　thus　affording　Lartius　abundant　opportunity　to
bring　in　the　re