coriolanus-第6章

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body；　many；　even　of　the　plebeian　party；　felt　it　to　be　a　horrible　and
extravagant　act；　the　patricians；　meantime；　wholly　beside　themselves
with　distress　and　horror；　hurried　up　with　cries　to　the　rescue；　and
while　some　made　actual　use　of　their　hands　to　hinder　the　arrest；　and
surrounding　Marcius；　got　him　in　among　them；　others；　as　in　so　great　a
tumult　no　good　could　be　done　by　words；　stretched　out　theirs；
beseeching　the　multitude　that　they　would　not　proceed　to　such　furious
extremities；　and　at　length；　the　friends　and　acquaintance　of　the
tribunes；　wisely　perceiving　how　impossible　it　would　be　to　carry　off
Marcius　to　punishment　without　much　bloodshed　and　slaughter　of　the
nobility；　persuaded　them　to　forbear　everything　unusual　and　odious；　not
to　despatch　him　by　any　sudden　violence；　or　without　regular　process；
but　refer　the　cause　to　the　general　suffrage　of　the　people。　Sicinnius
then；　after　a　little　pause；　turning　to　the　patricians；　demanded　what
their　meaning　was；　thus　forcibly　to　rescue　Marcius　out　of　the　people's
hands；　as　they　were　going　to　punish　him；　when　it　was　replied　by
them；　on　the　other　side；　and　the　question　put；　〃Rather；　how　came　it
into　your　minds；　and　what　is　it　you　design；　thus　to　drag　one　of　the
worthiest　men　of　Rome；　without　trial；　to　a　barbarous　and　illegal
execution？〃　〃Very　well；〃　said　Sicinnius；　〃you　shall　have　no　ground
in　this　respect　for　quarrel　or　complaint　against　the　people。　The
people　grant　your　request；　and　your　partisan　shall　be　tried。　We
appoint　you；　Marcius；〃　directing　his　speech　to　him；　〃the　third
market…day　ensuing；　to　appear　and　defend　yourself；　and　to　try　if　you
can　satisfy　the　Roman　citizens　of　your　innocence；　who　will　then
judge　your　case　by　vote。〃　The　patricians　were　content　with　such　a
truce　and　respite　for　that　time；　and　gladly　returned　home；　having
for　the　present　brought　off　Marcius　in　safety。
　　During　the　interval　before　the　appointed　time　（for　the　Romans　hold
their　sessions　every　ninth　day；　which　from　that　cause　are　called
mundinoe　in　Latin）；　a　war　fell　out　with　the　Antiates；　likely　to　be
of　some　continuance；　which　gave　them　hope　they　might　one　way　or
other　elude　the　judgment。　The　people；　they　presumed；　would　become
tractable；　and　their　indignation　lessen　and　languish　by　degrees　in
so　long　a　space；　if　occupation　and　war　did　not　wholly　put　it　out　of
their　mind。　But　when；　contrary　to　expectation；　they　made　a　speedy
agreement　with　the　people　of　Antium。　and　the　army　came　back　to　Rome；
the　patricians　were　again　in　great　perplexity；　and　had　frequent
meetings　to　consider　how　things　might　be　arranged；　without　either
abandoning　Marcius；　or　yet　giving　occasion　to　the　popular　orators　to
create　new　disorders。　Appius　Claudius；　whom　they　counted　among　the
senators　most　averse　to　the　popular　interest；　made　a　solemn
declaration；　and　told　them　beforehand；　that　the　senate　would　utterly
destroy　itself　and　betray　the　government；　if　they　should　once　suffer
the　people　to　assume　the　authority　of　pronouncing　sentence　upon　any　of
the　patricians；　but　the　oldest　senators　and　most　favourable　to　the
people　maintained；　on　the　other　side；　that　the　people　would　not　be
so　harsh　and　severe　upon　them；　as　some　were　pleased　to　imagine；　but
rather　become　more　gentle　and　humane　upon　the　concession　of　that
power；　since　it　was　not　contempt　of　the　senate；　but　the　impression
of　being　contemned　by　it；　which　made　them　pretend　to　such　a
prerogative。　Let　that　he　once　allowed　them　as　a　mark　of　respect　and
kind　feeling；　and　the　mere　possession　of　this　power　of　voting　would　at
once　dispossess　them　of　their　animosity。
　　When；　therefore；　Marcius　saw　that　the　senate　was　in　pain　and
suspense　upon　his　account；　divided；　as　it　were；　betwixt　their　kindness
for　him　and　their　apprehensions　from　the　people；　he　desired　to　know　of
the　tribunes　what　the　crimes　were　they　intended　to　charge　him　with；
and　what　the　heads　of　the　indictment　they　would　oblige　him　to　plead　to
before　the　people；　and　being　told　by　them　that　he　was　to　be
impeached　for　attempting　usurpation；　and　that　they　would　prove　him
guilty　of　designing　to　establish　arbitrary　government；　stepping
forth　upon　this；　〃Let　me　go　then；〃　he　said；　〃to　clear　myself　from　that
imputation　before　an　assembly　of　them；　I　freely　offer　myself　to　any
sort　of　trial；　nor　do　I　refuse　any　kind　of　punishment　whatsoever；
only；〃　he　continued；　〃let　what　you　now　mention　be　really　made　my
accusation；　and　do　not　you　play　false　with　the　senate。〃　On　their
consenting　to　these　terms；　he　came　to　his　trial。　But　when　the　people
met　together；　the　tribunes；　contrary　to　all　former　practice；
extorted　first；　that　votes　should　be　taken；　not　by　centuries；　but
tribes；　a　change；　by　which　the　indigent　and　factious　rabble；　that
had　no　respect　for　honesty　and　justice；　would　be　sure　to　carry　it
against　those　who　were　rich　and　well　known；　and　accustomed　to　serve
the　state　in　war。　In　the　next　place；　whereas　they　had　engaged　to
prosecute　Marcius　upon　no　other　head　but　that　of　tyranny；　which
could　never　be　made　out　against　him；　they　relinquished　this　plea；
and　urged　instead；　his　language　in　the　senate　against　an　abasement
of　the　price　of　corn；　and　for　the　overthrow　of　the　tribunician
power；　adding　further；　as　a　new　impeachment；　the　distribution　that　was
made　by　him　of　the　spoil　and　booty　he　had　taken　from　the　Antiates；
when　he　overran　their　country；　which　he　had　divided　among　those　that
had　followed　him；　whereas　it　ought　rather　to　have　been　brought　into
the　public　treasury；　which　last　accusation　did；　they　say；　more
discompose　Marcius　than　all　the　rest；　as　he　had　not　anticipated　he
should　ever　be　questioned　on　that　subject；　and；　therefore；　was　less
provided　with　any　satisfactory　answer　to　it　on　the　sudden。　And　when；
by　way　of　excuse；　he　began　to　magnify　the　merits　of　those　who　had　been
partakers　with　him　in　the　action；　those　that　had　stayed　at　home；　being
more　numerous　than　the　other；　interrupted　him　with　outcries。　In
conclusion；　when　they　came　to　vote；　a　majority　of　three　tribes
condemned　him；　the　penalty　being　perpetual　banishment。　The　sentence　of
his　condemnation　being　pronounced；　the　people　went　away　with　greater
triumph　and　exultation　than　they　had　ever　shown　for　any　victory　over
enemies；　while　the　senate　was　in　grief　and　deep　dejection；　repenting
now　and　vexed　to　the　soul　that　they　had　not　done　and　suffered　all
things　rather　than　give　way　to　the　insolence　of　the　people；　and　permit
them　to　assume　and　abuse　so　great　an　authority。　There　was　no　need　then
to　look　at　men's　dresses；　or　other　marks　of　distinction；　to　know　one
from　another：　any　one　who　was　glad　was；　beyond　all　doubt；　a
plebeian；　any　one　who　looked　sorrowful；　a　patrician。
　　Marcius　alone；　himself；　was　neither　stunned　nor　humiliated。　In　mien；
carriage；　and　countenance　he　bore　the　appearance　of　entire
composure；　and；　while　all　his　friends　were　full　of　distress；　seemed
the　only　man　that　was　not　touched　with　his　misfortune。　Not　that　either
reflection　taught　him；　or　gentleness　of　temper　made　it　natural　for　him
to　submit：　he　was　wholly　possessed；　on　the　contrary；　with　a　profound
and　deep…seated　fury；　which　passes　with　many　for　no　pain　at　all。　And
pain；　it　is　true；　transmuted；　so　to　say；　by　its　own　fiery　heat　into
anger；　loses　every　appearance　of　depression　and　feebleness；　the
angry　man　makes　a　show　of　energy；　as　the　man　in　a　high　fever　does　of
natural　heat；　while；　in　fact；　all　this　action　of　the　soul　is　but
mere　diseased　palpitation；　distension；　and　inflammation。　That　such　was
his　distempered　state　appeared　presently　plainly　enough　in　his
actions。　On　his　return　home；　after　saluting　his　mother　and　his　wife；
who　were　all　in　tears　and　full　of　loud　lamentations；　and　exhorting
them　to　moderate　the　sense　they　had　of　his　calamity；　he　proceeded　at
once　to　the　city　gates；　whither　all　the　nobility　came　to　attend　him；
and　so　not　so　much　as　taking　anything　with　him；　or　making　any
request　to　the　company；　he　departed　from　them；　having　only　three　or
four　clients　with　him。　He　continued　solitary　for　a　few　days　in　a　place
in　the　country；　distracted　with　a　variety　of　counsels；　such　as　rage
and　indignation　suggested　to　him；　and　proposing　to　himself　no
honourable　or　useful　end；　but　only　how　he　might　best　s