coriolanus-第8章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


their　sacrifices　and　processions　and　spectacles；　not　only　upon　such
a　cause　as　this；　but　for　any　slighter　reason。　If　but　one　of　the　horses
which　drew　the　chariots　called　Tensae；　upon　which　the　images　of
their　gods　were　placed；　happened　to　fail　and　falter；　or　if　the
driver　took　hold　of　the　reins　with　his　left　hand；　they　would　decree
that　the　whole　operation　should　commence　anew；　and；　in　latter　ages；
one　and　the　same　sacrifice　was　performed　thirty　times　over；　because　of
the　occurrence　of　some　defect　or　mistake　or　accident　in　the　service。
Such　was　the　Roman　reverence　and　caution　in　religious　matters。
　　Marcius　and　Tullus　were　now　secretly　discoursing　of　their　project
with　the　chief　men　of　Antium；　advising　them　to　invade　the　Romans　while
they　were　at　variance　among　themselves。　And　when　shame　appeared　to
hinder　them　from　embracing　the　motion；　as　they　had　sworn　to　a　truce
and　cessation　of　arms　for　the　space　of　two　years；　the　Romans
themselves　soon　furnished　them　with　a　pretence；　by　making
proclamation；　out　of　some　jealousy　or　slanderous　report；　in　the
midst　of　the　spectacles；　that　all　the　Volscians　who　had　come　to　see
them　should　depart　the　city　before　sunset。　Some　affirm　that　this　was　a
contrivance　of　Marcius；　who　sent　a　man　privately　to　the　consuls；
falsely　to　accuse　the　Volscians　of　intending　to　fall　upon　the　Romans
during　the　games；　and　to　set　the　city　on　fire。　This　public　affront
roused　and　inflamed　their　hostility　to　the　Romans；　and　Tullus；
perceiving　it；　made　his　advantage　of　it；　aggravating　the　fact；　and
working　on　their　indignation；　till　he　persuaded　them；　at　last；　to
despatch　ambassadors　to　Rome；　requiring　the　Romans　to　restore　that
part　of　their　country　and　those　towns　which　they　had　taken　from　the
Volscians　in　the　late　war。　When　the　Romans　heard　the　message；　they
indignantly　replied　that　the　Volscians　were　the　first　that　took　up
arms；　but　the　Romans　would　be　the　last　to　lay　them　down。　This　answer
being　brought　back；　Tullus　called　a　general　assembly　of　the　Volscians；
and　the　vote　passing　for　a　war；　he　then　proposed　that　they　should　call
in　Marcius；　laying　aside　the　remembrance　of　former　grudges；　and
assuring　themselves　that　the　services　they　should　now　receive　from　him
as　a　friend　and　associate　would　abundantly　outweigh　any　harm　or　damage
he　had　done　them　when　he　was　their　enemy。　Marcius　was　accordingly
summoned；　and　having　made　his　entrance；　and　spoken　to　the　people；
won　their　good　opinion　of　his　capacity；　his　skill；　counsel；　and
boldness；　not　less　by　his　present　words　than　by　his　past　actions。　They
joined　him　in　commission　with　Tullus；　to　have　full　power　as　the
general　of　their　forces　in　all　that　related　to　the　war。　And　he；
fearing　lest　the　time　that　would　be　requisite　to　bring　all　the
Volscians　together　in　full　preparation　might　be　so　long　as　to　lose　him
the　opportunity　of　action；　left　order　with　the　chief　persons　and
magistrates　of　the　city　to　provide　other　things；　while　he　himself；
prevailing　upon　the　most　forward　to　assemble　and　march　out　with　him　as
volunteers　without　staying　to　be　enrolled；　made　a　sudden　inroad　into
the　Roman　confines；　when　nobody　expected　him；　and　possessed　himself　of
so　much　booty；　that　the　Volscians　found　they　had　more　than　they
could　either　carry　away　or　use　in　the　camp。　The　abundance　of　provision
which　he　gained；　and　the　waste　and　havoc　of　the　country　which　he　made；
were；　however；　of　themselves　and　in　his　account；　the　smallest
results　of　that　invasion；　the　great　mischief　he　intended；　and　his
special　object　in　all；　was　to　increase　at　Rome　the　suspicions
entertained　of　the　patricians；　and　to　make　them　upon　worse　terms
with　the　people。　With　this　view；　while　spoiling　all　the　fields　and
destroying　the　property　of　other　men；　he　took　special　care　to　preserve
their　farms　and　lands　untouched；　and　would　not　allow　his　soldiers　to
ravage　there；　or　seize　upon　anything　which　belonged　to　them。　From
hence　their　invectives　and　quarrels　against　one　another　broke　out
afresh；　and　rose　to　a　greater　height　than　ever；　the　senators
reproaching　those　of　the　commonalty　with　their　late　injustice　to
Marcius；　while　the　plebeians；　on　their　side　did　not　hesitate　to　accuse
them　of　having；　out　of　spite　and　revenge；　solicited　him　to　this
enterprise；　and　thus；　when　others　were　involved　in　the　miseries　of　a
war　by　their　means；　they　sat　like　unconcerned　spectators；　as　being
furnished　with　a　guardian　and　protector　abroad　of　their　wealth　and
fortunes；　in　the　very　person　of　the　public　enemy。　After　this　incursion
and　exploit；　which　was　of　great　advantage　to　the　Volscians；　as　they
learned　by　it　to　grow　more　hardy　and　to　contemn　their　enemy；　Marcius
drew　them　off；　and　returned　in　safety。
　　But　when　the　whole　strength　of　the　Volscians　was　brought　together　in
the　field；　with　great　expedition　and　alacrity；　it　appeared　so
considerable　a　body；　that　they　agreed　to　leave　part　in　garrison；　for
the　security　of　their　towns；　and　with　the　other　part　to　march
against　the　Romans。　Marcius　now　desired　Tullus　to　choose　which　of
the　two　charges　would　be　most　agreeable　to　him。　Tullus　answered　that
since　he　knew　Marcius　to　be　equally　valiant　with　himself；　and　far　more
fortunate；　he　would　have　him　take　the　command　of　those　that　were　going
out　to　the　war；　while　he　made　it　his　care　to　defend　their　cities　at
home　and　provide　all　conveniences　for　the　army　abroad。　Marcius；　thus
reinforced；　and　much　stronger　than　before；　moved　first　towards　the
city　called　Circaeum；　a　Roman　colony。　He　received　its　surrender　and
did　the　inhabitants　no　injury；　passing　thence；　he　entered　and　laid
waste　the　country　of　the　Latins；　where　he　expected　the　Romans　would
meet　him；　as　the　Latins　were　their　confederates　and　allies；　and　had
often　sent　to　demand　succours　from　them。　The　people；　however；　on　their
part；　showing　little　inclination　for　the　service；　and　the　consuls
themselves　being　unwilling　to　run　the　hazard　of　a　battle；　when　the
time　of　their　office　was　almost　ready　to　expire；　they　dismissed　the
Latin　ambassadors　without　any　effect；　so　that　Marcius；　finding　no　army
to　oppose　him；　marched　up　to　their　cities；　and　having　taken　by　force
Toleria；　Lavici；　Peda；　and　Bola；　all　of　which　offered　resistance；
not　only　plundered　their　houses；　but　made　a　prey　likewise　of　their
persons。　Meantime　he　showed　particular　regard　for　all　such　as　came
over　to　his　party；　and；　for　fear　they　might　sustain　any　damage　against
his　will；　encamped　at　the　greatest　distance　he　could；　and　wholly
abstained　from　the　lands　of　their　property。
　　After；　however；　that　he　had　made　himself　master　of　Bola；　a　town
not　above　ten　miles　from　Rome；　where　he　found　great　treasure；　and
put　almost　all　the　adults　to　the　sword；　and　when　on　this；　the　other
Volscians　that　were　ordered　to　stay　behind　and　protect　their　cities；
hearing　of　his　achievements　and　success；　had　not　patience　to　remain
any　longer　at　home；　but　came　hastening　in　their　arms　to　Marcius；
saying　that　he　alone　was　their　general　and　the　sole　commander　they
would　own；　with　all　this；　his　name　and　renown　spread　throughout　all
Italy；　and　universal　wonder　prevailed　at　the　sudden　and　mighty
revolution　in　the　fortunes　of　two　nations　which　the　loss　and　the
accession　of　a　single　man　had　effected。
　　All　at　Rome　was　in　great　disorder；　they　were　utterly　averse　from
fighting；　and　spent　their　whole　time　in　cabals　and　disputes　and
reproaches　against　each　other；　until　news　was　brought　that　the　enemy
had　laid　close　siege　to　Lavinium；　where　were　the　images　and　sacred
things　of　their　tutelar　gods；　and　from　whence　they　derived　the
origin　of　their　nation；　that　being　the　first　city　which　Aeneas　built
in　Italy。　These　tidings　produced　a　change　as　universal　as　it　was
extraordinary　in　the　thoughts　and　inclinations　of　the　people；　but
occasioned　a　yet　stranger　revulsion　of　feelings　among　the
patricians。　The　people　now　were　for　repealing　the　sentence　against
Marcius；　and　calling　him　back　into　the　city；　whereas　the　senate；　being
assembled　to　preconsider　the　decree；　opposed　and　finally　rejected
the　proposal；　either　out　of　the　mere　humour　of　contradicting　and
withstanding　the　people　in　whatever　they　should　desire；　or　because
they　were　unwilling；　perhaps；　that　he　should　owe　his　restoration　t