coriolanus-第1章

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　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　CORIOLANUS
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Legendary；　5th　Century　B。C。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　by　Plutarch

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　translated　by　John　Dryden




　　THE　patrician　house　of　the　Marcii　in　Rome　produced　many　men　of
distinction；　and　among　the　rest；　Ancus　Marcius；　grandson　to　Numa　by
his　daughter；　and　king　after　Tullus　Hostilius；　of　the　same　family　were
also　Publius　and　Quintus　Marcius；　which　two　conveyed　into　the　city　the
best　and　most　abundant　supply　of　water　they　have　at　Rome。　As
likewise　Censorinus；　who；　having　been　twice　chosen　censor　by　the
people；　afterwards　himself　induced　them　to　make　a　law　that　nobody
should　bear　that　office　twice。　But　Caius　Marcius；　of　whom　I　now　write；
being　left　an　orphan；　and　brought　up　under　the　widowhood　of　his
mother；　has　shown　us　by　experience；　that；　although　the　early　loss　of　a
father　may　be　attended　with　other　disadvantages；　yet　it　can　hinder
none　from　being　either　virtuous　or　eminent　in　the　world；　and　that　it
is　no　obstacle　to　true　goodness　and　excellence；　however　bad　men　may　be
pleased　to　lay　the　blame　of　their　corruptions　upon　that　misfortune　and
the　neglect　of　them　in　their　minority。　Nor　is　he　less　an　evidence　to
the　truth　of　their　opinion　who　conceive　that　a　generous　and　worthy
nature　without　proper　discipline；　like　a　rich　soil　without　culture；　is
apt　with　its　better　fruits　to　produce　also　much　that　is　bad　and
faulty。　While　the　force　and　vigour　of　his　soul；　and　a　persevering
constancy　in　all　he　undertook；　led　him　successfully　into　many　noble
achievements；　yet；　on　the　other　side；　also；　by　indulging　the　vehemence
of　his　passion；　and　through　an　obstinate　reluctance　to　yield　or
accommodate　his　humours　and　sentiments　to　those　of　a　people　about　him；
he　rendered　himself　incapable　of　acting　and　associating　with　others。
Those　who　saw　with　admiration　how　proof　his　nature　was　against　all　the
softnesses　of　pleasure；　the　hardships　of　service；　and　the
allurements　of　gain；　while　allowing　to　that　universal　firmness　of
his　the　respective　names　of　temperance；　fortitude；　and　justice；　yet　in
the　life　of　the　citizen　and　the　statesman；　could　not　choose　but　be
disgusted　at　the　severity　and　ruggedness　of　his　deportment；　and　with
his　overbearing；　haughty；　and　imperious　temper。　Education　and　study；
and　the　favours　of　the　muses；　confer　no　greater　benefit　on　those
that　seek　them　than　these　humanizing　and　civilizing　lessons；　which
teach　our　natural　qualities　to　submit　to　the　limitations　prescribed　by
reason；　and　to　avoid　the　wildness　of　extremes。
　　Those　were　times　at　Rome　in　which　that　kind　of　worth　was　most
esteemed　which　displayed　itself　in　military　achievements；　one　evidence
of　which　we　find　in　the　Latin　word　for　virtue；　which　is　properly
equivalent　to　manly　courage。　As　if　valour　and　all　virtue　had　been
the　same　thing；　they　used　as　the　common　term　the　name　of　the
particular　excellence。　But　Marcius；　having　a　more　passionate
inclination　than　any　of　that　age　for　feats　of　war；　began　at　once；　from
his　very　childhood；　to　handle　arms；　and　feeling　that　adventitious
implements　and　artificial　arms　would　effect　little；　and　be　of　small
use　to　such　as　have　not　their　native　and　natural　weapons　well　fixed
and　prepared　for　service；　he　so　exercised　and　inured　his　body　to　all
sorts　of　activity　and　encounter；　that　besides　the　lightness　of　a
racer；　he　had　a　weight　in　close　seizures　and　wrestlings　with　an　enemy；
from　which　it　was　hard　for　any　to　disengage　himself；　so　that　his
competitors　at　home　in　displays　of　bravery；　loth　to　own　themselves
inferior　in　that　respect；　were　wont　to　ascribe　their　deficiencies　to
his　strength　of　body；　which　they　say　no　resistance　and　no　fatigue
could　exhaust。
　　The　first　time　he　went　out　to　the　wars；　being　yet　a　stripling；　was
when　Tarquinius　Superbus；　who　had　been　King　of　Rome　and　was　afterwards
expelled；　after　many　unsuccessful　attempts；　now　entered　upon　his
last　effort；　and　proceeded　to　hazard　all　as　it　were　upon　a　single
throw。　A　great　number　of　the　Latins　and　other　people　of　Italy　joined
their　forces；　and　were　marching　with　him　toward　the　city；　to　procure
his　restoration；　not；　however；　so　much　out　of　a　desire　to　serve　and
oblige　Tarquin；　as　to　gratify　their　own　fear　and　envy　at　the
increase　of　the　Roman　greatness；　which　they　were　anxious　to　check
and　reduce。　The　armies　met　and　engaged　in　a　decisive　battle；　in　the
vicissitudes　of　which　Marcius；　while　fighting　bravely　in　the
dictator's　presence；　saw　a　Roman　soldier　struck　down　at　a　little
distance；　and　immediately　stepped　in　and　stood　before　him；　and　slew
his　assailant。　The　general；　after　having　gained　the　victory；　crowned
him　for　this　act；　one　of　the　first；　with　a　garland　of　oaken
branches；　it　being　the　Roman　custom　thus　to　adorn　those　who　had
saved　the　life　of　a　citizen；　whether　that　the　law　intended　some
special　honour　to　the　oak；　in　memory　of　the　Arcadians；　a　people　the
oracle　had　made　famous　by　the　name　of　acorn…eaters；　or　whether　the
reason　of　it　was　because　they　might　easily；　and　in　all　places　where
they　fought；　have　plenty　of　oak　for　that　purpose；　or；　finally；　whether
the　oaken　wreath；　being　sacred　to　Jupiter；　the　guardian　of　the　city；
might；　therefore；　be　thought　a　proper　ornament　for　one　who　preserved　a
citizen。　And　the　oak；　in　truth；　is　the　tree　which　bears　the　most　and
the　prettiest　fruit　of　any　that　grow　wild；　and　is　the　strongest　of　all
that　are　under　cultivation；　its　acorns　were　the　principal　diet　of
the　first　mortals；　and　the　honey　found　in　it　gave　them　drink。　I　may
say；　too；　it　furnished　fowl　and　other　creatures　as　dainties；　in
producing　mistletoe　for　bird…lime　to　ensnare　them。　In　this　battle；
meantime；　it　is　stated　that　Castor　and　Pollux　appeared；　and
immediately　after　the　battle　were　seen　at　Rome　just　by　the　fountain
where　their　temple　now　stands；　with　their　horses　foaming　with　sweat；
and　told　the　news　of　the　victory　to　the　people　in　the　forum。　The
fifteenth　of　July；　being　the　day　of　this　conquest；　became　consequently
a　solemn　holiday　sacred　to　the　Twin　Brothers。
　　It　may　be　observed；　in　general；　that　when　young　men　arrive　early
at　fame　and　repute；　if　they　are　of　a　nature　but　slightly　touched
with　emulation；　this　early　attainment　is　apt　to　extinguish　their
thirst　and　satiate　their　appetite；　whereas　the　first　distinctions　of
more　and　solid　and　weighty　characters　do　but　stimulate　and　quicken
them　and　take　them　away　like　a　wind　in　the　pursuit　of　honour；　they
look　upon　these　marks　and　testimonies　to　their　virtue　not　as　a
recompense　received　for　what　they　have　already　done；　but　as　a　pledge
given　by　themselves　of　what　they　will　perform　hereafter；　ashamed　now
to　forsake　or　underlive　the　credit　they　have　won；　or；　rather；　not　to
exceed　and　obscure　all　that　is　gone　before　by　the　lustre　of　their
following　actions。　Marcius；　having　a　spirit　of　this　noble　make；　was
ambitious　always　to　surpass　himself；　and　did　nothing　how　extraordinary
soever；　but　he　thought　he　was　bound　to　outdo　it　at　the　next
occasion；　and　ever　desiring　to　give　continual　fresh　instances　of
prowess；　he　added　one　exploit　to　another；　and　heaped　up　trophies
upon　trophies；　so　as　to　make　it　matter　of　contest　also　among　his
commanders；　the　latter　still　vying　with　the　earlier；　which　should
pay　him　the　greatest　honour　and　speak　highest　in　his　commendation。
Of　all　the　numerous　wars　and　conflicts　in　those　days　there　was　not　one
from　which　he　returned　without　laurels　and　rewards。　And；　whereas
others　made　glory　the　end　of　their　daring；　the　end　of　his　glory　was
his　mother's　gladness；　the　delight　she　took　to　hear　him　praised　and　to
see　him　crowned；　and　her　weeping　for　joy　in　his　embraces　rendered
him　in　his　own　thoughts　the　most　honoured　and　most　happy　person　in　the
world。　Epaminondas　is　similarly　said　to　have　acknowledged　his　feeling；
that　it　was　the　greatest　felicity　of　his　whole　life　that　his　father
and　mother　survived　to　hear　of　his　successful　generalship　and　his
victory　of　Leuctra。　And　he　had　the　advantage；　indeed；　to　have　both　his
parents　partake　with　him；　and　enjoy　the　pleasure　of　his　good
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　Ani