coriolanus-第7章

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upon　the　score　of　that　relation　and　their　old　familiarity　and
friendship　with　him；　in　which；　however；　they　were　much　mistaken。　Being
led　through　the　enemy's　camp；　they　found　him　sitting　in　state　amidst
the　chief　men　of　the　Volscians；　looking　insupportably　proud　and
arrogant。　He　bade　them　declare　the　cause　of　their　coming；　which　they
did　in　the　most　gentle　and　tender　terms；　and　with　a　behaviour　suitable
to　their　language。　When　they　had　made　an　end　of　speaking；　he
returned　them　a　sharp　answer；　full　of　bitterness　and　angry　resentment；
as　to　what　concerned　himself　and　the　ill…usage　he　had　received　from
them；　but　as　general　of　the　Volscians；　he　demanded　restitution　of
the　cities　and　the　lands　which　had　been　seized　upon　during　the　late
war；　and　that　the　same　rights　and　franchises　should　be　granted　them　at
Rome；　which　had　been　before　accorded　to　the　Latins；　since　there
could　be　no　assurance　that　a　peace　would　be　firm　and　lasting　without
fair　and　just　conditions　on　both　sides。　He　allowed　them　thirty　days　to
consider　and　resolve。
　　The　ambassadors　being　departed；　he　withdrew　his　forces　out　of　the
Roman　territory。　This；　those　of　the　Volscians　who　had　long　envied
his　reputation；　and　could　not　endure　to　see　the　influence　he　had
with　the　people；　laid　hold　of；　as　the　first　matter　of　complaint
against　him。　Among　them　was　also　Tullus　himself；　not　for　any　wrong
done　him　personally　by　Marcius；　but　through　the　weakness　incident　to
human　nature；　He　could　not　help　feeling　mortified　to　find　his　own
glory　thus　totally　obscured；　and　himself　overlooked　and　neglected
now　by　the　Volscians；　who　had　so　great　an　opinion　of　their　new　leader；
that　he　alone　was　all　to　them；　while　other　captains；　they　thought；
should　be　content　with　that　share　of　power　which　he　might　think　fit　to
accord。　From　hence　the　first　seeds　of　complaint　and　accusation　were
scattered　about　in　secret；　and　the　malcontents　met　and　heightened　each
other's　indignation；　saying；　that　to　retreat　as　he　did　was　in　effect
to　betray　and　deliver　up　though　not　their　cities　and　their　arms；　yet
what　was　as　bad；　the　critical　times　and　opportunities　for　action；　on
which　depend　the　preservation　or　the　loss　of　everything　else；　since　in
less　than　thirty　days'　space；　for　which　he　had　given　a　respite　for　the
war；　there　might　happen　the　greatest　changes　in　the　world。　Yet　Marcius
spent　not　any　part　of　the　time　idly；　but　attacked　the　confederates
of　the　enemy；　ravaged　their　land；　and　took　from　them　seven　great　and
populous　cities　in　that　interval。　The　Romans；　in　the　meanwhile；
durst　not　venture　out　to　their　relief；　but　were　utterly　fearful；　and
showed　no　more　disposition　or　capacity　for　action　than　if　their　bodies
had　been　struck　with　a　palsy；　and　became　destitute　of　sense　and
motion。　But　when　the　thirty　days　were　expired；　and　Marcius　appeared
again　with　his　whole　army；　they　sent　another　embassy；　to　beseech　him
that　he　would　moderate　his　displeasure　and　would　withdraw　the　Volscian
army；　and　then　make　any　proposals　he　thought　best　for　both　parties；
the　Romans　would　make　no　concessions　to　menaces；　but　if　it　were　his
opinion　that　the　Volscians　ought　to　have　any　favour　shown　them；　upon
laying　down　their　arms　they　might　obtain　all　they　could　in　reason
desire。
　　The　reply　of　Marcius　was；　that　he　should　make　no　answer　to　this　as
general　of　the　Volscians；　but；　in　the　quality　still　of　a　Roman
citizen；　he　would　advise　and　exhort　them；　as　the　case　stood；　not　to
carry　it　so　high；　but　think　rather　of　just　compliance；　and　return　to
him；　before　three　days　were　at　an　end；　with　a　ratification　of　his
previous　demands；　otherwise；　they　must　understand　that　they　could
not　have　any　further　freedom　of　passing　through　his　camp　upon　idle
errands。
　　When　the　ambassadors　were　come　back；　and　had　acquainted　the　senate
with　the　answer；　seeing　the　whole　state　now　threatened　as　it　were　by　a
tempest；　and　the　waves　ready　to　overwhelm　them；　they　were　forced；　as
we　say　in　extreme　perils；　to　let　down　the　sacred　anchor。　A　decree
was　made；　that　the　whole　order　of　their　priests；　those　who　initiated
in　the　mysteries　or　had　the　custody　of　them；　and　those　who；
according　to　the　ancient　practice　of　the　country；　divined　from
birds；　should　all　and　every　one　of　them　go　in　full　procession　to
Marcius　with　their　pontifical　array；　and　the　dress　and　habit　which
they　respectively　used　in　their　several　functions；　and　should　urge
him；　as　before；　to　withdraw　his　forces；　and　then　treat　with　his
countrymen　in　favour　of　the　Volscians。　He　consented　so　far；　indeed；　as
to　give　the　deputation　an　admittance　into　his　camp；　but　granted
nothing　at　all；　nor　so　much　as　expressed　himself　more　mildly；　but
without　capitulating　or　receding；　bade　them　once　for　all　choose
whether　they　would　yield　or　fight；　since　the　old　terms　were　the　only
terms　of　peace。　When　this　solemn　application　proved　ineffectual；　the
priests；　too；　returning　unsuccessful；　they　determined　to　sit　still
within　the　city　and　keep　watch　about　their　walls；　intending　only　to
repulse　the　enemy；　should　he　offer　to　attack　them；　and　placing　their
hopes　chiefly　in　time　and　in　extraordinary　accidents　of　fortune；　as　to
themselves；　they　felt　incapable　of　doing　anything　for　their　own
deliverance；　mere　confusion　and　terror　and　ill…boding　reports
possessed　the　whole　city；　till　at　last　a　thing　happened　not　unlike
what　we　so　often　find　represented；　without；　however；　being　accepted　as
true　by　people　in　general；　in　Homer。　On　some　great　and　unusual
occasion　we　find　him　say…

　　　　　　　　〃But　him　the　blue…eyed　goddess　did　inspire；

and　elsewhere…

　　　　　　　　〃But　some　immortal　turned　my　mind　away；
　　　　　　　　　To　think　what　others　of　the　deed　would　say；〃

and　again…

　　　　　　　　〃Were't　his　own　thought　or　were't　a　god's　command？〃

People　are　apt；　in　such　passages；　to　censure　and　disregard　the　poet　as
if；　by　the　introduction　of　mere　impossibilities　and　idle　fictions；
he　were　denying　the　action　of　a　man's　own　deliberate　thought　and
free　choice；　which　is　not；　in　the　least；　the　case　in　Homer's
representation；　where　the　ordinary；　probable；　and　habitual　conclusions
that　common　reason　leads　to　are　continually　ascribed　to　our　own　direct
agency。　He　certainly　says　frequently　enough…

　　　　　　　　〃But　I　consulted　with　my　own　great　soul；〃

or；　as　in　another　passage…

　　　　　　　　〃He　spoke。　Achilles；　with　quick　pain　possessed；
　　　　　　　　　Resolved　two　purposes　in　his　strong　breast；

and　in　a　third

　　　　　　　　〃…Yet　never　to　her　wishes　won
　　　　　　　　　The　just　mind　of　the　brave　Bellerophon。〃

　　But　where　the　act　is　something　out　of　the　way　and　extraordinary；　and
seems　in　a　manner　to　demand　some　impulse　of　divine　possession　and
sudden　inspiration　to　account　for　it；　here　he　does　introduce　divine
agency；　not　to　destroy；　but　to　prompt　the　human　will；　not　to　create　in
us　another　agency；　but　offering　images　to　stimulate　our　own；　images
that　in　no　sort　or　kind　make　our　action　involuntary；　but　give　occasion
rather　to　spontaneous　action；　aided　and　sustained　by　feelings　of
confidence　and　hope。　For　either　we　must　totally　dismiss　and　exclude
divine　influences　from　every　kind　of　causality　and　origination　in　what
we　do；　or　else　what　other　way　can　we　conceive　in　which　divine　aid
and　cooperation　can　act？　Certainly　we　cannot　suppose　that　the　divine
beings　actually　and　literally　turn　our　bodies　and　direct　our　hands　and
our　feet　this　way　or　that；　to　do　what　is　right：　it　is　obvious　that
they　must　actuate　the　practical　and　elective　element　of　our　nature；　by
certain　initial　occasions；　by　images　presented　to　the　imagination；　and
thoughts　suggested　to　the　mind；　such　either　as　to　excite　it　to；　or
avert　and　withhold　it　from；　any　particular　course。
　　In　the　perplexity　which　I　have　described；　the　Roman　women　went；　some
to　other　temples；　but　the　greater　part；　and　the　ladies　of　highest
rank；　to　the　altar　of　Jupiter　Capitolinus。　Among　these　suppliants
was　Valeria；　sister　to　the　great　Poplicola；　who　did　the　Romans　eminent
service　both　in　peace　and　war。　Poplicola　himself　was　now　deceased；
as　is　told　in　the　history　of　his　life；　but　Valeria　lived　still；　and
enjoyed　great　respect　and　honour　at　Rome；　her　life　and　conduct　no
way　disparaging　her　birth。　She；　suddenly　seized　with　the　sort　of
instinct　or　emotion　of　mind　which　I　have　described；　and　happily
lighting；　not　without　divine　guidance；　on　the　right　expedient；　both
rose　herself；　and　bade　the　others　rise；　and　went　directly　with　them　to
the　house　of　Volumnia；　the　mother　of　Marcius。　And　coming　in　and
finding　her　sitting　with　her　daughter…in…law；　and　with　her　little
grandchildren　on　her　lap；　Valeria；　then　surrounded　by　her　female
companions；　spoke　in　the　name　of　them　all：…
　　〃We　that　now　make　our　appearance；　O　Volumnia；　and　you；　Vergilia；　are
come　as　mere　women　to　women；　not　by　direction　of　the　senate；　or　an
order　from　the　consuls；　or　the　appointment　of　any　other　magistrate；
but　the　divine　being　himself；　as　I　conceive；　moved　to　compassion　by
our　prayers；　prompted　us　to　visit　you　in　a　body；　and　request　a　thing
on　which　our　own　and　the　common　safety　depends；　and　which；　if　you
consent　to　it；　will　raise　your　glory　above　that　of　the　daughters　of
the　Sabines；　who　won　over　their　fathers　and　their　husbands　from　mortal
enmity　to　peace　and　friendship。　Arise　and　come　with　us　to　Marcius；
join　in　our　supplication；　and　bear　for　your　country　this　true　and　just
testimony　on　her　behalf；　that；　notwithstanding　the　many　mischiefs　that
have　been　done　her；　yet　she　has　never　outraged　you；　nor　so　much　as
thought　of　treating　you　ill；　in　all　her　resentment；　but　does　now
restore　you　safe　into　his　hands；　though　there　be　small　likelihood
she　should　obtain　from　him　any　equitable　terms。〃
　　The　words　of　Valeria　were　seconded　by　the　acclamations　of　the
other　women；　to　which　Volumnia　made　answer：…
　　〃I　and　Vergilia；　my　country…women；　have　an　equal　share　with　you
all　in　the　common　miseries；　and　we　have　the　additional　sorrow；　which
is　wholly　ours；　that　we　have　lost　the　merit　and　good　fame　of
Marcius；　and　see　his　person　confined；　rather　than　protected；　by　the
arms　of　the　enemy。　Yet　I　account　this　the　greatest　of　all　misfortunes；
if　indeed　the　affairs　of　Rome　be　sunk　to　so　feeble　a　state　as　to
have　their　last　dependence　upon　us。　For　it　is　hardly　imaginable　he
should　have　any　consideration　left　for　us；　when　he　has　no　regard　for
the　country　which　he　was　wont　to　prefer　before　his　mother　and　wife　and
children。　Make　use；　however；　of　our　service；　and　lead　us；　if　you
please；　to　him；　we　are　able；　if　nothing　more；　at　least　to　spend　our
last　breath　in　making　suit　to　him　for　our　country。〃
　　Having　spoken　thus；　she　took　Vergilia　by　the　hand；　and　the　young
children；　and　so　accompanied　them　to　the　Volscian　camp。　So
lamentable　a　sight　much　affected　the　enemies　themselves；　who　viewed
them　in　respectful　silence。　Marcius　was　then　sitting　in　his　place；
with　his　chief　officers　about　him；　and；　seeing　the　party　of　women
advance　toward　them；　wondered　what　should　be　the　matter；　but
perceiving　at　length　that　his　mother　was　at　the　head　of　them；　he　would
fain　have　hardened　himself　in　his　former　inexorable　temper；　but；
overcome　by　his　feelings；　and　confounded　at　what　he　saw；　he　did　not
endure　they　should　approach　him　sitting　in　state；　but　came　down
hastily　to　meet　them；　sal