coriolanus-第8章

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endure　they　should　approach　him　sitting　in　state；　but　came　down
hastily　to　meet　them；　saluting　his　mother　first；　and　embracing　her　a
long　time；　and　then　his　wife　and　children；　sparing　neither　tears　nor
caresses；　but　suffering　himself　to　be　borne　away　and　carried　headlong；
as　it　were；　by　the　impetuous　violence　of　his　passion。
　　When　he　had　satisfied　himself；　and　observed　that　his　mother　Volumnia
was　desirous　to　say　something；　the　Volscian　council　being　first　called
in；　he　heard　her　to　the　following　effect：　〃Our　dress　and　our　very
persons；　my　son；　might　tell　you；　though　we　should　say　nothing
ourselves；　in　how　forlorn　a　condition　we　have　lived　at　home　since　your
banishment　and　absence　from　us；　and　now　consider　with　yourself；
whether　we　may　not　pass　for　the　most　unfortunate　of　all　women；　to　have
that　sight；　which　should　be　the　sweetest　that　we　could　see；　converted；
through　I　know　not　what　fatality；　to　one　of　all　others　the　most
formidable　and　dreadful；…　Volumnia　to　behold　her　son；　and　Vergilia　her
husband；　in　arms　against　the　walls　of　Rome。　Even　prayer　itself；　whence
others　gain　comfort　and　relief　in　all　manner　of　misfortunes；　is　that
which　most　adds　to　our　confusion　and　distress；　since　our　best　wishes
are　inconsistent　with　themselves；　nor　can　we　at　the　same　time　petition
the　gods　for　Rome's　victory　and　your　preservation；　but　what　the
worst　of　our　enemies　would　imprecate　as　a　curse；　is　the　very　object　of
our　vows。　Your　wife　and　children　are　under　the　sad　necessity；　that
they　must　either　be　deprived　of　you　or　of　their　native　soil。　As　for
myself；　I　am　resolved　not　to　wait　till　war　shall　determine　this
alternative　for　me；　but　if　I　cannot　prevail　with　you　to　prefer　amity
and　concord　to　quarrel　and　hostility；　and　to　be　the　benefactor　to　both
parties　rather　than　the　destroyer　of　one　of　them；　be　assured　of　this
from　me；　and　reckon　steadfastly　upon　it；　that　you　shall　not　be　able　to
reach　your　country；　unless　you　trample　first　upon　the　corpse　of　her
that　brought　you　into　life。　For　it　will　be　ill　in　me　to　wait　and
loiter　in　the　world　till　the　day　wherein　I　shall　see　a　child　of
mine；　either　led　in　triumph　by　his　own　countrymen；　or　triumphing
over　them。　Did　I　require　you　to　save　your　country　by　ruining　the
Volscians；　then；　I　confess；　my　son；　the　case　would　be　hard　for　you
to　solve。　It　is　base　to　bring　destitution　on　our　fellow…citizens；　it
is　unjust　to　betray　those　who　have　placed　their　confidence　in　us。　But；
as　it　is；　we　do　but　desire　a　deliverance　equally　expedient　for　them
and　us；　only　more　glorious　and　honourable　on　the　Volscian　side；　who；
as　superior　in　arms；　will　be　thought　freely　to　bestow　the　two　greatest
of　blessings；　peace　and　friendship；　even　when　they　themselves
receive　the　same。　If　we　obtain　these；　the　common　thanks　will　be
chiefly　due　to　you　as　the　principal　cause；　but　if　they　be　not　granted；
you　alone　must　expect　to　bear　the　blame　from　both　nations。　The
chance　of　all　war　is　uncertain；　yet　thus　much　is　certain　in　the
present；　that　you；　by　conquering　Rome；　will　only　get　the　reputation　of
having　undone　your　country；　but　if　the　Volscians　happen　to　be　defeated
under　your　conduct；　then　the　world　will　say；　that；　to　satisfy　a
revengeful　humour；　you　brought　misery　on　your　friends　and　patrons。〃
　　Marcius　listened　to　his　mother　while　she　spoke　without　answering　her
a　word；　and　Volumnia；　seeing　him　stand　mute　also　for　a　long　time　after
she　had　ceased；　resumed：　〃O　my　son；〃　said　she；　〃what　is　the　meaning　of
this　silence？　Is　it　a　duty　to　postpone　everything　to　a　sense　of
injuries；　and　wrong　to　gratify　a　mother　in　a　request　like　this？　Is
it　the　characteristic　of　a　great　man　to　remember　wrongs　that　have　been
done　him；　and　not　the　part　of　a　great　and　good　man　to　remember
benefits　such　as　those　that　children　receive　from　parents；　and　to
requite　them　with　honour　and　respect？　You；　methinks；　who　are　so
relentless　in　the　punishment　of　the　ungrateful；　should　not　be　more
careless　than　others　to　be　grateful　yourself。　You　have　punished　your
country　already；　you　have　not　yet　paid　your　debt　to　me。　Nature　and
religion；　surely　unattended　by　any　constraint；　should　have　won　your
consent　to　petitions　so　worthy　and　so　just　as　these；　but　if　it　must　be
so；　I　will　even　use　my　last　resource。〃　Having　said　this；　she　threw
herself　down　at　his　feet；　as　did　also　his　wife　and　children；　upon
which　Marcius；　crying　out；　〃O　mother！　what　is　it　you　have　done　to　me！〃
raised　her　up　from　the　ground；　and　pressing　her　right　hand　with　more
than　ordinary　vehemence；　〃You　have　gained　a　victory；〃　said　he；
〃fortunate　enough　for　the　Romans；　but　destructive　to　your　son；　whom
you；　though　none　else；　have　defeated。〃　After　which；　and　a　little
private　conference　with　his　mother　and　his　wife；　he　sent　them　back
again　to　Rome；　as　they　desired　of　him。
　　The　next　morning；　he　broke　up　his　camp；　and　led　the　Volscians
homeward；　variously　affected　with　what　he　had　done；　some　of　them
complaining　of　him　and　condemning　his　act；　others；　who　were　inclined
to　a　peaceful　conclusion；　unfavourable　to　neither。　A　third　party；
while　much　disliking　his　proceedings；　yet　could　not　look　upon
Marcius　as　a　treacherous　person；　but　thought　it　pardonable　in　him　to
be　thus　shaken　and　driven　to　surrender　at　last；　under　such　compulsion。
None；　however；　opposed　his　commands；　they　all　obediently　followed　him；
though　rather　from　admiration　of　his　virtue；　than　any　regard　they
now　had　to　his　authority。　The　Roman　people；　meantime；　more　effectually
manifested　how　much　fear　and　danger　they　had　been　in　while　the　war
lasted；　by　their　deportment　after　they　were　freed　from　it。　Those
that　guarded　the　walls　had　no　sooner　given　notice　that　the　Volscians
were　dislodged　and　drawn　off；　but　they　set　open　all　their　temples　in　a
moment；　and　began　to　crown　themselves　with　garlands　and　prepare　for
sacrifice；　as　they　were　wont　to　do　upon　tidings　brought　of　any
signal　victory。　But　the　joy　and　transport　of　the　whole　city　was
chiefly　remarkable　in　the　honours　and　marks　of　affection　paid　to　the
women；　as　well　by　the　senate　as　the　people　in　general；　every　one
declaring　that　they　were；　beyond　all　question；　the　instruments　of
the　public　safety。　And　the　senate　having　passed　a　decree　that
whatsoever　they　would　ask　in　the　way　of　any　favour　or　honour　should　be
allowed　and　done　for　them　by　the　magistrates；　they　demanded　simply
that　a　temple　might　be　erected　to　Female　Fortune；　the　expense　of　which
they　offered　to　defray　out　of　their　own　contributions；　if　the　city
would　be　at　the　cost　of　sacrifices；　and　other　matters　pertaining　to
the　due　honour　of　the　gods；　out　of　the　common　treasury。　The　senate；
much　commending　their　public　spirit；　caused　the　temple　to　be　built　and
a　statue　set　up　in　it　at　the　public　charge；　they；　however；　made　up　a
sum　among　themselves　for　a　second　image　of　Fortune；　which　the　Romans
say　uttered；　as　it　was　putting　up；　words　to　this　effect；　〃Blessed　of
the　gods；　O　women；　is　your　gift。〃
　　These　words；　they　profess；　were　repeated　a　second　time；　expecting
our　belief　of　what　seems　pretty　nearly　an　impossibility。　It　may　be
possible　enough　that　statues　may　seem　to　sweat；　and　to　run　with　tears；
and　to　stand　with　certain　dewy　drops　of　a　sanguine　colour；　for
timber　and　stones　are　frequently　known　to　contract　a　kind　of　scurf　and
rottenness；　productive　of　moisture；　and　various　tints　may　form　on
the　surfaces；　both　from　within　and　from　the　action　of　the　air　outside；
and　by　these　signs　it　is　not　absurd　to　imagine　that　the　deity　may
forewarn　us。　It　may　happen；　also；　that　images　and　statues　may
sometimes　make　a　noise　not　unlike　that　of　a　moan　or　groan；　through　a
rupture　or　violent　internal　separation　of　the　parts；　but　that　an
articulate　voice；　and　such　express　words；　and　language　so　clear　and
exact　and　elaborate；　should　proceed　from　inanimate　things　is；　in　my
judgment；　a　thing　utterly　out　of　possibility。　For　it　was　never　known
that　either　the　soul　of　man；　or　the　deity　himself；　uttered　vocal
sounds　and　language；　alone；　without　an　organized　body　and　members
fitted　for　speech。　But　where　history　seems　in　a　manner　to　force　our
assent　by　the　concurrence　of　numerous　and　credible　witnesses；　we　are
to　conclude　that　an　impression　distinct　from　sensation　affects　the
imaginative　part　of　our　nature；　and　then　carries　away　the　judgment；　so
as　to　believe　it　to　be　a　sensation；　just　as　in　sleep　we　fancy　we　see
and　hear；　without　really　doing　either。　Persons；　however；　whose
strong　feelings　of　reverence　to　the　deity；　and　tenderness　for
religion；　will　not　allow　them　to　deny　or　invalidate　anything　of　this
kind；　have　certainly　a　strong　argument　for　their　faith；　in　the
wonderful　and　transcendent　character　of　the　divine　power；　which　admits
no　manner　of　comparison　with　ours；　either　in　its　nature　or　its　action；
the　modes　or　the　strength　of　its　operations。　It　is　no　contradiction　to
reason　that　it　should　do　things　that　we　cannot　do；　and　effect　what　for
us　is　impracticable：　differing　from　us　in　all　respects；　in　its　acts
yet　more　than　in　other　points　we　may　well　believe　it　to　be　unlike　us
and　remote　from　us。　Knowledge　of　divine　things　for　the　most　part；　as
Heraclitus　says；　is　lost　to　us　by　incredulity。
　　When　Marcius　came　back　to　Antium；　Tullus；　who　thoroughly　hated　and
greatly　feared　him；　proceeded　at　once　to　contrive　how　he　might
immediately　despatch　him；　as；　if　he　escaped　now；　he　was　never　likely
to　give　him　such　another　advantage。　Having　therefore　got　together
and　suborned　several　partisans　against　him；　he　required　Marcius　to
resign　his　charge；　and　give　the　Volscians　an　account　of　his
administration。　He；　apprehending　the　danger　of　a　private　condition；
while　Tullus　held　the　office　of　general　and　exercised　the　greatest
power　among　his　fellow…citizens；　made　answer；　that　he　was　ready　to　lay
down　his　commission；　whenever　those　from　whose　common　authority　he　had
received　it　should　think　fit　to　recall　it；　and　that　in　the　meantime　he
was　ready　to　give　the　Antiates　satisfaction；　as　to　all　particulars
of　his　conduct；　if　they　were　desirous　of　it。
　　An　assembly　was　called　and　popular　speakers；　as　had　been
concerted；　came　forward　to　exasperate　and　incense　the　multitude；　but
when　Marcius　stood　up　to　answer；　the　more　unruly　and　tumultuous　part
of　the　people　became　quiet　on　a　sudden；　and　out　of　reverence　allowed
him　to　speak　without　the　least　disturbance；　while　all　the　better
people；　and　such　as　were　satisfied　with　a　peace；　made　it　evident　by
their　whole　behaviour；　that　they　would　give　him　a　favourable
hearing；　and　judge　and　pronounce　according　to　equity。
　　Tullus；　therefore；　began　to　dread　the　issue　of　the　defence　he　was
going　to　make　for　himself；　for　he　was　an　admirable　speaker；　and　the
former　services　he　had　done　the　Volscians　had　procured　and　still
preserved　for　him　greater　kindness　than　could　be　outweighed　by　any
blame　for　his　late　conduct。　Indeed；　the　very　accusation　itself　was　a
proof　and　testimony　of　the　greatness　of　his　merits；　since　people　could
never　have　complained　or　thought　themselves　wronged；　because　Rome
was　not　brought　into　their　power；　but　that　by　his　means　they　had
come　so　near　to　taking　it。　For　these　reasons；　the　conspirators
judged　it　prudent　not　to　make　any　further　delays；　nor　to　test　the
general　feeling；　but　the　boldest　of　their　faction；　cr