youth killeth devour to con dyd not forget so noble an acte, and therefore first of all he crowned Martius with a garland of oken boughs. For who- Coriolanus soever saveth the life a Romaine, it is a manner among them, crowned with to honour him with such a garland. . . . Moreover it is daylie oken boughes. a garland of seene, that honour and reputation lighting on young men before their time, and before they have no great corage by nature: the desire to winne more, dieth straight in them, To soden which easely happeneth, the same having no deepe roote in honour in them before. Where contrariwise, the first honour that valiant further desier mindes doe come unto, doth quicken up their appetite, hasting of fame. them forward as with force of winde, to enterprise things of highe deserving praise. For they esteeme, not to receave reward for service done, but rather take it for a remembraunce and encoragement, to make them doe better in time to come; and be ashamed also to cast their honour at their heeles not seeking to increase it still by like deserte of worthie valliant dedes. This desire being bred in Martius, he strained still to passe him selfe in manlines: and being desirous to shewe a Coriolanus daylie increase of his valliantnes, his noble service dyd still noble enadvaunce his fame, bringing in spoyles apon spoyles from the tinue well enemie. Whereupon, the captaines that came afterwards (for deserving. envie of them that went before) dyd contend who should most honour him, and who should beare most honourable testimonie of his valliantnes. In so much the Romaines having many warres and battells in those days, Coriolanus was at them all : and there was not a battell fought, from whence he returned not without some rewarde of honour. And as for other, the only respect that made them valliant, was they hoped to have honour: but touching Martius, the only thing that made him to love honour, was the joye he sawe his mother dyd take of him. For he thought nothing made him so happie and honorable, as that his mother might heare every bodie praise and commend him, that she might allwayes see him returne with a crowne upon his head, and that she might still embrace him with teares ronning downe her cheekes for joye. Which desire they saye Epaminondas dyd avowe, and confesse to have Coriolanus bene in him as to thinke him selfe a most happie and blessed and Epaminman, that his father and mother in their life time had seene both place the victorie he wanne in the plaine of Leuctres. Now as for their desire of Epaminondas, he had this good happe, to have his father and mother living, to be partakers of his joye and prosperitie. But Martius thinking all due to his mother, that had bene also ondas did honour alike. The obedi lanus to his Counsellers promises make men valliant, in hope of just performance. due to his father if he had lived; dyd not only content him ence of Corio- selfe to rejoyce and honour her, but at her desire tooke a wife mother. also, by whom he had two children, and yet never left his mothers house therefore. Now he being growen to great credit and authoritie in Rome for his valliantnes, it fortuned there grewe sedition in the cittie, because the Senate dyd favour the riche against the people, who dyd complaine of the sore opExtremitie of pression of userers, of whom they borrowed money. For those userers com- that had little, were yet spoyled of that little they had by their plained of at Rome by the creditours, for lacke of abilitie to paye the userie: who offered people. their goodes to be solde, to them that would geve most. And suche as had nothing left, their bodies were layed holde of, and they were made their bonde men, notwithstanding all the woundes and cuttes they shewed, which they had receyved in many battells, fighting for defence of their countrie and common wealth of the which, the last warre they made, was against the Sabynes, wherein they fought apon the promise the riche men had made them, that from thenceforth they would intreate them more gently, and also upon the worde of Marcus Valerius chief of the Senate, who by authoritie of the counsell, and in the behalfe of the riche, sayed they should performe that they had promised. But after that they had faithfully served in this last battell of all, where they overcame their enemies, seeing they were never a whit the better, nor more gently intreated, and that the Senate would geve no care to them, but make as though they had forgotten their former promise, and suffered them to be made slaves and bonde men to their Ingratitude, creditours, and besides, to be turned out of all that ever they and good had they fell then even to flat rebellion and mutine, and to warded, prosturre up daungerous tumultes within the cittie. The Romaines voketh rebel- enemies hearing of this rebellion, dyd straight enter the territories of Rome with a marvelous great power, spoyling and burning all as they came. Whereupon the Senate immediately made open proclamation by sounde of trumpet, that all those which were of lawfull age to carie weapon, should come and enter their names into the muster masters booke, to goe to the warres: but no man obeyed their commaundement. Whereupon their chief magistrates, and many of the Senate, beganne to be of divers opinions emong them selves. For some thought it was reason, they should somewhat yeld to the poore peoples request, and that they should a little qualifie the severitie of the lawe. Other held hard against that service unre lion. against the and doe goe to opinion, and that was Martius for one. For he alleged, Martius that the creditours losing their money they had lent, was not Coriolanus the worst thing that was thereby but that the lenitie that people. was favored, was a beginning of disobedience, and that the prowde attempt of the communaltie, was to abolish lawe, and to bring all to confusion. Therefore he sayed, if the Senate were wise, they should betimes prevent, and quenche this ill favored and worse ment beginning. The Senate met many dayes in consultation about it: but in the end they concluded nothing. The poore common people seeing no redresse, gathered them selves one daye together, and one encoraging another, they all forsooke the The people cittie, and encamped them selves upon a hill, called at this leave the cittie daye the holy hill, alongest the river of Tyber, offering no the holy hill. creature any hurte or violence, or making any shewe of actuall rebellion saving that they cried as they went up and down, that the riche men had driven them out of the cittie, and that all Italie through they should finde ayer, water, and ground to burie them in. Moreover, they sayed, to dwell at Rome was nothing els but to be slaine, or hurte with continuall warres, and fighting for defence of the riche mens goodes. The Senate being afeard of their departure, dyd send unto them certaine of the pleasauntest olde men, and the most acceptable to the people among them. Of those, Menenius Agrippa was he, who was sent for chief man of the message from the Senate. He, after many good persuasions and gentle requestes made to the people, on the behalfe of the Senate: knit up his oration in the ende, with a notable tale, in this manner. That An excellent on a time all the members of mans bodie, dyd rebell against tale tolde by the bellie, complaining of it, that it only remained in the Agrippa to middest of the bodie, without doing anything, neither dyd pacifie the beare any labour to the maintenaunce of the rest: whereas all people. other partes and members dyd labour paynefully, and was very carefull to satisfie the appetites and desiers of the bodie. And so the bellie, all this notwithstanding, laughed at their follie, and sayed: It is true, I first receyve all meates that norishe mans bodie: but afterwards I send it againe to the norishement of other partes of the same. Even so (quoth he) O you, my masters, and citizens of Rome: the reason is a like betweene the Senate, and you. For matters being well digested, and their counsells thoroughly examined, touching the benefit of the common wealth: the Senatours are cause of Menenius The first be Tribuni the common commoditie that commeth unto every one of you. These persuasions pacified the people, conditionally, that the Senate would graunte there should be yerely chosen five magistrates, which they now call Tribuni Plebis, whose office should be to defend the poore people from violence and oppression. So Iunius Brutus, and Sicinius Vellutus, were Iunius Brutus, the first Tribunes of the people that were chosen, who had Sicinius only bene the causers and procurers of this sedition. Vellutus, the upon the cittie being growen againe to good quiet and unitie, 2 first trithe people immediately went to the warres, shewing that they had a good will to doe better than ever they dyd, and to be very willing to obey the magistrates in that they would commaund, concerning the warres. Martius also, though it bunes. Here liked him nothing to see the greatnes of the people thus increased, considering it was to the prejudice, and imbasing of the nobilitie, and also sawe that other noble Patricians were troubled as well as him selfe; he dyd persuade the Patricians, to shew them selves no lesse forward and willing to fight for their countrie, then the common people were; and to let them knowe by their dedes and actes, that they dyd not so muche passe the people in power and riches, as they dyd exceede them in true nobilitie and valliantnes. In the countrie of the Volsces, against whom the Romaines made warre at that time, there was a principall cittie and of most fame, that was called Corioles, before the which the Consul Cominius dyd laye siege. Wherefore all the other Volsces fearing least that cittie should be taken by assault, they came from all partes of the countrie to save it, entending to geve the Romaines battell before the cittie, and to geve an onset on them in two severall places. The Consul Cominius understanding this, devided his armie also in two parts, and taking the one parte with him selfe, he marched towards them that were drawing to the cittie, out of the countrie; and the other parte of his armie he left in the Titus Lartius, campe with Titus Lartius (one of the valliantest men the The cittie of sieged by the a valliant Romaine. Romaines had at that time) to resist those that would make any salye out of the cittie upon them. So the Coriolans making small accompt of them that laye in campe before the cittie, made a salye out apon them, in the which at the first the Coriolans had the better, and drave the Romaines backe againe into the trenches of their campe. But Martius being there at that time, ronning out of the campe with a fewe men with him, he slue the first enemies he met withall, and made the rest of them staye upon a sodaine, crying out to the Romaines that had turned their backes, and calling them againe to fight with a lowde voyce. For he was even such another, as Cato would have a souldier and a captaine to be; The propertie not only terrible, and fierce to laye about him, but to make of a souldier. the enemie afeard with the sounde of his voyce, and grimnes of his countenaunce. Then there flocked about him immediately, a great number of Romaines; whereat the enemies were so afeard, that they gave backe presently. But Martius not staying so, dyd chase and followe them to their owne gates, that fled for life. And there, perceyving that the Romaines retired backe, for the great number of dartes and arrowes which flewe about their eares from the walles of the cittie, and that there was not one man amongst them that durst venter him selfe to followe the flying enemies into the cittie, for that it was full of men of warre, very well armed, and appointed; he dyd encorage his fellowes with wordes and dedes, crying out to them, that fortune had opened the gates of the cittie, more for the followers, then the flyers. But all this notwithstanding, fewe had the hartes to followe him. Howbeit Martius being in the throng emong the enemies, thrust him selfe into the gates of the cittie, and entred the same emong them that fled, without that any one of them durst at the first turne their face upon him, or els offer to staye him. But he looking about him, and seeing he was entred the cittie with very fewe men to helpe him, and perceyving he was environned by his enemies that gathered round about to set upon him : dyd things then as it is written, wonderfull and incredible, aswell for the force of his hande, as also for the agillitie of his bodie, and with a wonderfull corage and valliantnes, he made a lane through the middest of them, and overthrewe also those he layed at: that some he made ronne to the furthest parte of the cittie, and other for feare he made yeld them selves, and to let fall their weapons before him. By this meanes, Lartius that was gotten out, had some leysure to bring the Romaines with more safety into the cittie. The cittie being The cittie of taken in this sorte, the most parte of the souldiers beganne Corioles incontinently to spoyle, to carie awaye, and to looke up the bootie they had wonne. But Martius was marvelous angry with them, and cried out on them, that it was no time now to looke after spoyle, and to ronne straggling here and there to enriche them selves, whilest the other Consul and their fellowe |