The obedi

lanus to his

mother.

Counsellers promises make men valliant, in hope of just performance.

due to his father if he had lived; dyd not only content ence of Corio- selfe to rejoyce and honour her, but at her desire tooke a also, by whom he had two children, and yet never le mothers house therefore. Now he being growen to great and authoritie in Rome for his valliantnes, it fortuned grewe sedition in the cittie, because the Senate dyd favou riche against the people, who dyd complaine of the sore Extremitie of pression of userers, of whom they borrowed money. For userers com- that had little, were yet spoyled of that little they had by plained of at Rome by the creditours, for lacke of abilitie to paye the userie: who of people. their goodes to be solde, to them that would geve most. suche as had nothing left, their bodies were layed hold and they were made their bonde men, notwithstanding al woundes and cuttes they shewed, which they had receyv many battells, fighting for defence of their countrie and com wealth of the which, the last warre they made, was ag the Sabynes, wherein they fought apon the promise the men had made them, that from thenceforth they would int them more gently, and also upon the worde of M Valerius chief of the Senate, who by authoritie of the cour and in the behalfe of the riche, sayed they should performe they had promised. But after that they had faithfully se in this last battell of all, where they overcame their ene seeing they were never a whit the better, nor more gentl treated, and that the Senate would geve no care to them make as though they had forgotten their former promise, suffered them to be made slaves and bonde men to Ingratitude, creditours, and besides, to be turned out of all that ever and good had they fell then even to flat rebellion and mutine, an warded, pro- sturre up daungerous tumultes within the cittie. The Roma voketh rebel- enemies hearing of this rebellion, dyd straight enter the tories of Rome with a marvelous great power, spoyling burning all as they came. Whereupon the Senate immedia made open proclamation by sounde of trumpet, that all t which were of lawful age to carie weapon, should come enter their names into the muster masters booke, to goe to warres : but no man obeyed their commaundement. Where their chief magistrates, and many of the Senate, beg to be of divers opinions emong them selves. For s thought it was reason, they should somewhat yeld to poore peoples request, and that they should a little qua the severitie of the lawe. Other held hard against

service unre

lion.

against the

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 and doe goe to 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 pacific 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
ginning of

Tribuni
Plebis.

the common commoditie that commeth unto every one of These persuasions pacified the people, conditionally, that Senate would graunte there should be yerely chosen magistrates, which they now call Tribuni Plebis, whose a should be to defend the poore people from violence oppression. So Iunius Brutus, and Sicinius Vellutus, Iunius Brutus, the first Tribunes of the people that were chosen, who only bene the causers and procurers of this sedition. H upon the cittie being growen againe to good quiet and ur the people immediately went to the warres, shewing that had a good will to doe better than ever they dyd, and to very willing to obey the magistrates in that they w commaund, concerning the warres. Martius also, thoug

Sicinius Vellutus, the 2 first tri

bunes.

The cittie of
Corioles be-
sieged by the
Consul
Cominius.

liked him nothing to see the greatnes of the people increased, considering it was to the prejudice, and imbasin the nobilitie, and also sawe that other noble Patricians troubled as well as him selfe; he dyd persuade the Patric to shew them selves no lesse forward and willing to fight their countrie, then the common people were; and to let t knowe by their dedes and actes, that they dyd not so m passe the people in power and riches, as they dyd exc them in true nobilitie and valliantnes. In the countrie of Volsces, against whom the Romaines made warre at that there was a principall cittie and of most fame, that was c Corioles, before the which the Consul Cominius dyd laye s Wherefore all the other Volsces fearing least that cittie sh be taken by assault, they came from all partes of the cou to save it, entending to geve the Romaines battell before cittie, and to geve an onset on them in two severall pl The Consul Cominius understanding this, devided his a also in two parts, and taking the one parte with him self marched towards them that were drawing to the cittie, o the countrie; and the other parte of his armie he left in Titus Lartius, campe with Titus Lartius (one of the valliantest men Romaines had at that time) to resist those that would any salye out of the cittie upon them. So the Coriolans ing small accompt of them that laye in campe before the made a salye out apon them, in the which at the first Coriolans had the better, and drave the Romaines b againe into the trenches of their campe. But Martius 1 there at that time, ronning out of the campe with a fewe with him, he slue the first enemies he met withall, and

a valliant

Romaine.

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

taken.

Souldiers testaments.

cittizens peradventure were fighting with their enemies
howe that leaving the spoyle they should seeke to winde
selves out of daunger and perill. Howbeit, crie, and s
them what he could, very fewe of them would hearken t
Wherefore taking those that willingly offered them sel
followe him, he went out of the cittie, and tooke his
towardes that parte, where he understoode the rest
armie was: exhorting and intreating them by the way
followed him, not to be fainte harted, and ofte holding
handes to heaven, he besought the goddes to be so gr
and favorable unto him, that he might come in time
battell, and in good hower to hazarde his life in defence
country men. Now the Romaines when they were
battell raye, and ready to take their targettes on their
and to guirde them upon their arming coates, had a cu
to make their willes at that very instant, without any n
of writing, naming him only whom they would mak
heire, in the presence of three or foure witnesses. M
came just to that reckoning, whilest the souldiers were a
after that sorte, and that the enemies were approach
neere, as one stoode in viewe of the other. When the
him at his first comming, all bloody, and in a swet, and bu
a fewe men following him: some thereupon beganne
afeard. But sone after, when they sawe him ronne
lively cheere to the Consul and to take him by the
declaring howe he had taken the cittie of Corioles, an
they sawe the Consul Cominius also kisse and embrace
then there was not a man but tooke harte againe to hi
beganne to be of a good corage, some hearing him 1
from poynte to poynte, the happy successe of this ex
and other also conjecturing it by seeing their gestures
off. Then they all beganne to call upon the Consul to
forward, and to delaye no lenger, but to geve charge up
enemie, Martius asked him howe the order of their e
battell was, and on which side they had placed the
fighting men. The Consul made him aunswer, that he t
the bandes which were in the voward of their battell
those of the Antiates, whom they esteemed to be the wa
men, and which for valliant corage would geve no pl
any of the hoste of their enemies. Then prayed Mart
be set directly against them.
greatly praysing his corage.

The Consul graunted

Then Martius, wher