ll things were gained for it by their care and labour
and service, while it, remaining at rest in the midst of them all, did
nought but enjoy the pleasures provided for it Wherefore they conspired
that the hands should not carry food to the mouth, that the mouth should
not take that which was offered to it, nor the teeth chew it. So it came
to pass that while they would have subdued the belly by hunger, they
themselves and the whole body were brought to great extremity of
weakness. Then did it become manifest that the belly was not idle,
but had also an office and service of its own, feeding others, even as
itself was fed, seeing that it changed the food into that blood from
which we have life and vigour, and so sent it back into all parts of the
body. Consider then, and see how this wrath of the Commons against the
nobles is as the wrath of the members against the belly." With these
words he wrought upon the minds of the people so that they were willing
to be reconciled, certain conditions being granted, whereof the chief
was this, that the Commons should have officers of their own, tribunes
by name, whom no man might harm under pain of death, and who should
help the Commons, if need should arise, against the Consuls. Also it was
provided that no noble should hold this office forever. Now it fell out
not many days after these things that there arose a great famine in this
land, so that the slaves and not a few of the Commons also had perished,
but that the Consuls diligently gathered wheat from all places where it
could be bought. And it came to pass that there was brought much wheat
from the island of Sicily, and the Senators debated among themselves on
what terms it should be given to the people. Now there were some among
the nobles that took it very ill that the Commons should have officers
of their own, by whose help they might stand against the Consuls, and
the counsel of these was to use the occasion of this famine against
them. The chiefest of these was a certain Marcius, that was surnamed
Coriolanus.

How Marcius had won for himself this surname must now be told. The army
of the Romans besieged Corioli, that was a town of the Volsci; and while
they were busy with the siege, and thought only of the townsfolk that
were shut in the town, there came upon them of a sudden an army of the
Volscians from Antium, and at the same time the townsfolk sallied forth
from the city. Now Marcius chanced to be on guard, and he, h